Dan13

First part of a project on M101 for me and first attempt.

I had planned 4 hours total on this but I lost two hours due to a light leak in my DSLR.

This is 

97 lights @ 1 min exposure iso 1600
45 Darks
45 bias
25 flats

Stacked and processed in pixinsight 

Skywatcher 130pds 
Canon 600d ( modded)
HEQ5 mount using EQmod
Unguided 

Still plenty to play with here and look forward to adding to the data .

Fantastic @carastro really like this.

5 hours ago, michael8554 said:

Why was LiveView on when you were imaging? 

Michael 

I had it still set to "on" after i did star alignment 

9 hours ago, michael8554 said:

You shouldn't get heat buildup on a 1 minute 600D exposure, 10 minutes in this heat then yes. 

Only with the filter, and is there on darks? That doesn't seem possible.

Is this light leak from an open back Newtonian? 

The elongated stars in the corners are due to Coma - what scope or lens are you using? 

Michael 

Hi Michael 

I didnt personally feel it was heat build up, I have however resolved the issue now.

After tinkering arround it seems that it was an LED from the live view screen. When I turned this off in the settings I had no light leak.

SW 130pds is what I'm using. Any recommendations for a CC for that one? 

15 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

May be heat build up, try putting the camera in the fridge for half an hour then taking a dark.

Dave

you think thats whats effecting the light image as well? seem to only get this with this filter..

9 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Hi Dan, could you post those as PNG ?

Dave

you just answered my edited question  thank you yes will do that now . All done @Davey-T

Hi, hope your all safe and well.

Ive had some struggles with my setup the last couple weeks but finally got out to image last night. I still have some nagging questions id really like to get some input back on before going again tonight if possible.

Question 1.

Please see below images of a single light frame @1600 iso 1min sub, please draw your attention to the bottom left corner! this is in every image, previously i thought it was light leak through the viewfinder but ive since added the clip that canon provide (600d btw) but now this is still present and i believe only with the filter im using (astronomik uhc ) its happening in my darks and lights but not bias? any ideas?

Question 2.

Please also draw your attention to the light image and have the stars in the centre of the frame are more rounded then the outer left and right corners, these seem to be trailing but then the centres dont, any ideas on this one at all?

Question 3. (final question)

Stellarium....last time i used it it was fine but last night i could align 6 stars and sync but still it persisted to be off centre from my target? i haven't changed or done anything different to my knowledge but was certainly frustrating, i did clear the cache of aligned points and started again but still the same. If i wen back to one i had synced it would be fine but if trying another it wouldn't line properly.

Many thanks in advance.

Dan

On 04/10/2019 at 23:47, dtastro said:

Nah...it's pegged down with heavy duty pegs and now has guy ropes on.

Hi, how did this hold up this winter? im just about to purchase the same gear myself but worried about wind? one thing i did think of was filling it with water?!

10 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

Have you tried the factory setting. It should be at the bottom in the SetUp drop down.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/user/SynScan_HandControl_web191112v3_2_.pdf

Also there's a self diagnostic feature.

think i did the factory reset last night, ill try again. Ive also just used another spare patch cable to see if it was the data cable and not the power, that still froze the handset...

Power has been tested in 3 different sources

data cable been replaced

im sincerely hoping its the controller and not the mount

On 07/06/2015 at 10:53, inedible_hulk said:

Just a little update. My problem has returned ("Oh no. The problem. The problem Pansy. It's started again!"), so I'll be getting in touch with the suppliers to see if they can help

Hi, im having the same issue as yourself, did you ever find a fix for this?

10 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

But when you get all the little niggles out of the way you'll enjoy all the late nights and freezing weather to come, plus hopefully some stunning images.😁

Agreed, but atm im struggling. the handset is constantly freezing, i can scan through the menu options and then its freezes. ive tried 3 different power sources, same thing every time...im at a loss

On 03/11/2012 at 22:34, sulaco said:

I've just had the very same problem, the dec motor seems to be running but with no movement and the handset display only comes up with the sw software number and that's it, any solutions?

sorry to jump in on an old post but did you resolve this as im having the same issues now

1 minute ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

Then also check the socket on the mount, and if you can, replace the plug\socket arrangement with some of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6x-GX16-2-3-4-Pin-Female-Male-Aviation-Connector-Plug-Circular-Socket-Metal/223065862292  They will provide a much more secure connection....

Ok thank you, great info! changed the head on the mains supply and its all sturdy but guess what! hand controller frozen!! this is driving me nuts, only had the mount a week (used) previous owner advised no problems mmm....

The last thing i cant check is handset update as i only got the serial plug with it not serial to usb and with the lock down im struggling to get one

not having much luck with this hobby

2 minutes ago, Dr_Ju_ju said:

You may also need to tighten up the power socket in the handset, ensuring it grips the plug securely. I've found, that over time, they can get a slack\loose.

thanks Julian, im going direct to mount for my power source so have nothing into the handset itself other then the patch cable 

edit: unless of course thats the "power cable" your referring too?

5 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

Can't see why not, just make sure you have the wires correct.

Thanks Mark, you have become my savour on here lately haha, im guessing red/red black/black. ill see when i open them both up

Morning, last night I had a nightmare! Started at 9pm ready to settle down for dark and image M51. The my synscan handset decided to keep freezing, it did this sporadically and all the way till I gave up at 1.30am! 

I'm thinking after looking in the daylight today that the power supply going into the mount is too loose. I have found an old 12v 2.5amp plug and the head from that fits a lot better. 

Question is could I cut the head of the good one and replace it onto the old one and use that?? 

Pictures below, many thanks for any help 

1 hour ago, Rusted said:

I'll give it five minutes before your "time portal" flattens somebody or something! 😱

The nearer a screen is to the light the smaller it has to be. Perspective is your friend.
The smallest object would be a bullet but is rather frowned upon in some neighbourhoods.

A little experimentation, at night, would go a long way toward establishing non-lethal, minimum screen sizes.

That fence is crying out for a single, detachable post [say 2x2?] with a minimum sized screen attached.
One which can be easily lowered when not required.

Sailors are apt to enjoy a pulley system and mast.
With a rise and fall screen but you are definitely on your own there. 

I'd be thinking of a light frame with black, open weave, cloth screen. Wire coat hanger fodder?
A knitted screen perhaps? Or shade netting in a suitable number of layers to achieve nocturnal bliss?

Two or three, long, galvanised bolts through the fence crossbars should hold a suitable post.
With galvanized nuts and washers for speedy elevation and later dismantling.
The screen could be stored flat on the fence in a tasteful horizontal mode.

Modern lamp heads are very unlikely to be suitable for super-magnet-ic screen attachment.
Otherwise a much smaller and lighter screen might have been attached directly at short notice.
A suitably tall, telescopic attachment pole can be obtained for ladder free, window cleaner's use.

I do not recommend you try to envelope the entire light head with a spare, bin bag.
It might lead to unwarranted accusations of frippery from concerned citizens.

When I were a lad... the council would shield street lights from the bedroom windows of sensitive souls.
Alas, they were distinctly "uncooperative" when asked if they would shield my lawn. Grr?

Thanks for the info...

I'm waiting for a email back from the council to put a shield on it.

This was on a temp measure as they go off st 1am anyways and I was bored and had spare wood.

Def dont want to attach anything to the fence as I share with a good neighbour. 

When lockdown is over I'm going to make a solid unit with some pipe and bend etc.

Stay safe 

8 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

Nice idea. Hope it's not going to catch too much wind later.

Just thinking if it's worth cutting holes or slots into it, it'll reduce the wind force from trying to blow it down and reduce the wind on you set up.

Good shout mark! I've got it up now with a wind breaker and seems to be holding up. Its 25mph winds here atm and meant to be 10-14 later.

Going to see what else I can do with regards to your ideas. 

Bored in lockdown and found some odd bits of wood lyinging around, also found some old rubble sacks. 

I see it's a nice clear night this evening but quite windy and I have a pesky street light that's just been switched to led in the distance.

Along with a wind breaker I made this today see how it holds up! 

Hi, hope your all safe and well.

Looking to start autoguiding with my 130pds and HEQ5, seen a kit deal in FLO and wandering if anyone has got this kit and how are you finding it? 

Many thanks

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-cameras/zwo-mini-finder-guider-asi120mm-bundle.html

18 minutes ago, jgs001 said:

Dan, If you're using a canon, then you should have been provided with an eye viewer cap, often attached to the strap. if so, slide off the rubber cup, should move upward, and slide the cap on in it's place, it's provided to prevent just that kind of thing.

Well well well!!  you learn something new every day! thank you so much, ive just checked and yes this is on my strap! will use this next time many thanks

22 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

I'm just starting so all I've managed is hope and pray using Siril. It's free and works on Macs. It does have some automated scripts that make it easier.

ah ok, i would recommend trying the 45 day free trial of pixinsight, such a powerful tool!

2 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

Could be moonlight entering through the eye viewer.

thats a good shout Mark thank you, the eye viewer would have probably been similar position to the moon thinking about it. im guessing just tape this up for an imaging session?  do you know how best to stack these?

Morning,

To spare great detail i went out for an imaging session last night with my new astronomic 12nm h alpha filter for my dslr (full spectrum) I had an unfortunate issue right before dark came where i noticed my polar scope needed coilmation and was too dark and later to sort.So i polar aligned as i normally would (i know it wouldn't have been hugely accurate) i just wanted to test the filter out. I did a 1 min exposure and trails seem to be of a minimum surprisingly. I took 120 x 60s subs and there was a quite a bit of trailing but i ended up with this really bright patch in the bottom left? i also had a lot of difficulty stacking all my subs as i usually would with RGB, do i also need to do something different while stacking? I did somehow managed to drag a small stack out of DSS instead of my usual pixinsight and the bottom left was completely blown out! to my surprise though theres a fair bit of data beneath this and would like to figure out what i may have have set up wrong (other the PA)

I

37 minutes ago, FaDG said:

Hi Dan, the LXD is basically the same head as the EQ5 and the CG5, the difference being the Autostar goto (and if I'm not astray, belt drive like the CG5 GT instead of cogs like the EQ5).

So, apart from the goto, no big improvement vs. the EQ5. 

The HEQ5, now this is playing in a completely different class. You're not changing for that to increase the payload (or only in a minimal part). You do so for the accuracy and consistency of the results. 

I passed from an EQ5 to a belt modded HEQ5 and my only regret was the time I spent before changing, which would yielded many hours worth of fine data!

I use it guided with a 150p Newt or either an ED80 or a 72ED and it is consistently tracking with less than 0,6 arcsec RMS error on nights of good seeing. 

Look at it as a scaled down EQ6, not a beefed up EQ5. The best money I spent for the hobby. 

Thank you, appreciate the response and info! I think i need either open my wallet for a new HEQ5 or be patient and try and grab one on the used market.  im really struggling with the DA motor at on the EQ5 and my results are inconsistent.