dnl

3 minutes ago, Demon Barber said:

Hi Dave, i`ll wager you were pleased,got to have made the trip worthwhile!

Mike

Well chuffed Mike 😃

Now I just need to practice processing. 

(Ps could someone pm me wifi password I'll post up my results so far) 

5 minutes ago, Demon Barber said:

Nice shot Dave.

Mike

I managed to get me some 🐴. 

About 4 this morning.

My attempt single exposure with nikon d80 can't see much too many blinking stars in the way😃

Same here bags packed looking forward to 🐴 as my last attemp was dismal

Not managed to book for the main event but Im there sat to wed.

Dave

HI looking for suggestions

My orion focuser currently has the screws holding the 2" eyepiece/reducer  and im looking to replace it with a compression ring .

Ive seen the Astro Essentials Compression-Ring adapter for Sky-Watcher Refractors (M56) which im getting for my 120 but i cant find an equivelant for the orion .

My measuring gives the focus tube  a 59.75mm female thread which i take to be m60 .

There is the baader clicklock but these may be a bit deep to obtain focus .

Does anyone have any sugestions

Cheers Dave

Hi

Ive just started using my nikon d80 through a skywatcher 120 to try some pics using an eq5 mount with ra motor .

Ive polar alligned using polar scope in the mount and adjusted the mount so thers no slop in the ra or dec .

when I focus it recovers very quickly if i notice at all.

Below are some pics i tried of Andromeda and from the colour i think youll work out which was the longer exposures .

I think my tracking is ok as id expect the trails to get longer as the exposure increases if it wasnt .

Am i just experiencing a bit of wobble from wind or is my motor drive sticking/juddering  a bit ?

Any suggestions welcome .

Ive also added one i did of orion the same night which was a single exposure.  Cheers Dave

Hi Eduard

No sorry its gone. 

Dave

1 hour ago, mikeyj1 said:

just going back to the OP, difference between Coll cap and Laser, it could be that the focuser tube is out of alignment, ie not square / lined up to the main tube.  This doesn't normally show itself on a coll cap, but a laser will pick it up.  Checking that is a little more difficult; you need to find the diametrically opposite point of the focuser center inside the main tube, and then make sure a collimated laser points directly at it...

HTH

Mike

Thankyou Mike

Bang on.

Just pulled my spider out and luckily the holes line up with the focuser so finding the diametrically opposite point wasnt to hard.

Adjusted the focuser colmination a bit.

Refitted the spider making sure it was central, collminated with the laser and popped the cap in and hey presto it now also shows it as colminated.

Getting two different results from something that should of achieved the same result would of really bugged me.

Dave

44 minutes ago, mikeyj1 said:

just going back to the OP, difference between Coll cap and Laser, it could be that the focuser tube is out of alignment, ie not square / lined up to the main tube.  This doesn't normally show itself on a coll cap, but a laser will pick it up.  Checking that is a little more difficult; you need to find the diametrically opposite point of the focuser center inside the main tube, and then make sure a collimated laser points directly at it...

HTH

Mike

Would taking a measure from the top of the tube to the point the laser hits on the bottom of the focuser and on the far side of the tube then make sure its at the furthest point from the centre of focuser (piece of string) give me a good enough alignment ?

14 minutes ago, baggywrinkle said:

I totally agree with the above. Check the laser is collimated.

I made a V block and rested the laser on that and pointed it at a piece of paper blu-tacked marked with a X to a wall and gently rotated the laser. It was quite a way out. But you can dig out the sealant on the holes covering the collimating screws and adjust.

I had the same issue when i bought the laser it makes you question your technique when you have to collimate your collminator.

Dave

Thankyou John

Ill wait for clear skys and see which works

Dave

Hi Ive just bought a xt10i which compared to my previous little scope is a bit faster and understand collmination is more important .

I thought i had it sussed with a laser tool which ive checked buy rolling on its side in the kitchen and checking it against a dot on the wall about 10m away.

But this scope came with a collmination cap so thought ill try that i should know how to do it for future reference.

All  straight forward line everything up seemed very easy.

Until i put my laser back in and found the laser dot was about 1.5" away from my primary mirror centre mark.

Ive had a google watched the youtube videos and cant think what im doing wrong should i ditch one and never go back? or is it trial and error and see what happens when i finally get a clear night.

Any help would be appreciated

HI

Im looking to sell a fully working Meade LX200 GPS 10"  fork mount with handbox updated to the latest firmware.

I have no idea what the going price for this would be any advice would be gratefully recieved .

My testing maybe slightly roppy (see you tube vid) but I did a goto on denab after auto allignment and it was bang on.

Cheers Dave

Hi

Ive recently aquired a LX200gps mount that came without the handbox .

It was working until I did a reset by the laptop using the 232 port now there is no serial communication.

I believe the only way to put it in safe mode/download is via the handset on boot up.

I would obviously collect and return  or if I could just try it at your place to ensure a handset would resolve my issue would be a great help.

Cheers Dave