Stuart1971

No it’s not, just Persevere, all the controls are under menus on the right side.. But to be honest if you are only doing planetary then you only need sharpcap and you don’t need telescope control either, maybe you should have led with that, or did you and I missed it....🤔🤔

No, that is not guiding, just scope control, in which case APT is deffo all you need....👍🏼 Guiding is when you use a second scope and camera piggybacked on your main one, to follow a single star, if the star drifts then a signal s sent to the mount to move it back, it’s for long exposure astrophotography, and something you don’t need to worry about yet...👍🏼

Sorry I had to edit, read last post again....👍🏼

APT will do everything except guiding, you would need PHD 2 for that but APT will li k up with PHD so that makes it easier, no need to make it more complicated....👍🏼 I suggest getting to grips with one thing at a time, don’t try and run before you walk, get the scope talking with APT and then with the camera before you even think about guiding....that should come later

When you say “step size 40 ticks with focusing 5 steps out (200 ticks)” can you explain what or where these settings are and where they are put...as I have the same motor and am just starting with Auto focusing, but been using Ekos for a few years now...thanks 👍🏼 Aslo do you use Backlash setting, as I have measured my backlash to be Approx 70 steps, mostly from the rack and pinion of my TakFSQ85

Yes that too....😂

As I have said, I will not discuss that on here if you want to know then PM me...👍🏼

You can use Firecapture or OAcapture, the later is project of a guy on here @JamesF I think....👍🏼

Oh yes.....👍🏼

I am not going to give my opinion on here about a camera, as it may offend people but you can PM me and I will explain...

Altair Astro...!! The one you were asking about ...👍🏼

QHY all the way, steer clear of the AA cameras...👍🏼

Yes you need a full capture program, I used to use APT.. https://www.astrophotography.app this will do everything, once open you pick your camera and scope and it will load the drivers for them and you can use that, but you need to read up on using the software....

Ascom download here https://ascom-standards.org and the correct driver is the 17th one down on this list https://ascom-standards.org/Downloads/ScopeDrivers.htm there is a newer driver for the meade scope, just a couple above in the list, but it’s new and I have never tried that one, but I had success with the one I mention 17th on the list....but you could give it a try, and make sure you install Ascom first...

Hello, I used to do this a few years ago, the software I used was APT, Astrophotography Tool, and it worked well. First of all you need to connect your scope to your PC with the correct cable that goes from the second port on the bottom of the handset to your PC, the. You need to make sure you have the latest Ascom software and the Correct mead Ascom driver, this will be needed in APT to control the mount...also you need the Ascom driver for your camera too.... With all this set up you should be able to do what you need..HTH 👍🏼

I’m sorry to hear this... I don’t think they are out of business, when I had my issues with Outsideology I phone this company for a quote and they were very helpful, and gave me a quote, and told me I could have it within six weeks, this was about six weeks ago...(although I wanted supply only as was fitting myself) they did say they were busy and had a few jobs abroad that had been cancelled due to current restrictions and could fit me in...so not sure why you still have not got yours...anyway I did not go ahead... I hope you get it sorted...

Yes they will...as it will show where the mount is pointing ...👍🏼

@almcl is correct, I do use this software too, and your mount is set to “tracking off” and also you say you are connected with an ethernet cable, yet you have “serial” selected in the settings....so two issue there to look at..

Not sure what you mean by your telescope being off...but it sounds like it’s not tracking well at all if it moves off centre that quickly...

And you are sure your PA is spot on....? Or very very close...? And how long is it before it starts to drift and at what focal length is this at..?

You have to make sure you click “sync” on the object after its centred and solved...👍🏼

One mistake you are making is solving on Polaris, you should not do this...it does not work well at all and takes a while to complete as you have found, just not enough stars, you should slew to an object then solve and sync, then another object in the opposite side of the sky, and same again and then to your target and solve and sync, this builds an alignment model, and allows for much better and precise tracking...and also very good PA helps... 👍🏼

I had a go at this same target with my Meade series 5000 80mm triplet scope just before Xmas last year... 3 hours of lights with an SXM25c camera, EQ8 and 3 minute unguided subs..and processed in APP also cropped...

M45.... 😉

Both the dome and shutter drive motor assembly is a very expensive luxury, at £2600 for them both....😮😮 but really the dome drive is needed as you will be out there moving manually...but the shutter drive is not needed, but if you do go down that route, then one thing to consider is it can be quite noisy opening and closing, so if, like me you have three neighbours bedroom windows within 20m then it’s something to consider.... Just my 2p worth....