AstroNebulee

Hi Martin Thank you for your reply. I may see if I can swap the position of my filter around but I have seen many others put the filter in the rotator before but as you say there maybe no hard and fast rule. Can I ask why you chose the L2 over the much suggested L3? I check my focus prior to imaging after my polar alignment and before I commence imaging my target using a batinov mask. I suspect the blurring is from using the de noise module in Startools and then a slight further noise reduction in ps. I will attach a tiff and fit file of the said Rosette image that I have cropped out the stacking artefacts in siril but no other processes. I do think though that my 72ed hasn't the best optics and is the poorer cousin of the 80ed and above in the sw ed range, even though is a apo doublet just poorer glass, so this wont be helping the bloating and ca I get. I've seen it on other images with a 72ed too. Cheers Lee Rosette combined crop.tif Rosette combined crop.fit

What is this bit arrowed on your set up, an extension tube? As a test can you achieve focus on the moon or stars without it on your scope? I'm pretty sure that part is causing your focus issue. If your FF has a nose piece you can fit to it or if it came with one you can do away with the rotator and slide it into the focus tube and adjust the position of your dslr and tighten the thumbscrews. I've attached an image of my ovl FF (basically same as yours) with the nose piece on it and a rough image of mine connected when I used to use a dslr on my 72ed. I've since started using a 294mc pro with a rotator and not using my dslr any more, but you should achieve focus. Your imaging train should be scope - field flattener (with nose piece) - t ring - dslr Cheers Lee

Something just pinged in my brain whilst having a think (it doesn't happen often haha) does it matter where my ir uv cut filter is placed on my imaging train? Atm my imaging train is Scope - then ir uv filter in the skywatcher rotator - ovl FF-spacers - tilt adjuster - 294mc pro. Does it make any difference if the filter is before or after the FF? Cheers Lee

Superb. 👍 I'm loving the artisan counterweight system too, it's like a work of art. As you say tracking the moon in EQ mode is a breeze and hardly shifts at all in my system

Hi Steve It sounds like the 294mc pro as that's ar (think it means anti reflection) coated too. You will need an ir uv pass filter I would say. I have read in various places that my 294mc pro had a built in ir uv cut which is complete bumpkun nonsense. Cheers Lee

Thank you Clarkey, much wgat I was thinking with regards to which filter to head to when funds allow. The zwo does a job but not the greatest when you compare to the L3 and hopefully will get to see soon. Just on a side note the optolong ir uv cut filter seems like it cuts more ir uv than the L3 does, ddo you have any thoughts on that one. Cheers Lee

Great report, really good to hear your time with your az gti mount. It's a lovely setup you have there (do you have a photo of it?). You have some lovely images there and I agree with you on so many points you made. I would never consider selling my az gti I love it. Pairing it with the asiair pro is a godsend and makes everything so much easier, from PA to imaging. I can be set up and imaging in about 15mins. My payload inc counterweights is 5.9kg so over and probably a tad heavier than yours. It's a beautiful little mount that can do amazing things for its price range. Cheers Lee

Jumping on to this thread if I may RE my thread on star bloat with my 294MC pro.

Thank you, I have been recommended the L3 before for the CA in my system too, I shall research it more. What are your thoughts on the optolong L-pro as a comparison to the L3 as it is uv ir blocking capabilities? Just think the zwo isn't the greatest quality despite being matched to the 294mc pro. I can go back into gimp and reduce and tighten the stars a tad more with erode or in ps with the minimum filter. I believe my processing is getting better each time and learning more everyday with it. Hopefully others with my set up or close to it have solved this.

Hi I know this issue has been covered a lot on this forum and others but I've not seen anything quite concise enough. I still suffer with quite a bit of star bloat in my images dispite using my ir uv cut filter. My imaging area is a rural bortle 3 (don't like using bortle scale) and dont suffer with very uch LP. My goto imaging settings are 180 sec subs 120 gain and -10 degrees . Now I've been thinking is my zwo filter the cause of the boat? Would it be better not using it at all? Are there any better ir uv cut filters? Does anyone using the same setup have any feedback or advice. I cannot afford any further purchases at this point after losing money due to covid isolation. My set up is: Sw 72 ed (not short tube version) Az Gti eq mode zwo asi 294 mc pro imaging camera zwo asi 120 mc-s guide camera with zwo 30mm guidesscope Asi Air Pro Ovl FF zwo 2 inch ir uv cut filter I can process some of the issues of it to help or am I just losing my mind and they aren't that bad. Cheers Lee

Glad you got some sort of workflow going When you are in the AAP after a plate solve to centre of the target can you set the tracking in the AAP to sidereal or am I being stupid (entirely normal) and not possible in the az mode? Cheers Lee

Perfect now Gerr, should be proud of that 👌

Looking good I'm impressed. I've never been able to mineralise any lunar videos with my 294MC pro, though I just use video through my asiair pro which is probably why. Not a criticism but is there supposed to be a lot of green, like the look 👍

Took this last night through my bedroom window here in North Cornwall whilst isolating with covid so couldnt get out. A lot of high cloud all through the night. Composite of 2 images taken with my Canon 600D Tamron 70-300mm lens at 300mm Short exposure 1/60 5.6 800iso Long exposure 1/8 5.6 800iso Combined in photoshop Cheers Lee

It was Trevor Astrobackyard that had a a c6 celestron on his mount, Nico Nebula photos provided a good review with some early guiding too

Sorry I should of added in EQ mode, I think as @badhex says in az mode it's a no brainer, I shall never get rid of my az gti, even when I am able to afford an eq5. (when I've won the lottery) I will keep my az gti to do lunar and planetary imaging with a small mak or easy quick set up visual, like how I started out with it. 😊

Looking at the op screenshots, it doesn't look like he's using mobile data, good shout though as throws many off @Paul Bulbeckhave you tried using the app available from the skywatcher website or are you using the android play store one, I seem to remember users having to use the skywatcher website one I think 🤔, could be wrong though. Also can you update the firmware of your mount, this may help if a newer firmware and known bug using a dongle? Could you use another device to try and see if that changes anything? Just throwing some ideas out there. Cheers Lee

Could be the death of the az gti 😔

Exactly my thinking Ray. If someone didn't have an az gti and didn't want to convert to eq mode I can see the appeal, but the same payload don't offer me anything.

The only difference I can see from my set up is the larger ra gear. So for this reason I shan't be investing 🐲and save up for an eq5 pro

Nice chatting too Joe 👍. Nebula photos review on next

Probably in the region of £480-560 I'd think, going on the usd price, but could be wrong

Astrobackyard and nebula photos are doing reviews on YouTube after this

Astrobackyard and nebula photos are doing reviews on YouTube afterwards Nebula photos review

Star adventurer gti product launch on skywatcher webcast here.