teoria_del_big_bang

18 minutes ago, smr said:

Does anyone happen to know of a video which demonstrates all the steps involved in Mono Astrophotography? I've had a search on youtube but can't seem to find any sort of walkthrough or clear guide as to what is involved from start to finish.
I'd really appreciate a video like this!

Are you wanting a video about the imaging side (i.e taking subs, darks, flats etc) or the processing side (alignment,stacking,stretching etc) ?
In my opinion whilst there is a lot of very good info on you tube and the like if you want an overall summary then I think you are better off with a book. If you don't have it get "Every Photon Counts", its a  must, as useful as the camera, scope and mount in my opinion. 
It may not go into every aspect in depth but really gives an overall view of what is needed both imaging and processing.

I am not sure exactly what you are after I know you are not totally new to astronomy so is it just the mono side of imaging (i.e. needing multiple filter subs) that you are unfamiliar with ?

33 minutes ago, smr said:

Also with regard to the APS-C Mono Cameras, what size filters would you need ?

Depends to an extent on your setup (which scope, camera and distance from camera to filters and this tool will tell you exactly.

CCD Filter Size Tool

But I looked at a few scenarios with scopes and cameras and generally seems that some MAY get away with 31mm bu generally 36 mm unmounted seem to be the safe minimum.

Steve

On 24/01/2021 at 19:03, JamesF said:

You know how you can sometimes connect "dummy" hardware to the system?  What we need is a dummy sky.

James

problem with my setup sometimes is I keep connecting the Dummy Operator and that can screw everything up 😟

Steve

On 25/01/2021 at 15:17, nephilim said:

have seen a few mentions of this heater being used https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-accessories/zwo-anti-dew-heater-strip-for-asi-cooled-cameras.html  Is it necessary? I live between the Northern Pennines & Lake District so it gets pretty cold round here so i'm assuming its needed but would obviously prefer not to shell out yet more cash if I dont really need to.
 

I know what you mean about not wasting the few clear nights living around the Pennines 🙂 

Sounds like you are clear on the heated dew bands you need. I actually made mine and very easy they are to make but to be honest doesn't save much by the time you have bought all the heater wire (or resistors) cable, tape plugs etc.

Regarding the heater for the camera I asked the very same question about the ASI1600mm when I started and was told it was not needed on my newer camera as it was an issue on earlier ZWO cameras, so I guess if yours is a new camera then wont be required. 
Anyway, I too have been is temperatures down around -8 at least and never had an issue with camera fogging. Whether you actually need one for the guidescope or not I am not sure as I have always just used one so as you have the controller already a small dew band will not be very much so personally I would just get one and then you know it will not mist up.

Steve

I always used ethernet over a 50M flat cable I kept rolling out but just added a USB wifi adapter which seems to work really well and so far works over 100M away or through an outside and one internal wall. But still dont want to risk sending images over it whilst on a session so for ease just save then to a stick and then download to NAS later, or could just do it over wifi but in day after the session.

But with RPi I have 4 ports

1.  Used for internal SSD which is used instead of a micro SD
2. The WiFi Adapter
3. Imaging Camera.
4. To connect to Pegasus PPA for 5V power.

Then the 4 on the PPA

1. Focuser
2. GuideCam
3. Mount
4. 5V for RPi - unless I use the variable 3 to 12V output.

Steve

6 minutes ago, DaveS said:

How many USB ports do you need? I can only think of Main Camera, Guide Camera, and Filter Wheel.

Camera, guidecam, FW, Focusser, USB stick to download images (could get rid of that and download to RPi), one for power to RPi, WiFi adapter, Polemaster (I could unplug this after PA and then stick the USB stick in). So I think I am ok for ports.

I haven;t checked but I assume the camera and FW will have INDI drivers for EKOS.

1 minute ago, DaveS said:

Probably. Since the filter wheel plugs into the camera on the QHY that only leaves the guider to worry about, and the extra weight is probably down to the better build quality.

TBH guiding isn't something I've had to worry about since getting my first ASA mount.

Oh does the QHY FW plug directly into the camera ? If so then that fine I have enough ports

Or use the 1600 as my guide camera Ha Ha 

1 minute ago, DaveS said:

If you really need a hub then I'd be inclined to get a Pegasus APB which will also give you 4 12V outlets and two auto dew heater outlets.

Just received one yesterday 🙂 
I am probably still one port short even with this if I loose the hub but its not a game changer,  I can add a small hub as well .

Steve

1 minute ago, DaveS said:

The QHY is not only cheaper than the ZWO (Even more if you can jump on the Astrograph pre-order) but I suspect the build quality is higher and it offers 4 readout modes compared to one compromised mode on the ZWO. For me it's a no-brainer.

I must admit I like the QHY filter wheel as well. So is the ony downsides with the  QHY the extra weight and no USB hub compared to the ZWO ?

Steve

For sure if I went for the QHY camera I would get the QHY wheel. And really these together same price almost as the ZWO camera alone.

In the same way if I get the ZWO I would eventually get the 36mm bolt on wheel they are supposed to be releasing soon, but hopefully I could get away with the SX until it does. Whether the extra weight of the camera will cause some issues not sure but should be okay.
But I would still get the bolt on wheel when it comes out just to get the sensor closer to the filters, I would just be happier that way.

So I guess unless the ZWO offers something over the QHY then the QHY would be the way to go. I then have the 1600, also a FW to use on my  WO73 which with the HEQ5 is a bit more portable for travelling.
I just have no experience with QHY and have not had any issues with ZWO cameras so tempted to still go with the ZWO (and then also have the USB2 hub still which is really helpful, otherwise need a seperate hub).

Like I said I am really bad at making decisions 🙂 

Steve

Hi, welcome to SGL and feel free to ask any questions, this is a really friendly forum and no questions are considered silly 🙂 

Steve

3 hours ago, DaveS said:

I would like to know what camera side adaptors come with it as I would like to attach it to my ols SX filter wheel.

What SX FW do you have and do you plan to use 2" or 36mm Filters.

I have a similar dilemma in that I am really tempted to upgrade from my ASI1600mm to either of these 2 cameras but only have 36mm filters and really cannot justify the cost of new camera FW and NB filters.
With the plate on either camera using 17.5mm of the BF if screwed onto the SX FW which is then another 15 mm (approx) to filter then 36mm filters should be okay, albeit only just.

Do 36mm unmounted filters actually have 36mm useable  diameter ?
I am assuming it will be less due to the fact they do mount to a hole smaller than 36mm on the wheel, and there maybe some alignment errors and I guess ideally the light path needs to be a reasonable clearance of the hole in the wheel to avoid reflections or other issues.
But I am guessing 32.56 mm minimum size should mean 36mm are okay to use?

However, bolting the camera to FW seems a better solution so If I go for the  QHY268M then I can buy the 7X36mm wheel that goes with it for same price as the ZWO camera, but I do like ZWO so do I wait for that one and see how it performs with my current SX wheel  and if issues then hope the promised ZWO 36mm bolt on FW makes an appearance soon ?

God why can I never make a decision 🙂 

Steve

I have always used -20 C as it never struggles to get to that point even in warmer weather (not that is a problem for us up North 🙂 ) and the cooler the better (to a point).

I also have tended to stick to unity gain with an offset of 40 but in all honesty not experimented much with these figures as they just seemed to have worked but with a bot of science behind it I think some gains work better in some circumstances but not experienced enough to say what works and what doesn't.

Steve

I agree some nice detail in there and a nice image 🙂 

You will be happy with that setup I am sure, especially if you have low light pollution then the camera will be  excellent from other reports I have seen.

Steve 

2 minutes ago, maw lod qan said:

I do think sometimes how nice it would be if what makes you you could just travel through the universe. Your essence or spirit just traveling where you will.

Might find out it's more crowded than you imagined!

Way the covid situation is here in UK and the strict lockdown at moment it is only my spirit that travels anywhere 🙂 

Steve

Just started but no worries I am glad it is sorted. 

I made a clock (not my design) a while aut not really got it working correctly, I think too much friction so the weight had to be really heavy.
I might get all the bits back out and have another go now 🙂 

Steve

Okay I can give it a go.

Do you want me to try a specific filament (PLA, PETG) and colour in case it is good I can post it ?

2 hours ago, maw lod qan said:

Absolutely beautiful!

Can you imagine what early man thought when he looked up into the night sky and saw that!!??

Didn't some believe it was the spirits of the dead going up to heaven ?

Nice to think my spirit might - just not quite now though 🙂 

Steve

I must admit I had not noticed this before and withing say 0.1 mm always seemed to get correct sizes without taking into account the extrusion width so assumed the slicer took care of it, Normally apart from the elephants foot on the first layer the dimensions seem pretty good using PrusaSlicer which is based on Slic3r.

I have just dropped the STL into my slicer and seems fine.

I can try and print one this afternoon if it helps and see what happens ?

Steve

Is there any chance the STL could have gone onto the plate of the slicer at a slight angle that you did not notice, I have had this before, that might cause something like this to happen ?

5 minutes ago, Gina said:

Thanks for your reply.  Yes, 141mm is correct.  Didn't know a slicer could offset a hole!  My slicer is Simplify3D.  I wondered if using a larger axle and hence hole would help.

I can see the slicers may have quite a large possible offset due to the extrusion width but that would not account for 1mm surely.
 

Even then I would of thought something made up from concentric circles should still come out pretty accurate regarding the concentricity, maybe out a bit size wise ??? Wouldn't it ??

Steve

Steve,

I too got my first chance to try this on Monday and very impressed.

I did not think too much how it really worked though as it seems to pick several stars but use one for guiding rather than averaging all the ones picked, so I assumed it just swapped to guide from one of the other picked stars if it lost the guide star. But that was my assumption as it puts markers around several stars but then highlights one of them. So this assumption could be wrong.

Steve

What makes you think it is wrong, have you printed it and then can measure the hole is 1 mm out ?

Steve

And a zoom in to show all points are same center

Steve

Gina,

The STL looks right to me checking it in 3D-Tool

Above checks the 3mm hole (which is actually 3.4 mm), the inner diameter at R15 and the outer diameter at R57 and the center of those are all in the same place.

Below shows the inner gear at R13,5 and again its center is exactly in same place as above.

And finally the outer diameter of the escape mechanism at R70.5 again shows the center to be in same place as all other dimensions.

Steve