Peter_D

Hi, Here's an image from tonight - I was happy to capture a Ganymede transit. Also my first Great Red Spot of the year. Equipment: Meade 2080 8 inch SCT, Zwo asi224mc, Zwo ADC, Baader UV-IR Cut Filter. 6000 images, best 15% used. PIPP, Autostekkert!3, Registax6. Clear skies Peter

Hmm, is this maybe a way for the developers to prove copyright infringements? An intergalactic trap street? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trap_street

Is the small secondary mirror (at the open end of scope) in place and correctly aligned?

Thanks! Yes, my one dates from the mid 1990s. It was originally on an lx-10 mount but I bought it when it was already de-forked .

Hi, Last night (or rather, this morning), I imaged Jupiter for the first time using an IR Pass Filter (685nm). Jupiter was at 20 degrees elevation and there was a lot of moisture in the air. I used the filter with my asi224mc. It gave a lot more detail than the normal images I had taken with a UV-IR cut filter. The filter itself is from Svbony and only cost 15 euro which was a bargin. Even so, I think I will be upgrading soon. I understand a mono camera would also give better results I think. Equipment: Meade 2080 8 inch SCT, Zwo asi224mc, 1.5x Barlow, Svbony 685nm IR Pass filter 5700 images, best 10 percent used. PIPP, Autostekkert!3, Registax6, Gimp. Thanks for looking and clear skies Peter

Nice deal for 5 pounds! I seem to remember there are two versions of the Skylux 70/700: the older model has a blue, straight dew shield and the newer model has a black dew shield. The older model's EQ mount is pretty decent from what I read.

Why not a ST-80, EQ3 / EQ3-2 and Canon DSLR (all used)? Buying used means you can sell it at what you paid for it and you can see if you like AP without losing money. You are also learning as you go along.

Thanks David, that looks a very interesting option!

Hi, Background: I currently have a Vixen GP mount with the Skywatcher non-Goto Az and Dec Motor-set fitted. I've used it for unguided AP on bright DSOs in the past. I would like to progress to guiding on fainter DSOs. Due to light pollution, I need Goto. The scope to be used for AP at the moment would be a C6 (not ideal for AP I know). When funds allow, after the mount has been sorted, I would like to get a lighter refractor such as an Orion ED80 or such like to use on it. My current primary scope is a Meade 8 inch SCT so any mount would need to be able to handle it. Question: Is it worthwhile to upgrade to the Goto kit when (if?) it becomes available again? I live in Germany and it is now just shy of €500 which seems a lot. Or would getting a EQ5 Goto head be a better idea? (€850) Or neither and bite the bullet and (eventually) get a HEQ5? (€1395). Bottom line, I would really like to keep my GP mount if at all possible. I know I would regret selling it. Thanks for reading and for any advice! https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-mount-upgrade-kits/synscan-pro-goto-version-3-upgrade-kit-for-eq5.html

I bought a set of Svbony aspheric eyepieces - the 23mm one works surprisingly well.

Thanks for the feedback! ..I've tweaked the RGB levels a bit and I think it looks a little more Jupiter-like now (or maybe not!) Clear skies Peter

Thanks Neil for the advice, I see it's very yellow now, was half asleep before! I'll see if I can improve things. The ADC certainly helps but the hot weather has arrived here - the air was very unstable. It's a bit of a catch 22, here, you don't get consistently clear skies until the summer but the heat really affects things.

Hi, Here's my first Jupiter of the year. The local time was 4:00 so Jupiter was at 20 degrees elevation. I used an ADC for the first time and it really proved its worth. Equipment: Meade 2080, ZWO ASI224mc, ZWO ADC, Baader UV-IR Cut filter, 2xBarlow. 5000 frames RAW8, best 15% used. PIPP, AutoStekkert!3, Registax6. Lots of room for improvement - I will see if the unBarlowed data produces better results. Thanks for looking Peter

The dimensions I gave are of my cart at home - I didn't actually check the dimensions of the one in the link I gave you, sorry - it was more just to show what type of cart I meant. Usually these carts can be folded up and they take up very little space. I wouldn't be worried about wear and tear - the build quality of the SE mount is good in my opinion. I suppose just don't over tighten things when assembling it.

Here's a photo of the 6SE in the trolley (cargo area 90 x 45 X 32cm) It's not ideal that it needs to be assembled / disassembled each time but safer in my opinion.

I was just about to write the same thing: a Dobsonian mount is bottom heavy so safe to move on a dolley, the SE Mount is liable to topple over if moved assembled. Better in my opinion would be to use a four wheeled hand cart like this one and transport it disassembled: https://www.amazon.com/Mac-Sports-Collapsible-Folding-Outdoor/dp/B0079P1KH6 I have one at home and I can see if my 6SE (disassembled) fits in it. Will send on photos ASAP. I would place padding or bubble wrap in the trolley to reduce the risk of the OTA going out of collimation.

Hi, I had a go at imaging Venus this evening - it was 21:30 local time so around 12 degrees eleveation. I used a flip mirror with a zoom lens that really helped centring the planet on the camera's chip. 5000 images, best 20% used. At least it was good practice for Jupiter and Saturn! Equipment: Meade 2080, Zwo asi224mc, 1.5x Barlow, Baader UV-IR Cut filter. Thanks for looking Peter

Hi, Quick question: can a 23mm or 25mm recticle eyepiece be 2x Barlowed? Clear skies Peter

I caught this conjunction by chance I'm embarrassed to admit! Wasn't planning on observing but noticed Venus extremely low on the horizon (in the only gap I have to the west luckily). I quickly setup my C-90 Mak on a Slik-67 tripod - nearly at full extension. When I focused on Venus with the 25mm eyepiece, I was really surprised to see Mercury close by. Unfortunately I could only observe them for a couple of minutes they were so low. Better planning required for next time I think!

I use the Bresser 100W to power my Celestron SE mount or SW Eq5 motors. Absolutely no complaints so far, it's working well. Much lighter and smaller than I had imagined. I bought it from Astroshop.eu. I had an issue on delivery where the display had been quite badly scratched prior to me recieving it - the shop offered me a discount which was very good of them.

Hi, I captured Copernicus this evening - one of my favourites. Unfortunately, the 224mc gives a very close up view - probably not the best camera for rays. I might try with a reducer next time. 5000 images, best 20%. PIPP, Autostekkert!3, Registax6, Gimp2.1. Meade 2080, Zwo asi 224mc, Baader UV-IR cut filter. Thanks for looking, Peter

If the optics were made in the U.S. (1999 era - I think they still were), these Meade ETX-90s have a *very* good reputation wrt their optical performance.

Generally I find Clear Outside is reliable but sometimes it pays to look at a radar app too. We've had nothing but showers but clear spells in-between for a couple of weeks. On Sunday evening, Clear Outside gave me a red (as per usual this last while) but I looked at a radar app and I could see no clouds coming for a couple of hours. I set up and enjoyed observing Mercury and the Moon.

Hi, I have two Led street lamps right next to my garden as well as living in a bottle 6 area. I use parasols in the winter to block out the local glare from them (in summer, foliage blocks out most of the light, thankfully). I have a couple of SCTs: a non-Goto Meade 8 inch for Moon, planets, brighter DSOs I can easily find and a 6 inch Celestron 6SE with Goto for everything else. I've started using the 6SE a lot more since I got a planetary camera because it's allowed me to dip my toes into EAA (Electronically Assisted Astronomy - a halfway house between visual and long exposure Astro-photography). I miss the aperture sometimes but the 6 inch is well suited to the SE mount and has been a good performer for me. Peter

Hi, Here's an image of Mercury I captured this evening. It was very low in the Western sky - the time of the capture was just after 10pm local time - Mercury was at 10 degrees elevation. I was really rushing to get enough images before it went out of view: I took 1300 images and used the best 20%. Software: PIPP, Autostekkert!3, Registax6 Equipment: Celestron 6SE, Zwo asi224mc, Baader UV-IR cut filter, 2x Barlow. Thanks for looking Peter