masjstovel

Hi, sorry i thought my thread had died, but see now that people has replied. I bought the powerpole at Amazon, with some supplied Anderson 12v connectors. They came with those contacts you clamp on your cabling . Had some issues with clamping them with clampingtool, as they were stuck in the tool sort of after. Managed to carefully hammer them out with a flat screwdriver. Might be an issue with the tool though. Next problem (could be related to the previous), was getting the contacts pushed over the lip in the Anderson connector housings. I had stiff cables so could just use brute force, and it would click in place, but if i have had silicon cables for example i would really have struggled clicking them in place. I am happy with it so far, but havent got any blown fuses so wouldnt know if it actually works, but it seems solid! Edit: And yes, its probably just me, but its worth mentioning: The rubber hoods i forgot to put on before the anderson connector housing probably 50% of the time. So remember to take these on cables first!

@johninderby thanks alot! You have been great help! Hopefully i will not have 100 questions for you when i recieve the focuser too:D

@Tomatobro thank you! Ok. So the 2A per channel is max the controller draws? And both dew straps are under 2A? So if i had i gigantic dew strap it would still draw 2 amps max?

Hi there, I have a question regarding dew heaters and power. I have this on a SW 150PDS: https://www.astroshop.eu/heater-bands/omegon-heater-strap-secondary-mirror-heating-strip-small/p,56529 Specs: Heating power 2,2 Amperage (A) 0,18 Power supply 12 Cable length (m) 2 I have this on an orion 50mm guidescope: https://www.astroshop.eu/heater-bands/omegon-dew-heater-20cm-50mm-finderscope-/p,53511 Specs: Heating power 4 Amperage (A) 0,3 Power supply 12 Cable length (m) 1 And i have this Dewheater controller: https://www.astroshop.eu/controls/hitec-astro-4-channel-dew-controller/p,57478#tab_bar_0_select Specs: 12v 2A per channel. Truth is my thoughts have been on other equipment and AP setup since im still a newbie in AP, so I've only used the secondary-mirror heater a couple of sessions. My question is since there is adjustable power on the controller- How much do i turn the switches? Will full power affect seeing for example because of heated air? Is half a turn enough? Some general info on this?

Which DSLR do you have? May be useful to know to be able to tip you of in what lenses to look for. Which photos are you planning to take? Milky way? Sky only, or landscape-ish photos with "astro" backgrounds? If it has LiveView mode (a LCD screen with a live view): Turn off Autofocus, use manual focus. Point at a star, zoom all the way in on it or so far in you still can see the star clearly - with the screen zoom. This is usually + and - buttons near the screen. so NOT the lens zoom, but to zoom in on the screen. Then you can manually focus until the star is at its smallest and its much easier to get better focus since your zoomed in. If you first going largely back and forth with the focus ring and then narrow it down, you should be able to get pretty pinpoint focus. As for settings; Run camera in Manual mode. ISO: depends on what camera you have, but most can do 3200 without too much grain, and some can do 6400++ with no problems. Try out test shots, zoom in on them and check. Aperture: Have your aperture wide open to gather as much light as you can. Still, depending on the lens, try not to go past F/2.8 as youll get more easily bothered with chromatic abberation. I dont know your level of skill with photography, but thats F/[the lowest number you get]. Shutterspeed: For shutterspeed, the 400-rule/500-rule works if you dont have any trackingdevices. A Sky Watcher Star Adventurer, or Sky watcher Star Adventurer Mini could be worth checking out if youre not planning on getting a tracking mount for astronomy use. Other tips i find useful (again i dont know your skill-level in photography, but) : -Always use a tripod for these kinds of shutterspeeds. -If you dont have a remote control for shutter realease, consider getting one, or use time mode for shutter realease (ie 10 seconds) -Use Mirror Up mode (MUP) if your camera has it. (Then you need a remote control) -Zoom in on your photos as you go along while on site. Alot of stuff look amazing on a 2" screen that doesnt in reality. Also, depending on your goal: all good data from the photos needs to be post-processed in a post processing program like Photoshop fot example. Shoot in RAW mode to be able to process in the best possible way. You could have more tips, but its all depending on your gear and on your "plan" ?

Ok, if its as simple as that, i can understand why @Davey-T was joking with me. Just a bit "scary" to do this for the first time, just want to make sure i do it right!

No, but I'm serious - Havent changed focuser before. I suspect the old holes has to be covered up some how? Anyone has inputs on ways to do this?

Just to be on the safe side: When the base-plate screw-holes are different placing from old to new focuser, what do you do with the old holes?

Thanks again for the help @johninderby! Ordered 4 of them, and i dont know how many from ebay (11EUR, but no quantity mentioned). I hate the waiting game so had to order more :D.

FYI: TS took some tests it seems like, and contacted Artesky which also took som tests or at least confirmed that its too high for 150 P/PDS). TS has removed the 150 P from their compitabilty list now. I cant understand it though, because the pic i posted above here is from the manufacturer (Artesky) on a 150 P or PDS. 😟

Hei og velkommen til forumet! I also had my first WOW-experience with the moon, through a 28mm on the 150PDS explorer. Even if i've seen that thing daily (or maybe not daily since i live in Bergen) i was still mesmerized by the detail through the telescope. I'm still a newbie, about 1,5 years into the hobby, and the whole purpose was astrophotography so haven't been gazing alot through the eyepieces, but i think i've picked up a couple of tips along the short way ive travelled so far. Not a rule of thumbs, but my personal experience: 1. Its going to cost more than you think - and then some - if you're in for the long run (Especially for astrophotography) "I want to take pictures of those cool pink'ish fogs ive seen on Google. Can i do that with my phone in the binoculars in livingroom?" i though. 6000-7000 USD later i still sit here waiting for new equipment in the mail. And remember: 2. Get the right equipment the first time, or you end up with the above again Especially the more expensive equipment (i.e mount). I bought an EQ5 despite everyone told me to get the EQ6 or simular for my use, and voila - 6 months later i sold my EQ5 for 2/3 of the price and bought the EQ6. Also take your time, dont rush, and remember the sollution is not always buying new equipment. 3. Its all worth it!

Nice! I feel 80 years old now, not finding stuff on "the internet"😅. It doesnt say how many shims it is. 11bucks versus baader 3, but to be fair baader doesnt say how many shims is in their either.

Oh nice! Thank you @johninderby, those will indeed come in handy. Been doing the math on length in my head until now, but i love having it visually. Screw hole distances too is nice too have. Bought that clamp adaptor too. Excited to see if its in the focus area (85ish mm) or if it will get me in trouble from time to time. I saw a user giving feedback on FLO saying he didnt have enough shims in the package to fit his 150PDS. And i can only find extra shims at Baader website, but for some reason they dont ship to Norway (?)

So, i contacted TS and they saw the problem that its to high and therefore wont fint 150PDS, so they will change the product description. I ended up buying the Baader Diamond 2" SteelTrack NT instead:)

Or.... I would have to add up the height of the base plate on the artesky also when i think twice (?) The 98mm is just the focuser with no base plate. The height of the 150PDS focuser with no plate is 63mm. The picture from artesky on TS website shown underneath, there it looks like the same baseplate/adaptor i have now (picture in post above). If thats the case then i will still be too high with the artesky - or am i thinking of this wrongly now? s What catches my attention in the product description on TS is this: "The focuser already contains an adapter flange for Skywatcher Newtonian which is suitable for the models 150 F5, 200 F4, 200 F5, 250 F4 and 300 F4." What so you think? .

@johninderby I see, thanx for your reply. So logically (for me at least), shorter tubetravel with camera is ok because of distance to the chip or backfocus-requirements? I measured 73mm (+/- 4mm) from the top of the collar with the 2 locking screws to the bottom of the bended plate. Does this mean the Artesky focuser is too high built for my setup, or in the limit zone? I mean ~73mm + ~10mm (from memory of the visual position when in focus) = 83mm which is shorter than 98mm so this is a no-go?

@johninderby I see. I see some brag that their focusers are CNC produced and very stable with no tilting etc. There are no such info on the Artesky one as far as i can see. You cant see stuff like that out from photos i presume? The artesky site didnt explain much about the focuser, but 5 italians have rated it 5/5 stars About the travel distance - i can measure the stock focuser i have now, but i believe its alot more that 22mm. As i mentioned earlier - i dont know much about focusers, but my eaf gets the stock one in focus at ~5000 steps every time So why the extra travel distance? Depends on whats attatched and in what distance backfokus or?

Thanks alot. See from the FLO-feedbacks that it fits nicely on 150PDS. Heard alot good about Moonlite focusers, even if theyre a bit pricey. https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p12256_Artesky-2--Ultra-Light-Focuser-for-Skywatcher-Newtonians.html How about this one? "Found it" just now. Anyone know anything about the focuser or the Artesky brand in general? I like that the product description mentions ZWO EAF, which i have. I read here and there about the draw tube travel. Is it important that the new one matches the old?

Thanks! It looks identic to the stock version, but do you have a name/link?

EQ5 was my first mount and i bought the goto kit a month or so later. I didnt know anything about anything and used a couple of hours setting it up. I think you will do just fine! The EQ 5 with this kit = EQ 5 Pro Synscan Goto

Hi, I'm 1 year+ into astrophotography now and i need some guidance regarding focusers for newtonians. I have a ASI1600mm with filterwheel, and an EAF attached to the stock focuser, and that is too much as the focus-tube travels a bit sometimes especially in positions with its pointing downwards. I have very limited knowledge regarding focusers and was wondering if someone could help me on the way. Preferably links to specific focusers would be much appreciated!

There are some points here worth mentioning i think regarding the GA and how it can be useful. Especially if you have beltmodded the mount. Ive been beltmodding and tuning my EQ6 - new bearings, regreasing etc. I struggled like a mad man on DEC backlash for days and days. Was 33000ms now down to 2000 and some ms - so still not perfect. I was tuning the worm setscrews for every microscopic nanometer possible i believe, but still backlash was huge according to PHD2 guiding assistant. Im a newbie and all that, so things could have gone smoother, but my point is i think you can use the Guiding Assistant to your favor. You can use it to troubleshoot the backlash source. If you imbalance DEC and do GA and still get alot backlash - then you "know" your backlash problem is not the wormdrive. Then you can check for example the guidescope arrangement for looseness, and redo the test. If the backlash is still consistent then you can maybe try readjusting the belt (if the mount is beltmodded), and so on.

M-51, Ha+LRGB. 5.1h integration

@malc-c Thank you! What do you mean now? didn't you say you did not find EQMOD PEC helpful vs straight guiding PPEC? If i start AutoPEC while guiding wouldnt it be wrong when PHD2 is correcting every error? Shouldnt it be running unguided? What do i dont understand here?:) @alacant thanx. That was the explanation for a 7 year old. But i truly need for a 5 year old:) How do i do it in PHD2? Yes i have googled it, but cant find the recipe.

Not wanting to hijack the thread, but how did you PEC train the EQ6? If you could explain it like i was 5 years old i would really appreciate it - its a mess in my head now between PHD2, PECprep, and EQMOD, where do i do what, when and how sort of. If @malc-c doesn't want it here on the thread, i would love it on PM