AndrewRrrrrr

3 hours ago, skybadger said:

I am using onstep 4.2, built from the github distribution and installed onto a CNC V3 R2 ESP32 board with a smart web server running on an esp8266 side board linked via serial port.

The smart web server offers skysafari support on port 9999 and TCP IP support for an ASCOM driver interface which can be connected via serial over Bluetooth or directly via WiFi.

I installed this on skytee to drive the altaz mount to track the sun. 

I run it via the android app over Bluetooth and from firecap on the remote home pc. I also have run it from skysafari over Bluetooth using the meade lx200 protocol. 

I plan to install two more , one each on a large and smaller altaz dob I have built.

So I think the key question is whether the one for sale supports the WiFi interface. It would be severely limited without. 

HTh. 

Mike

that’s great info thanks!

I can confirm this one works fine over Wi-Fi, ip address and port 9999 as you say. You can go direct to the built-in web server or SkySafari. Prefer SkySafari as the units own web server is a bit clunky for my liking. Bluetooth is ok from the android phone but not from an iPhone. 

On 06/08/2023 at 20:36, skybadger said:

Yes, mine does from my HTC phone on android 9

Needs to implement the web server part of onstep.

 

Hi Skybadger,

Are you using the native onstep app or are going through something like SkySafari on your android device? 
I got hold of an old android phone but although I can run the onstep app fine, apparently the android version is too old to run stellarium+ and I’m too tight to buy SkySafari again! need to learn about android…..
Out of interest, what implementation of onstep are you using? 
cheers

andrew

also worth noting that I used the company's live chat feature late last night to ask a technical question, and while I didn't get an immediate answer, I did receive an email reply by the time I woke up this morning. Good english and a reasonable reply. 

5 hours ago, symmetal said:

Yes, your thinking is correct as far as RGB and especially narrowband filters are concerned. The only issue is if you also want to take luminance frames where the APO scope will give sharper results.

Alan

Yes Luminance frames. Are they really that necessary? You say "if" you want to take them, I've sort of assumed that you had to, but maybe not? Have to admit occaisonally I've captured LRGBHS and O for an object and the combined image is better without the L. 

5 hours ago, carastro said:

I have always used doublets, apart from a few months when I bought a triplet.  To be honest I didn't see any difference, but then I do image from LP skies and do a lot of narrowband.  Perhaps the Triplet wins on broadband.  Anyway, since I found no difference and it was very heavy and didn't allow for dual rig on my mount, I re-sold it.

You may or may not like the images I produce, but I think my website is in my signature.

Carole  

your images are a tour-de-force! maybe I will go doublet.......

Got the usb working, didn’t push the usb in far enough!! Doh.

ascom all connected nicely.

APT can slew it around, as can stellarium.

pointing looks about right although can’t be sure as inside due to force 8 winds and rain outside!!!! (Again)

put the c8 on with the counterweights and still slews just as good, fast and quiet. Movie shows slewing from m31 over to Arcturus. 

I was wondering about this......

You buy a fab APO so you don't get colour disortion (blue fringes etc) when doing visual. And this is because the different colours have slightly different focus points. i.e. when the red is in focus, the blue is slightly out of focus.

(this maybe completely wrong in which case the rest of this is misled)

So if I'm using a mono camera with automated focussing, can I get a not-so-amazing scope (maybe trade some more aperture for less colour correction) and as long as I set the image aquistion software to focus on change of filter, I should be all good?

(thinking I could sell my AA Wave80 Super ED triplet and get a AA 125 EDF as these seem to go for the same (ish)  and be none-the-worse off?

Any thoughts?

Andrew

Slewing with onstep under SkySafari on iPad control. A decent rate I think.

slewing using the arrow buttons on SkySafari seems a bit slower.

I think from the documentation that the android onstep app might be more flexible but it only runs on android and I don’t have an android phone (going to buy a cheap one and see what happens)

haven’t managed to get the usb connection from my windows pc working yet.

l

Hi All,

Bought one of these to see what it's like and how it will work. 

I bought the "lite" version: https://www.terransindustry.com/en-gb/collections/onstep-v4-kit/products/celestron-cg4?variant=42563771302081 and it cost me GBP 119.70 all in (paid via paypal) after the introductory 10% discount was applied. 

It took about 4 weeks to arrive, no import duties or the like. 

Very easy to install although needed a bit of figuring out which bolts/washers/nuts to use where and the lack of covers for the motors isn't very pretty imho.

I'm still in the process of configuring it up, so far I've got SkySafari on my ipad connected to it over wifi and slewing around works well, although all indoors at the moment as terrible weather!

Still working on it from a star alignment point of view, but will need a clear night for that. 

Slewing is really really quiet. 

I intend to get it connected to my windows laptop when time allows and also to see how it works with guiding. 

Will update this when have more info. 

cheers

Andrew

2 hours ago, Ibbo! said:

This is what I got in the end

that's fab! thanks for sharing.

1 hour ago, FenderGreg said:

This is literally my dream target! Love your dedication to get the data for it!

yes, it's a fascinating target for sure. and thank you, got a way to go yet though i think!! hahah 

2 hours ago, tomato said:

There doesn't seem to be much signal there for 33 hrs of integration with a dedicated OIII filter. I have stretched your image so hard I think some of the camera amp glow artefact is coming through on the right hand side. For comparison below is the blue channel from 210 mins with the RASA8/QHY268c/NBZ from a Bortle 5/6 location. Sure, the RASA has more aperture but I would have thought ~10 times the integration with a dedicated OIII filter and a mono camera might have done better? What is your LP level at your location?

 

hi and thanks! it's bortle 4 where I am (according to "clear outside"). The RASA8 looks like a beast - is that a cropped image you have posted there?

3 hours ago, Ibbo! said:

Tha fov looks familar.

My version took me 3 years and 84 hours of 1800 sec (yes 30 min )subs to get something I was fairly happy with, this was with my TS71 and ccd cameras.You could say it became my obsession.

 

I have seen much less exposure than my attempt with cmos chips.

All I can say is try longer subs.

 

 

Edit

I thought I had one at your approx hours,34hours O3 this was stretched hard.

thanks! I did try some 5 min subs in there as well. but i thought the deal with cmos cameras was sub length didn't matter too much and to use the sharpcap method to work it  out, playing off manageability of lots of files with accuracy of the mount. 

84 hours! bravo for sticking with it!!!!

Hi there,

Took the opportunity to point the scope at the Squid earlier in the summer where there were lots of clears nights.

Decided to go all out for Oiii and gathered 33 hours of 3 min subs.

Using an AA wave80 scope and an AA183MM with an Optolong 6.5nm Oiii filter. 

When I stack it all in APP, I get virtually nothing, it's there but so so faint! Help!
I know it's a faint target but I would have thought that much time would get something reasonable.

Any ideas would be really appreciated. Duff filter? I've seen another thread about this today and it prompted me to ask this question......

Quite prepared for the issue to be something I'm doing though!

I've attached the stacked FITS files for Oiii (and Ha for interest). 

regards

Andrew

Squid_June_2023-Oiii-session_1-1.fits Squid_June_2023-Ha-session_1-1.fits

i'll be chipping in to that, love APT and love the direct involvement you can have with the people who run it. 

Hi,

Here's Sadr and the associated clouds. RGB about 20 mins each. Ha, Oiii and Sii about  2.5 hours each. Taken with an AA wave 80 and 183MMTec. All 3 min subs. 

Also took an hour of L subs but the composite image seemed to get worse (washed out) when I added them to the mix. Yet to figure that one out???? 

yep all valid points, but worth knowing it's out there...(or maybe it will might be out there!!) 

People might be interested to read about this new project being launched on kickstarter by Stuart Semple, activist artist(!). 

The aim is to replicate adobe CS and make it rent-free with lifetime upgrades included. Stick it to the man!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/culturehustle/abode-a-suite-of-world-class-design-and-photography-tools

I don't know if it will work or get its ass sued off but Mr Semple is a bit of a legend and worth checking out.

58 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

Excellent news that.  At least it is a cheap fix.

thank you! £5 on ebay, see how it goes! 🙂

think may have found the culprit! 

"One for the price of Two!"

in a similar vein to the earlier Cosmic Horseshoe pic, here's the gravitationally lensed Twin Quasar near NGC3079 in Ursa Major. 150 mins  of L with 15 mins each of RGB using a Altair Astro Wave 80.  This one is only 8.7 GLyr away! 

hi another question......

If the fan is duff then I get why the fan light doesn't come on. But would that stop the TEC light coming as well though?

thanks in advance

Andrew

4 hours ago, Elp said:

How old is the camera. It could be the fan has just gone, fortunately such things are quite cheap as are peltier units.

thank you, i bought it second-hand about 14 months ago, so not too sure. might have a look at the fan......

47 minutes ago, Adam J said:

Almost certainly a fan failure, happens quite often, take the back plate off, note the fan model and order a replacement. 

Adam 

thank you, I may well have a quick look inside......

6 hours ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

I am not sure about Altair cameras but I am sure that usually the 12V supply is only required for the cooling and the actual operation of the imaging the power is through the USB connection. So I agree with @Ratlet that the 12V supply should be your first thing to look at and make sure it has sufficient capacity for the cooling (usually requires about 2 to 3 A for most cameras).  After that if the fan is not comming on then something is amiss and personally I would contact Altair and maybe look at sending the camera to them.ven if the camera is out of warranty, or you bought 2nd hand they will be your best port of call.

Steve

thank you, i have raised a ticket with Altair to see what they might have to say. and yes going back for repair may be on the cards!