Gmx76

Ok so decided to get a flattener, and may get a used one of these: https://www.altairastro.com/lightwave-10x-field-flattener-for-f55-to-f625-refractors-291-p.asp This has a T- thread, and needs 55mm back focus. My GPCam2 290C has 12.5mm of back focus and has a C thread on the end of the camera, means I need to make up 42.5mm. So if I order this https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astro-essentials-low-profile-female-t-thread-to-male-c-thread-adapter.html which is 8mm. And this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-24-35mm-M42-Variable-Extension-Tube-T2-Extension-Length-for-Astrophotography-/203140599311?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292 I should have everything I need right?

Its great you have so many methods to build your to-see list for a session. It's a good idea to have some easy targets on hand. For me as a newbie with crummy weather and some new kit to play with, those precious hours I do get i want to make the most of, so that's a good idea. Going with the flow can end up wasting a lot of time

Yes, also tried with a barlow barrel, just need another 1cm or so

Would i need some kind of adapter to fit my GPCam 290c to the OVL flattener?

Ok got it, thanks!

Hi, need some help please. I just purchased a used Sky-Watcher 72ed, and trying to use it with my GPCam 2 290C with a 2 inch to 1.25 inch adapter. Problem is I can't get it to focus I tried the moon tonight, which is very bright,and only managed a blurry white blob. I've used this camera on a cheap newt and can get better results, so question is do I need to add an adapter to get focus? Tried a 2x barlow but to no avail. Thanks, Greg

I do have a variable polarising filter already. So would a UHC be best to buy next or am I better off with an OIII for example?

Thanks both, yes we are quite light polluted here.

Hi, so I have just got an az-gti and will have a 72ed in a couple of weeks. I want to image nebula and planetary nebula. Probably galaxies also. I have a GPcam290C. I've read that filters can help. Although the Optolong's seem great, I can't justify more big spends now. So is it worth getting a cheaper filter, I'm thinking in the £20-30 range eg Svbony UHC or similar? Or any suggestions? Thanks Greg

Would this work for putting my counterweight bar from Starquest mount with 8mm wide thread in to the AZ-GTI? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thread-Reducer-Thread-Repair-Inserts-A4-Stainless-Steel-Blind-Ended-5-Pack/224062432022?hash=item342b296316:g:vwkAAOSw05Ve-iy5 Thanks Greg

Hello and welcome. Quick tip from a newbie like myself is ask plenty of questions on here. They're really friendly and knowledgeable and helped me out a lot also.

Hi and welcome from Blackwater!

It seems to hang in the air in the same way that bricks don't.

Frustrating for us Mac users isn't it. I tried a few different tools but finally resorted to using the family Windows laptop with dodgy USB. After a frustrating session last night with the camera disconnecting every time I went near it I'm back to considering Mac options. I know Mac isn't high priority for Altair having discussed with them via Facebook. They were working on a Mac SDK, and I was hopinh that it could get included in Firecapture which seems to have what I want in a Mac compatible tool. Don't think the sdk materialised though so will follow up with them again. Oacapture looks good, Oalive also but doesn't support alignment in Live stacking. When I get time I'm going to try a combo of Oacapture to output FITS files and ALS to read the output folder and align and stack the images.

I've used a couple of times and they have been really helpful and prompt with service.

Great advice thanks Callum. I like the idea of picking a constellation that's going to be in view for a good period of the session, and/or keeping with brighter objects. I have an Az-GTI coming as a birthday present in a couple of weeks so this should help with finding and tracking.

Sounds like an endorsement! I was just replying back to your earlier reply again. I will try these. Think I'm going to concentrate on PNs and GCs for now as I have managed to find and photo a small number of these (with your advice!) and seem like a good starting point. Will try to get list of these from Jocular, otherwise, I may take you up on your offer for some lists, thanks

fantastic thanks, must have been a temporary glitch as backup now, will try out Jocular for the catalogue feature.

i just found the Jocular thread on SGL, are these the latest files? I have a Mac but AltairCapture Live Stacking & Alignment only works in the Windows version so have been using a Windows pc for now, but prefer to use my Mac. I'm using GPCam2 290C, will this be supported? thanks

thats fantastic Martin, I really appreciate your detailed reply. Clearly you have a lot of experience in this. Did you develop Jocular, I heard about it before on hear I think. I tried downloading PrettyDeepMaps but the site seems to have an issue at the moment. Does Jocular work on Mac?

I think learning some more about each object is a good. Until now I've been more interesting in seeing things and taking a snapshot as a record and then moving on. Gaining a deeper understanding of each object and maybe some discussion around it (on here) sounds like a great idea. I'm short on time for now but appreciate your reply and will come back to it again later, and will take your advice on looking at the other threads. Thanks always for your inputs, much appreciated!

Being still quite new to this, a few nights ago, having picked a couple of targets and getting the obligatory pics I kind of found myself thinking, "so what next"? So I was just wondering what seasoned EEVAstronomers do to maximise a session? Do you preselect targets of the same type, or in the same constellation... or just go with the flow? Thanks Greg

welcome on board, quite new myself and still mesmerised by what you can see from your back garden with a 5 inch newt!

Are you imaging with it?

The Acent Starwave 102 also looks good for it. Going to be while off yet for me to upgrade scope but this also looks to be good and more compatible with my 290C camera.