michaelmorris

I much prefer to get my tripod, mount and scope set up in good daylight so that I can hopefully maximise my time imaging. However, I often find that my initial stab at pointing the tripod facing north using a compass is often so far out that I end up having to move the tripod and mount with everything on it to get the mount close enough to north to then use the azimuth adjustment bolts to get it polar aligned. This often then leads to the tripod not being level. Is there anyway to get this initial rough alignment in daylight more accurate?

Thank god!

I'd pay good money NOT to see that!

Amongst other things, I'll be selling a 5kg Skywatcher counterweight and a very heavy duty pier levelling plate/eyepiece holder.

Wow, I didn't realise they were now charging. Luckily we migrated our local astronomical society's Yahoo group over to groups.io a couple of years ago.

I have a new (to me) SW EQ6-GT mount. On it I have mounted a SW 80ED with a standard SW 9 x 50 finder converted into a guide scope using the SW finder to C-mount adaptor. I use a SX Lodestar 2x guide camera screwed directly on the C-mount adaptor. I've always found that my mount calibration seems to take ages when using a finder/guider (up to 10 minutes). However, with the new mount it takes so many steps to calibrate that PHD2 runs out of time and calibration fails. If I try it using PHD version 1, calibration is successful, but still takes ages to complete. I am using 3 second exposures and the calibration step size set to the maximum value that the software will allow. I have checked and PHD2 is definitely moving the mount on each step, just not enough. What am I doing wrong?

Two organisations come to mind. The BAA and the Society for the History of Astronomy. https://britastro.org/ https://societyforthehistoryofastronomy.com/

The delrin T2 spacers sold by FLO are also good at reducing the risk of them getting 'cold welded'. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-t2-delrin-spacer-ring-set.html

I know the feeling.

Okay, your post has prompted me to look at the website. I've now booked for general entry + the talks by Patrick Gilliland and by Prof Hilary Downes.

I'm probably going, probably on the Saturday. - (decisive aren't I?!)

Unless you intend to keep moving it in and out of your van every night, a good waterproof cover for your scope is an essential. Many people cover them with a toilet/utility tent.

Not so much 'great minds ticking over searching' as 'drunk befuddled minds groping hopelessly in the dark'

Nice image.

I wouldn't go that far. The old EQ8 was the more or less on it's own at the circa £2000 price point in having such a high weight capacity. My guess is that they've decided to aim the mount a higher spec market, hence the belt driven Dec axis and all the built in power and USB features. Perhaps there just isn't a big enough market for a high capacity mount at this price point to make it worth making them. However, personally I think it's a shame that this option of a (relatively) inexpensive high capacity mount will now have disappeared. Perhaps there is a new low cost, high weight capacity mount in the pipeline (EQ7)?

Looks great, but that is quite a price difference from the old EQ8.

This is the sort of thing I use https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F352464212909

Thanks Stephan.

Would acetate work on a touch screen?

I already have some red safety specs that I use for the very same purpose. However, unless I issue pairs to 100 people they aren't going to help at a star party! 😀

The idea was to put the filter on the light box to correct the colour imbalance of the light source.

Whilst I can use software to make the screen of my Windows Tablet and Android phone red, in neither instance does this work all the time. What I'm really after is a red film that can be taken on and off the touch sensitive screen of the phone or tablet so that I can ensure that neither will ruin my night vision. The only products I've found so far are Xtra Dark Cling by Sirius Products. https://www.siriusastroproducts.com/products---red-eyes-computeriphonedslr-light-shield.html?m and a red screen protector by Astrogizmo http://www.astrogizmos.com/TransPVC.htm However, both of these products are quite expensive for what are just basically plastic screen protectors + you have to add shipping costs from the USA. Does anyone know of any cheaper alternatives that can be used with a touch sensitive screen? Thanks

Late last year I bought a ZWO 294 MC Pro cooled camera. It's a great camera. However, I am a little concerned about the flats I am getting with my light box. I'm aiming to get and ADU value that sits right in the middle of the histogram. However, peaks on the histogram for R G and B are a long distance apart, meaning it is impossible to get all three colours near the centre of the histogram. So here are my questions 1 - Does this matter? 2 - Should I be looking to introduce a coloured filter in to my light box to even out these differences a bit?

Thanks