Maideneer

5 hours ago, badhex said:

I'm not sure that the scope would cause any issues here, not the issues you describe anyway! A couple of things to try:

• I believe that model comes with a wide-angle lens which won't be needed for imaging through a scope - is this still attached? I believe there's a nose piece included with no lens inside, so you should make sure the standard nosepiece is attached, not the lens
• You may eventually also need an IR cut filter as don't believe this model has one, but this won't stop you taking pictures in the first instance
• It's possible that may not be able to reach focus without an extender of some kinda although there is quite a bit of focus travel so I'm not sure this will be an issue
• Try taking some basic images/videos through the scope in the daytime, TV aerials, lamp posts etc - something easy to find

I did take the fisheye lens off and attached the nose piece, so check.

I turned that not too stable focus wheel every which way I could think of.  Basically I went to the moon, or a star, or a planet, found it and centered in my 32mm EP, unscrewed the EP and diagonal and then inserted the camera and connected to Sharpcap.  When that didn't produce anything I figured what the heck and popped in a 3x Barlow just to try it out and again, zero. Focusing manually all ways I could think of.

I think I will try the daytime thing first, that's probably the smartest thing I could do at this point.

17 hours ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

I'm going to sound a bit "agricultural " here but isn't it a case of putting the camera into the focuser and plugging the usb into the laptop , opening sharpcap and then pressing connect . It will invariably be out of focus at that point and you may have to mess with the exposure ( on the panel to the right ) . I use a QHY camera and do the same as i've described to you   

 

This was a frustrating night I must admit. It wasn’t a simple as plugging in and playing with exposure. I literally saw a black screen the whole time, no stars, no star fields, nothing. I pointed at the moon and it got brighter but still couldn’t make out a thing no matter the setting.

I ended up doing visuals only for the rest of the night and snapped a Jupiter + 4 moons from my iPhone. Quality stinks so I can’t post it here because it’s not up to any standard really lol.

My Travelscope is really proving its limitations…I suspect I can’t see a thing w/the ZWO because it’s just too much for the scope to handle. That is, unless I’m doing something outrageously wrong then I can’t imagine it could be anything else.

I’ll have to keep playing with it but have to be honest…got a bit disappointed tonight.

I don't even think it's an answer I'm looking for here, I think most of the time what I really need is a reassurance that things will be ok and to just take my time etc.  Almost like a little astro-baby that needs attention and guidance.  Sounds weird, but goes a long way boosting someone's confidence.

6 minutes ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

I'm going to sound a bit "agricultural " here but isn't it a case of putting the camera into the focuser and plugging the usb into the laptop , opening sharpcap and then pressing connect . It will invariably be out of focus at that point and you may have to mess with the exposure ( on the panel to the right ) . I use a QHY camera and do the same as i've described to you   

 

I guess that's true, I just don't want to screw anything up.  When you don't know you don't know!

8 hours ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

Hi , how about starting just looking through your scope . It’s 70mm objective lends itself to wide field views so a 25mm eyepiece will let you see objects like the Beehive cluster , double stars , and of course the moon . The Az-gti is a fantastic bit of kit that , when used correctly will take you to many objects that will be visible in your scope. The camera you have will show the moon in great detail via your pc when connected . I do understand your point though .. although I love watching reviews , it’s easy to get confused . Buy the book “Turn left at Orion”. Most people swear by it . It will help you see the capabilities of your scope . Sometimes reading is better than watching videos . 
 

Ordered the book the other day and shipment is en route!  I am halfway decent with the scope itself and know the basics of SynScan and north-aligning, so I'm ok there.  And I've gotten up to speed with all my eyepieces and their limitations and abilities so comfortable with that.

I suppose it's the camera and software that is clogging my head now.  I have no background in photography whatsoever, and here I am looking at people talking about ISO and exposure time and flats and darks and gain, binning and histograms and polar aligning and hydrogen filters processed through Autostakkert and Registax...and I'm sitting here wondering how to take a color picture🤣

Just installed my brand new ZWO 224MC and downloaded Sharpcap and ASI Studio.  I have experience in absolutely none of it 🤣 and have almost no idea how to go about any of this.  Just for reference, I have an AZ-GTi and a little Travelscope 70 which I know is the weak link in my chain.  The most I've ever done is taken a picture with my iPhone through an eyepiece so this is understandably daunting.  I've watched every Youtube tutorial I can think of (I almost feel more lost after that because of info overload) so I think the best thing I can do for myself now is just get out there and see what I can or can't do.

Figured I'd ask here first though...what the hell do I do haha?!

1 minute ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

I did use them in that order.

I suppose I could play with it to see what works best.  Often times, I feel like I have to get too rigid with the operations aspect of things and then I remind myself that trial-and-error is a wonderful thing.

48 minutes ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

"Making Every Photon Count" has very little to say about planetary imaging.

A C8 or C9.25 would do nicely for planetary imaging. While an Edge HD would be very nice, IMHO you don't need this  for planetary imaging as the actual fields of view you will be working with are very small (except for the moon).

Likewise you may not need a CGEM II - the mount requirements for planetary imaging are not exacting, and I found I could get images with the alt-azimuth SE mount which were just as good as with a CPC fork mount.  But the SE is awful to use for imaging while the CPC is very pleasant to use - easy to set up, rock steady, low backlash.  If you do not intend to do deep sky long exposure imaging, you can dispense with an equatorial mount and also dispense with the aggro of polar alignment, meridian flips etc.

If you do intend to image galaxies.  the EDGE HD and CGEM II will be more appropriate.  Be warned that by all accounts imaging small galaxies with a SCT is NOT a beginner activity. (and check the price of a EDGE HD focal reducer 🙁).

 

As for cameras and workflow, for planets use an ASI224MC + ZWO ADC, and capture .ser files with Sharpcap and process with Registax6.  For DSOs, I don't even try using a SCT.

Right so you make great points here.  The reasoning for the CGEM/SCT is because I want the future flexibility to get more into AP if I choose and not have to go back to the planning board and re-buy another scope, mount etc.  So it's my sort of hedging the bet here on the front end in case I eventually change my mind.

The 224 is in my cart as we speak but thanks for the ADC note, didn't know that existed.  For this instance, what would connect to what?  224->Barlow (if used)->ADC->Scope?

I'm going to order that today, many thanks for that.

I currently have my humble little set-up so far (see signature) as I try to learn the basics of things and so far I have to say I'm getting pretty good.  I can align my mount/scope in 90 seconds but as you can see I'm only working with beginner level equipment and taking some crude pics from an iPhone through whatever EP I have attached at that moment.  So far I've seen all the popular beginner stuff - Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Moon, Polaris, Arcturus, Vega, you get the idea.

As I continue on this journey, I do believe I have my eyes set on some things to get to the next level.  I think I've settled my AP intentions as the following - I want to do planetary & lunar imaging mainly with a light touch every now and again on DSO (M16, M51, M101) but nothing groundbreaking, intense or obscure.

The problem I face now is that I feel very overwhelmed with how to proceed and I need some kind of support to bring me back down to the ground and explain things to me like I'm a 2-year old.  It's interesting, I didn't just jump into the most expensive/biggest/best end of the pool which I have seen tends to happen to beginners...but the more research I do and the more knowledge I (think) I gain, the more lost I feel.  I almost have information overload where the things I have studied over and over again begin to not make sense and since I have no practical application of these products yet, they remain as just theory to me until I take the plunge.

I know that I want a Celestron 8 or 9.25 EdgeHD on a CGEM II - that much I have solid
But as far as all of the other accessories and necessities, I feel almost lost because of this info overload I'm experiencing.  I do think I want to go down the ZWO path though, they seem popular and reliable.

I'd appreciate if someone could guide me and let me know exactly what the hell I need to get started in AP according to the parameter I mentioned above.  Guiders, focusers, cameras, ASI Air's, Registax, etc etc - I almost feel like I need to see a workflow charted out in front of me to see exactly how things connect to where and what they do.  I'm trying to avoid making expensive trial-and-error mistakes and I feel my brain has turned to goop. Cheers.

5 minutes ago, Astro Noodles said:

This is a very silly thread. Does SGL always get this silly in the summer months?

Look - no one in the UK should go armed to their preferred dark site, or anywhere else for that matter. There are no dangerous wild animals, and no-one is going to rob you for your astro kit. Robbers want cash or things they can sell quickly, not high end scientific equipment with a limited market.

In other countries where there are bears, wolves and other wild animals, the situation may be different. Those people should probably contact their local wildlife authorities for advice as to what is considered sensible.

It is interesting what obstacles there are for astronomers around the world. Here I'm mostly concerned about the cloudy weather and light pollution. I have enough of a job just getting my kit to work, so I am glad I don't need to worry about what wild animal is stalking me or the armed maniac lurking in the bushes.🙂

I didn't mean for anything to get silly, but as I'm learning this is a very UK-centric board where there's not much to worry about.  Seeing as I'm not from the UK, I wasn't aware those lands were blessed with the privilege of such a level of safety.  Over around these parts, there sure is a larger variety of harmful animals.  Loose bears, fox, raccoons (which are rabid), deer, coyotes, etc. + human beings when let's face it, after midnight the only ones out and about isn't little 5-year-old Sally walking her poodle.

Didn't realize it was such a silly question to more experienced people who may have had further insight, my apologies.

54 minutes ago, The Lazy Astronomer said:

😨

Or perhaps something else that will make a similarly loud bang to scare them off?

I'll bring my wife

7 hours ago, Stu said:

I’m guessing the OP is more worried about animal interference than human. I. The U.K. that’s not something we need to worry about; being mauled (well, grunted at) by a marauding hedgehog is the worst that’s happened to me!

I think US based members are most likely to be of help here but please note we are not a gun forum and are family friendly! 👍👍

I've had run-ins or near run-ins with both lately.  And thanks, I wasn't specifically referring to guns but more of anything else really...mace / pepper spray, a hunting knife, etc etc

From the sounds of it, many are saying wild animals are not a UK problem, is that really true?  I presumed most of every country has issues with whatever is local to them.  I know around my area, coyotes are sometimes a problem, there have been reports of stray bears roaming around, definitely lots of deer, and who knows what else.

I do appreciate the other advice though about joining a club and going in packs, that's a good idea.  My problem is I am a bit of an introvert and suffer from some social anxiety, so sometimes I have trouble being with other people and I figured astronomy was a good hobby for loner types like myself.

I’ve sat in my new found favorite field for many hours now, and the things I hear around me can be terrifying lol. Coyotes, weird howling, shrieking, buzzing etc. Hell, even people show up sometimes and have no idea I’m sitting there…that’s worrisome to me in case they see a dark shadow moving and decide to investigate.

I guess it depends where you are but does anyone utilize some level of personal protection when out in the field? I want to make sure I’m not being paranoid and this is like a totally legitimate thing to do.

There was finally a clear night last night so I took my little TS70 out to the best dark site I could find (I'm in Bortle 6) and did some stargazing at first.  Once 1-2am rolled around, Saturn and Jupiter came up and I managed to view those objects for the very first time by myself and I even snapped a few photos of both (dreadfully horrible pics using only an iPhone because that's all I have right now).

What is amazing to me is when you're doing general stargazing, the amount of distant "shooting star" and/or "comets" you come across that blaze across your FOV in the blink of an eye. The fun part is attempting to grab your mount controls in time and trying to manually follow it before it disappears.

11 minutes ago, Stu said:

I don’t see too much benefit in getting the 40mm. It would give you an exit pupil of 7mm vs 5.6 for the 32mm, but to be honest the 32mm is probably all you need unless using narrowband filters like an OIII. Which other eyepieces do you have?

I've got my 32mm Omni Plossl, 8-24mm Zoom, 20mm stock Plossl, 10mm stock Plossl, a 3x Barlow, and 2.3 X-Cel for some newbie impulse reason smh

I don't yet have a 40mm EP but do have a 32mm EP and wondering if there is a substantially large difference between them (yes I know, 8 mm ha ha ha).  Going to AstonomyTools site I can't notice that much of a change between them but would appreciate some insight from those who have used both.  I'm operating a little Travelscope 70 + AZ-GTi mount (for now).

I'm not some big environmentalist nor am I indifferent to the destruction of the earth, but I'm having two, old dead trees removed from my backyard tomorrow and my very first thought was "what a fabulous opportunity, now I'll have the ability to view more of the sky" but I also maybe want to plant a couple trees somewhere to offset the loss.

Has anyone ever PURPOSELY removed bushes and trees at home purely for astronomy purposes?

I got a better follow-up shot the other day and processed it slightly through Photoshop. So much to learn!

8 hours ago, StevieDvd said:

Okay based on the responses above it does seem that the firmware can be changed to allow the scope to be mounted on the right-hand side. Easy to test this theory with your mount have the scope pointing north but the mount 180 degress than you had it in the video. That would put your finderscope on top and hopefully align properly. If that works but you want to mount as stated earlier (scope on left) then a firmware flash should resolve that.

By the love of all things holy I think I got it. I updated ALL firmware once again which was step 1. Step 2 was doing as you said so that I reversed the position of the scope again so that the finder scope was on top. It’s a partly cloudy night so I can’t see Polaris or Vega but I can see Arcturus which is good enough.

I attempted to North align to Polaris and Vega so I did that blind and hoped for the best. The first good sign was that the scope started to point to the sky rather than the ground. After I “aligned” it I directed the scope to pointer Arcturus which I could see still and off it went and successfully pointed there. Next I went to try Dubhe and once again it worked.

I can’t thank you enough for your help and I’m going to try it again once it’s another clear night just to confirm everything is OK but this is leaps and bounds better than where I was for the first 2 weeks with this mount. Cheers to you and to you all!

Thanks all. I’ve created a video to hopefully show you exactly what is happening.

I’m on an iPhone - iOS 14.6 so it’s the latest

On 27/05/2021 at 09:53, StevieDvd said:

With the mount in front of you, like in your picture and with a scope fitted on the left-side and facing away from you. Level the scope and point the telescope North (use a compass). So your picture the arrow is pointing West, not North.

 

See here where there is a video to explain all this and more.

Steve

Another frustrating night tonight. Something is definitely wrong with a certain setting and for the life of me I cannot figure this out. Essentially what is happening is that when I attempt to align anything, let’s say doing a north level alignment I balance my scope out and point it north (I use a compass app to make certain).

I tell the mount to point to Vega for example, and it proceeds to head in an entirely different direction and starts pointing down to the ground, almost like it’s inverting the Altitude axis thinking it’s pointing at the sky when in reality it’s looking at the grass.

I literally have zero idea how to troubleshoot this and don’t know where to turn.

4 minutes ago, NGC 1502 said:

I find seated observing suits me fine, far less tiring for long sessions, I personally feel that more can be seen with a steadier head.  However some find that seated observing doesn’t work for them.

If you could say what type of telescope you use that’s relevant and affects what type of seat is good.  For my Dobsonian scopes I use an adjustable height drummers stool.  I have several Dobs and having adjusted the stool height for that scope then no further adjustment is needed for that session.

For my refractor I need a different seat height according to whether I’m observing at a high or low altitude. When observing overhead the eyepiece is low to the ground.  I use one of the many dedicated astronomy seats that can rapidly be adjusted for height.

Hope that helps, Ed.

I have a little 70mm refractor (for now) until I upgrade to an EdgeHD at some point.  I feel like I could grab any sort of chair for now as a budget option because what I'm noticing in the marketplace is that as soon as you slap on a label of "astronomy", it's license to triple the price because there are a certain sector of people that will automatically buy into the idea because it's marketed that way.  This happens in a lot of industries mind you :).

But a drummer stool is a good idea!

Let's have a seat, friends.  I believe this falls under the category of "Equipment" but I don't see it talked about much.

Are there such things as ergonomic seats/benches/stools made just for telescope observing? Can anyone recommend something nice that you have used over the years or has a simple white hard plastic porch chair served you well?

I'd like to observe in relative comfort but being new to this hobby I haven't yet found anything that works for me.

1 minute ago, StevieDvd said:

 

Don't be so harsh on yourself, there is little in the manuals to explain how to do this with an AZ-Gti.

The only text in the synscan that helps a bit for new owners is:

 

HOME POSITION OF AN ALT-AZIMUTH MOUNT:

• Mount tripod is leveled as indicated by its bubble level
• The telescope tube is leveled and points to true north

By this one could assume that the telescope could be on your left or right as long as it points true north. Hopefully the mount software can handle that. However, I used the illustrations in the manual which show the scope on the left just in case that's the only side that works.

Eq mode is easier in this respect.

 

I guess I missed that bit and here I thought I read through it all.  I am thinking about getting the counterweight bar and transforming to EQ with it since I downloaded the new firmware anyway.  Maybe I'll just try these methods first before I keep spending money🙂