Rustang

I have the V4 Controller by the looks of it but I think I will continue to get my guiding set up and running as that sounds like a mission and Ive already been through enough get the guiding set up, I'm nearly there just needs a couple of clear nights My camera was Horizontal in those above images if that helps. I see what you mean by Saturation, I know it as blown highlights, a confusion of terms. I'm guessing I can push it a little futhur then.

Thanks for your response, Sorry to ask but can you clarify what you mean by 'saturation' in signal!? How do you check the elongation is in the RA!? Its definitely random like you said, different across all images. Is there something in the settings of PHD2 that can help with the issue then!? Nothing I can do (apart from belt mod) to the current set up to help!? I'm always east heavy! I'm using an Astro modded Canon 600d 4.3 pixel size i believe.

Thanks for your response, I use the PolarFinder app and stick Polaris right where it shows on the outer circle.

I have a couple of images from recent imaging sessions, the big one is more of a 'how bright do you go' question, so how bright do you let you light frames go before its a wasted frame (loss of detail) !? This is only a 2min sub, low on the horizon, some moon shine which didnt help, Bortel 6 with the Optolong L-pro filter. The cropped image is the star issues I'm getting. Its strange as they appear to do this across the frame but looking like they are falling down not spraying out diagonally towards the corners. You can see it in the bigger image. Mount is a HEQ5 pro, not guided (will be soon!), pola alignment good and on concrete, 2 min subs. Its not happening on every frame either, is worse in some through out the session.

Ive been keeping an eye out for a field flattener for my recently purchased SW 80 ED DS PRO, I'm interested in the current TeleVue FF/reducer that's for sale and wanted to double check it should be ok. It states in the details below it has a 55mm back focus which I need for my DSLR and if its reduces the TV-85 which is 600mm FL to 480 then I guess it will do the same to my 600FL and make it an F6!? I like the fact I wouldn't need to buy an extra adapter for it to go in focus tube like whats needed for the Sky-Watcher .85x Reducer/Flattener! "TeleVue TRF-2008 0.8x Reducer/Flattener for TV-85, TV-76 and Other 400-600mm Refractors Model TRF-2008 0.8x Reducer/Flattener converts TV-85 to 480mm f/5.6 and TV-76 to 380mm f/5.0 for flat field, fast photography. Fully multi-coated 3-element unit with 48mm filter thread inserts directly into 2" focuser, accepts standard T-rings for 35mm cameras. "This accessory is a must-have for someone planning to use the TV-85 photographically" - review in Sky & Telescope, July 1999. Also it can be used with any 400-600mm refractor telescope. Important Note: This product was designed for an optimum 55mm back focus. (Distance from flange surface to film or CCD plane). If you use a CCD, be sure the spacing between flange and CCD is 56mm +/-2mm for best results."

Hi Steve, yeah its a stacked Image, I'm really pleased with it considering its only 2min un guided subs. It was taken a few weeks ago on the last clear night we have had for a while. I will check a single sub frame and see if its the same. If its a stacking issue, I use Deep sky stacker, are there any settings to help this!?

Would you say that the left hand side star movement/blurred stars in my image is due to a tilt issue as the right hand side appears to be ok!?

It's the silver tube that's a little out, it's sitting slightly over to one side so not central to the outer metal surround of the scope. There appears to be no adjustment for this unless I'm missing something. It runs on a plate with 4 rollers/bearings, that plate is screwed to the shell of the scope but there appears to be no adjustment on that plate, that plate and its positioning appears to be what determinds where the focus tube sits. I mainly want to know if this will effect my image train and also if it could have come out the factory like that and it's not necessarily an issue.

I guess its something that's miss aligned with mine then?

The tube of the my Crayford Focuser (fitted to a SW 72ED DS PRO) that runs on the rollers inside the scope, doesnt run square. The gap either side is not the same, i know you can adjust the tension of the tube but is there anything to straight up the running in and out of the tube if that makes sense!? The roller plate is held in by two screws but these don't appear to have any kind of adjustment!? Can anyone confirm if this is actually an issue for my image train being aligned properly!?

Ok so this is embarrassing, you can tell how drained I'am trying to take all of this on!!. So I was trying to solve the imaging thinking it was a sub of the Heart Neb but I have just realised that its a sub of the Eagle Neb!, the last target that I captured 🤦‍♂️ So I just put it the stellarium coordinates for the Eagle Neb and pressed solve, and..............................It solved!! I'm such an idiot! Sorry guys, your dealing with a numpty! ☺️ If point craft detected a Focal length of 430.18 shall I continue to enter that instead of the actual 420mm which is what the scope FL is!?

Thanks guys, that's how I ended up with it yesterday when moving things around so i will leave it at that, ive got the G18 database though. Ive got APT looking straight at that main folder. I read the install guide but It was just a little confusing (for me) because it was different to how you installed the other database's and software. I have managed to solve a sample image off the APT forum but it gave the RA and DEC coordinates and other info which i put in. It would only solve though if i selected 'Use PS2 for near solving' and 'always use near (ASTAP or PS2). Ive had more frustration this week with my main computer going down which is being looked at but on there is all my astrophotography work (I really hope it can be saved 😥) so i cant use another one of my images to try until hopefully i have the computer and my data back. Below is the single sub i was trying to 'blind' solve but then even with the rough RA and Dec coordinates entered which I took from Stellarium it still doesn't solve that particular sub.

Thanks, I need a little clarification, the ASTAP went into windows c:\programe files then the database downloaded as a zip folder in the downloads folder. Where do you then un zip that folder so that it goes into the ASTAP programe directory properly?

No luck with ASTAP either so I'm missing something somewhere! From your link it says "Select the folder where ASTAP is installed" so the software itself or the directory of stars!? If the software, where will it get its star data base from then!?I keep getting an message saying do you want the assistants thingy to help Solve! To add: The ASTAP programe is telling me there's no star database in the programe directory but the folder containing the database is in the ASTAP main folder with everything that has been downloaded!!?

I like your mug! 😃 Ive got the NASA 'I need more space' one and a black constellation one which shows some constellations when hot, its very cool but pretty tatty now though!

Told the computer to just get on with it!!! Its currently downloading the database, fingers crossed this works so i can move on.

My computers stopping me from downloading ASTAP! 🤦‍♂️

I'm slowly getting things together and tickling along ok getting everything prepared for when I can get out to give all of this a run through under the stars. Ive hit another snag in regards to plate solving as its not working with test image from one of my sessions (raw canon file) I have tried reading online to find out why but nothing seems to be appearing that Ive obviously done wrong but Plate solving with a test image in APT isant working and why doesnt ASPS recognize a my canon raw file to try directly in that application!? I'm doing this with no equipment connected to the computer which im guessing is ok!? All file paths I believe are ok and camera settings in tools are correct.

100% mate, everyone has been awesome 👍

Well while I'm now in the deep end I might aswell learn how to swim a bit quicker! Ive gone through the tutorial that David on here did back in April last year on how to set up Platesolving in APT. Everything seems to have gone well with installing and setting everything up so I just need to run some tests! Onwards and upwards (and slightly sideways sometimes!)

Ok, I wont worry for now, I have plenty of other reading to get my head around anyway 😫😄

Just to add, I know I couldn't see or hear anything for RA when trying manual controls, well i have just noticed that when moving in DEC you can see the numbers change in the 'Mount Position' panel in ASCOM, so should I also see the numbers change for RA when trying the manual controls because that would surely mean there's still an issue not just me not seeing or hearing anything!?

Thanks mate, unfortunately I have tried that and I get a connection error! When Put the hand set back into PC mode it works again! Thanks for the suggestion though!

Cool,i can now here an see movement in the mount via EQASCOM and using the manual controls in PHD2 while being in Sidereal for DEC, it sounds like a tiny R2D2 making tiny little random beeping noises while making the correction and i can see my marker moving round slowly on the cog. I'm still not sure about RA, it might be moving but very very small, it definitely doesn't stop when pressing West! but sod it lets just carry on! When I'm guiding shall i change back the guide speed to 0.5? Guys, especially Steve, I really appreciate all of your help again, a testament to this forum, nice one guys 👍

OK cool. So to confirm, I have sorted EQASCOM and PHD2 and Apt, should that be all I need know to guide? I can pola align as normal through the mounts pola scope, with APT I'm guessing I can star align and send the mount off to track my chosen target? Once locked on and tracking I can start PHD2 to help guide the scope?