ScouseSpaceCadet

Amazing detail. Posting your method would be great. 😀

The gear is out and the new Lunar atlas on my lap as I type. Thanks Stu.

A camera bag containing a 102 Mak, 7-21mm Hyperflex zoom, diagonal, rdf and(missing from pic) 32mm plossl. Accompanied by AZ5 and tripod. 10x50s come too.

A book via Amazon...

Battle of the four inchers... Last night was the 102ED frac. Tonight is a single 1/200 iso 200 unprocessed exposure taken with a Skymax 102 and Canon 450D. Imho the 102ED wins the day. Compared to the refractor pic posted last night, double clicking on the image and zooming in, the Skymax pic looses its sharpness sooner.

Walking a away from a dslr delicately balanced on a tripod eyepiece tray. The intervalometer cable still attached to camera and handset in jacket pocket... Crack as the camera hits the patio... Thankfully still working despite the new scuff... 🙄

Yes mate, probably took about 30 pics manually but too tired to bother tryin to stack/process. May try at the weekend. Started a new job this week 9-5 after some time off and been doing shifts for the previous 13 years so not used to normality. I'm particularly happy with that image because not long before taking it I dropped the camera on the patio. I almost screamed. 🙄😄

A single unprocessed 1/200 exposure at 100 iso. Canon 450D and Altair Starwave Ascent 102ED. Still getting to grips with using a dslr but improving...

The metal gunsight type does it for me. Bought used. Adjustable brightness, a choice of reticule and alignment necessitating a screwdriver or allen key, but once done it stays aligned until you get the screwdriver out. @Barry-W-Fenner consider buying this. A good price.

A great read. Thanks for sharing. 😀👍

Great thanks everyone! 👍

Thanks for the replies. The 450D was attached to the Starwave 102ED. 38x4 sec exposures at 4 sec intervals. Shutter speed 1/2000 and iso 800. White balance at default. I will take a couple of darks next time Gfamily. Ta.

Hi, I'm still very much in the dslr orientation phase after picking up a Canon 450D a couple of weeks ago. I've used it three times now for astro. Two disastrous sessions and the last one almost there... See below: Clicking in the image then zooming in and looking at the dark lower left limb, there are a couple of coloured pixels in the frame right on the moon. I think one is blue and one is green (might be red - colour blind...🙄) Is this a problem or some other anomaly due to the camera and if so is there a way around it or a fix? Thanks in advance.

Wrong thread.

Not the biggest or most expensive, but it in my most humble opinion, deserves a place in the 'frac' thread...

Not much mention of m92... On paper dimmer than m3 or m13 at mag. 6.4 but less diffuse, with a bright core and easier to at least partially resolve. Easy to to find too - turn left at Hercules. 😉

It went absolutely pants mate. I should start a 'Show us your cock ups' thread for some light relief. 😯😁 The scope takes the dslr fine and no focusing issues but the mount is being pushed to its limit. A HEQ5 or equivalent would be the ideal probably. With the dslr alone, I need to shorten the subs from 8 secs to maybe 5-7 and take more of them. Still getting to grips with modes and settings too. A consolatory hour of lunar observation was enjoyed though. The Altair triple combo of scope, 24mm UFF and diagonal produced satisfyingly sharp low mag. lunar features.

Tonight was all about 'mooning'... Several subs using the Starwave Ascent 102ED and DSLR. A bit of very enjoyable visual and finishing with the 450D alone. and a 450D on an L-bracket...

Fantastic. 👍

Disregarding domestic stupidity lighting, internal housing lights, businesses, car parks, sports facilities etc, then street LEDs overall, if fitted correctly and a shining down, should result in a reduction of light pollution. Unfortunately if you're anywhere near an LED and it's not shielded, they're like someone shining a torch in your face! This one, approx twenty metres from my garden drove me crackers after I had my two trees felled. I had no idea how much the trees blocked it until they were gone. The shield fitted last week as seen above, resulted in a similar effect to Mr. Vader's. Be prepared to do battle with your councils once the LEDs go in...

As above. With the Skymax 102 I tend not to bother with a counter weight unless the dslr is attached. When observing with the 150i I did and do so with the 102/714mm refractor. Then jury's out as to whether it really matters, but as Steve wrote, it's an attempt to spread the load. I've been tempted by one of these in the past: https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p10777_TS-Optics-Adapter-Plate-for-alt-azimuth-Mounts-with-perfect-Weight-Compensation.html However, I've not read any 100% positive reports concerning the device's real effectiveness and can't afford to splash out on stuff just to see.

I've settled on this free app for now. https://www.weatherandradar.co.uk/apps/ Clear Outside is used as a comparison app rather than primary.

Bad. 🙄... All my efforts may be in vain. After replacing the rear western fence with a higher one to hide from a street LED, I then had to make a tarp light shield to block a newly fitted domestic blazing LED over the northern fence. Finally last week, the council shielded the western LED above. Rejoice! ( I thought...) The city light pollution is still pants but countering the local sources has really helped and I do believe the air quality is better than before, even if temporarily. Even during the spring dark, the zenith view last night was as clear as I'll experience here. During several clear nights this last few days I've had some great sessions. Last night through the 4" using a 16mm 82° ep I could even easily tell m81 is oval and m82 pin shaped! Now today the rejoicing is over. Efforts have been trumped by neighbours removing their huge fur tree to my south, thus revealing an urban dual carriageway LED! *Massive sad face*

Lately two scopes have shared one diagonal and the beefy Altair 24mm UFF catches the Skywatcher dielectric's compression ring screw head. Tak and WO 1.25" prisms were hovered over for ages but the Altair 1.25" dielectric mirror diagonal won the day. Mainly due to being cheaper than the other main brands and, it's red...

It is fantastic. I'd be drunk with excitement managing that image from outdoors. Well done!