Maideneer

Probably below 20 degrees was my problem so I'm going to start there. Collimation is perfect! I actually have my scope & mount always sitting in the garage so it's constantly used to the humidity and atmosphere of the outside world. I do in fact take videos as you say, SER files through Sharpcap and then stack with AS3. Appreciate the tips, I'll work on it!

Hi gang, I'm only an intermittent year into AP so I don't have too much experience yet but I do ok with planetary imaging which is where my focus is right now. I operate a C925HD with an ASI224. On my image train, I've got my 224 going into an ADC which goes into a 2X Celestron X-Cel LX with an IR/UV Cut threaded in + a flip mirror. It's really the first time I'm using a barlow for AP so I wasn't sure if I was doing things right. It was a perfectly clear night out but Saturn kept coming out blurry, I must have focused and refocused a hundred times, even used a Bahtinov on a star and then slewed back over just to make sure. I'm guessing the seeing wasn't great as it was very humid out, but isn't that any summer night really? Of course I know barlows affect birghtness so I had to pump the gain a little bit, but focusing proved impossible. From my understanding, you want 5 times the pixel size of the camera to get an optimal performance out of my focal ratio (native f/10). So the ASI224MC has 3.75 micron pixels, so I should be aiming to produce a focal ratio of around 5x3.75 = f/18.75. My 2x barlow basically achieves that...wonderful, great! I just don't know if the 2X I'm using is of a good enough quality or if I was doing something else wrong. Would this famed Powermate I always hear about improve quality by a large degree? If it does, the 1.25" version they have is a 2.5X which would make my focal ratio f/25, way surpassing the 18.75 that if generally optimal for my setup, is that ok? But they do have a 2" version with a 1.25" adapter that is 2X and not 2.5X, which would bring things down back to f/20 again which is closer to the range I need (I think). Not sure how to proceed and I could use advice. I'm not the most technical person on earth, so try not to get too into the weeds with technical info please. Side note - I think I need a new IR/UV filter, the glass is loose on mine so I think it dislodged...advice on a decent one of these would help me too.

I have the same scope and cam as you. Tried Jupiter tonight as well, but it's much smaller. Are you using a 2x or 3x?

Thanks for that link! On a side note, the article is dated from June 2010 and the last sentence reads "...and the Webb telescope will be heading out to L2 in the near future." lol I guess in astronomical terms, 11 years is a speck of sand.

I read somewhere that there is no chance to ever do repairs to the unit once launched. Can someone smarter than me please explain why that is?

Thank you all. I just registered on the Cloudy Nights forum, I didn't realize they were US Based. I do have the photon book, I'm just not a very strong reader...retaining information that way is difficult. I'd like to think I've made good progress over the course of about 9-10 months with some of the basics, but I haven't even touched guiding softwares or scopes or cams yet, it seems very daunting. And even though I've obtained many gadgets along the way like motor focusers and flip mirrors and an ADC and whatnot, those don't seem quite as overwhelming as effectively doubling my set-up would be by guiding. I make it seem like the roadblock here is all guiding and it certainly isn't, there's plenty other stuff to learn I just don't know where to start and in what order. The journey continues, but advice here is very valuable to me.

What does that mean you ask? What I mean is someone who is more experienced than me in AP and in gear knowledge that I can have live Zoom/Facetime chats with so I can learn. Someone who is naturally a teacher at heart and doesn't mind potentially silly questions but also someone that can speak in plain English and not get too techy or down the very deep rabbit hole of numbers and equations and whatnot. I'd like to "be with" someone as they are actually doing imaging of M31 or some other target because that's something I have zero idea how to do or where to start and it's easier than typing typing typing typing all the time. Once one question is answered on a message board, a whole new set of questions appears, and then it's back to typing typing typing hoping for an answer and you don't know what you don't know so more than likely one isn't even sure if they are asking the right kind of questions. As for myself, I've gotten pretty decent at planetary imaging so not a total newbie but still, I have no guiding equipment, have no knowledge of guiding software, don't have any idea where to begin. Lost but eager. A buddy system would be amazing - the real challenge is the time zone thing. I'm US CST based and lots of you are UK based, so while it's nighttime for you I'm still in my office working on budgets *le sigh* I feel like a lot of hesitant newbies would benefit from something like this and I feel like it brings people closer together. Being a natural introvert, a large group setting like an astronomy club isn't always an option and there are so many good and qualified people here anyway, I feel like the population to draw from here is a better option. Not sure what the experienced user would get out of it though, not much knowledge really...maybe just a new friend. Anyway, just trying to share some thoughts as we continue on through this digital age - perhaps trying to see if some of us can extend beyond the actual message board a little bit

Interesting you say that, the Thousand Oaks website says their filters will not break or scratch...false advertising?

Thanks, took a look. Wow, glass ones are totally sold out. I saw a Youtube video that mentions Thousand Oaks Astro makes these too, I'll try them.

Long ago someone told me the supplied EP's were plossls too but I don't actually know if they are. 5 pounds is cheap so it won't hurt but if I were you I would try to find a better diagonal. The one supplied isn't great.

I think Celestron used to produce a filter for this size scope but no longer does. Does anyone know of a manufacturer that produces a solar filter for this size aperture? NOTE: Please, please don't tell me to DIY one. I can barely put together IKEA furniture 😂

I know you got it pre-owned, but did your scope not come with that 10mm EP as well as a 20mm one?

Great pic! I have so many questions for you lol. 1) You really only captured at 35ms? Mine was all the way up to around 800ms! 2) I'm so hesitant to use my ADC right now. I just wish there was a smoother way. Any adjustment or touch as you know can get the object out of view in a heartbeat. So I didn't use one here. Do you find it hard to use? 3) Do your raw files capture the planet as white in color?

I want to know why I can spend $4,000 on a tube and mount and they can't even have the decency to throw in an AC adapter.

In truth I processed it to look this way, maybe it's just because I'm not good at what I'm doing yet the object appeared totally white to me rather than that blue with the white cap. RGB Balance in Registax is to thank here lol.