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PoI-LordBlackwood

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  1. Hi guys! So I’ve been considering a William Optics Z61II for the longest time and have decided to buy it, but before I actually do so, I have a question to owners of this nice little telescope. If we’re planning on not getting the flattener as of yet, is there a way of attaching an M48 T-ring to the telescope or do we have to buy extra gear? Thanks a lot!
  2. Ah finally light pollution For someone who lives in Bortle Class 8 skies and near-constantly cloudy weather, it's almost a miracle when the clouds clear at around 12 to 1 am. We have it quite hard here and most of us have either resorted to looking at the brighter DSOs or getting light pollution filters. Could I ask, would they help reduce the pollution to around a Bortle Class 5-6's worth? If so, I might just consider... Cheerio and Clear Skies πŸ˜€
  3. Motorised? If so, I would go with this. Firstly, I can tell from personal experience that equatorial mounts have quite a steep learning curve. In fact, my first experiences with them ended up with me using them like an alt-az mount! However, with a motorised drive, you get to take time to learn about how to maneuver equatorial mounts. Secondly, I would always go for more aperture for visual astronomy as long as it doesn't compromise too much on portability. This helps us to gather more light (telescopes are practically light buckets) and in turn increases resolution. Thirdly, the quality of the accessories may be questionable. That I cannot say for sure but the accessories included in kits and scopes (?) have been stated as having not very high quality in forums here and elsewhere. I hope that answers your question but don't buy yet, I would suggest listening to others' opinions first because a balanced decision is always the best decision. As the intro to visual astronomy in this forum goes: If you have a 4" you'll see a grey blob of light and if you have an 8" you'll see a bigger grey blob of light. Galaxies are really faint and astrophotography is, in my opinion, the best way to view them in great detail. However, I'll leave which path you want to take up to you. Whether visual or photography, I wish you all the best. Clear Skies πŸ˜‰
  4. Oh I see! Apologies for my lack of prior research beforehand
  5. https://www.celestron.com/blogs/knowledgebase/how-do-you-polar-align-using-an-alt-az-mount-with-a-wedge Ah there we go Do you have a wedge for your mount or is the mounthead fixed onto the tripod? If so then πŸ˜… I'll have to do further research
  6. Hmm I think that's the case... Have you taken a wide-field photo of the Milky Way yet? I would say that's a good start to astrophotography My first photos were from a phone and could only manage a 30-sec exposure, but with a DSLR, you probably can get quite a good photo. I would suggest checking out the 500 rule for these shots if you're doing stationary shots, but I think your mount should probably do the trick for wide field. Now you just have to mod the camera for attaching to a mount... In any case, all the best for your imaging projects! (Oh you have an Altair 130 Ah well let me find out how to properly align a alt-az mount)
  7. By the way, what are you looking to image? Planets, Nebulae, Galaxies or just stars
  8. I haven't had much experience with alt-az electronic mounts, but here's my view of them: They're great for visual astronomy and help with adjustment of eyes, but not that good for tracking. In my local astronomy club, I had the opportunity to try out an electronic alt-az mount (pretty sure a Nexstar), but was informed previously not to take photos using it due to the low quality. Being me, I went ahead with the T-mounting process... Not great. After about five shots, I gave up as it was too unstable and I was getting a lot of blur in my photo due to unnoticed vibrations. So I have stuck to an equatorial mount ever since. Not an electronic mount though, but stable enough. It's still a chore to manually turn the DEC wheel, but with some practice, I've gotten some good shots. If you have the budget, I recommend an iOptron SmartEQ Pro+ due to its relative affordability and excellence as a travel mount. But if not, then maybe an Orion Skyview GOTO if you're looking at sturdiness. Clear Skies πŸ™‚
  9. That's quite nice! Personally, I would get a kit like the one sold by Orion (Premium Telescope Accessory Kit 1.25") or the one by Celestron (I forgot) because I think the variety within is quite sufficient. Furthermore, we get several filters which really comes in handy when I'm trying to block out any light pollution. By the way, anyone knows a good and relatively cheap light pollution filter? Been searching for nearly a month without much success...
  10. Hmm let me see... I would always go with a 30 mm at around 66 degrees for quite a nice view. The power isn't as low as the 40mm but it gives enough view for a very detailed observation of large DSOs. If you can get 70 degrees or more but that's only if you want to do visual astro and you have the budget (it is kinda expensive)
  11. Thanks guys! I have some questions for you guys: Would it be recommended to modify a Nikon D5100 for astrophotography (removal of mirror, Ha filter) or get a new Nikon D5300? I am considering starting with some preliminary wide-view shots before I get the necessary equipment for deep-sky imaging.
  12. Hello This is perhaps my opening post, but thanks FLO for this wonderful setup! Hoping to get some inspiration for our shared hobby, astronomy. Hoping to see some good improvement in my skills as an amateur astronomer. Cheerios! Lord Blackwood (yes I know that reference is definitely excessively British)
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