AstroMuni

1 hour ago, Jimbo Lpool said:

Nice images Muni i have managed to get one decent image using the scope and am in the process looking out for a 2nd hand goto mount, as you`ll know the 130 is a very light scope but clumsy, i`v been offered a Celestron 90SLT Maksutov-Cassegrain and thinking of buying it and swapping it as my main, but not sure if it`s better than what i already have and use ??

If I were you I would stick to the 130 and put money into getting a good stable mount, something like the SW EQ5. I personally would NOT opt for the 90SLT unless you are after imaging planets where it maybe better than your 130. Read this review on the 90SLT https://telescopicwatch.com/celestron-nexstar-90slt-review/

I agree its not the most intuitive of software, but hey a lot of software is just that way... I simply followed the steps in https://siril.org/tutorials/tuto-scripts/
before it started making sense.

38 minutes ago, Varavall said:

I have now had a look at Siril and after spending 2 hours of my life that I will never see again, I uninstalled it. It doesn't resonate with me, I'll look for some other software that I find intuitive. Horses for courses and this one isn't mine.

Sorry to hear that. Did you read the tutorials or went straight for it 🙂 Have a read here https://siril.org/tutorials/

On 15/07/2022 at 21:35, Jimbo Lpool said:

as it seems they ment the 130pds reflector not the one i got, and i have seen some of the images on here of the images members have got with their`s and they are amazing,

Dont worry, you should get pretty decent images with what you have. SW & other vendors have enough models to confuse us folk 🙂 I have a Celestron Astromaster 130 and if you read its reviews for AP they say its useless. But my experience showed me that its not too bad after all and I continue to use it. See my signature link for details.

On 11/07/2022 at 11:48, Varavall said:

Any comments and suggestions as to the best Ha:Oiii:Sii ratio of subs for this target and useful critical comments regarding the image are more than welcome.

I use a free tool called Siril for stacking and processing my images. Here is their tutorial for this https://siril.org/tutorials/rgb_composition/

14 hours ago, heathenwoods said:

've come to realise just how powerful levels and curves are! I think I've got all the curves more or less in the same place now and it's been fun trying to push just a little bit more detail out of the core. It's been amazing to see what a huge difference three astute tips made

Its looking good now. Try the new GHT (generalised hyperbolic transform) tool in Siril rather than the Histogram transform. You have better control and can get better results.

50 minutes ago, ninjageezer said:

do you guys use pixinsight to stack or dss ?

I use Siril

On 04/07/2022 at 13:43, Carbon Brush said:

Call up your favourite sky map software on your computer.

I was about to suggest something similar.... @imtrappin Use an app on your phone to check if the scope is pointing in same general direction as what the app says. I like an app called SkEye which has a push-to functionality but you can use any app of your choice.

23 hours ago, Bigwings said:

My kind friends bought it for my Birthday but getting it to focus on the laptop has been difficult

I am guessing its the ASI120MC-S that you are using. I have the ASI224MC which has a backfocus of around 12.5mm so I would guess that yours would be in similar range. I use mine on my Astromaster 130 which again is quite similar to your SW 130 so you should be able to achieve focus by moving the focuser knob during daytime. BTW, I dont need to add spacers but yours may need them as it uses a shortened tube. Dont add the diagonal, just attach the camera straight on to focuser. Use the ASI provided software or Firecapture/Sharpcap to help get a continuous view.

13 hours ago, ninjageezer said:

if i put a link to the folder with the light frames in would anyone be willing to look at the data for me please

Just go ahead. Plenty of folk around here to help 🙂 Also post an image of what you managed to achieve with PI

5 hours ago, SkyblockCEO said:

I'm very new to astronomy, but also a bit of a nerd and don't mind figuring the details out. I've been wanting a telescope for quite a while now, but I don't have a big budget.

Welcome to SGL. If you specify what is your budget then folk here can provide better guidance. Between the 2 scopes you have come across the Celestron is the better one but as Cornelius V has mentioned, it has its issues.

My suggestion is take a look at other posts here as well on advice given to others on buying new scopes before taking the plunge into buying one. If there is a local astro club join that first.

15 minutes ago, Simon Pepper said:

I will report back my findings once it arrives.

Good luck!

11 hours ago, Dave2292 said:

It's strange I had recent issues with Cartes du ciel. where I would sync on a star, slew to my target for the night and take a test shot but it would so far off.  It was working fine for a good year with Cartes du ciel with a lynx astro cable and a year before that using the handset.

Thats interesting. If you have the lynx astro cable then you should be able to use platesolving to get accurate go-to positioning. Check if some parameters have changed such as incorrect date or location.

Are you planning on manually stitching the images together using Gimp?

8 hours ago, Lunuar Mike said:

I have owned 3-8 inch telescopes an Orion 8" Eqt reflector and a Meade and Celestron C8 Sct's, a 10 inch dob, 90mm mak, 11x80 binoculars

As you have good experience having used this many scopes, which of these would you say would meet the needs of what you want now? Just go with your gut and get it (again if need be) 🙂

4 hours ago, Dave2292 said:

It then goes back to the start of the start alignment where I have to chose either a 1, 2 or 3 star alignment,  if I ignore this and try to go to an object it is completely off target.

Just to understand more clearly, you are saying that it successfully completes the alignment and gives a warning message. But after that the objects are off target. Is this correct?

When an object is off target, how far off is it to actual position? If its close but not on the dot, then that happens depending on which stars have been used for alignment.
 

You have chosen a good scope. If you want bang for the buck go for a Dobsonion with maximum aperture that you can afford.

Your scope will show wide star fields and the brighter Deep sky objects. Planets will however look small compared to the pictures you are used to seeing in forums, magazines. Unfortunately there isnt one scope that works well for both planets & DSOs.

EDIT: You beat me to it @Cosmic Geoff 🙂

Are you looking to do visual or photography?

1 hour ago, Richard_ said:

They are I use the ASI533 with filter wheel so ZWO provide spacers to achieve 56mm. The QHY268M provide spacers to achieve 56mm too. 

See if this article throws some light on your issue? https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/783742-help-with-back-focus-measurements-mating-a-qhy268mm-with-an-fsq85-±-x-101-flattener/

3 hours ago, Richard_ said:

I was expecting to remove my ASI with 56mm back focus spacers and replace with my QHY with 56mm of back focus spacers as a straight swap and get the same focus. Focal distances should be driven by the optics, not the camera. 

Is the backfocus distance the same for both cameras?

24 minutes ago, Simon Pepper said:

I can get slightly better with my wife filed scope as it’s lighter not so demanding I think. Also at 250mm I can expose for longer without any trails. 

I looked up the ES127 here https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/explore-scientific-ed-apo-127mm-f75-aluminium-essential-triplet-refractor-ota.html
And if we are talking about same scope, I think you could be stretching the weight limits of the HEQ5 Pro.

35 minutes ago, Simon Pepper said:

I can get 15 minutes subs on my other scope but as soon as a put this scope on it goes toilet on me. I tried 30 seconds and there was. I difference between that and 60s. It’s almost instant… 

Could this be due to balance? Otherwise cant see why a different scope can change the behavior of the mount.

2 hours ago, Simon Pepper said:

I assume my elongated stars are a guiding issue they do all appear to be the same was but these are only 60s subs surely that should be obtainable? I see others with similar setups on the same mount not having this issue.

Have you tried to see the longest duration you can get without guiding? I can easily get 30s with no elongation and mine has no Rowan modification. HTH

43 minutes ago, Clarkey said:

Skywatcher Website quotes 5.1kg for the OTA. Add a bit for the tube rings gives about 5.5kg. The ED80 is given as 2.5kg.

Sky-Watcher | Sky-Watcher Global Website (skywatcher.com)

Interesting. The Evostar line up shown under their US website are heavier. https://www.skywatcherusa.com/products/evostar-80ed?_pos=1&_sid=c3ddca3c5&_ss=r

Wonder whats the difference 🤔

20 hours ago, Clarkey said:

The ED120 is about 5.5kg

That sounds very light -are you sure? I thought the 80ED itself was around 4kg