markclaire50

2 hours ago, Ronclarke said:

There is no internet involved? Just a Wifi signal?

If it's like my gti az mount, the mount creates its own WiFi network. My phone always shows my Internet as disconnected as soon as my phone recognises the Mount's signal and I connect to it. 

3 hours ago, Astro-Geek said:

Me again.......  ?

Having just sung the praises of my Synscan Wifi adapter when being driven by my Samsung Galaxy Android tablet, I'm still having problems trying to use it via my Windows 10 PC notebook.

Using that, I'm able to control my EQ5 goto via a variety of wired methods, EQMode via a Hitec AstroEQ USB cable, and also using a "dumb" Synscan RJ45 cable to RS232 to USB cable.

However, when I try to connect my PC notebook to the Synscan Wifi adapter, I can connect to its wifi network, but I can't connect the SynscanPro PC app to my EQ5.

Try disconnecting from your main WiFi signal. Sometimes that has out powered my mount WiFi signal. Usually it works without doing that, but was the iy way I got it working on one occasion. 

Went out today to see where polaris was according to my reliable app for live sky finding. I reckon I might just be able to see it above the roof top at one point on my patio but not the other about four foot away. But, I reckon that if I know it is just out of sight I can get a pretty good fix on it. Enough for AP? That remains to be seen. But maybe I will be OK and won't need to buy a new laptop just to do drift alignment. 

Mark 

2 hours ago, AndyKeogh said:

Hi Mark,

I faced your problem last night when setting up my equipment at a very dark campsite in Dumfries an Galloway.  I was just setting alignment via the polar scope when the clouds rushed in but there were a few stars visible to the south so I had to complete the task with drift alignment using PHD2. 

I only went for one iteration of each axis but that was good enough or 2 minute subs with less than half a pixel movement in either axis between subs.

My advice is place your scope where you will get the images you want, learn drift alignment, as Olly Penrice would say, it is the gold standard.  

If you set up your scope at the bottom of the garden you should be able to get your altitude setting pretty well set up as long as you make sure it is levelled first.  Move it up to your patio or location of choice, relevel, use a compass to align with north and then play with drift alignment. A nice feature of PHD 2 is that you can make some notes as you align and it will remember these for your next session. For AZ ,I record which alignment bolt to tighten depending on whether the slope is positive or negative.  For altitude adjustment I record which direction the star should move according to the sign of the drift.

HTH

Andy

Thanks Andy

I hope I have sufficient intelligence for all this! ? 

Not to mention the strength to carry the whole setup down the garden. 

I was looking at the end of my garden at the the paved area and thinking how long it would take before I fell backwards into the flowerbed! There is a 4 inch high wooden separator to stop soil going onto paved area. Perfect to forget in the dark! ?

1 hour ago, AlexK said:

The easiest solution to that problem is making an artificial TNP (True North Pole).

It doesn't make the initial polar alignment any easier, but all subsequent alignments will be (almost) standard.

The accuracy depends only on the distance from the scope to the artificial Polaris and repeatability of the tripod configuration.

I'm sure you have already guessed how it works:

1. Find the perfect place for your tripod, so it's convenient to use and the distance to the house wall in the North direction is maximal (every inch counts).
2. Polar align using the drift method (SynScan method will be most likely insufficient for the AP accuracy, it meant for the visual tracking).
3. Confirm that you are truly aligned making some test images you are planning.
4. Assuming the result is satisfactory, start marking the resulting geometry:
   1. Mark tripod legs positions on the floor so you can put them back again exactly as they are now.
   2. Mark tripod legs length as they are extended now (if not fully extended) so you can reproduce their length.
   3. Mark tripod legs, so you can be sure the same legs are going into the same marks.
   4. Mark whatever else could move the polar axis in your EQ mount. 
5. Finally, focus your polar finder on the wall of the house and mark the position of the true celestial pole (having a buddy helping with that would be the easiest).

After the takedown, just match all your markings at set up and finally tweak the residual errors per the Polar finder instruction, just skip the Polaris timing steps as you have the TNP which is not affected. 

Hi Alex 

Thank you for this very useful method!

Mark 

2 hours ago, Atreta said:

Nice, didn't know it allowed too. 

By other ways you mean placing the mount on another area? 

You're right, there is a function on the synscan controller(maybe you will have to update the controller firmware to enable this) that allows you to do a polar alignment after you do a two star alignment,  but you'd have to at least pointed towards northern celestial pole to be easier when you make the PA routine. 

From there you can choose from a list of stars that the controller shows you.  I don't remember if it's accurate for AP.  I can give it a try again and compare with sharpcap to see if the alignment is good or not and tell you. 

 

 

Thanks Atreta

That would be interesting if you have time. 

Mark 

1 hour ago, Geoff Lister said:

Hello Mark,

The 250PX is worth the money. However, I tend to use my, smaller, Skymax 127 Mak., with the same Synscan control, probably 5 or 6 times more often than the Skyliner. The Skymax, on its tripod, gives me a better view of low-altitude targets, that are obscured by close-by shrubs and fences when using the lower Skyliner Dob. mount.

My garden is reasonably well screened from the surrounding streetlights, but security lights and neighbours upstairs lighting can sometimes be a challenge.  If the sky is really clear, and preferably with no Moon, the Skyliner's 4x increase in light gathering lets me push the magnification on the more challenging DSOs (+ Jupiter & Saturn, when available at over 10 degrees altitude in a southerly direction).

Geoff

Thanks Geoff. I have the skymax 127. Nice scope but I'm suffering from a dose of feverali aperturis and having thoughts about 180maks, C9.25 and C11s on an heq5. I can't make my mind up. I hear great things about the 180. I hear C9.25 is a special scope, BUT C11 aperture wins?? 

If I really believed C11 would outgun the other two, I'd consider a secondhand one. Ever considered upgrading to one of these? 

Thanks 

Mark 

2 hours ago, Atreta said:

Since you said you can view Polaris and around, I recommend using sharpcap for polar alignment. With the free version you can only check your PA error, with the paid version you can polar align really fast with the use of a camera like the asi120mc or maybe even a Webcam if it's compatible and sensitive enough. 

It's well worth the (low) price. 

Hi. Thanks for your reply. I can only see polaris at the end of my garden but then can't image Southerly objects because next door neighbours trees are in the way too much. To image Southerly objects I need the other ways. It sounds like skywatcher latest software can do this, if I ensure the scope is pointed in roughly the right declination towards polaris. Do you agree? 

6 minutes ago, London_David said:

I had exactly this problem and with some digging on solar observing polar alignment I figured out a way to do it roughly. Noted here in this thread:

That said, it’s not super accurate. It’s about on par with a decent visual alignment... when it works. The problem is that you are relying on the accuracy of your mounts Goto system. If it’s good then so will your alignment accuracy. On a good day, my EQ3 would give me 10-15s exposures on a 750mm focal length with the ASI290.

I found that the best way is the laser pointer method in that thread. Attach a laser pointer to you mount in a very reliable place. Do an accurate align once then mark where the laser points to. That should get you most of the way there. You can then fine tune depending on your needs.

Much of the time for EAA I align as I described in that post — even when I can see Polaris. That said, for real AP you’ll need something more accurate. 

Thanks! I will read that thread. 

Mark 

17 minutes ago, JamesF said:

One for each end of the garden

For what it's worth I don't think drift alignment is that hard, but it's probably far more hassle if you have to do it every time you go out.  Could be worth negotiating over the possibility of a permanent pier that you can leave the mount on under a cover?

James

Thanks James. I'm beginning to think limiting myself to North West and East may be best. Do you know the distance that tripod legs on heq5 are when fully spread? 

Another alternative is the az eq mount skywatcher sell. I'd be able to do both visual and AP. Who knows, I could even stick it in the car. Perhaps reason to join astronomy club. They may have a dark site. ??

28 minutes ago, The Admiral said:

Currently I have only used an Alt-Az mount ;<). If I decide to invest in an EQ mount then I should need to compromise a bit and move away from the house a little, but at least my garden is on the level. Probably not the answer you wanted to hear! Of course, if you are loaded you might care to look at the TTS-160 Panther mount, an Alt-Az mount with the facility to rotate the scope and thus allow imaging without field rotation!

Ian

Just checked the panther mount cost. I think I'll get a couple. ????

Dreaming...... ? 

Just now, The Admiral said:

Yup, my problem too!

Ian

Hi, have you found a solution? 

2 hours ago, RolandKol said:

It will be challenging to PA without experience and without Polaris.

If you think, you will need to hide the rig each morning... I don't think it's worth the pain....

However, if you will be able to leave the rig outside permanent, -  it is worth a battle and 100% possible.

You will spend some time adjusting the position, learning PHD2 drift alignment, - but at the end you will manage to do it properly and will be able to have subs 5min or even longer, -  if needed.

Handset does have 3 star PA, but it will not be enough... At the end you will need Laptop, EQMOD, PHD2 to pin point PA.

My first EQ mount position was without Polaris, - it was very difficult and frustrating initially, as I had no one to advice and I had to break through all the ice alone.

If you will be confused, or not sure if you do something correctly, - drop me a line.

Thank you. Yes, I have some serious thinking to do on this. I get the distinct feeling that somehow I need to go down being able to PA with polaris, if at all possible. If only my house wasn't in the way. ?

2 hours ago, Gfamily said:

There are methods of polar aligning using Drift alignment, which you perform in two steps, observing a star move along a reticle eyepiece to confirm that the mount is correctly aligned N/S and for the correct latitude. If you can set your latitude correctly (using the location where you CAN see Polaris), you could mark out where your tripod legs go at the other site to give you a "near enough" position to do the drift align. (Caveat... I've never tried it, so I don't know how easy it is in practice)

http://www.iankingimaging.com/show_article.php?id=11

Alternatively, How sloped is the lawn in between them? Might you be able to place 2 small paving slabs on the lower side of the slope and a third in a shallow hole up the slope so that you can set your tripod level (or alternatively, just shorten that that leg). 

 

Thanks. Digging any type of hole would require consultation with a higher power?

But I had wondered if there may be something I could do along those lines. 

I am in the very embryonic stage of planning to do AP and I haven't got an eq mount yet. 

The PLAN is currently to buy an heq5 with rowan belt. BUT, the flattest places in my relatively small back garden are on the patio with house directly blocking North or end of garden where I can see polaris BUT trees behind me would block a swathe of Southerly sky?. 

So, either way I'm stuffed. The lawn in between these two areas, is of course sloped! Not something I'd like to put a tripod and scope on. 

This means that effectively I can't do both polar alignment with polar alignment scope AND do AP on many Southerly objects. Even in the middle of the lawn, I suspect the tree would block too much. Only on the patio is South reasonably OK. Although I can't see anything north of past WSW or ENE. 

I don't want to be limited to alt az photography, but this is a problem. I've heard of drift methods and computer methods and some mounts having automated systems, etc etc. 

So, any suggestions on this? Am I beyond help? ? If I pay a large sum of money for an eq mount (which I intend to place an 80mm ed on, but also an 180mak for visual/planetary AP) I'D like it to track properly. I know this isn't essential for the planetary AP, but is for fainter dso. 

Please help

Thanks 

Mark 

On 14/11/2017 at 18:21, Geoff Lister said:

My 250PX is like the one in John's photo, above, but with the Synscan GOTO. I tend to set up mine on my patio, with power ON, well before dusk, do a "brightest star" alignment as soon as I can spot the first bright star (e.g. Vega, Arcturus or Altair), go in for tea and a warm-up, and come out again, perhaps an hour later, with the second alignment star still close to the centre of the eyepiece.

When not in use, the OTA (retracted and vertical) and base are kept in an unheated garage, with the rigid cover and "shower cap" in place and the whole OTA covered in an old bed-sheet. This seems to keep the mirrors clear of contamination.

Geoff

Hi Geoff 

I've just posted about this scope, but now I see it has been discussed before. What is your opinion of it? Worth getting? How has it performed on different targets and under what light conditions ( dark sky?) 

Thanks 

Mark 

37 minutes ago, John said:

E & F are a little different from most multible star splits because, as well as being quite faint and quite close to brighter stars, they are seen against a nebulous field. I feel that this adds to the challenge of seeing them. I've found that getting the magnification "just right" is important as well. I would have thought 150x - 200x with your 127mm mak would have done the job but your seeing may well have been against so pushing them just beyond reach.

Can you see Rigel's companion and the mag 8.8 4th member of Sigma Orionis ? - if so then E & F might be visible using the above magnification range.

 

 

Hi John 

I have also been theorising that the  glow of the nebulosity might be combining with other factors to tip the scales against me. On my very first outing with both my 80mm and 127mak, I found Rigel B an easy target, i.e. I knew it was a double but didn't know where rigel b was, but the 80mm picked it out, and I confirmed it was the right place later. I was very pleased when I saw it for the first time with the 80ed with my baader zoom ( a superb piece of kit, I have found). Every time I've looked at rigel I can clearly see its companion in both scopes. Not tried the 4th member of sigma orion is yet. But it's on my list now. ?

It seems to me from what you say, that I need to keep trying at 150x in the mak. Beyond that I do start to get some star bloating though, but the sky also gets darker which might help. When I first got the mak, I looked at sirius and went out of focus in both directions to check collimation. I saw a perfect set of symmetrical concentric circles. Very pleased as I believe that means it is well collimated: being secondhand, I was slightly apprehensive. Perhaps I will use the 10mm BCO again, w/wo the 1.5x gso barlow to get 150 and 225x mags and keep looking. 

Do you think a filter to cut out the nebulosity might help? 

Thanks 

Mark

1 hour ago, John said:

What can I say ?

I get E &F consistently with my ED120 refractor, E consistently with my 100 / 102 refractors and F on really good nights with those smaller instruments. My observing experience is probably less than Olly's and my skies undoubtedly worse.

But thats just me with my eye from my back yard in a semi-urban environment

"Your mileage may vary" as they say

 

 

There seems to be a very large variation on this. I noticed this when looking at Internet reports from different forums, which seem to reflect both yours and Olly's experiences. I think it's confusing to newbies like me. ?

I  can only conclude that differences in location is responsible? I've seen reports of people seeing the stars in very light polluted areas, and others failing in dark skies. AND vice versa! With the same type of scope too?! 

I have read above average successes with 4-5 inch fracs though! Perhaps my 127mm can do it, but not if seeing is against me. I've tried on three separate nights at mags ranging  from 65 to over 250, with baader zoom (with and without baader barlow in place) , an altair wave 6mm and a bco 10mm (after reading your good report on this eyepiece). All failed. As a side note the 10mm bco was wonderful on the moon with the mak! Very Sharp and contrasty! 

Do you think the fracs design is giving them the edge over the mak, at the similar apertures? Refractors are renowned for their ability to split stars. Did I mention my first scope I bought was a secondhand sw 80mm ed? I tried seeing the E and f with that, a few days ago using 25-187x with baader w/wo zoom. Again, despite staring for ages at exactly the right place, I detected no sign of either star at any part of that mag range. The a-d stars were pin sharp, apart from above 150x. Plus, the night before, I had seen a mag 10.8 star in same fov as iwamoto, so I know I should see the mag 10.3 e star. But in reality I couldn't. For the record, I never detected iwamoto. 

Thank 

Mark 

6 minutes ago, John said:

Lifetime scope ? - we have all been there, several times !

You already have a great scope so you can hone your skills on that (ie: E & F Trapezium) so the next one you get, you will really hit the ground running, so to speak !

Good luck in finding the one for you

Thanks John. I've not given up with the mak, but I'm not sure it'll pick out the F star, looking at Olly's post above! ??

16 minutes ago, markclaire50 said:

Yes, and like many members, I'd like a scope with more aperture, as I think the 127mm mak is restrictive compared to 8-9 inch aperture. I certainly feel this is so on objects I have tried to see recently. Hence I am now researching, as many amateurs do, for the best upgrade, within my financial means, to facilitate this. I don't want, nor can afford to, make a mistake in such upgrade. In my experience, taking an average of people's experiences often gives the most accurate idea of the correct decision, which is why I'm gathering as much information as possible. Did you go through a similar process of consideration before upgrading to your Vx12? ?

Hi John. Perhaps I should also say my purchase of the mak secondhand at £160 seemed too good to miss, and I don't regret it. I guess that the higher the potential cost, the more analysis I feel I need to do. But I'd like to feel the next scope would the last. But seeing members collections on this forum, I fear it may not be.... ??

2 minutes ago, John said:

You already have a Skywatcher 127mm mak-cassegrain don't you ?

Yes, and like many members, I'd like a scope with more aperture, as I think the 127mm mak is restrictive compared to 8-9 inch aperture. I certainly feel this is so on objects I have tried to see recently. Hence I am now researching, as many amateurs do, for the best upgrade, within my financial means, to facilitate this. I don't want, nor can afford to, make a mistake in such upgrade. In my experience, taking an average of people's experiences often gives the most accurate idea of the correct decision, which is why I'm gathering as much information as possible. Did you go through a similar process of consideration before upgrading to your Vx12? ?

1 minute ago, John said:

I worry a bit when I see scope decisions based on the achivement (or not) of very specific observational challenges.

Ten members here could say that they can easily see E & F Trapezium with a certain scope, then you get one, and can't make them out. I'm not sure where that has got you ?

 

Hi John. No scope decision will be made by me without a very thorough analysis of many peoples experiences on objects in the categories I'm interested in. In the end the decision would be based on balance of probability based on members comments, review articles, theory and any other factors like portability and likelihood of actually getting the scope out and using it. ?

1 minute ago, kirkster501 said:

Can see those easily.

Very interesting. Seems like different people can and others can't with this scope. I'm particularly interested in your opinion because I live not far from Radcliffe so I assume my seeing conditions would be similar. What do you think about chances of getting a lemon if bought secondhand? Would you advise new? 

Very useful info. Thanks! ?

Mark 

On 19/02/2019 at 14:37, kirkster501 said:

^^^^

All the above.

I have one.  It is a superb instrument for planets, the moon and deep-sky smaller objects.  It is useless for wide fields.

You may want to read this article by Damian Peach.  If he says it's good, then it's good.  Mine is in my observatory and is always at temperature and ready to go.  Collimation is straightforward and easy

http://www.damianpeach.com/c925review.htm

Hi

Do you have any problems with seeing the E and F stars in the trapezium using your C9.25? 

Cheers

Mark

Hi. Next question ?

Do you think that a 200p would compliment a C9.25? By compliment, I don't mean that the 200p would be congratulating the C9.25 for a superb night's viewing. ?

With similar apertures, resolution and light gathering will be similar, but viewing experience is what I'm interested in. 

Thanks

Mark