Nigella Bryant

Hi all, sorry for the belated solar image/observation from August 30th and 31st 2020. First time I tried 16bit capture instead of 8bit so a little different for me. Lunt 60mm DS and Zwo Asi 178mm. Software, Autostakker3, ImPPG and Photoshop CS2 for added false colour.

Thanks, appreciate your comment. Been used to a 12inch f4 newt which I still have so yeah, it's new to me.

No I use an old zeo ASI 120mm and a guide scope with the software. I got hold of a second hand 50mm guide scope that takes eyepieces or 1 1/4 inch camera nose piece of my zwo camera. Did away with using the polar scope.

Yeah, my Neq6 is brilliant red in the polar scope. I've since turned to using the software sharpcap and polar align that way.

Yeah, hopefully only need to do the collimation once as you say. Scope was posted a while ago to me and I've had the corrector plate off to clean surfaces and install a new finder bracket so I will need to recollimate xxx

Less of the spaghetti wiring now, all sorted into two larger cable tidy.

First light from "The Phoenix Complex" PA done last night but scope needs collimation and I wasn't going to do that at 1am after two hours getting the PA perfect. Anyway first light is of Mars.

Hi all, after my obsy rebuild just getting the telescope set up. Did the polar alignment last night but saw that the telescope was out of collimation and after spending two hours fighting with PA I wasn't going down that road at 1am. Anyway I slewed the scope over to Mars and it tracked that perfectly at f30 so I'm pleased with the PA. I was curious about how the new to me scope would perform despite needing collimation and I'm pretty pleased. Took an Avi of Mars and even though not prefect it bodes well I think. C11 XLT CT. Also used an older camera a Zwo Asi 120mm USB2 so wasn't the best. I want to try at RGB and the Zwo Asi 178mm in the coming Mars season so hopefully getting all the gremlins out now. Anyway, enough of my excuses, here is the first light from "The Phoenix Complex."

Brilliant image, well done

Fantastic image, well done.

Brilliant image, well done.

Excellent image, well done.

I live about 40 miles away from there, beautiful bortle 3/4 skies. Sky full of stars. It's the reason I wanted to move here.

I've just laid a cat6 cable and distribution box in the dome to the house and also the dome security camera is now cat6 so I can monitor telescope slews and turn off when imaging. All connected first time using AnyDesk. Really pleased.

I thought it was all over, lol. Just laid a cat6 cable for remote telescope control and distribution box in the dome. All working great and I can control all aspects via my laptop in the dome and tablet in the house. My security camera now cat6 too so I can monitor slews and turn off while imaging.

Great capture, well done.

It'll be worth it in the end.

Oh goodness, it'll be all worth it in the long run though. You'll be all ready for the dark evening's. Least you'll have the guy's from pulsar sorting out the dome build.

To be honest I've used up to 300mm telephoto lenses on my mini lx2 and wedge with using only the plastic tube to align with and get good results. I think the LX mini wedge adjustment tracking spring settings are more important to get right then precise alignment. That's been my experience anyway. Image of comet Neowise taken with my setup using a 300mm telephoto lens, max payload.

I've decided to lay some cat6 cables, should have done this during the dome build. It will plug into my router and security camera inside the dome and give better response than the current WiFi signal. Pic of what the security camera see's at present so should be ok for monitoring the scope. Need to probably lay a separate power cable so the security camera can be switched off during imaging. Also the cat6 cables will enable better remote of the mount with AnyDesk.

Thanks Dave, that's good to know, appreciate your input.

Hi lovely peps of SLG. I've a celestron f6.3 focal reducer but would be great to use with my SCT Crayford focuser. The length from the front of the reducer to DSLR chip is 150mm approx. This is on a celestron 11inch XLT. The recommended length from reducer to chip is 105mm. Also focus would add more to this. The focuser is usb controlled. The only other away if it's not possible in this configuration is to buy the celestron electronic focuser. Comments would be great.

Great result. I had two led street lights shielded. Got in touch with the council and was done within five days. My back garden is now so dark I need a flash light to see where I'm walking, lol.

Welcome Junare, yes I've found that this is the best forum around with plenty of experienced astronomer's here.

Since relocation of my dome and thieves lifting the dome at my previous address I've gone overboard with security camera, I've one pointing at the dome, one at my front gates, one in the dome pointing towards the dome doors. Unfortunately the inside dome one has a narrow field of view so not particularly great for monitoring the telescope plus it's infrared so has to be turned off during imaging.