AstroNebulee

Hi Yep, I kept racking the focuser in an out to check and stayed in place. The screen shots from ccd inspector were before my adjustments with the laser collimator, so will have to test these when I get clear skies again. I shall use the recommended 55mm of back focus spacers first 17.5mm from sensor, 21mm & 16.5mm ones. Cheers Lee

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/390295-yes-another-great-orion-nebula/?do=findComment&comment=4207965

Here's my rendition of the Great Orion Nebula. A series of 60, 120 & 180sec subs stacked in dss, processed in Startools and little tweak in photoshop. Looks much better on the laptop than devices. Took this image a while ago and only just got round to processing it. Just over 1 hours worth of data, 120 gain - 10°. Skywatcher 72ed ds pro az gti in EQ mode, asiair pro, zwo asi294mc pro. And yep saving for devices or Web has, degraded the image.

Hi @alacant Update to my post above. I have used my laser collimator (never thought I'd use that again and was still collimated too) and made a paper mask to carry out your suggestion of reseating the focus tube mechanism. I undone all the grub screws took the mechanism out then reseated until the laser beam was hitting the centre mark then carefully tightened each grub screw until held firmly in place. My first image shows before any adjustments and last image shows the final position, still not perfectly centred but much better than it was. I'm hoping this may help my issue. I still have a zwo t2 tilt adjuster on order incase of finer adjustments needed.

Just an update on my thread, I've downloaded ccd inspector and ran through my first image before any adjustments and my last image with shims added and a tweak of the grub screws for the top bearing rollers. I'll attach the relevant screenshots. Betelgeuse was my adjusted image and NGC 2244 was the first one unaltered. Any thoughts. On a side note I'm going to try my laser collimator through the scope today to see how centered it is.

Hi, have you had a chance to try your scope tilt issue yet. I had a very brief go tonight with mine. I connected the rotator this time to my scope. So the imaging train is zwo 2 inch ir uv filter, screwed into rotator, the FF screwed on the correct 55mm back focus to 294mc pro. Tried on 60 second exposures still eggy in top right and left corners. Then tried the sims that came with the osc one by one, drill same issue. So my reckoning it's either tilt in the focus tube or tilt of the sensor. I've ordered a zwo tilt adjuster from FLO, so if I still have the same issue after using that it's got to be the focus tube. Guiding was good tonight so not that.

In the image my ir uv filter screwed onto the nose piece of the FF then inserted into the focus tube along with the 55mm spacers then 294mc pro. Since that image I've added the rotator instead of the original visual back to have a secure imaging train (think the bevel of the FF nose piece was giving me tilt) , the filter will screw onto the rotator. So it'll be rotaor/filter then FF then spacers then 294mc pro. So will try 56mm bf. Sorry for hijacking your thread Stu.

I like the look of this indeed, shame though it doesn't have my ovl field flattener on it as with my sw 72ed with rotator, 2 inch zwo ir uv filter and my 294MC pro shoukd be 55mm but I think it's more like 56mm with the star pattern I'm getting.

I look forward to watching your build, I'm always very envious of fellow members with observatories in their garden, just a pipe dream to me without my own garden. Good luck Stu 👍

Definitely a star tracker and sturdy tripod too. There's some bargains to be had out there on the used market.

Courtesy of @geeklee a wedge plate to attach my AzGti and my William Optics wedge. Smooth speedy delivery and sale. Let's hope your note Bodes 😉 well. Thanks Lee 👍

I am a star tools owner too and love it. Like you I find the stretching of the image much easier than I used to in photoshop. Like yourself I use ps for the odd tweak of a high pass filter on certain areas. I sometimes use topaz denoise if it needs it. I know what you mean with some of the software setups, as much as the price, I don't think my brain could cope with all the processing and programming modules side of things. One day I may go there when I've grown an extra brain haha.

Plus 1 for @TerraCstarting a thread of their own with their set up. Totally agree you don't need to spend a fortune to achieve great results in astrophotography, like all of us in this thread, I think we all like the challenge and pushing the boundaries, mine is down to portability mainly and can lift my set up and kit down stairs to the communal area outside. So these brilliant evoguide setups are even more portable astrophotography rigs, well impressed 👏

Excellent image @TerraC your set up is making me jealous now 😁, what do you use for processing may I ask

They are great. I really impressed with your images and it shows the evoguide is a brilliant scope for astrophotography. Plus unguided, you should be proud of your images. More integration time yes as with all astrophotography is better but you have shown what a gem your scope is. Your processing is coming along nicely too, your M31 is super 👍

Great to see your set up it's looks superb. Yours and @bomberbazsetups really intrigued me. I would love to see your images you've mentioned. 👍

I had 2 streetlights that were pestering me and I asked my local council if they could fit shields to them for me and 2 weeks later they were fitted. The council did say to me that some of the streetlights n the village are dimmed but I've seen no evidence of this.

Yep, this is what I found at the weekend trawling the net, why it made me think sensor a tad close, but think it's a tilt issue, I've since fitted a rotator to fix the imaging train tight and will try this next before I go further.

On alt az mode I was getting around 15-20 seconds at the maximum before stars began trailing. When I started in eq mode I was guiding so can't answer about eq. My focal length is 420mm 👍

Glad to hear your making some progress Steve. I too saw the flattener for the evoguide and agree it's a good set up for your needs. Once you look through your box of bits there may be a good solution too. As you've seen it's a tested setup. Let us know how you get on be really interested 👍

I have found this article and it seems someone has achieved fitting a guidescope with an attachment similar to a hot shoe https://nightskypix.com/evoguide-50ed-vs-redcat-51/

Thank you, very kind. I'm sure I've read somewhere of the evoguide being used as the main imaging scope. I'll have a look. Could you attach the guidescope on a dovetail bar and attached to the tube rings on the evoguide . It sounds a perfect real lightweight setup indeed 👍

It was 2 sets of images 2.5 hours with an 80% moon and no filter. Then 1.5 hours with an sv bony 2 inch ir uv cut filter. Both images stacked together and processed. Would of been nice to of had the total 4 hours with filter but I'm happy with the result 👍

Taken with my sw 72ed AzGti eq mode zwo asi 294mc pro asiair pro. Not bad considering this mount isn't designed for astrophotography. 4 hours worth of data.

Sounds like a brilliant plan baz, get digging that pit but once you do you'll love the results you get ftom the brilliant little mount 👍