Stuu

Excellent, thanks. It's just for guiding so you've saved me a few quid 😁

Hi all. I'm slowly putting together an imaging setup and have been looking at guide scopes. It'll will be paired with a 150PDS and either the HEQ5 Pro or AZ EQ5, as yet undecided. I'm looking at the Altair 60mm guidescope or the SW Evoguide 50ED. I'll be mounting it on a dovetail attached to the tube rings. Are they going to be fairly similar in performance?

9 minutes ago, rickwayne said:

The refrain from the community is always "mount, mount mount". That makes a bigger difference for both learning and doing deep-sky than any other purchase, hands down. Once you have settled on that, I would first concentrate on fitting out your setup for smooth imaging without tons of manual intervention. You needn't be aiming for a completely automated rig but the name of the game is reducing or eliminating obstacles, especially as a beginner. If you struggle with e.g. polar alignment that will reduce your available imaging time (and increase your frustration). Likewise focusing. Likewise slewing to your target.

So once you have a mount and your optics together, I would next focus on computer support. It's not necessary to image with a DSLR but it sure helps, eh? There are some good integrated packages, everybody has their own favorite but NINA (for Windows users) and KStars/Ekos come up a lot. I would look for a package that has all of:

• Focusing aid, whether just HFR or quantifying the output when you're using a Bahtinov mask
• Plate solving, to precisely determine exactly where the scope is pointed
• Polar alignment assistant; there are some that do a great job even when the Pole is not visible
• Plate-solving-assisted GOTO
• Sequencing of lights and flats
• Guiding

It used to be that you had to juggle and coerce software packages to talk to each other but that's much less true today.  I'm a big fan of StellarMate OS and the Raspberry Pi 4 as a scope-side computer, since that's easy to set up and does all those things right out of the box. If you buy a Pi, case, and StellarMate OS, you're out less than $150. Just my two cents there, everybody has their own favorite package.

This will let you build up a standard workflow, there are so many little steps that it really helps to have a routine (a checklist isn't a bad idea either!). Part of that should be calibration frames, right from the get-go. You might not need dark frames with the Canon but you absolutely should compile a master bias frame and shoot flats (or shoot dark flats and flats, it's a horse apiece for a DSLR really).

Lots to unpack there, a lot of which I have no idea what it means 😄 But the more info I have, the more I can start researching and getting to grips with. I'm starting to think I'll need to move to a nice high mountain top to get enough clear sky time to get to grips with it all. Any recommendations on good books to guide me through getting started?

16 hours ago, Clarkey said:

Baader MPCC's regularly come up second hand for around £80 There are some on a Astro Buy And Sell now.

Thanks. I want to keep it below the £200 mark so that could be a good option. Would there be much difference between that and the SW one?

Thanks. I picked up a 2nd hand EOS1000D and have had a couple of sessions imaging the moon via my laptop. I'll have a look at guide cams for sure. Imaging is 2nd to visual so no great hurry to get all the gear at once. My first set of EPs didn't last long before I started upgrading so I don't want to rush it 😄 I downloaded sharpcap but it doesn't recognize my camera so I've been using EOS Utility. Can you recommend any other free software that would do the job or will that suffice? I've also downloaded registax and gimp but haven't had the need for them yet. 

Morning everyone. Just about getting the feeling back in my toes after a chilly night observing 🥶 I'm currently saving the pennies for an AZ-EQ5-GT (will be used with a 150PDS, coma corrector also on wishlist) for stepping up to DSO imaging and was wondering if there are any other essential bits of kit I should be saving for as well to get me going?

Excellent, thanks. I didn't think I'd need one until I started trying out DSOs, I'll pop it on my wishlist. 

Hi Folks. I finally got to have a go with my DSLR last night after weeks of rubbish weather. I'm using a 150PDS on manual mount and an EOS1000D (remote operation via EOS Utility) with 2.5x PM.

This was the best of the batch. I'm reasonably happy with the result but couldn't get the whole image in focus. Is this just limitations of the setup I'm using or could it be an issue with the OTA collimation? Also, is there a difference between shooting in black and white or shooting in colour then editing the image to black and white?

1 hour ago, Nik271 said:

So the width with your 2.5x is fine. If you rotate the camera you can fit all of the terminator, which is the best area to photograph.

4x and above Barlow will not be worth it, in my opinion. It will create more trouble keeping the object in view and probably lead to oversampling.

 

Plenty to be getting on with and lots more to learn. Much appreciated 

Thanks for the link, very useful tool.

I had a look and it is the APS-C size. All useful information so thank you. A tracking mount is next on my wishlist as I'd like to give DSO a go one day. Would a 4x/5x Barlow be of any use or is that going too far the other way?

1 hour ago, Nik271 said:

I recommend using a 2x Barlow. Your scope is a bit fast and the moon will appear too small and bright at the native focal lenght. With a Barlow at say 1500mm focal length the Moon will fit perfectly on a crop sized sensor. 

Ok thanks. I have a 2.5x powermate so that will be handy. What do you mean by crop sized sensor? Other than hovering my phone over the eyepiece I'm completely new to this. 

Excellent, thank you both. I've downloaded EOS Utility on my laptop (had to get it off Canon's Hong Kong site, for some reason the UK/EUR/US sites only have the updater) so was planning to use that to remote control it. Just need to wait for some clear skies now to start playing 😁

Hi Folks. I've just got myself a DSLR to begin learning a bit of astrophotography. I'm using a 150-PDS on a manual mount so was going to start with the moon. Very new to photography in general so could do with a few tips on suitable setup for getting some at least satisfactory shots.

Thanks. It was more for when they're in the focuser as I make notes and look things up on my phone while observing (keeping one eye covered) so it's for those gaps. I like the ideas for the ones not in use though 🤔

Hi Folks. Does anyone have any tricks for preventing dew on eyepieces? I've had a look at heat straps but could do with something a bit more budget friendly. I thought about just putting the cap on when I'm not looking through it but could do with a more convenient solution. 

4 hours ago, bosun21 said:

Hello again 

I just rekindled my astronomy bug as detailed in my introduction. The EP’s that came with my telescopes are the usual suspects apart from the 2” 30mm super that came with the reflector. I was looking around for a suitable upgrade without breaking the bank. I have gravitated towards the BST Starguider ED range. Are these decent enough?, or should I look elsewhere?. Thanks 

Hi. I've only got fairly limited experience with EPs but for what it's worth, I started out with the Baader Classic Ortho range. Not the same FOV as the BSTs but the quality of the view is top notch for 50 quid a piece. The 6mm I found a bit fiddly but the 10 and 18mm were used a lot. 

I've currently got a 3.2mm BST and for the price it seems to hold up pretty well at x234 on my 6" Newtonian. 

Thanks for the input everyone. I don't have to share the scope with anyone usually so I'll just keep using the string on my specs as I also suffer from forgetting they're on my head. Tried contact lenses once, never again 😂

Hi all. I just have a question regarding wearing glasses while observing. I currently have a fairly mild prescription for varifocals and get on fine without them when using my telescope. Is there a point where I might have to start wearing them or is it just down to personal preference? I was wondering whether I'll need to plan what eyepieces to use based on their suitability for glasses wearers. 

5 hours ago, Les Ewan said:

Its good fun experimenting stacking with different filter combinations but at the end of the day I don't believe colour filters are of much use. Many will disagree but filters do nothing but dim the image and colour it. I hardly use my filters but in the past I have found the blue 80A does sometimes seem to marginally  improve surface details on Jupiter and Saturn. Its a individual preference, every ones eyes are a little different, use what works for you. 

I had the 80A on Jupiter last night, I quite liked it but not sure if it actually improved the view. The neodymium seemed to tease out a little more detail. Together they just made the image too dark. 

Hi folks. Clear sky all night  I have a Baader neodymium and some colour filters for visual use. Would using the Baader with a colour have a positive effect or is it best used solo?

14 hours ago, Broadymike said:

The 9x50 RACI is going to be my next purchase. Just need that bit of magnification now to help with some of the harder to find DSOs. Once I've got that and a decent 32mm EP I'm pretty much all set with what I would call my basic set up. Eventually I will want to upgrade my scope but more than happy with what I have now. A celestron powerseeker 114eq, 4mm, 10mm and 25mm plossls, 20mm Kelner, 2x and 3x barlow and the rigel has only cost me just under £100. The rigel was new from FLO, the 114eq,  3x barlow and 20mm kelner £35 from fb marketplace and the plossls and 2x barlow £15 also from fb. Wasnt intending on getting any gear yet as covid has hit my wallet quite badly as I'm a musician, but as they were such bargains I couldn't resist. 

Looks like you've got most bases covered with all that gear. Hopefully you've got some clear skies heading your way this weekend to have a good session. I've only been doing it about a year or so, the trouble is my wishlist just keeps getting longer

2 hours ago, Broadymike said:

I was very careful last night to remember to turn it off lol. Looking like may get a few clear nights over the next week or so, so hopefully will be able to get out.  

The rigel and 9x50 RACI are a great combination. I've got them on my 6" newtonian and it makes it so easy to line up targets with the rigel then do some fine tuning on the 9x50. 

10 hours ago, John said:

Barlows actually extend eye relief slightly which can be a further advantage to the glasses wearer. Not always so good for the non-glasses wearer though.

If you ever get a chance, you might like to try the Explore Scientific 92 degree 12mm or 17mm eyepieces. They have long eye relief AND a massively wide (and well corrected) field of view

Pretty heavy eyepieces though  - the 17mm weighs nearly 1.3 kg !

 

 

That thing's a beast! There's no reference point when looking at them in online stores. I hope you have your steel toe caps on!

Seeing that you have the 17.3mm Delos, do they both get a lot of use? Do they each suit a particular type of telescope?

The world of 2" EPs is one for further down the road. I'm thinking about joining a club at some point, once things are back to normal (or as close as we can get to it) so hopefully will get a chance to try something like that. 

13 hours ago, mikemarotta said:

First off, the thing about telescopes is that they gather light. So, despite nominally poor seeing conditions, you will be able to cut through some of the problem. For example, I live in an urban area where the Milky Way is often not visible or just parts of it some times of the year. Even so, my instruments will  show me the Milky Way. I was surprised, but there it is.

So, the easy answer is that if you look in your average "Friendly Stars in Your Sky" book or a magazine, you will probably be able to chase most of the targets labeled "easy for beginnners." (Myself, I chase binaries.) There's a lot to see. Let us know if you run out of things to look at.

Everyone recommends Stellarium or similar software. I find them overly complicated for just telling me what I can see tonight. I use this Sky & Telescope online application:

https://skyandtelescope.org/interactive-sky-chart/

Click on Deep Sky Objects. Click off the annoying stuff.

You have a nice telescope and a nice range of occulars. (I assume you mean 32 mm, not 3.2.) You could achieve the same results for a 10mm by using a Barlow with your 24 and 16 which would give you effective 12 and 8 mm but at a more comfortable eye relief.  Also, for yourself as an experiment, you could compare the 32mm with 2X Barlow against the 16 mm and let us know how they look to you. You might find differing results with different targets. Let us know. (Just a suggestion.)

I suppose that I should have made this my "zeroth" suggestion before the first, but do you keep a log book of some kind? I use bound graph paper notebooks. Other people use their computers, phones, or tablets, but whatever, keeping track of your work is an important part of the science.

I've been getting on pretty well with Stellarium, but I will checkout the link you posted. 

It is a 3.2mm. A BST Starguider. To keep cost down I'm trying to keep everything in 1.25", mainly because all my filters are that size. So the 24mm is my longest focal length EP at the moment. I had some excellent views of Jupiter and Saturn with the 16mm and a x2.5 powermate. First time seeing Jupiter's cloud belts so very happy!

I've been keeping an occasional log over the last year, but this year I'm trying to be more organized before I start each session so it will be getting a lot more entries. If I ever run out of things to look at I must be doing it wrong

Do you get plenty of clear nights in Texas?