Nicola Hannah Butterfield

On 18/11/2020 at 12:13, Witcherking10 said:

For Mars, I couldnt see much red, really a bright yellow circle ball. With Jupiter I was able to see its 4 big moons but couldnt find any bands when looking at Jupiter, maybe with more practice playing with different zooms and focus? Saturn was the best, I could see it pretty clearly and its rings, truly fascinating!

This is what hooks many.

I viewed Jupiter through my Skywatcher 200p with both the 25mm 10mm and barlow 2x all kit lenses (I mainly do A.P. these days), but had a few mechanicals this week, and it was an opportunity to show the lady I care for both of these planets, as the scope angle was at an angle her disability allowed her to view for a few moments. I digress, but we could see the clouds on Jupiter, and the rings of Saturn, but as both are low on our horizon I guess as good as could be, also in a bortle 7 sky, but this doesn't have much influence on the brighter objects.

Once the steep learning curve is somewhat overcome things will get a little easier.

8 hours ago, rickwayne said:

Are you at the limit of your focuser's travel? It's not uncommon for Newts built for visual use to be unable to achieve focus with a camera. Some folks have even resorted to cutting the tube so they can shorten it by a few centimeters!

OP already established that.

On 19/11/2020 at 16:27, Joe84 said:

 

I've got a Powerseeker 114eq - with this prime focus isnt possible with a dslr, so im using a barlow to get an image. I have 3 barlows varying in quality but all suffer the same problem.

Is it was what supplied, providing your supplying the right voltage, the user will only accept the current that is right, even though the provider promises more

Something cheap like me, to fix some bad vignetting, 2" to M48 T-mount

This is the result

Total cost about £15

1 hour ago, Adam J said:

They just put the wrong sticker on it. A few months of dew and it falls off anyway. This would not worry me at all. But then all I care about is the optical equality some others are more focused on aesthetics.

Did no one teach them nowt in school.

Get a 6v reachable battery like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultramax-NP12-6-12Ah-Rechargeable-Battery/dp/B00J4PZIVS/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=6+Volt+Rechargeable+Battery&qid=1605896720&quartzVehicle=138-266&replacementKeywords=6+rechargeable+battery&sr=8-3

Spade connectors should be a simple connection, but need a 6v charger

On 20/11/2020 at 15:15, Joe84 said:

Hi Thanks for your reply!

 

These are two examples that i ha to hand, but all my images tend to be soft in terms of sharpness. I agree it was quite moist humid albeit cold when the Baader photo was taken and it is a much better quality barlow than the other one i used. I wanted to show both as i feel the same problem persisted with lack of sharpness.

So you think it could be related to the moon being low on the horizon? I think that could be an issue, but i never manage sharpness so im hoping im missing something like colimation. 

 

I have included another shot just to show again a softness. This hill top is about 1km away or more and shows the same issue. Do you use a reflector telescope?

 

I use a Skywatcher 200P which is an 8" reflector focal length 1,000mm giving an f stop of f5, most of my images with it are at prime focus, which can be achieved with this scope, the barlow which I have used isn't great it is the kit barlow.

This is the very first image I took with it 10/01/20, more to test the prime focus as to its sharpness, but as you will seem it isn't to dissimilar to your sheep image. This was taken exif says 16:41 suspect that was bst, so more like 15:41, not sure how far the windmill is a good few miles.

This is the very first moon shoot, hazy cloud.

This is what I got 2 days later, single frame 1/200th f5 1,000mm iso 100

Then this towards the end of the phases

Which shows a similar softness to your crescent moon.

I have shot the moon through the barlow and even eyepiece projection exposure for this was 1/50th iso 12.800, effective f/l was 18m at f90 the c.a. you see towards the bottom I think was the kit barlow lens.

Non of them are very sharp, so practise with the better barlow you have, do different exposures in manual mode, focus in and out using the 10x live view as sharp as it can been, live view is never as sharp as the final image, and has been said, remote shutter or timer and if possible mirror lock up.

15 minutes ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Probably the two incidents weakened the whole structure to the extent that it's unable to be repaired due to cost.

It was a joke.

11 minutes ago, gilesco said:

Well, yes, to do it safely would cost as much as rebuilding from new, doing anything to try and fix it will risk another cable snap, those things snap with catastrophic force which would easily be fatal, so you don't want to be anywhere near the vicinity if it is at risk of it happening.

I do hope they secure funds to build something even better.

I do understand a little about forces under tension.

15 hours ago, Cornelius Varley said:

@Joe84 Can you upload the image in either .jpg or .png format so that it can be displayed in the browser.

I did look at the pictures, but obviously can't repost without permission, the cr2 file from the info, was taken 26/8/20 20:57 1/10th's ISO 100  pattern metering, shows a half moon, alot of blue/cyan C.A. upper right of the moon, on that date and time from my location in West Yorkshire would have put it 12 degrees above the horizon, so quite low a lot of atmosphere, the slow shutter will not have helped, but in terms of sharpness, not much worse than I can seem to achieve at the same altitude.

The Tiff, taken 18/11/20 18:06 1/100th ISO 1600 metering pattern, again from my location, at 18:00 was just over 3 degrees, so very difficult at best, Sharpness is quite good given it very low altitude, and high ISO no sign of heavy C.A.

What my conclusions would be, are to try to shoot in manual mode for the exposure, take several shots at different speeds, and try to shoot the moon at higher altitudes, judging from the differance in C.A. I would suggest the barlow in the tiff is better than that is the cr2.

For the OP to compare, I shot this the day after the tiff image, so much higher, but about the same as the cr2, 19/11/20 16:54 ISO 200 1/320th Skywatcher P200D f5, only edit is a crop, I only got this because I was doing a series of test shots, but it does show the tiff image is not far away, when you consider the problems of low altitude imaging, nor can I work out the true focal lengths and magnification, my original is 20x as it is shot at prime focus.

If you look at the east of the moons edge (as viewing the image) you can see air convection currents distorting the edge, but they could be within the scope as I said I was only doing a test and the scope hadn't cooled down fully,.

10 hours ago, Nigella Bryant said:

Yhe 305-metre-wide radio telescope at Arecibo, Puerto Rico — is permanently closing. Engineers cannot find a safe way to repair it after two cables supporting the structure suddenly and catastrophically broke, one in August and one in early November.

 

So is this a case of lost ancient technology then.

My NE6 was supplied with a 12v car auxiliary jack, so crocodile clips to a female auxiliary connected to the 12v battery, unless I am missing something. I use a 240v to 12v 3amp ( I think it;s 3 amp) transformer that used to charge AA type batteries, it has worked fine for me since March, I will add the high voltage is in the shed and only low voltage outside.

Just now, johngm said:

Forgot to add, coma corrector should help. With the improvement you've made though, may be worth trying flats though

I do flats usually unless just testing something, like my first 5 min exposures last Ftiday, got two 5 min, one 2 min and 60's of a star field around PU Aur

You can see the stars trailing towards the edges. no flats, darks or bias.

Just now, johngm said:

Tell me about it (the weather i mean). I purchased an SX694 pro mono in the summer, with the weather and work commitments, ive managed 1 night (5 hours), of  Ha data on the crescent Nebula 😔

My last attempts were M32 and M33 in early August. Can be seen here https://sites.google.com/view/nhb-astro-photo-site/deep-sky if they are not in my gallery.

1 hour ago, Snoani said:

This is the first opportunity that I have had to take a proper image of the Orion Nebula since upgrading my equipment earlier this year.  I am happy with the detail but the colour is off in comparison with others that I have see.  That being said, it provides me with a good benchmark to try again before the end of the winter.  

15 x 3 min light frames with 18 x 1 min lights.

 

Colour is always a perceptual thing as none of us see exactly the same colours even viewing the same object.

 

8 minutes ago, johngm said:

Thats a fantastic improvement, and to be fair, I dont think you'll will gain much more if any with the 200p and full frame sensor.

Just got to wait for some new bolts for the mount (on order), and some clear weather, which has been in short abundance these last 4 months, and virtually non since I got the guide scope bar a quick test with it last Friday. If this all goes well coma corrector next purchase, but before I do that, I want to see what improvement this will make, the improvement should also help in stacking.

The t-Mount is a little loose on the camera but it was on;y a cheap one, I wasn't going to spend £30+ on something that might not work

I have tried to cure the server vignetting with my full Canon 6D and Skywatcher 200P using flats, but to no great success, so I had been thinking of an M48 T-mount to 48 mm 2" adaptor, anyway pick up a couple cheap version to test the theory and here is the result, all I have to do now is safe for a cheap 2" lpf and see where it sits in the train.

Both exposures 1/320th f5 ISO 200

15 hours ago, Anthony1979 said:

So its not as difficult as it looks then

I think we read too much and not enough practise really, but no the basics seem easy enough.

2 hours ago, Anthony1979 said:

Is this a 5 min sub

Sorry wrong image, two ticks

M33 area in twilight should have been the one. 300's at iso 100 not the best of images to demonstrate, but it clouded over after this.

On 07/11/2020 at 15:18, jm_rim said:

I actually tried PA with Sharpcap using the DSLR for the first time last night. It made it so much easier - although I struggled with having enough visible start, and ended up with having to use 30s exposures which made... But ended with excellent PA and this was using my 150pds + 2x converter... 

When I finally was done and wanted to test what the max sub length could be - BackyardNikon just said ”busy” every time, with nothing happening no matter how long I waited...

I used Sharpcap to polar align for the first time Friday 13th Nov, and got

This managed to give me a 60's exposure 1600iso on a Skywatcher 200P and a Canon 6D star field at prime focus, around PU Aur

 Regarding software, check cable try another if you have one, try uninstalling and reinstall, I had an issue with backyardeos, that cured the problem.

9 hours ago, Anthony1979 said:

Im hoping to start guiding for the first time next time i get out... My setup is a SW evoguide 50ed, asi 120mm-s, i am lost on what settings i use in phd2.... Ive done a lot of reading but ive got all confused on what i should be doing.. I just havent got a clue... 

As @Jamgoodsay's, set mine up last Friday as above and managed two 5 min exposures before the clouds came back.

Edit The above is unguided at 60's after sharpcap polar alignment, I then went on to try guiding with phd, which I managed for 5mins, but skies were still light anf the clouds came in,

7 minutes ago, DaveL59 said:

Yeah there's a certain down-side to these new LED units in that regard, probably part of the reason they sprout like shrooms on buildings everywhere. Worst part will be as they fail, they have a tendency to flash like a strobe which isn't pleasant.

Not had a chance to talk to the neighbour on theirs but if I get no consideration I have a possible option since it is a motion activated one - aim an IR flood at the PIR and blind it 😉 

Tell me about those that fail, We have one lighting the steps down from the main road at the front, one on the side door, one facing the steps into the rear garden (though this is actually turned off 99% of the time), I then have two solar charged ones facing into the garden one on each shed, again these are turned off 99% only being used to pack up of a might on occasions, usually just use a torch, there is also a bulk head light on the top shed only on if needed, but because of where the switch is, I have a habit of leaving it on till I see it shining in the bathroom window when I go upstairs, also a further light at the bottom shed to aid visibility, as this is the darkest part of the garden, not that anything is really dark, and whilst I have an issue with next door re her bathroom window (there is a youngster living there so maybe a reason) and she is happy to turn it off if I ask, it is nothing with what the OP has to contend with, the children's letter published in the local press seems a good idea, also the environmental issue another possible route.

Another annoying one is who can turn on their Xmas lights first in the year, all ready got two on near here.

I have the lights for a reason, the lady I care for share the house with has several health issues, including severe mobility issues.

That is the neighbours earlier this year (2020) I have moved the scope down the garden where it is shielded from most, but the bathroom, however I might have a plan.

On 20/10/2020 at 15:08, Peter Drew said:

All a bit of fun, contemplating what to do to combat an inconsiderate neighbour but mostly, to implement any such suggestions, would only exacerbate the situation and the OP is the one that has to live with the consequences.  The best thing to do is to bite your lip and carry on as best you can, eventually things cool down and hopefully the neighbour might take notice of the soaring electricity bills.  From a security aspect, I would sooner have a neighbour physically outside at night as a much more likely deterrent  than a row of "helpful lights.    🙂  

If they are L.E.D. lights not likely to be very much, something like that might only use 80W's or less.

2 minutes ago, Starflyer said:

And the fact that they add nothing to security.  Burglars love to be able to see where they're going, makes their lives much easier than either carrying a torch around or falling over stuff.

Dark equates to ghost stories, once we got the electric light they disappeared very quickly.

1 minute ago, Starflyer said:

A dew shield made from a rolled up camping mat, closed with duct tape, will really help reduce stray light. Make it so around eight inches sticks out from the end of the scope, and tight enough so it doesn't slip off under its own weight.

I know this, but would be, much better if people were aware of wasted energy from the light they think they need and actually need.