bluesilver

Hi, Just after some advise on what your thoughts are on the Skywatcher 180/2700 maksutov for planetary imaging? It will me mounted on a Skywatcher AZ/EQ6 mount and all driven from a laptop. I currently have a Skywatcher 16" Dobsonian with goto and also a Skywatcher Evostar 150ED I am basically just looking for a good dedicated planetary scope for imaging the planets and have read some good reports on the Skywatcher 180/2700 maksutov but there is not much talk really on them. Are they a good scope for this or would i be better looking at something else? I am using the Skywatcher Evostar 150ED for DSO imaging but yet to really try it out as due to cloudy weather for the last 2 months straight here. The Dobsoanian is mainly used as a dedicated visual scope and works well so far. So all up looking for some advice for a dedicated planetary imaging scope. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks for the replies and advise. I will be definitely looking in those books mentioned, also was told to have a look at a book called The deep-sky imaging primer second edition by Charles Bracken https://www.amazon.com/Deep-sky-Imaging-Primer-Second/dp/0999470906/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+Deep-sky+Imaging+Primer&qid=1610074674&s=books&sr=1-1 I have modified my DLSR ( Canon 600D ) and letter on down the track will possibly be looking at a dedicated cooled camera. But first i think it is going to be taking a look at those books. Appreciated.

Hi, a bit of a broad question i know, but just looking for somewhere to get me started for now. I want to get into astrophotograhpy and with that i am interested in the DSO, so galaxies, nebular, that sort of area. So i am basically just looking for some general advise on what sort of scope to go for at the moment. I currently have at the moment the scopes i have are a Skywatcher 150ED Evostar and also a Skywatcher 16" Dobsonian I was originally planning to use the 150ED Evostar for DSO but have been advised that this isn't really the best scope for doing this with, so might be possibly looking at moving this scope on and keeping the Dobsonian for visual observing. So looking at DSO photography, I am planning to use a ZWO camera, only have the ASI224mc planetary camera at the moment, but also might be using a DLSR as well. I have a guide scope, a Orion 60mm guide scope My guide camera is a ASI 290mm mini guide camera Mount is a Skywatcher AZ-EQ6 1. I am thinking at this stage that a triplet might possibly be the best option, but looking for advise on this. I see that you can also get what is called SHARPSTAR 100Q-II APO QUADRUPLET f/5.8 2. What brand should i be looking at? William optics, Skywatcher, 3. Is it best to move away from Skywatcher to a more dedicated brand model? 4. Size, should i be looking at something like a 80mm range or similar? 5. I was thinking of staying with the refractor scopes, but again always open to any advice I realize it is a broad question, but hoping this will narrow things down a tad or at least get me in the right track Also i guess when you look at what most of the scopes being used for DSO, they are generally in the 80-100 mm rage Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hi, I was just interested to know if anyone knows of a usb plug in type gps dongle that i can use in EQMOD ? I basically am thinking about getting an accurate gps setting for the EQMOD And looking at the site section in EQMOD, there is a satellite dish ican there, if i click on it it tells me to attach a gps so that EQMOD can then input the date from that. Hope that all makes sense. Just having a few dramas that i am trying to sort out in EQMOD, and i think by doing this, it could eliminate at least one of them Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks, appreciate the replies. Makes sense now that you mentioned it that way, and didn't look at the FLO site. Might have to take a look at that site for some other information, just don't use that site as it is more costly shipping wise for myself being international. Thanks again for the replies, Appreciated.

Hi, just a very basic question i am sure and no doubt a bit silly for asking, but have to ask anyway. With the ZWO Cameras, in the box you get the camera with it lens attached and also a nose piece separate, plus cables Now from what i have read and seen, it appears that you unscrew the lens that come attached to the camera and then install the nose piece. This then allows you to attach the camera to you scopes eyepiece holder. I think i have everything right so far? Now the question is, what would you generally use the lens for that comes attached to the camera, as from what i have found out, this is usually the first piece you remove so it can be used on the telescope. Very basic question i know and a bit silly for asking, but just interested to know what or how the actual lens is used in regards to the telescope. I haven't found any videos or phots showing it being used without a nose piece attached. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks for the advice, yet to use PhD2 yet, just been watching some youtube videos on it actually. But i take it the other option, the ZWO ASI290mm MC Mini, This gives a Imaging / guiding ratio of 1:3.87 This would be a better pick of the two for my setup?

Hi, i am just about to make the move into guiding. I am hoping someone might be able to advise me if my current selection is a good match. My main scope is a Skywatcher Evostar 150ED, Focal Length 1200mm Imaging camera is a ZWO ASI224MC Guide scope is a Orion 60mm Guide scope, Focal Length 240mm The guide camera that i was looking at is a ZWO ASI120mm MC Mini Using the astronomy.tools calculator, it gives me a Imaging/ guiding ratio of 1:5 The other option was the ZWO ASI290mm MC Mini This gives a Imaging / guiding ratio of 1:3.87 I am also planing to use the Orion 60mm guide scope and either camera for ShapCap when doing a polar align So the field of view with the ZWO ASI120mm MC Mini comes out at 1.14° x 0.86° and with the ZWO ASI290mm MC Mini it comes out as 1.34° x 0.76° The SharpCap manual suggests a field of view in the camera of between 0.5 degrees and about 2.5 degrees Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Ok, so i don't need their ASIStudio. But a yes and a no for ASCOM, Haven't figured out what ASCOM dose technically, but just sounds like in simple terms, a translator for programs, Kind of let s different programs all work together.

HI, I have a ZWO ASI224MC Camera on the way. I plan to run it through the program called FireCapture. I am also going to be running it on Windows 10 and a Laptop. I have just been looking through the ZWO Site and it tells me i need to download their Software drivers. So do i take it i need to download what they refer to ASI Cameras V3.0.0.11 ( This is under their Native drivers ) Do I need to install their ASIStudio ( Under Software ) Do i need to install their ASCOM Platform ( under ASCOM Drivers ) I do i just only need to install the first one ( ASI Cameras V3.0.0.11 ) and it will then run on FireCapture fine? Any advise or information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Sorry, got that administrator part sorted out, Yes, works like a charm now, thanks heaps. A tad weird that you have to open it that way, but it works. Appreciated.

Hi, Thanks for the reply, I will give it a try, First of i will have to figure out how to run it as Administrator. I have it set as an icon on my home page screen, so i just click on that and it runs. Will look into what you mentioned, sounds like you could be onto something.

Hi, so i am now basically finally deciding to get a laptop to use with a camera. So what i have is the Skywatcher AZ-EQ6, and the camera that i am going to use is the ZWO AS1224MC camera for planetary work I want to use the camera with the program FireCapture. I was looking at this laptop: Asus 14-inch Celeron-N4020/4GB/64GB eMMC Laptop https://www.harveyno...acock-blue.html It basically tells me it has 1 x USB 2.0 (Type-A), 1x USB 3.2 (Type A, Gen1), 1x USB 3.2 (Type C, Gen1), HDMI 1.4 Although i can only see two USB ports Primary storage 64GB Ram DDR4 Installed Ram 4GB I am just guessing that when you record the image of a planet, you might need a bit of storage, as most are using laptops to drive these cameras, i am hoping i might be able to get a bit of advice if my choice is right or way off. Would this work ok? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks for the replies, Might do a complete reload for Registax, dose seam a tad odd. It is a very easy program to use, will also look at PIPP, definitely keeping Autostakkert, works great, Will keep looking to see what is going on though.

Hi, I am looking at some advice on some options for Planetary editing software. Currently i have Autostakkert 3 that i use for stacking the video images and works fine. Then i use Registax 6 for the finally touch processing work. I happy with the program, but more often that not the controls on the right hand side don't open up ( like the RGB Align, Gamma options ) by that i mean they open but you don't get the window, it is if they are on the minimise setting and don't open up. Only way to fix tis is to remove the program and reinstall it every time, no good for me. So was looking for some advice on another image processing software that is good for planetary work after it has been stacked. I don't want to have to pay for a subscription like you do for photoshop. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

Hi, I have a Skywatcher Evostar 150ED and currently been using a DLSR for taking Planetary video. I was just interested to here anyone's thought or advise on what the ZWO ASI224MC Camera is like for Planetary work. It might be a silly question, but will i get better results using this ZWO ASI224MC Camera compared to my DLSR ( 5 DSR ) The main reason is as some might know, you can't get true 1:1 ratio with a DLSR when recording video unless you use a special program like Backyard EOS. I don't have this, just using the DLSR as it is at the moment. If the ZWO ASI224MC Camera is a better option, is there anything else that i need to get with it ? I have read somewhere that some are saying you need a IR blocking filter if using on planets, something like this from badder : https://www.firstlightoptics.com/uv-ir-filters/baader-uvir-cut-filter.html Do i need to use a barlow with this ZWO ASI224MC Camera or is the magnification all done via the software in the camera? Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Found a rough solution that i think will help next time the clouds clear. A bit of a mix between all the replies put together really. Found if i use the app that i currently use for finding stars, Skysafari 6 plus. Place the phone up against the ploarscope eye piece and using the Skysafari app, zoom right in on the SCP and move the mount around untill the SCP sits in the center. A bit rough i now, but has to at least get me close. I am going to make up a holder for the phone and also include a bracket that will hold the holder over the polarcope eye piece. The idea being that the holder will sit dead centre of the ploarscope eye piece and when you place the phone in the holder it will sit dead center of the polarscope eyepiece. Easy enough to make up, I think this will work. I did try using Skysafari and just placing it in the top of the mount where the scope sits. but of course it was 90 degress out, so that idea didn't work. Will be interesting to see how my idea works out, pretty sure someone on here has tried this idea as it all seams too easy.

Thanks for the replies, The mount is the Skywatcher AZ-EQ6 mount. I have an Andriod phone, I also have Skysafari 6 plus. It is a tad hard to figure out what they are saying, but will see if my version of Skysafari has what they are talking about. It is a bit of a shame that the video that they had of the technique isn't working though, would help explain a lot.

Thanks for the reply, I was actually trying to get an app exactly like polar Scope Align, but for the Andriod phone Where you basically just put your phone on the mount and it will tell you where about to move the mount to get very close to polar aligned. Unfortunately so far all i have found is the version for apple only. I do have the Synscanlnit app, and it is great for entering the detail into the hand held unit and also dose show the position of Octans, or rather the position it should be in the polar scope, but unfortunately doesn't help you get aligned like the Polar Scope Align app does. I am not sure that the Synscan Pro app dose this either, just shows the position of where Octans should be in the polar Scope, not actually alignes up you mount like the Polar Scope Align app does. But very much appreciate the advice for sure.

Thanks for the link, been looking for that information, appreciated. Just realised now that it is only for the Apple, would of been ideal if there was the same version for the android phone also.

Hi, I have came across a post on here about an app called Polarscope align Pro I was just interested o know if this app can be used also in the Southern Hemisphere? Sounds like a good app to get you fairly close to then used the polarscope to get you spot on. But all the video reviews i have seen so for is only been the Norther Hemisphere. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hi, I just have what i hope is a basic question in regards to the polar scope reticle and Synscanlnit 2.1 The mounts polar scope reticle ( i hope i have called it correct ) is from a Skywatcher AZ-EQ6 mount. So basically the question is in regards to the reticle that i see on the Synscanlnit app, The reticle has an arrow pointing to a direction, what dose this arrow actually mean or what needs to be pointed in this direction? I am sorry for this vague question, but i am new to polar aligning these EQ mounts, used to the GOTO mounts. I am in the Southern hemisphere, but i am sure the answer will be the same regardless on where i am. Basically trying to give a go at polar aligning my mount using the reticle that it came with. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks again for the reply, might have to hold off on it for a while as it is only stocked in the China warehouse, out of stock in the others. Not to worry, but thanks again for the link.

Thanks for the reply, For the 4cm Vixen plate you mentioned, is this the plate you was referring to: https://es.aliexpress.com/item/32794411704.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.53c145f6VnZllO&algo_pvid=ea9d1602-1a97-4a75-bddc-a903d99a36e0&algo_expid=ea9d1602-1a97-4a75-bddc-a903d99a36e0-1&btsid=0ab6f83a15981451680648356e330b&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_ How do the nylon screws hold up, can you still get enough tension on them to stop the scope from sliding around, I would of thought that they would not hold enough pressure on the scope and would strip easily, but saying that, what thread size are they if you don't mind me asking? A tad hesitant ordering out of Chins at the moment though, wouldn't know if you would get the product or not coming in from there.

Hi, Just after anyone thoughts of advise on using this Guidescope from Oriion as a Gidescope for my SkyWatcher Evostar 150ED https://www.astroshop.eu/guidescopes/orion-guidescope-60mm-multi-use-guide-scope-with-helical-focuser/p,51934 It is all mounted on a Skywatcher AZ-EQ6 Would it be too big and heavy, or is this what they are purposely built and designed for? ( the Orion Guidescope that is ) It tells me that it comes with Vixen style dovetail mounting bar, I could be wrong here, but i think that is the same type of mount that you usually find on a finder scope mount? Would i better off replacing this with a better setup to make it more stable? If so can anyone please recommend a good setup or a link to any suggestions. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.