StuartT

a couple more this evening. This time again with the 90mm refractor, but at prime focus with a 2x Barlow. (1/50 sec, ISO 800)

I actually cut all the way through. For any eyepieces shorter that the full depth of the foam, I simply cut the cylinder of waste foam and then poked it back down the hole to plug part of the depth. (I was quite pleased with that idea 😊)

So I only joined at the beginning of this month, so I guess I qualify as a newcomer 😉 TBH, I find it very difficult to think of anything to criticise at all! Everyone here has been incredibly friendly, respectful and helpful. Whenever you join a bunch of people who are way more expert than you are, it can be a little intimidating to ask the really basic questions. But on SGL no one has ever made me feel stupid - whatever I have asked - and I was made to feel at home here right away. It's a really great crowd and I am very much enjoying it. So thank you all! 😊

Thanks everyone! I actually ended up using one of these and it worked a treat. So I now have a safe and comfy home for all my bits and pieces 😊

No, I am not yet using the LPI camera for imaging, if that's what you mean. I just used my Canon EOS for these. But I would like to get the LPI camera working at some stage, and for that I asked about the software. But regardless of the technology I use to get the images, focussing the scope is a big problem as it's just a manual focuser and the mount wobbles when I try to focus.

Thanks. I shall try BYEOS to blow up my camera's focussing screen. I think I'll still have problems though because the very act of turning the focuser wobbles the scope something awful!

Ok, SO many things I don't understand here 🤣 So if BYEOS can show me my camera's back screen on the laptop, that sounds very useful! (though I have no idea what FWHM means) I literally didn't understand any of this. Right! Some good tips there. Thanks And thanks for the compliments. At least I got some kind of an image. But I am literally just starting here -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks everyone for all the encouragement!

sorry.. I didn't lead with that. But then again I didn't know you didn't need remote control for planets (I still have a LOT to learn!) What is sharpcap? Another piece of software I am guessing ah. apologies, I didn't realise 'Planetarium' was a general class of software. I was thinking it was a specific one. I did try loading up SkyCapture (which came with the LPI imager), but it seems to not produce a live image. It is extremely jerky (and I am talking about like an image a second) which makes focusing virtually impossible! (I'm sure I must be doing something wrong)

thanks. It's the solar system I am mostly interested in, so I don't think I need guiding. (I've installed APT and it looks intimidating...😬)

sorry, do I actually mean guiding? I think I just mean moving the scope around to different bits of the sky. What's that called?

Thanks

Awesome! thanks

You are too kind! 😊 But the focussing isn't done by the camera. It's done by the scope's focuser. So how would an EOS app manage that?

Sorry, you guys seem to be saying different things (or I've misunderstood) So APT will do everything (imaging and guiding)? But Skycapture will only do imaging and I need a separate piece of software called "Planetarium" for the guiding?

Yes, this is exactly what I'm afraid of! I am positive that the moment I start cutting I'm going to make a right old dog's breakfast of my nice pristine foam! Problem is... I have to do it, otherwise I can't use the damn thing!

Ok, so no actual comments... (you're all probably just far too polite! 🤣) I think the basic problem here is that I need a new mount. The one that came with the telescope is rubbish!

I agree. Clearoutside is pretty useless. We have clear skies right now, but Clearoutside is showing red!

I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean. What are puzzle parts? You mean the custom foam shop do the cutting for you?

I just bought a nice aluminium flight case for all my bits and pieces (eyepieces, right angles, etc) but I can't decide the best method of cutting neat holes in the foam block it came with. A Stanley knife is just going to make a mess! I've heard that some people sharpen the end of a piece of copper pipe and 'drill' into it with that. Any other suggestions?

Presumably the Bortle for a location doesn't change day to day? (because it's a measure of light pollution). Is that right?

This evening I took some photos of the moon with my 90mm refractor and Canon EOS750D. The first one is at prime focus and the second two are with an eyepiece projection attachment (Plossl 9.7mm). I found it very difficult to focus using the back screen on the camera in 'live view' mode as the wobble on the mount was quite bad whenever I adjusted the focusing knob. So my hand was causing so much motion that I couldn't really tell if it was in focus until I'd made each adjustment and waited for the oscillations to die down. I had the same problem with the shutter release (so I used a 10sec delay to allow the wobble to stop). I set a -2 stop exposure adjustment Any tips very welcome!

ok, I've installed both of those. But I'm not sure what program to run now. There's something called ASCOM diagnostics, something called telescope simulator, ASCOM device hub... The LPI-G camera came with software called SkyCapture, but I don't know if that will steer the scope (I don't think so). So do I need different software for steering? Err... 😕

I have a Meade LX-90 and I want to be able to control it remotely and take photos with my LPI-G camera. Can anyone provide me with some pointers as to what software I need? I have a USB to telephone plug (which will fit in the Autostar handbox) Thanks

I tried out my new Herschel wedge today (the Lunt one with an ND3 filter) with my 90mm refractor using eyepiece projection (26mm Plossl) and my Canon EOS750D I couldn't really see any interesting features. Also found focussing quite difficult (live view mode and the camera's back screen) Suppose you have to start somewhere.. they can only get better, right? 🤣

https://clearoutside.com/ There's an iPhone app too