powerlord

Hi chaps, can someone tell me with certainty what the thread sizes of the screws around the rear cell of the C925 are ? Not the flat ones which hold the cell, the equally rubbishy philips round head ones that can be used for mounting finderscopes, etc ? there are 3 sets of 2 around the rear tube opposite the mount. The internet tells me they are 8/32 - which is mince as I measure the thread diameter of one of the screws I removed at 0.14in which is not 8/32 (0.25). Its clearly some sort of prehistoric non metric hell, but not sure what ? Balance wise, my C8 was bad enough, what with all the weight at the back cell, then you add reducer, lots of back focus and a camera off the end ..trying to get it clamped on my EQ6 was bad enough - and yet they all seem to come with vixen or lomany bars only the length of the scope.. do folk mount finders on the front of OTA to aid balance ? or it is matter of raking around looking for a lomandy bar longer that the tube, but with correct holes and/or drilling my own. the shear number of different threads and stupid hole configurations in all this stuff is just as irritating now as it was 9 months ago when I started this hobby, I can tell you that... sigh

that looks awesome. just the sort of thing I was thinking about. the only difference in my mind was making the roof either as a whole or as two parts, open more like a clam - sort of ending up parallel to the sides. that way, I'd not need to space either side for when roof is open. how do you find condensation and humidity though ? My worry with a steel shed like this would be it would not be possible to really keep it isolated enough from the outside to keep the humidity down (via dehumidifier, etc) - as I'm assuming I need to do that to protect the scopes, cameras, etc when not in use stu

I saw that. Certainly would have had a look myself if closer. Bargain for someone for sure.

If you don't have a 360 camera, just use your phone. google camera does it automatically: https://blog.kuula.co/making-360-photos-with-a-smartphone or else plenty other options. Once uoi have equirectangular photo you can add to stars app - I use safari for example. I did one 'high' with my tripod extended, and one low, both from where I set up. So I can see any time what I can see and when. works a treat. For example, here's the plan for tonight if it's clear enough - asi533/14mm lens.

Im a complete mac household too. Not sure for control I can help though - I use an asiair pro (well 2 of em, one on each mount). frankly I'd recommend the same they are awesome. For processing on mac, you have a few mac choices, but to open choices up I'd recommend getting vmware and a windows 10 install. It will make your choices much broader, and vmware is free now. This is what I use: stacking: DSS on windows. If you want a mac solution there is Sirl (Free), AstroPixel Processor (very not free) or Affinity Photo (basic, but it does it) processing: starttools (not free, but very reasonably priced and great support), affinity photo (awesome image editing - better than photoshop and mac native with astro features) planetary stuff: firecapture planetary processing: PIP on windows, AutoStackeert on windows, Registax on windows.

welcome to the mono club! I added the same camera/filter wheel/filter bundle to the toys a few months ago - very impressed with it. you'll love it. I assume you've got an EAF ? As otherwise yer gonna be there all night refocusing after each filter change ? stu

realvnc doesn't need internet. maybe it's some extra thing. but there are lots of vnc clients, and the majority don't need anything bar connection to the vnc server on your mini PC. stu

they are on a network. the AP is the network. think of the AP as like a wired router. This is exaclty what I do when I am out in the motorhome. The AP gives the connected devices their IPs. and then everything connected can talk to each other. Obviously they can't talk to the internet, but all works fine.

vnc does not require an internet connection. works fine isolated. however, if its a windows mini PC I'd use RDP anyway - much quicker.

you're really just causing problems for yourself. lots of stuff doesn't like adhoc networks. I assume that this is an area where you don't have your own wifi AP ? In which case, just get a 15 quid AP. plug it into the mini PC via ethernet, and have the AP set as as standard AP (not extender, etc). then all you need to do is connect your windows PC or ipad etc to that AP to then connect to the mini PC. It will also have far better range than adhoc. If there is not 240v where the mini PC is, get one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01NAYG15H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 its powered by standard 12v socket same as mounts, etc.

how are you knowing how much curvature to correct there alacant ? stu

no, the 4 was me being facetious. But 2 peirs easy. I suppose it depends how close to horizon you can shoot. for me, not very, so my scope would never be like your pic. It also depends on whether you are expecting to sit in the shed I suppose. I'm not - it's all remote. just needs to have enough space for the scopes to move around. And as I say, the other pier would need much less clearance as smaller scope.

quick go in startools. definitely more in there.

here's my m27. My C8 still not aligned/collimated at it's best - but this is what I've got so far: sii 30 mins oiii 54 mins ha 180 mins

My 200p is setup in the garden just now. 3ft x3ft max footprint. And the other scope will be significantly less footprint, so what makes you say that ? Hell, I could get 4 mounts in 7x7?

ok, let the above be a lesson to anyone editing remotely.. I did that edit while apple remote desktopped to my machine upstairs inbetween quiet periods at work downstairs. It DID NOT look like the sky was on fire there... I think I will re-edit that one locally 😕 However it does convey how hot it is here today (28+)

So.. decided to get an ASI533 to do some colour stuff. Using L-extreme mostly. Here's the Bat Nebula, using my Canon 300mm F4 L lens fully open. This is an awesome lens - perfect for wide field with DSLR and seems to work great with the ASI533 too. 30 subs at 600 seconds gain 100. lights, darks and bias.

I don't know how new this is, but I like the look of it: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Keter-Artisan-Outdoor-Plastic-Storage/dp/B077FHZ1TC?th=1 With the plastic roof, it feels I could keep things simple and reasonably easily make it just manually lift up and store at back of shed - sort of slide between what will be back of shed and fence. Anyone used one of these models ? Thought putting something together in the next few months before winter might be an idea. I'd love to get 2 mounts in there, which would really mean piers rather than tripods.. which means concrete and faff.. but I suppose it is worth it in the end. On which subject, has anyone had a pier made locally in suffolk or essex ? I'm thinking of having the piers as high as I can while a 200p fitted can still clear roof. I can always have a step or something to reach. that will give me clearest views. Not clear to me quite what height that will be at the moment, but probably 1.5-1.8m. stu

well, we'll see. time isn't a variable here. no binning. lets just see which shows more detail. snr aside. it should be pretty obvious whether there is a benefit or not I think.

Thanks Vlaiv, I do get you. The unknown is I suppose what skies are like here. Plus that I just don't think my C8 is giving its best just now. Once I have my C8 fixed, I can do a simple test - same target - C8 straight, vs C8 with 0.67 reducer/flattener. That should show whether its worth imaging without the reducer or not surely ? If, adjusted to the same pixel size, there is no more detail in the reducer version, then I stick with my c8/reducer ? We're getting into winter, and it seems to me imaging time is going to be less of an issue - and I'd like to focus (sic) on some smaller targets. stu

I'm only going with my eyes and my results. DSO only. I'm guiding at around 0.3" rms. And as far as I can see the limit I'm hitting is the limitations on my old C8 (it's just not right - maybe corrector still not right or something). Every indication is that with my asi1600 I could do 2000mm okish. Since that works out at .39"/pixel. I've got a 200p, and not actually tried that yet - it's such an awkward thing. I really like the C8, and will be TRYING to get it properly looked at - Viking over in Halesworth is quite near me and offer servicing for all OTAs - so I think I will give that a try first. stu

Hi chaps, Im enjoying shooting stuff with my old C8 at this sort of FL, but of course it's not really made for imaging. I can use the 6.7 flattener/corrector but then I'm down to 1340. What ota would folk suggest either new or second hand for imaging around 2000 (4000 with a Barlow)? Be good to get some ideas from what folk are actually using rather than just picking out stuff from FLO that meets the specs. Mainly using with Asi1600 and asi533mc. Eq6r-pro. Budget.. Maybe 1500 tops?

I think there's a good chance it being fiddled with by dark frame could decrease the value imho. As has been said, pics and a Phd2 log when guiding would probably help sell a lot. Should sell quick then? Stu

I dunno if any use for short periods away if you are close - when I'm in motorhome I'm usually in middle of nowhere and more bothered about sheep knocking it over, but this gives me some peace of mind - I just velcro it on the side of mount. it has a remote to turn on and off. bloody loud motion sensing alarm. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0722ZSMQP

there are folk with 1000 quid mounts that struggle to get under 1" rms. not bad at all. when do we get to see the results ? stu