Uncertainty

@vlaiv It worked! Thanks for giving me a simple fix, other sources I found had me believe that I had to spend quite a bit of money to fix it. Clouds only cleared for around an hour for me to test and I still have to master alligning and tracking, but that's for another day. Cheers.

Thanks so much for the knowledge and assistance, skies have clouded over now but will do it properly next time!

I have no idea what this is, perhaps? Sure, as I mentioned I am extremely new so this might be completely wrong but I followed a youtube guide and bought a https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01LWJ2Z3Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1, which I am slotting into the diagonal with the 25mm eyepiece provided (which by the sounds of things may be my issue, but I seem to not be able to focus or even really find what I am looking at through the viewfinder without the eyepiece here). I have also tried just attatching the T-ring where the diagonal usually goes but again, I could not seem to be able to focus/see anything. I'm assuming that it may just be my ineptitude rather than anything else as to why I can only focus with the eyepiece projection? (is that what it's called?)

Hi, I am a complete novice and got into astrophotography in December of last year, I had some decent success using only my Canon 450D and stock 18-55mm lens. Since then I have purchased a telescope and mount (Sky-Watcher Startravel 102 and the AZGTe WiFi GOTO mount), which arrived yesterday. Luck would have it that the skies were clear last night and I had a go at imaging both M42 and M31 (also tried m45 tonight just to see if I could fiddle around with anything to solve it, but no luck), both of which came out pretty dissapointingly. If someone could tell my what is is that is wrong with the star shapes in the images, and potential fixes, it would be greatly appreciated, as I don't want to waste another clear night if it is an easy fix! I have read about coma, but also that refractors don't have this issue, so I am completely baffled. Thanks in advance. M45 at 1 second exposure, M42 at 20 seconds and M31 at 30 seconds.