AstroMuni

Thats a great image for just an hours worth. You may wish to remove the green noise to get an image like this. I used your uploaded image and removed green noise using Siril.

@bb453 may I suggest that you do the 3 star alignment with an eyepiece and then attach the camera. That should make life a lot easier. Great image of M31 btw! Is there a reason you dont use a computer to control the mount, camera?

Hi and welcome. If you can let us know what your interests are and what you intend to use the telescope for, then we can provide better guidance. eg. For astronomical observations we are not fussed about whether the object is upright, but for terrestrial viewing you would like to use an erecting eyepiece. Also an equatorial mount such as what you have is more suited for astro viewing as its motion follows the rotation of the stars in the heavens. As to your question on eyepieces most telescopes (such as yours) use 1.25inch eyepieces, so look out for those. HTH. 🙂

Reading this might help understand how the 2/3 star alignment creates a mount model. https://eq-mod.sourceforge.net/testimages/eqmod_3star.html

So now all working I take it? 🙂 Alls well that ends well

Can you post a lsusb -v for the camera part only? Does the listing look something like this? Also try using Firecapture or OACapture to see if they recognise the camera OACapture should show something like this

Try changing the driver to ZWO camera 1 & ZWO Camera 2. I am assuming that you have tried to connect just a single camera (say the 290) and no other devices? EDIT: I just noticed that lsusb doesnt detect the cameras! So something is wrong. Are you using the blue ports for the cameras? Assuming they are having the faster USB3 connection. Reboot the RPi, connect just one camera to USB port and run lsusb. See if it shows up. If it does you can add the 2nd one and check again. So do it in stages

The INDI server is running on the RPi and you are running Kstars on RPi so connection is local. If you were running Kstars on a laptop and connecting to RPi then it would be remote connection. Try removing the tick on Auto Connect and see if it recognises the cameras. The INDI popup should show a tab for each camera

I have an Astromaster 130 which is similar to the 130P. I can get focus with both the ASI224 (12.5mm backfocus) & the ASI533 (6.5mm BF), so it should work for you. I attach using the provided nosepiece.

Just spend on a better mount. Rest will take care of itself. You have managed to get great planetary images, and a 70mm refractor can capture good images of DSOs too (will need more images as compared to using a 130mm). Good luck!

At the end its what you are willing to spend now. The Newts will get you best bang for buck. Based on my experience (see link in my signature), a 130mm scope, good mount (preferably a go-to), a DSLR/planetary camera like ASI224mc, and a computer you can get great images. Most of the software is free!

If you have an RPi/Mac/Linux you could try PA with Ekos. Works for me

Its all in the semantics 😉 Bands, rings

@MG01 There is a Starquest 130p scope on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255815751638?hash=item3b8fce97d6:g:TX0AAOSwGtJjaUeH&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoLIgO0USoth4AT5vwXYMr8eGweQlJ901ybDQPRjr0xpDxBgjL36HG559sqnaKgbxcDpVSxhPEwy0t9KDLYSb4fh%2Ba5HTI39CaTtIvMOaZOCeWH7TYQvYOsytC5YKXRfNWSpesiBdplKiBOlzse7nMsh0Rd3A1Kidpn3amjV3CJa9MXVxCf62sTBm7z9Cmbx40WnfA6X8vtNePMKzzQIGosY%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR6jivbmLYQ And the SW 130p too https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334618851482?epid=2255631135&hash=item4de8d6789a:g:JBUAAOSweO5jaAI1&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoEFvchG4ZFtAlZBXgHIKaL62CP2h7Q8m9YmBxkoyDWFeYLugYspBzVso2RJ%2BlgRJz7uN8WKJaO6a%2FpjhH%2Fnk0MOI0Pk03E9zkStJ5pb3RtuwTxRv2T9WCTwZbobUNV%2F0FrwQjFXv9oGMTDie%2Fy6VgGlBDPClWHuwI4L13IP5omk64grNpjNjNNUG3CGxNXzWTNBfkciFO91e6KN3MEETebQ%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR6jivbmLYQ

If he insists on buying something of his choice, its not a bad scope even for AP (see my signature). The option provided by Peter is probably your best bet for the budget.

It would be good to know details of the equipment you already have. Some of it maybe perfectly reusable for DSOs. I am guessing he still wants to continue capturing planetary images. If so the refractors may not be suitable. I started small with equipment I had bought for my daughter when she was around 14ish. You can see details in my signature. My suggestion is to do the purchases in stages as - its easier to learn in steps AND it will soon be time for your son to go to Uni etc. and you will end up using the equipment like I am doing (and enjoying!) 🙂 Get the best mount - like an HEQ5 or HEQ6 ! PS: I know some of us dads are eager to research & supply all the materials to ease our children's journey, but it can sometimes dampen that thirst for knowledge in them. I find that when they discover something else they need to improve their journey and they receive it after they have looked at options, it gives them more joy.

Thats a shame 😞 I started down the Astroberry route a little over a year ago using an RPi4 and I find that it works quite reliably for my needs, managing the mount, camera, platesolving and guiding. Ekos does have its quirks but its quite suitable for me.

This is when I wish we had not left EU 😞

Wow. But as OP is in UK, unsure if it will incur customs charges?

The ZWO capture software is OK, but there are several other much better packages out there. For planetary you have Sharpcap, Firecapture and for all round management of mount, camera, guiding there is Nina (windows), Kstars (Mac/Linux) etc. I have listed the free ones only. ASTAP is a much faster software for platesolving btw.

The RPi cant provide high frame rates for planetary imaging capturing videos. I tried with Firecapture and its pathetic in low 40s. The laptop goes much higher. But for regular DSO imaging RPi works a treat. I use Kstars/Ekos for that.

If you are running Windows then you need the software drivers (link has been provided by @StevieDvd. Detailed info is here https://astronomy-imaging-camera.com/manuals/ASICameras-software-Manual-Windows-EN.pdf. If you are a Mac or Linux user then it should work straightaway. What is the other ZWO camera that you have? Some of them come with a wideangle lens and that should help you 'see' images. Otherwise you will need to attach it to a scope to get clear images. Without either of these you will be able to only see hazy patches of light and dark when you move your camera around. As you have ASI Studio click on the ASI capture software, it will tell you which camera is connected. You just need to click the connect button and set exposure and gain to Auto to see the camera in action. Good luck.

As others have said - mainly for lunar, planetary, splitting doubles and collimation (to get the airy disk, if you have a newt)

Take a look at this site too https://astrobiscuit.com/best-budget-telescope/

Great shot. And this is without a flatner?