Xoc1

As I just realised I actually took an image which met the challenge I thought I would share -

This is the Elephants Trunk Nebula

SW 150PDS - Baader Coma Corrector - Canon 500D  unmodified - Mounted on a HEQ5 Pro  - About 1 hr 20min of 30sec exposures & 45min of darks.

Processed with Deep Sky Stacker & Startools

I bought some of these mounts off ebay (search for someting like 'Finderscope dovetail slot') They are easy enough to mount, but as said you would need to dril some holes.  Button headed screws have a low profile that is suitable to fit in the mount slots.

I then made a 3D printed adaptor to convert the Red dot finder to the standard finderscope shoe so I could use it if I wanted to on any of my scopes.

A long time ago I asked a storeman to source some metric drills. The factory only had imperial drill sets at the time.

He took a long time about it and then complained that they were almost impossible to source. I asked what sizes he had looked at .  25.4 mm 19.05mm 12.7mm.........

Thanks for your input Ricochet. I will measure up & make a best guess at what is necessary. looking at some of my images even Polaris would allow me to assess the effect, so would be an easy target to do some testing on.

I think this would be very diificult to weld & then refinish due to the cast material used . If the ring is still functional and you can't replace maybe a plate brace could be shaped and bolted in situ over the crack to keep it stable. I would be tempted to add a complete ring brace but thats probably for asthetic reasons as much as anything else.

Ok Thanks . I have 3D cad and a Printer so should be an easy project and looks to be well worth the effort.

Intrested by this for my 150 PDS

I can definitely see the diffraction spikes in my images.

The baffle listed on Teleskop express is 170 OD 141 ID for the 6 inch while the one for the 130 P does not list a size.

I can easily draw up & 3D print a baffle but was intrigued to what inside diameter restriction would be needed. If the clips are not the problem does the baffle need to have an inside diameter small enough to completely obscure the clips, or does it only need to obscure the mirror edge effectively leaving more of the mirror to capture those precious photons?

Welcome to SGL- if you look in the Observing - Widefield section I think you will find plenty of inspiring images taken with camera lenses.

I Have tried the teamviewer for focussing but found the latency fustrating. Wi-FI in my garden has a poor signal - I may invest in a Wi-Fi mesh to inprove this. But still feel that a motorised focusser would be the ultimate as it avoids disturbing the scope while focussing.

One issue will be focussing with the camera. I use 5 metre cables to run into the garden cabin for camera use but find myself dragging the laptop next to the scope for focussing.

I want to build a motorised focusser to help with this step.

A Skywatcher 150P is a respectable starter scope - Views of the moon should be good. I have a 150pds and its good for visual use   I think you will be impressed by the amount of stars you can see..

But its not really a great planetary scope as an F5 does not give a massive amount of maginification. But for many object in the sky it will work well.

Very Inspiring, I just have to try something like this for myself. Its amazing what a wide field view can reveal.

When a major OS supplier like Microsoft bends over backwards to get as many people as possible to adopt Windows 10 with a wide compatibility list and a promise of longevity. Then releases a new windows version with a restrictive compatibility that will eventually make the majority of windows PC's in current use obselete, Unless we run the risk of insecure software or migrate to Linux you have to question the motivation.

In these times where we should all be thinking green and reducing our carbon footprint, I wonder what this move will cost the planet.

When I moved into my current house the night sky was breathtaking as it should be in South Devon. Unfortunately I am on the border of The Dartmouth Naval College - And one night the security lights were turned on around the security fence. And they stay on Day and Night 24-7, all year.

Then they decided to install Floodlights for the playing field.  The floodlights can be turned on by anyone in the college and I sometimes find they get turned on so a single jogger can run around the field.

The Lights are all in an elevated position above my home and the lights are behind a wooded area so not so bad in the summer but a pain in the winter when all the trees are bare.

All pics just taken with my phone.

The pic of the side of the house is how it is every day.

So My issue is I am not dealing with a Council I have to deal with the MOD .

I want to contact them about the issue but am looking for the right approach?

Welcome 'down the Rabbit Hole'. My current telescope mount is about 3 times the cost of my scope, and that stability is useful for imaging, and for sharing the universe with the grandchildren who inevitably grab hold of the scope messing up that carefull allignment.

When I think back to my first scope & mount it was probably worse than yours, But when I added a webcam & took some images of Saturns rings and Jupiters moon system it was so exciting & the family were amazed by the results!

I am using a USB hub to connect a couple of cameras - I am using a USB 3 Startech Hub with a 12Volt power input, which I made up a power lead to work off the 12Volt supply that I use on my Scope to power a DC - DC voltage convertor for a DSLR and for a 12Volt cooling fan  & a planned powered focusser.

Using a powered hub can avoid any power limitations from your USB port.

The Isolation Pillar reminds me of the sort of things we had to do to use record players in Nighclubs. Find something solid & build an isolated support to the record deck.

As regards the vibration transfer I think distance is the key to minimise the disturbance. I use some 5 metre leads which seem to be OK for USB and apart from focussing I get in the garden cabin for comfy camera sessions.

So one of my priority projects is a motorised focusser so I can keep my distance.

I wonder if I could liberate the panel from an old laptop screen?

I have a couple ready to scrap. I have repaired screens before by replacing the EL inverters.

I searched around for a while and found this thread which might help

I have a HEQ5 Pro that I use with a 150PDS but with all the accessories the load weight is getting up to 9KG. As the mount is rated 10kg for astrophotography & 15 kg for visual I could not envisage that adding another counterweight would be a problem and would allow you to use you setup as you want.

I was going to defend the 130PDS as there is so much that people have acheived with this little scope. But as you have an EQ6 there must be many possibilities that would be concidered an upgrade, dependent on budget!

I would have thought that any of the Skywatcher ED pro series with the matching focal reducer would be suitable.

My HEQ5 with a Rowan Belt Mod is very quiet.

Worth it if it means you can use your mount. & improve the performance at the same time!

There are many options on the Onestep Group,io

The WeMos R32 with CNC V3 Shield link should give you the right part references

https://onstep.groups.io/g/main/wiki/19670

I  built a AstroEQ last year to go with my EQ5

I found the PCB & Programmed Chips on ebay UK

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183765973009?hash=item2ac94e3811:g:r~YAAOSwTSlgNqU5&shqty=1&isGTR=1#shId

It lists post to india at £25

Unless you buy the completed PCB assembly you also have the hassle of sourcing all the other components as listed on the AstroEQ site.

If I was starting again I think I would probably go with Onstep as more options - Also a complete MKS Gen-L board & a couple Stepper Drivers would be cheaper & have  higher amount of steps.

Bit more hands on to program but thats just something else to learn & apply.

It took me quite a while to find a socket that would fit when I was playing around with one of these mounts. I eventually found a very cheap 3/8" socket set that did fit. The sort where the sockets are labelled Taiwan.

Unfortunately I found that the shaft hole was a very loose fit and the nut was done up to a shoulder. I took it apart and regreased and looked around in my junk bits and found a slim shim washer which allowed a certain amount of the movement to be taken out. You can with a bit of inventive bodging take quite a bit of the movement out of the mount. Its never going to be much good but it certainly makes it more usesable.