AstroNebulee

Yes trying to get my little brain around all this brilliant advice and information has blown my mind this weekend but I'm so glad I asked as it's helping me immensely, like @powerlordsaid it's horses for courses, much more research needed to decide, thank you once again all. YouTube here I come again haha

What I think I'm going to do for now. I've bought a zwo 30mm guidescope from fellow member @Iceman120and if my polar scope attachment doesn't work then connect this guidescope and zwo asi120mc-s to do my PA in sharcap with my laptop and then turn off laptop and just image with my dslr. In the communal area where I image I have no access to electricity so my laptop battery wouldn't last a night's imaging, so think this is the best for now and continue to research the pi4 route. Thank you for all your help and hope this doesn't sound like a cop out. Clear skies

Yes I watched this video earlier on and provided great entertainment even though way over my budget, I'll just stick to my 72ed AzGti eq

Yes polemaster keeps lingering in my mind also and see it a lot being used on the az gti in EQ mode. My setup would be fresh every session as I image from a communal area outside my 1st floor flat so thus sounds good also, thank you 👍

Thank you Rick, that's an impressive bit of research there, thank you very kind of you, it's definitely something for me to go on now, I'll continue watching the YouTube tutorials, and learn mord about it before biting the bullet. But this all looks so feasible for my next step into a more advanced astrophotography role. Thank you again 👍

This sounds like a good option, £300 is way out of my budget but £80 much better

Hi no I don't guide whilst imaging yet, I just hook up my dslr to the az gti in az mode, I've not managed to have a cvlear night yet to try the sw wedge with my AzGti and polar scope.

Hi Thank you to both of you, it does sound like the dslr way of PA is possible but a longer drawn out option. I could use my asi120mc-s, but would have to be in the scope and then when PA done swap it over to the dslr as this is how I like to take my images, the trouble then bring balancing the scope again wouldn't it then my PA would probably be off. One other option is to get an attachment for my asi120mc-s to turn it into a method of Polar aligning and fo that with the pi4. If sharpcap allows PA with a dslr now that could be an option. But means taking a laptop out with me, hmmm lots of things to research, thank you again 👍

Thank you, Rick, I'm just researching the possibility of the next step in my astrophotography journey and whether this is a feasible way to go. Still got plenty more research to do but it's looking good so far with all your helpful advice. My dslr is a Canon 600D, do hopefully supported in indi, thank you agsin much good for thought

Thank you Steve, I'll look at that thread, for the life of me I couldn't find it, the raspberry pi4 is quite cheap and using free astroberry and ekos with my tablet is doable, can I use my dslr to do the pa, I'll look in the thread though also, thank you again. Just researching other options if my polar scope doesn't work out.

Hi, I have an az gti mount using a skywatcher wedge and using in eq mode. I havent used it in anger in this format yet. Firstly i am going to try mounting a polar scope as my attached image shows. I'm hoping ive calibrated the polar scope well enough. But I've seen comments on here that you can use a raspberry pi4 and polar allign with that. This seems quite a cheap little thing, £32 for a 2gb version or £58 for a 2gb start up kit. I'd only be using it to pa and then use my dslr to take the images. Now i dont want to be taking laptops out with me as i have to carry everything in one go, scope, mount, tripod and backpack so portability is key.. Is there a link to a video where someone is using a pi4 and mount to pa without the use of a laptop. I'm a total newbie in this form and want to see how the pi4 works in this instance. I hope this rambling makes sense and thank you in advance for your help.

The reason why I've got fog and mizzle for the solar eclipse but in my defence I did order it in early May and only came into stock yesterday afternoon and arrived this morning excellent service @FLO. My right angled polar scope adapter for my star adventurer and az gti polar scopes, will save my knees and back to help PA, Saturday night is looking clear so will try it all out then and my star adventurer.

Not going to see anything here in Cornwall, fog, Mizzle, day off 😡

Hi I recently received my star adventurer 2i, so now with the supplied wedge I can try my hand at eq mode with my az gti mount. I bought a polar scope adapter from ali express and a used eq3-2 polar scope I think. I need to calibrate the polar scope and add the counterweight shaft and weight to the mount but it's coming together for a portable lightweight eq goto mount. There are 3 thumbscrews on the polar scope adapter thing, so I can turn the scope to PA I'm going to use loctite threadlocker on 2 of them and leave one free so I can rotate the scope knowing that once that thumbscrew is tightened iip the polar scope is still central in the holder, if you know what I mean. I hope this makes sense, I know I can use a planetary camera to PA in sharcap but I want as little electronic devices to take out with me for now, in the future I'll go down this route and guiding, platesolving but for now simplicity is key. Also I do have a bolt to replace the dovetail plate clamping knob to stop the mount fouling.

Thank you Sean, that's very kind of you to share your tips on the star adventurer. My latitude is 50.62°so I shall turn the adjusting knob to around 55° then drop it back to 50°.I'll order some loctite for the grub screw also. Thank you again 👍

Thank you Sean, very kind and informative. I may leave the washer for now and see how it goes on the first nights use. I have also read that even when the lattitude clutch lever is locked down there will be a little movement to allow precise PA.

I have just received my star adventurer 2i and I've when tightening the latitude clutch up on the wedge I still have movement when turn the latitude knob and I believe this shouldn't move atall. I can't remember if I read somewhere that a work around was to fit a plastic washer in one of the spaces I've marked on my image. Thank you for any advice

This part of my portable astrophotography project arrived from FLO today after 4 months, through no fault of FLO though, just sheer demand and supply, an absolute perfect service from Steve in the early part and especially Ann from @FLO who kept me sane, went above and beyond the call of duty sorting the most abysmal service from DHL and any courier I have ever had deliveries from, 4 days for a next day delivery to travel 56 miles, due to the inept, incompetent and ignorant DHL delivery service! Ann at FLO worked her socks off bless her and deserves a huge amount of praise from the flo bosses, what a star and credit she is to yourselves. I have since sent a complaint to DHL regarding the service they offer. Anyway back to the point my new star adventurer 2i wifi pro pack, its been worth the wait, can't wait to start using it with my dslr, az gti and 72ed ds pro, 3 different set ups for me now and all portable. Once again huge thanks to all at FLO. My top astro retailer 👍

No problems Rich, this is one of the Jupiter images from that night, not the best and maybe a little dark but you can always alter is if underexposed than the other way around, good luck.

Thank you, I've still to process these captures frtom the above histogram, they'll hopefully be better as got the GRS in thrm and be even better when Jupiter and Saturn higher earlier by the end of the month. Then opposition in August 👍

Like alacant said don't bother with darks, I have a Canon 600D and 72ed ds pro and don't bother with them, I just take my light frames as usual then 20 bias and flats, jobs a goodun, no dithering for me

Thanks Rich. My gain was around 48ish I believe, exposure I can't remember exactly as I've deleted said settings files. I'll upload a video from sharpcap to show my histogram from the next nights imaging. I had read somewhere you need to get the histogram as a whale looking shape, I found that the histogram around 60 works for me is good enough so adjust your exposure to suit. If I make the histogram any higher the image overexposes to much. I generally use 640 x480 when not using a Barlow and 1280x960 when using the Barlow and high exposure shots to get the moons in as the planets slowly moves across the screen with the increases magnification and take 3000-5000 frames. All in raw8 and.ser files VID_20210604_031238.mp4

Which mount are you using and scope?

Here here, couldn't agree more, like I've said before Steve and especially Ann have gone above and beyond the call, this is the reason they are my number 1 astro retailer 👏👏

I'd be, mmm I'd like that one, that one, oohh that one over there, oh I've got to have this one, mm room for one more. Like a kid in a sweetshop, drools.