msacco

16 hours ago, Anne S said:

I bought the same filter at the International Astronomy Show. I'm using it with Altair Astro's filter slide. I'll be alternating it with the Ir/uv filter that I've been advised to use with my Atik 320e.

Unfortunately for that price I could probably just get a filter wheel, so looking for a cheaper solution.

On 24/12/2019 at 10:49, MarcusH said:

It's a bit difficult to see from that picture, but doesn't that threaded part of the adapter thread into the camera flange ?

Thus your distance would not be 22.3 mm + 17.5 mm, but it would be 22.3 mm - threaded part(looks to be ~4 - 5 mm) + 17.5 mm, leaving you short by the distance of the threaded part.

Adding 4 mm and getting a minor improvement would also explain this, you are moving in the right direction, but are not spot on yet.

The Hyperstar is extremely picky about backfocus distance, I found this piece of information on the Baader Planetarium site when I was putting together my own Hyperstar:

"The distances for adapting a camera to the Hyperstar system must be done with a precision of +/-0.3mm or better, otherwise the image quality will suffer."

 

Also remember that at F2 your critical focus zone is in the neighborhood of 10-15 microns (yes, that's 0.010-0.015 mm), which is going to make manual focusing challenging to say the least...

It has been a while, but the issue was with the adapter I recieved, it wasn't the correct one for me.

I should be getting a new adapter soon, and hopefully that will work just fine with it.

Thanks

Hi, I have bought the L-eNhance 2 inch filter, but currently don't have any filter wheels/anything else similar to mount it.

Since I have a colored camera and currently don't plan on doing any NB imaging I don't think I'd invest in a filter wheel, so eventually I just want a cheap adapter from the filter to my camera.

If possible to send links from aliexpress or ebay that would be great. Thanks!

6 hours ago, michael8554 said:

You've probably seen this, but just in case:

https://www.cloudynights.com/articles/cat/articles/the-amazing-hyperstar-a-guide-to-optimize-perf-r3013

Michael

Yes, I have

Any idea that comes to mind?

Hi, I've recently bought a second hand hyperstar V3 for my C8 edge hd. Unfortunately I still didn't manage to get a very flat image with it, at first I thought it's because lack of collimation and that I simply don't manage to do it correctly, but after a few more testing it seems like this is not the issue.

Currently I suspect that my issue is due to wrong backfocus, but I don't really have a way to test that because it could be a matter of millimeters and I don't have such small thread extensions.

The weird thing is that as far as I'm aware my backfocus should be spot on.
Here is the adapter I have to connect the camera to the hyperstar:

Now according to the hyperstar C8 V3 specifications, the required backfocus is 39.8mm.

So with this adapter I have 22.3mm, I'm using the ASI071MC pro so the backfocus from the thread to the sensor here is 17.5mm, so in result, from the hyperstar to the camera sensor I have: 22.3 + 17.5 which is exactly 39.8mm, yet the coma is horrible...My pull/push screws are also on 0, so that should really be spot on...I tried adding a 4mm thread extension and that actually seems to help, not much but it did, still had a lot of coma though.

I'm not really sure what else I could try and would love to get some help, hope this is the correct forum to ask. Thanks!

14 minutes ago, Helen said:

I used a Stanley tool box - something like this.  It has useful storage for eyepieces etc too 🙂

https://www.diy.com/departments/stanley-24-pro-mobile-tool-chest/261674_BQ.prd?gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1272379&ds_rl=1272409&gclid=CjwKCAiAluLvBRASEiwAAbX3GUKBS21yY3Ck8L-tN9l_ANzseaH-P58BeTZSQDzvhBqZQl5uitVAkRoCwnEQAvD_BwE

And is it surely big enough for the C8? It looks rather small to me

50 minutes ago, Gasman said:

If I remember correctly a hollow under either end for fingers,  best to have look yourself to see if its suitable!

Hmm I see, unfortunately it's not really the solution I'm looking for. I'd rather carry it on my back/shoulders/single handedly.

Bump

2 hours ago, Gasman said:

Will have to dig around for those, not sure I ever took some of the box.

I think it was very similar to this one.

https://www.diy.com/departments/black-grey-189l-plastic-storage-box/255195_BQ.prd

But I would double check the sizes!

How did you carry this though?

22 minutes ago, Gasman said:

Got a great little box for my C8 from B&Q some time back. Made some plywood cradles for it with some felt in. It's hard plastic with a matching lid and size was perfect!  Sold the C8 some time back though now a refractor chap😁

Do you have some pictures or links of what you bought?

Hi, I'm looking for a case for my C8 edge, it doesn't need to be a hard case or something, even a bag could work. Not looking to spend a lot of money on it, just something that will be easy to transport and that's pretty much it.

I thought about something similar to this maybe: https://www.ebay.com/itm/IRIN-Standard-Adult-Cajon-Box-Drum-Bag-Backpack-Case-600D-Cloth-5MM-Cotton-S3E8/192974552975?epid=24020132564&hash=item2cee2dff8f:g:GGsAAOSw2QtdHRlP#rwid
This might be a little too small or thin, but it's pretty much exactly the dimensions.

According to my measurements by giving a few extra room, the size of the scope is around:
52cmx41cmx30cm with finderscope, or 52cmx30cmx30cm without finderscope.

So generally in terms of dimensions I should be rather fine(please note that my measurements includes a few cm's to spare).
Any better ideas?  I'm totally open for new ideas, I'd like to spend a maximum of around x4/x5 the amount of the ebay item I posted, but would obviously rather save as much as I can on this.

Thanks!

4 hours ago, GraemeH said:

I made an autofocuser using exactly that stepper motor for my C8 Edge.  I had already upgraded the stock focuser to a Feathertouch, and had a bracket made to put the stepper on the Feathertouch shaft.  I'd be happy to send you a drawing of the bracket if it's of any use to you - you'd just have to change the length to make it fit the stock focuser shaft, and find a flexible coupler that can attach to it.

The model I've posted here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3552339 actually looks really really good, so I'm pretty sure I'll use this, but sure send me your drawings as well

Or this! https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3552339 Also looks awesome.

So I think I've just found an awesome solution:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3607326

8 hours ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

I don't have a C8, so I don't know, but if the 2\3 ?  visible screws are just for mounting and not adjustment ??  then why not use 2\3 pillars & a mounting plate to offset the motor outwards.

As long as everything ends up reasonable firm\secure, that should do what you require. It may even then be possible to mount the control\driver to the plate as well....

The focuser is not going inwards and outwards, it works with a screw to rotate it left and right, which results of the focuser going in and out, but I can't really do it directly.

Here is an image I've found of the dimensions it seems:

I wonder if I could find a shaft that will be able to fit this, that might make it much more simple.

Hi, I'd like to make an autofocuser for the C8 edge an ld I'm currently at a point where I need to simply attach the step motor(28byj-48):

To the SCT motor shaft:

The thing is I'm not really sure what I can use to do that, I've seen a few implementations using gears, but I don't like that, I'd like to find a way to directly connect the step motor.

For the newtonian I've used something similar to this:

If that would be possible using something similar that would be awesome.

Thanks!

Hey, I've just purchased 120 Panasonic NCR18650B batteries and I'm designing a battery pack using 4S30P configuration. I got a few cheap BMS around that I got from aliexpress such as:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32961705432.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dP1O6H3
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32837937191.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dP1O6H3
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32825295188.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dP1O6H3

I don't know if higher amps battery requires a better BMS, so that's really what I'm asking here, can I manage with what I already have? Do I need to get a new better BMS? If so which one? I'll need to order from aliexpress/ebay, so if you search something please try there.
Currently the average capacity for each battery is around 3550 mAh.

Thanks!

Hi, I'm looking for a mount for the C8 Edge HD, and I'm wondering between the CGX and the NEQ6 pro belt modded which I can get second hand.

The NEQ6 pro would be for $1000 and the CGX would be for $1430, not really sure about the pros and cons of the 2 mounts, CGX should have a higher capacity, but I don't know how true that is in general.
For the C8 Edge HD I believe both options should be enough, but I do aim for a C11 in the future. I'll probably replace either of them eventually for the C11, but I wonder if the CGX would be a better option for the C11 "meanwhile" due to the extra capacity, I'm also not sure if it's worth the extra $430.

Would love to hear your thoughts and experience with either of them.

Thanks.

2 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Yes the silver part, and perhaps all of it if you need the spacing. 

Michael 

What would be the most ideal way to connect it to the ZWO camera afterwards? I thought about getting a small T2 extension and then attach it to that, what do you think?

8 minutes ago, michael8554 said:

That would allow a Pentax PK lens to be attached to an EOS camera. 

Similar adapters are available for Nikon, Olympus etc to EOS, but you need it the other way round - EOS to any brand. 

There probably are repair parts EOS lens mounts available. 

Yes you will Ave to devise the best method for securely attaching. 

Michael 

Hmmm, would something like this fit? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Macro-Reverse-Adapter-Rear-Lens-Mount-Protection-Ring-f-Canon-EOS-EF-S-58mm-Lens/182699886582?epid=729136403&hash=item2a89c307f6:g:5JUAAOSwTM5Y4f60

12 hours ago, wimvb said:

LHE: local histogram equalisation, is a process in the Intensity Transformations menu. I used it with Kernel Radius 240, and amount 0.35.

Blending images: Use PixelMath:

 (Original + Copy)/2

Crop: Dynamic Crop under the Geometry menu, so is Resample (set to 50%)

You should also revisit your DBE step. There is still some vignetting in your image, and a dark ring around the main nebula. I used DBE with Division as the correction method, and only about 12 sample points: one in each corner, one somewhat inwards from each corner. Finally a few samples along the edges. Tolerance was 3 or 5 and sample size 25.

Thanks! I'll look further into it, that's always awesome to learn more.
In case it's somehow still possible, I'm actually fairly sure it was you who did that before, but do you think it's possible to send the process container? It's very very useful to see how everything is done up to the very specific details so I'll be able to further learn from it.

If it's no longer possible then there's no need to, thanks a lot anyway!

11 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Looking at the ZWO EOS Adapter, I think you could fashion something very similar by buying a broken EOS film camera off eBay, removing the lens mount, and attaching that to a suitable length T2 Extension. 

Michael 

Isn't it possible to simply get a lens mount? Maybe something like this? https://www.aliexpress.com/item/927433526.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.180348e14QfgGs&algo_pvid=1a446c42-fcfe-4013-a5fd-2a8e71e99d38&algo_expid=1a446c42-fcfe-4013-a5fd-2a8e71e99d38-27&btsid=7511ebf3-3564-4373-8b04-08d9932b906d&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_9,searchweb201603_55

How would you attach it though? Screws? Glue? That could pretty much work I believe.

Hello, I have a canon EOS lens of 30-700x, and I'd like to try imaging with it once using my ASI071MC pro camera.
I've seen the adapter ZWO is selling, but paying $50 for that is simply too much for me to "test" that.

Does anyone know any other adapter I can use? I pretty much just need EOS to T2 thread adapter, but god I simply can't find it...I'm able to find EOS to T2 female, but can't find EOS to T2 male ot T2 female to male adapter...

Can someone please help me with that? I need to find it on ebay/aliexpress probably, and I really don't want/think that should cost that much. If I won't find it I'll probably pass on that idea for now.

Thanks

13 hours ago, wimvb said:

Late to the party, but here's my result with PixInsight

• DBE to remove vignetting
• Background Neutralisation
• Photometric Colour Calibration (G2V star as white reference)
• Arcsinh stretch in two stages
• Curves transformation
• LHE on a copy
• Blending the original and the copy
• crop and resample to 50%

(Click on the image to enlarge.)

The core is definitely not burnt out, but I kept it quite bright to get a more natural look (whatever that is).

Because of the dust bunnies, I didn't push the dust in the background to its limit.

Thanks for the comment, really appreciate that!

I really like the result and I think that's the most beautiful result I've seen of this(no offense to anyone else!). Thanks for the explanation!

Can you please elaborate a bit more on the following steps:

• LHE on a copy
• Blending the original and the copy
• crop and resample to 50%

I'm not really sure about what each of these means.

This is the result I end up with BTW:

It's a little burned, but I'm rather fine with the result.

22 hours ago, pete_l said:

There is a sufficient spread of opinions on the internet that you can find good and bad reports of practically anything.  Some are even based on reality and experience. Although it is often impossible to tell which ones those are. And since old opinions regularly get recycled by people who don't have any first-hand knowledge, even looking at the date of a post doesn't tell you much.
All I can suggest is to heed the views of people who say they have actually owned an item - paid for with their own money -  for a considerable length of time in the near past (the last 6 months for example) and to ignore all the rest.

Ultimately it is up to you to decide which ones to believe.

13 hours ago, Rainer said:

Yes, G11 is plagued with backlash and you will tinker after tinker month by month, as the temperature changes.  I used to own two G11 and 14 years ago I developed a floating worm system. The available floating worm system which is offered by Losmandy still does not cope with the problem as it should.

Now that I retired from my day job I did not want to continue with the daily tinkering and got two CEM 120. I know it is not CEM 60 but is the same technology ...

CEM 60 has no backlash as it has a floating worm.

Thanks for the comments