vineyard

Tinkering w solar animation just to see what its like. Caught the surge prom from yesterday's X-flare subsiding - this activity is only 8 minutes duration (footage taken every 60s). Best viewed on loop. Processing: Firecapture --> AS!3 (batch) --> ImPPG (batch for sharpening, then alignment) --> PIPP for turning it into a video [EDIT: sorry mods I posted this in the wrong section - it was meant to be in solar imaging, it is not a competition-worthy animation😂] Sun_124503_220430_ZWO ASI290MM_Gain=111_Exposure=2.7ms_HA_25PMbin2_15_qe3_ap666_out_aligned_pipp_avi (Converted) rotated.mov

Thanks Roy - the still was captured at 1345 BST, and the animation of it subsiding is about 8 mins between 1345-1353 (400 or 500 frames taken in about 0.8-1s every 60s for 8 mins) - complete fluke b/c I was just tinkering, saw the spike & thought I'd see if I could get some time-lapse style footage. Was not expecting it would subside so quickly!

I think I may have caught it in this image & animation I was tinkering with - is this what you saw @Highburymark? Sun_124503_220430_ZWO ASI290MM_Gain=111_Exposure=2.7ms_HA_25PMbin2_15_qe3_ap666_out_aligned_pipp_avi.avi

Those are lovely. I think the 2nd one is my favourite - almost limpidly clear.👍🏾

It looks like no ST4 guide port, although maybe the USB connection allows pulse guiding? (There is a port in one of the photos but I suspect that'll be for the optional GoToNOVA hand controller?). As Adam suggests, I think an option to buy without iPolar would make it a lot more attractive - the PA tools on INDI are excellent so why the need for more hardware.

A huge thank you to @malc-c for this! In a way it's almost a pity that it wasn't broken b/c jailbreaking the Synscan handset would've been even more helpful for the community, but selfishly I'm quite glad ofc that the handset is fine If only I knew how to correctly diagnose cable faults (or perhaps plug them in correctly?😂). But this whole thing has also been yet another example of how great the SGL community is - big shout out to Malc, thanks again!

I got a Synscan wifi dongle in the end - it works & it works well. What a convenient thing to be able to drive the mount off your mobile! Visual just became so much more accessible.

That's a really nice birthday present! Picking up on what Roy said, and bearing in mind the focal lengths/FOV of your current scopes, maybe something like a Lunt 60MT. Modular so you can use it for HA in the day, but also use it for wider field AP at night. Its FPL-51 glass but if you did narrow band (or even dual-band filters with OSC I reckon) that shouldn't make that much difference. Leaves ample budget for either a super portable harmonic mount (like AM5), or another more traditional EQ mount (HEQ5Pro) which wouldn't be a problem physically at all, and an AP camera like a 533MM or 533MC. If you go for 2nd hand, then the kit could be even better. Either way, enjoy!

3 jpgs for size - 1208, 1229 & 1303 UT. The party got started between 1208 & 1229 UT I guess?

It just looks so stately. Shows the quality that can be made w colour cameras too. I think I prefer the 2nd image - seems to pop a bit more.

Yes v active! Managed to get some imaging done & it changed within about 15-20 mins. Let's see what the processing shows.

Thanks both @StevieDvd & @malc-c - microelectronics is beyond me & I have no idea where I'd get my hands on a DB9 RS232 computer. I see that the Wifi adapter should still allow it to work via my mobile so I suspect I'll go down that route. I just want to be able to use it for visual goto without having to plug a laptop in Cheers

Thanks - are those cables different from normal RJ45 cables? To your Q, the mount is an HEQ5Pro (belt-modded) so it does have an ST4 auto-guide port as well. Cheers!

Thanks @malc-c. I was trying a normal cat 5e / cat 6 ethernet cable as I think those are RJ45 - should it be a different one? (For the laptop control I use a Lynx Astro cable - I think its an FTI EQDir one). I don't have Windows but I guess SW will have a Mac OS version to upload the patch - will look at the website. Cheers!

Am a bit befuddled by a Synscan v3 handset that I was trying to use w an HEQ5 Pro. Its v3 (03.39.05) and when I connect it to the mount (with the proper RJ45 cable as advised by @Cornelius Varley) it shows this "Both Axes No Response" error. I've checked the voltage as per the handset (12.2V) which is consistent with a separate reading. Its not the motherboard b/c when I connect the mount to my laptop via EKOS, everything works. The only thing I can think of is that the Synscan handset is for a different mount (it used to be used w an EQ6 motherboard mount) - could that be a factor? Is there a way of telling (& changing the mount setting)? It seems a bit silly to come up with handsets that are tied to specific mounts (although ofc great for peripherals sales)? Worst case I'll just keep using it w a laptop but its nice to sometimes use a handset controller for visual. Cheers

I use the Astrokraken mounting system & am quite happy with that. I think the Evoff flattener also has threads in front so that you can attach a 1.25" filter on the front & then mount it on to the Evo50. Its a lovely little wide-field scope (& much cheaper than a Redcat!).

That's amazing. Have they named it yet (I don't mean the dry formal name )?

9 April - nice and active filaments even though most ARs rotated out of view.

You must be a clairvoyant @mikeDnight - there's Roger Vine's AP 130EDT f8 just listed on UKABS - you reckon that would fly?😂

Nice shots - my eyes are not good enough to tell if its out of collimation based on the first 2 (there doesn't seem to be anything much wrong with them!) - the 3rd does seems a tad soft on the RHS if that's the collimation error (I'm not a reflector person so I have no idea). Good idea too re the single thread - a nice way of seeing progress (I'm testing something similar on twitter for full disk solar images).

That would be nice! I actually have an old GP top but its the wooden legs that are missing 😕

That's interesting @Franklin - something to keep an eye out for then. My setup is with an AL-130 & that is the weakest link (mostly because to keep it solid and stable I have to tighten the bolts once the legs are out, and then it's good, but then I have to untighten them to store it away, which can be a bit of a faff - unless there's a tweak I can do to improve that!).

Oh that's interesting re the contrast booster. Yes that combo 102M+SP just works. Did Vixen ever make wooden tripods, bc that would be the cherry on top. I think the Vixen is safe.😃

Yes there are definite subjective biases towards each scope. Based on performance alone (resolution + sharpness), the Vixen yet again stood up - its remarkable for such an old achromat. Its just so long - I've been researching CaK imaging and an f10 achromat is also v well suited for that so that's another plus for it. But the ETX was so surprising - & is so much more portable (add it to a fast wide-field like a 76mm and its a perfect travel pair) - I want to see how the ETX performs w some Baader solar film in front & maybe on Jupiter too later this season. The poor old TM2. But its mount is buttery smooth - the best I've ever used - and there's just something nice about using old 0.96 EPs. I will sit on the decision for a bit - the ETX is so small maybe I can hide it!😂 But if someone was to force me to pick right now, I'd say the TM2 is most surplus 😯😱

After this test session, I managed to set up all 3 scopes (all old beauties) to look at the moon. Seeing not great (high cloud - eventually rain was going to come...and it did...so I had to be quick). But since the point was to do a comparison under similar conditions, figured it might be interesting to see what was revealed. I set up the deforked ETX125 w an 18.2mm (so c 104x), the Vixen w a 9mm (111x) & the TM2 with a 10mm orthodox (84x) - so roughly similar levels of magnification. The ETX & TM2 were on an old EZtouch alt-az rigged up for dual scoping (AZ75 style😂), the Vixen on an old SP mount. Well. The Vixen was the best of the bunch! The ETX ran it v v close - the Vixen seemed j-u-s-t a tad sharper on the smallest discernible features, but I don't know whether that might be the slightly higher magnification also making it easier to see them. (I also used a prism diagonal on the Vixen vs a mirror on the ETX so not sure whether that also have been a factor). But the ETX v v close to the Vixen & surprisingly sharp (based on what is typically said about central obstruction & sharpness)- and ofc not a trace of colour on the limb. The ETX was also slightly brighter. It really was a neck & neck contest. The poor little CZJ (words I never thought I'd find myself saying) was left playing catchup. I think that was really down to aperture - it could not compete on resolution of smaller features. So perhaps that's not a fair comparison. This does now though leave a slight predicament as I have to choose one between the ETX & the Vixen - cannot justify keeping both. Maybe it should be the TM2 that goes🤨. Dilemma. <EDIT: maybe this should be in the Discussion - Scopes section rather than the Observing section - will leave it to the mods discretion!>