Jamgood

Try lowering the USB Buffer in the camera driver settings?

I think you could find more facts in the words of David Icke.

40 minutes ago, Pitch Black Skies said:

@Jamgood Are you getting results with just this?

I don't use one of those adapters as I have a dedicated camera but my back focus with the TS-Optics GPU is set at 55mm and works perfectly.

Recommended for the TS-Optics GPU is:

♦ Focal length up to 600 mm - working distance 53 mm
♦ Focal length 610 mm and more - working distance 55 mm

I went with that.

3 minutes ago, Xoc1 said:

Ok Thanks . I have 3D cad and a Printer so should be an easy project and looks to be well worth the effort.

It definitely can't do any harm and it's completely reversible if you're not happy with the results. To be honest, it's the best mod I've made to the 130PDS. 

50 minutes ago, Xoc1 said:

If the clips are not the problem does the baffle need to have an inside diameter small enough to completely obscure the clips, or does it only need to obscure the mirror edge effectively leaving more of the mirror to capture those precious photons?

If the clips are still on show behind the baffle you would still have some amount of diffraction from them as any hint of them would block some light getting to the mirror. 

8 hours ago, ONIKKINEN said:

I doing some work on my tube which is not the 130PDS, but if i understood correctly the mirror clips are not to blame with stellar halos? So in this case the blue bit, the edge of the mirror is the cause and not the mirror clips (in red)?

I bought some black 2.0 paint for some other work but i was wondering if i could just paint the edge black while i have the mirror out and that would do the job of an aperture mask? Just thought id sanity check this as a reasonable thing to do before i unnecessarily start painting mirrors.

I don't think that rim on your mirror has anything to do with it as that rim doesn't exist on a Skywatcher mirror. It's just glass up to the edge.

Using the baffle won't remove all of the halo but will reduce them significantly. As I said about, any hint of the clips still on show would continue to cause diffraction in the smaller halo.

@alacant I wasn't confident enough to do the silicone mod to my first and only scope, so far. It does make sense although I can live with the couple of mm that I've lost with the baffle.

31 minutes ago, Pitch Black Skies said:

Awesome, I can clearly see the primary mirror clips interference, not so much the Pacman affect though.

There seems to be more nebulosity in the first, but I can also see vignetting. Is that down to total exposure time or post processing?

Yeah the exposure times are different as are the cameras/filters used.

The first image was 3hrs with a Canon 60Da and a CLS filter. The second image is only 50mins with the ZWO ASI294MC Pro and an UV/IR Cut filter.

I never wanted to cut the focuser on my scope. I used the Baader originally and lived with pacman shaped stars, although I didn't think they were too bad at the time.

I got rid of the Baader and went for the TS-OPTICS GPU CC. This CC pushes the focus out by 20mm so no more focuser intrusion in the OTA and lovely round stars. I found the Baader a complete nightmare with spacing and tilt. The GPU just worked, no fuss.

Add a baffle to the primary mirror to block the mirror clips and you get even better looking images. No more horrible diffractions from the mirror clips.

My images have gone from this.....Baader MPCC and no baffle.

To this.....TS-OPTICS GPU CC with baffle.

Amazing what a little change and modding can do. 👍

@David127 I use a single 10 metre Active USB Extension to connect my rig outdoor, through a window, to a desktop PC. I'm now using a Pegasus Pocket Power Box Advance and everything connects to that but previously I have used two 10 Metre USB cables with a non powered USB Hub/Splitter on the end of one of them and had no issues at all. With that old set up I had my imaging camera, guide camera and mount connected and it worked like a charm.

@Catakraken The first thing I would do is remove the Baader MPCC. There's no advantage collimating with that attached to the camera. 

Secondly, you would want to have the camera fixed firmly into the focuser for collimating. If you don't tighten the screws, even the slightest movement of the OTA will affect the view and having the OTA on a mattress/bed for the procedure won't help you at all.

When collimating, I have my scope on the mount. That way I can manoeuvre the OTA any which way I want and check collimation is good for all angles the scope may point. I don't use a camera to collimate but the same principles apply to whatever you use. You want you collimation tools locked in so that you have a constant and repeatable view. If you can lock in your tools the same every time, then you can lock in your imaging camera the same when ready to start shooting. As @rotatux said above, tilt is something that you will always have to work with as it's the nature of the beast. Sadly, no 2" fittings ever fit perfectly.

49 minutes ago, Catakraken said:

Hello. I recently acquired an Ocal electronic collimator for my new 130 PDS and the image I see when I connect it is the one I attach. I can't adjust the green circle in the circle created by the end of the focuser. Not even helping me with the offset of the program, whose maximum is 20. I don't know if anyone has tried this collimator with its 130PDS. But it doesn't seem normal. Any ideas? Thank you.

I would guess that the 2 screwed attachment on the end of the focuser is pushing the collimating camera out of line. Your first port of call will be to try and get that as straight as possible so the green aligns with the end of the focuser tube. When you find the position that camera needs to sit so it's straight, collimate. Then you have the issue of trying to get you imaging camera in exactly the same place. 

Sadly, the two screwed attachments on the SW's are notoriously annoying for pushing things off centre, introducing tilt. Some people tap a third screw and that can help a bit. Others change the attachment altogether to a compression ring, etc. 

I apologise in advance but @FLO guarantees clear skies.....eventually. 👍

Just now, Wiu-Wiu said:

YVW. That screenshot is Skysafari, btw. It has a lot of visible asteroids in the database (you need to update it from time to time, although it does do it by itself too). 

For PHOTOGRAPHIC creepy crawlers, I would recommend importing the MPEC database into Cartes Du Ciel. It's a pain to do and if you don't use it often, a reason to lose some of your hair, but it does show you ALL known asteroids in an area at a certain time. You know, because it's fun  

Cheers, I'll have a look into Skysafari. I've used Cartes Du Ciel before but never really got on with it and I went the Stellarium way.

I've just figured out how to add Asteroids into Stellarium and rewinding it back to my imaging time last night shows them both in their exact spots. 

8 minutes ago, Wiu-Wiu said:

(796) Sarita and (793) Arizona, to be exact.

That's awesome! Thank you Wiu Wiu.

👍

On 08/10/2021 at 15:41, Craig a said:

As I don’t have access to a 3D printer I looked at ts service and you were correct I ordered one from there for my 130pds should be here in a few days 

I don't think you'll regret it. It is one of the better mods I've done to my 130PDS so far.

Stars in my images have gone from looking like this......

To this......

6 hours ago, Mike JW said:

Hi,

Most likely you picked up the asteroid Sarita ( a main belt asteroid, mag 11.6). I was able to work this out because I have the software Sky Tools 4 and looked up the data for asteroids to see if anything matched to the Pleiades area.

https://theskylive.com/guide is a very useful site.

Mike

Thanks for that Mike. I'll have a look at that site. 👍

Hi Folks.

Firstly, I'm not sure if this is the correct forum to be posting in, so apologies if not and please move to the appropriate area.

Early this morning after losing my initial target behind trees I thought I'd go and grab a few hours on Pleiades before packing up for the night. I often use Deep Sky Stacker Live while imaging, just to keep an eye on the data coming in and generally see how things are looking. In the 1hr 30m I got of Pleiades I noticed two objects making a continuous line in DSSL. Being relatively new to all things Astro, I have no idea how to identify these types of things. The two objects were to the side and above of Atlas. The image below shows them after 40mins (top) and after 1hr 25mins (bottom)

So my question is, how do you identify an object like this in your images?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Anthony

@Craig a You can 3D print a mask and it takes a couple of minutes to fit with a little bit of Velcro. If you're unhappy with the results, etc, it is none destructive and 100% reversible. 👍

Here's mine and I got the 3D Mask Design file from HERE.

Another thing that made a big different to my 130PDS images was a change of Coma Corrector. I was using the Baader MPCC and the focuser was pretty much cranked all the way in leaving the focuser tube blocking a lot of light. I changed over to a TS-Optics Superflat GPU CC and the difference is huge. The main reason being the TS-Optics CC pushes the focuser out by around 20mm.

This is where my focuser sits now. No protrusion into the OTA at all.

31 minutes ago, Andyy said:

Managed to get them out and replace them with Bobs knobs. Inital collimation done, now wait for clear skies for star test! Thanks @Jamgood

No problem. Bob's Knobs are a great addition to the scope.  I have them on mine also. Makes collimation of the secondary a much easier task. 

44 minutes ago, Andyy said:

Is it necessary to loosen the center screw? What tool did you use for the collimation bolts?

I’m afraid to twist the spider vanes…

I just used an Allen Key. I got my hand on the secondary as much as possible and held it while giving one of the bolts a twist. 

If you're confident enough to collimate the scope, you could try loosening the centre screw a little first.

37 minutes ago, Andyy said:

130PDS came in today and looking good! Collimation is slighty off, but the collimation screws on the secondary are extremely tight (all three)!

Any tips to loosen them? Thanks!

Mine was the same when I got it. One of them will just need a bit more force to get it to shift. Once that one is done, the others will no longer be tight. 

1 hour ago, Craig a said:

We’re not on the same wavelength here I don’t think 

What he's saying is if you remove the clips, you will have more of the scatter as the clips block part of it giving you the three scatter/diffraction spikes. If you want to totally be rid of scatter, I think you would have to flock or paint the side of the mirror as well.

I have the same scope and went for the 3D printed baffle sitting on the mirror clips. It's not perfect but it is much better than it was. I'm going to flock the mirrors edge next to see what difference it makes.

5 minutes ago, SiD the Turtle said:

Clearly I need to get more exercise, I find even lifting the HEQ-5 without counterweights heavy enough!

Yeah, it does have a bit of weight to it. I doubt I'll be able to lift it when I'm 60 but the plan is to have a fully automated Obsy by then.

5 minutes ago, SiD the Turtle said:

Also OP don't get overwhelmed with all the (very good) input in this thread. It's a time consuming, expensive hobby so perhaps start with the scope, the mount and a laptop and work your way up from there.

That is very true. It is easy to get overwhelmed with it all. There's a lot to learn after the basics of the scope, mount, camera and laptop.

22 minutes ago, varius21 said:

@Jamgood  How come you chose a reflector? Usually, when I see expensive setups like yours they use small refractors. I am asking obviously because I am learning

When I first started in March 2020, I started with a DSLR (Unmodded Canon 200D) and a lens on a rickety tripod. The more I watched and learned about Deep Sky Imaging made me want to go further.

I then found THIS thread on here. The images blew me away and the price of the 130PDS seemed a good starting point for me. It's a small light bucket and a very good one that punches well above its weight. I'll have it forever!

Then I had the scope with a EQ3Pro mount and a DSLR. Then opportunity came along for a used HEQ5Pro via this site, so I upgraded. (I only had the EQ3Pro for two months)

Then I got a better DSLR, a Canon 60Da which was awesome but it died after 6 months so I treated myseld to the 294MC Pro, PPBA and EAF to really upgrade.

Here I am now.

Don't dismiss a good Reflector. Yes, you have to collimate them, wait for them to cool down sometimes and do a bit of general maintenance but they're great for deep sky work.

I've done a few mods to my set up to make it better and I'm more than happy with it. By mods I mean from simple things like Bob's Knobs on the scope to Rowan Belt Mod in the HEQ5. 

The main thing is, whatever you use, have fun but also make sure what you buy is going to get you what you want to achieve. For example, my set up is great for deep sky but useless for planets. Have a goal and work towards that. 👍