stevepsheehan

Well thanks for the comments guys - seems it was wishful thinking then 😉 However, it has got me thinking about a DIY idea. As my scope has a rotating option anyway, I'm thinking that a belt around that part, powered by a stepper motor (something like the way a belt driven focus motor would function) might be a cost effective option? Needs a bit more thought, but it's definately a route to explore I reckon.

Precisely - that's why I'm wondering if such a "basic" rotator exists... if not, then I reckon there's an opening there for a decent engineering company. What's so frustrating for me, is that my scope has a perfectly adequate rotator bult in - loosen a thumbscrew, rotate as required, and re-tighten; simples. But there's no way to control it other than by hand 😞

Hi all. Due to disability following a stroke, I've spent the last 10 months or so establishing a fully remote controlled imaging rig, that I can control from a PC in a spare bedroom; so far, so good. Now, it has become apparent, that if I want to get my target framing right, I'm going to need to fit a remote controlled rotator into the imaging train - nothing fancy, just something with 180 degrees of rotation, that can be controlled from NINA, via USB from the scope mounted NUC. I have looked briefly, but they all seem SO over specified for the job I need to do, and SO expensive - initially, I thought the Pegassus one would be nice, and would match my Focuscube2, but at over £500, I figured it was time to re-think that 😉 So... does such a creature even exist? If so, can some kind soul please point me towards it? Many thanks, Steve

Thanks Lee - that's put my mind at ease a bit 🙂 . Yes, using the Link and STF does reveal a "proper" coloured image, so I think I'm good to carry on now. Steve

Morning all. I've just upgraded to an Altair Astro 269c OSC, and at the same time, I've downloaded a trial version of Pixinsight. I've watched numerous processing videos, all of which seem to start off with a nice clean integrated RGB image. However, I "think" I've followed the various steps correctly, yet when I open my integrated image, it's bright green. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong re the debayering settings, but as a last ditch effort yesterday, I tried integrating a few subs in each of the debayering option, including "auto". None seemed to work, giving me a variety of coloured images, mostly green, some purple, but none "correct". So, obvious question first... where am I going wrong? Also, I understand that FITS files have debayer info included, whereas XISF files don't - would I be better off using FITS rather than XISF? TIA, Steve

Yeah, I did consider one of those, but I was a bit wary of leaving the cameras etc in place - you found no probs with that? I've also seen people (well, Cuiv) keeping a bucket of dessicant under the cover too - but I havent managed to track down where to get one from. I like the idea of the pet bed! Pegasus controller might well find its way onto my shopping list some time 😉

Yes, it lives under an ex-army Goretex sleeping bag cover, all year round, but I uncover it whenever possible, to keep it well aired

Thanks guys. Re the plate thickness, it feels rock solid, but I'm a dab hand with a drill press, so a beefier version is no problem if needed. As for the mount, it has been hyper tuned by Dark Frame, so those problems should be all resolved - I know Dave did have some problems in that area, and re built the gear box a couple of times to fix it; I guess time will tell 😉 Just need the weather to clear up now, but no sign of that happening any time soon 😞

Morning all 😊 Quick bit of background first; I’m 65, and following a stroke a couple of years ago, have lost most of the use of my right arm and hand. I moved to a new house, in a nice, dark (Bortle 2/3) area of Cumbria a year ago, and over the past few months, I have been getting myself organised with a “Todmorden” pier down the garden, now completed. Rig wise, I have been assembling an imaging setup, in the comfort of a spare bedroom, and before I go to all the effort of dis-assembling it, and re-assembling it down the garden, I just wanted to run it by you more experienced people, for a bit of a sanity check, and to see if there’s anything I have forgotten, or if there’s anything you’d recommend I add or change, prior to re-siting it, which will be quite a major undertaking for me. So, hardware is: Celestron CGEM mount, (hypertuned by Dark Frame) Altair Astro 115mm 805mm FL EDT Triplet, with 0.8x field flattener/reducer Altair Astro 269C Pro Tec camera Pegasus Focus Cube V2 60mm 240mm FL guidescope, with QHY5-II M guide camera Dew heaters (to be added) Black box between top plate and guidescope is a 12v power distribution box, that I made myself - 12v 10amps in, 6 x 12v out, plus connectors for 2 dew heaters. All the above is controlled by an Intel NUC, (i5, 16gb RAM, 256GB storage), mounted on the scope, and will be accessed from indoors over a dedicated wi-fi connection, from my PC, using Windows RDP, though I do have the option to connect it to the internet temporarily, and plug in a monitor, mouse, keyboard etc. if absolutely necessary, once it’s in position. Software is NINA, and I have also installed Stellarium, PHD2, NINA’s Sky Atlas Repository image files, and the various ASCOM drivers. All the hardware connects to NINA OK, and appears to be working correctly. Mount will stay fixed to the pier, and the scope etc will be stored nearby, in a dry room, when not in use, though in times of good weather, it will stay outside, and get used nightly. So that’s basically it – your comments and/or suggestions would be most appreciated. I’ll pop a photo below too. TIA Steve

Yep, that seems to have resolved the issue - thanks:

Cheers Steve - I'll give that a go, and will report back. Steve

I found that mounting my RDF near the front of the scope made it much easier to use, specially when pointing near zenith.

Morning all. I'm setting my rig up for full remote control, and am having a bit of a blip re setting up guiding. Mount is a Celestron CGEM, and I'm using NINA and PHD2, run from a NUC at the scope. If I connect PHD2 on its own, as I used to, it connects fine, but if I have NINA running, and start PHD2, I get the message "mount does not support the required pulse guide interface". I'm not sure whether I should still be connecting the ST4 cable, or if the guide signals are sent to the mount via the NUC-CGEM cable, or if this is something I have to change a setting for somewhere. It's probably just me being a bit dim, but if anyone can enlighten me re this, it would be most appreciated. TIA, Steve

Thanks guys - I think that's resolved my query

Hi all. I'm getting my rig sorted for remote use, and am running a NUC on the scope, controlled from an indoor PC via RDP, using wifi via a dedicated router. This set up has no internet access, so whilst plate solving using ASTAP is OK, it seems that most blind solving options require internet access; is there any way to blind solve without internet? As per title, I'm using NINA. TIA Steve

Thank you 🙂 As it happens, I'm struggling to get off the start line - Windows wants to do a load of initial updates, but so far, keeps freezing at 44% . I'll get there... eventually.

I've pulled the trigger, and am now the proud owner of an Intel NUC Gen8 i5, Win 10 Pro, 256gb SSD, 16gb ram (overkill I expect, but got a good deal). Also got a new router to connect to my indoor PC to create a dedicated wi-fi link to the NUC from indoors (direct line of sight) Now for the scary bit; I'm 65, and was brought up in the days when electrical connections were made with copper wires and solder, and all this wireless stuff is a bit of a black art to me. So I'm just wondering, is there a "best practice" way to start setting all the software up? eg, should I get the wi-fi and RDP working first, then install NINA, and the control software, or vice versa, or something else, or doesn't it make any difference? Thanks in advance 🙂 Edit: should also add that I have a spare monitor, bluetooth mouse and keyboard, and will be setting this all up in the comfort of my spare bedroom, only moving it down the garden once it's all working (though looking at the weather forcast, that won't be any time soon)

Thank you - appreciated 🙂

Thanks - very useful info. Do you mind me asking who the ebay seller was? There seem to be so many, it would be nice to have a starting point that someone else has used 🙂

Excellent! Just the sort of feedback I needed, for a bit of confidence 😉 thank you. You run yours with 8gb memory? You find that enough?

Morning all. I'm looking to set up remote control of my rig, and the consensus seems to be that a NUC is arguably the best option. However, there ae SO many variants, (over 20 on the Intel site) that I'm at a bit of a loss choosing which one to go for. I "think" this one ( https://www.intel.co.uk/content/www/uk/en/products/boards-kits/nuc/mini-pcs/nuc8i5bekpa.html ) is probably OK, but I'd really appreciate any opinions from those of you that are familiar with these bits of kit, prior to me pulling the trigger on one. I won't say price is irrelevent, but I don't mind paying a bit more now, for something that will be significantly better, of more future proofed. I also wonder if the 250gb of storage and 8gb of memory is adequate, or whether I should specify more when I buy it? JFYI, it will be running Nina, and connected to Celestron CGEM mount, Altair 115 triplet scope, Altair 269c camera, Pegasus cube focusser, PHD2, and hopefully being controlled from my indoor desktop PC via wifi. All opinions welcome - thanks in advance 🙂 Steve

OK, well thanks for trying to help. I think I'm going to have to get back in touch with Altair for an answer - so frustrating that they never supplied instructions with any of the kit that I've bought from them 😞

Had anther look, and nothing - the rear, bevelled silver bit has 3 grub screws in it, which I presume is what's holding it together, but nothing else. I'll attach a pic of the underside of mine:

Thanks for the photo - I'm off to have another look...

If the thumb screw IS missing, then there's no obvious place for it to go, so either the dew shield is missing the hole, or it's there, but painted over. I think a closer inspection is called for. If someone could post a quick piccie of theirs, so I can see exactly where to look, it would be really appreciated 🙂