david_taurus83

I had a go at binning the ASI1600 on camera versus in software. Software was better.

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/342762-software-binning-explained/

2 hours ago, Brujo said:

Have you solved this problem ?
I am having the same problem and just can't get out of it.
Polar alignment is ok, guiding is ok, no differential flexure, no heavy cables.

And still having this drift of 1 pixel per minute on a 6" RC with ASI533 camera.

 

Definitely flexure. I've moved to a mini guidescope on the focuser so imaging camera and guide camera are on the same tube, as opposed to being separated by the scope rings and handlebar. There is still some small drift over the evening but not to the degree seen above. I can still do 15 minute subs without any noticeable drift in each sub. That may be because I'm guiding on a star off centre of the main imaging camera. OAG guiding completely eliminates it btw but it puts my guide camera in an awkward place and it gets very close to crashing into the tripod near the meridian. 

After a bit of a wait, finally here. Its actually nice to receive something with detailed instructions as well.

17 hours ago, UberStar said:

I have recenly purchased a skywatcher adventurer pro 2i and followed advice on youtube how to polar allign, so i founda guy on youtube who went into some details to make sure the 0 was pointing directly up and the 6 directly south (link to video)

 

So when i do this method in his youtube video and set my dial to between 10 and 11 my scope is slightly out its is more wonky to the right like in this link 

 

Is there a way to twist the scope to the left slightly so it all matches up ?

 

My tripod is leveled and so i know this is not the issue its 100% the scope or the inners of the scope.

 

I hope i have explained this correctly for someone to understand.

In the video he links to the manual where there is a procedure to calibrate the reticle.

I know you say you've tried longer but 1 second exposures and a min move of 0.1 and the mount is going to try to react to every wobble of the guide star. Have you tried to run the guiding assistant in PHD?

That DSLR cable is giving me the heebie jeebies!

When the clutches are locked is there any play in the axis? Even the slightest when you try and pull on the counterweight bar? My AZEQ6 developed a bit of play after 6 or 7 months use. I had to dial it out using the Astrobaby guide and it was fine afterwards.

M13 is definitely out of focus. The stars all look like they have some degree of coma but all pointing the same way. For a start I'd just try the mask and visually get it right. Don't rely on Bahtinov grabber. I've never had much luck with software trying to tell me Bahtinov spikes were good or not.

I'm waiting for a Gerd Neumann tilt adapter so I can hopefully be rid of tilt for good. Been waiting a good month now despite 365 placing the order to Germany weeks ago. Special times and all that, I appreciate Covid, Brexit delays etc but still frustrating! Hope this year sees some sort of return to normality! I will never complain about the mundane again!

11 minutes ago, oymd said:

DO you mean the MEAN WELL ones, or the ones I linked to on Amazon?

The JnDee ones.

5 hours ago, oymd said:

Thank you for your advice.

I can see that ships from the Netherlands.

I was hoping to get something sooner.

What do you think of this: 12V 8AMP 96WATT:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B015RKHEEM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1Z6BZ50E78GIF&th=1

or the SAME brand, but 12 6AMP 72WATT:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00W3S8630/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1Z6BZ50E78GIF&th=1

Many thanks

I bought one of those before for the something. The connection on the female plug to the brick was very poor and easily disconnected if the brick was moved. I don't recommend. 

I'm having a go at California in Ha just for something to do. Star shapes are poor as I'm still waiting for my Gerd Neumann tilt adapter from 365 so not approaching any project seriously until I can get round stars!

How are you trying to solve? Platesolve2? ASPS? ASTAP? PS2 shouldn't need the settings changed but I know that ASPS (Blind solve) is funny if the correct FOV and pixel/sensor size isn't setup correctly from within the ASPS settings.

Esprit?

Can you not look on your old PC at that location for the file and copy it over?

3 hours ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Thanks but that,s the windows version I think.
I have downloaded the latest drivers for RPi from QHY but it just crashes.

I think I may have to ditch EKOS and RPi for now and try to figure out a new sequencing package such as NINA or Voyager on a PC and go back to Windows.
It is just so frustrating when I have spent a year getting RPi to work reliably and also I really like EKOS and its format that I now have to change my whole way of working just to get a new camera working that wa snot exactly cheap.

I am beginning to wish I had waited a few more weeks and got the ZWO version as never had issues with all my ZWO cameras.

Steve

I'm sure I read on the INDI forum that someone had asked if the QHY cameras would be fully supported and Jasem responded saying he had ordered one himself so yes they would!

That's really shocking! The second looks like end float play like you get on an EQ5 worm.

3 minutes ago, Endolf said:

Thanks, I've started surgery.... 

I can confirm that the mesh between the worm and main gear is fine, as is the belt tension. The issue is that the main gear "floats" on the axis. I need to dig more in to the guts, but that gear rotating is exactly where the slop is.

That doesn't sound good at all.

1 minute ago, Earl said:

its a good start , id get the colour balance beter as there is a fair bit of blue in those stars to be had

Broadband, yeah. With the L-Extreme filter?

What's wrong with it?! An hour and a half and you have a great image?

Apart from in built WiFi I'm guessing these are exactly the same (mechanically) as the CEM25P. I wouldn't worry about the apparent play in the mesh. What you don't want is the spring load too high as it will indeed stall the motors. The Dec axis on mine did require the cover to come off and get the screwdrivers out. For starters the belt was a lot looser than the RA. I followed the PDF guides regarding tuning out the play in both housing and belt. We shouldn't really have to be adjusting brand new gear but they are low end astronomy mounts at the end of the day. Once you get them tweaked, balanced and polar aligned well, they are very good. I see regular RMS values of 0.5" and last night I seen peak to peak errors of less than 1 second. 

CEM25_Play_Fixing.pdf CEM25_Belt_Tension.pdf

Had a clear 90 minutes or so here in the West Midlands. Transparency looked very poor but I set up to image anyway. More of a sanity check than anything as last weeks clear night was a disaster as my guiding was all over the place. My polar alignment was a bit sloppy last week so I took extra care this evening and all is well again with guiding. Packed away now as high cloud overhead but I've thrown the Heritage 150 out for a peek at the moon.

1 hour ago, Horwig said:

if nobody's imaging much, they are not going to invest in new kit, so how are the astro retailers going to survive?

 

Just my musings

 

Huw O

You wouldn't think it if you tried to buy anything at the moment!!! Though I agree with your observations. I've not had any chance to point at Orion this year where I've managed to have a go every other year before hand. At least 2 months before and after Christmas have been a write off apart from the odd few hours here and there.

Had a bash in Pixinsight. No workflow with me, just keep poking it with a stick to see what happens!

The Redcat is a petzval design which means that the optimal spacing is reached by just bringing it into focus.

The camera should come with a bunch of spacers to make up 55mm. Put them on the camera and then onto the Redcat. You should be in focus when you rack out around 5mm.

It actually has a pixel size of 2.21 but when used normally the pixels are binned. Not sure how PHD interprets this. If you calibrate successfully then it will guide fine but your graph may not be a true representation of your guiding. Can I ask why you want to guide with this camera? Seems way OTT for guiding!

IMX294CJK_Flyer.pdf