LowGravitas

Okay. So I git the plate-sloving working. However, oddly, the position of the virtual pole, even when apparently perfectly polar aligned, changes drastically when I rotate the mount in RA. Why might that be?

I'll give reinstallation a try. I am in a Bortle 7 zone, but in the split second moments in which it states plate-solving has succeeded it's detecting around 20-25 stars.

Hi. I just got an iPolar. The issue is that the somehow it works very fast, the text on the upper left corner where it tells you what to do goes so fast that you cannot read it. The circle that is supposed to be moved to the cross keeps jumping around, and I mean by a lot. Latitude and Longitude is correct. When I take the thing off and look through the optical scope, Polaris is in the fov. I don't know what's wring with the thing.

Oh, I forgot to mention that it has indeed been somewhat cropped.

Some details concerning the image: -Equipment Redcat 51 on a Star Adventurer with a modded Canon 600D. -Acquisition 281 x 30 second lights @ ISO 800, and 50 biases. Taken in a Bortle 7 location. -Processing Stacking was performed using the relevant script in Siril. Levels and curves adjustment in Photoshop, as well as saturation and colour balance adjustments. Noise reduction in Camera Raw.

So, you don't think I should be concerned? I can't say I'm knowledgeable about the weight bearing properties of screws haha.

Huh. And I assume you've used it for some time without issue? Thanks. e: I also wonder what causes it

The screw that fastens my Star Adventurer to the proprietary equatorial wedge appears to have been damaged, somehow (see picture). The metal at its base seems to have fractured in multiple places. In this state, I don't know if I trust it to support the weight of over £1000 worth of equipment. Does anyone know where to get a replacement? I don't know if it's a generic design, or something specifically made for the task by Sky-Watcher. In any case, any help would be appreciated!

Does anyone know the weight capacity of this tripod?: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/tripods/horizon-8115-2-way-heavy-duty-tripod.html I cannot seem to find it anywhere. I was planning on using it (with the head removed) with a Star Adventurer Pro, Redcat 51, and Canon 600D/T3i.

Yeah. Will do so when the clouds next clear.

Thanks. I'll try this.

The camera does seem to be fine with my cheap 50mm. I got this photo with the Takumar before I tried it for astro. Not a great photo, but no obvious problems. Nonetheless, a problem with internal reflection sounds plausible. Will have to get another, if true. At least they're cheap.

No, it's only had it's hot mirror removed. It still has its LP1 filter, which blocks UV/IR.

Yeah, it seems to be interacting poorly with all wavelengths.

Green and blue look bad. Red is the same.

Here's the blue channel from one of the subs: https://imgur.com/a/AxvNJDq And the green: https://imgur.com/a/36WQW33 Stars look the same, I'd say.

Taking a close look at my lens, I noticed what looks like a chip or aberration near the centre of one of the elements behind the objective. Look problematic?

Yeah, here's a review of the lens showing a pic taken with it: http://www.nightofmanywords.com/articles/budget-lenses-for-astrophotography And images on astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/search/?q=smc+takumar+200mm A video extolling it's virtues: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6TuOa3mCFY None have stars like mine.

I suppose I will. I also found this thread, where a user says that an M42 adaptor with a flange that presses the auto pin (such as mine) causes the lens to sit tilted on the camera: Anyone know if that's right? Might it have any bearing on my problem?

I echo the above sentiment. I've seem images taken with modified DSLRs and this lens and the stars don't look like mine. Here is a review of the lens showing an image taken with it and a modded Canon DSLR, for example: http://www.nightofmanywords.com/articles/budget-lenses-for-astrophotography So, I don't know why the problem would apply only to me.

I've seem images taken with modified DSLRs and this lens at the same f stop with stars that look nothing like mine. So I don't know why the problem would apply to me and not to them.

Could the adapter be the issue? It causing the lens to no sit perfectly flush with the camera body? It's just a cheap thing off Amazon.

I really hope that's not the case, as I can't afford a telescope. I've seem images taken with modified DSLRs and this lens at the same f stop with stars that look nothing like mine. So I don't know why the problem would apply to me and not to them.

Its hot mirror was removed by Juan from Cheap Astrophotography.

I haven't yet, but I will when the clouds clear again.