Anne S

Once you've focused it as well as possible at the start and started the focus run, Nina will move the focuser out until the star size is around 5. The actual tun than moves in and measures focus until it goes though the best point and continues until the focus numbers are hopefully the same as the start number. It basically overshoots focus point. At the end it will move to the best focus point which is why your backlash is important as the focuser will have changed direction both at the start of the run and the finish. You should get a smooth v shaped curve in the graph.

I always apply gradient removal processes as soon as possible stacking. Then I apply SPCC followed by BlurXterminator. That's for mono imaging. If colour I unlink the colour channels before SPCC. I don't think there's any benefit in applying SPCC twice. I haven't used MSG much as I've not got any data to play with, no clear skies since October!

I spoke to the Widescreen Centre last week. I ordered one mid August. Simon told me that 3 shipments will be coming and that I'm one of the earlier pre-orders. So hopefully mine will turn up shortly.

Altair now do a tilt adjuster on their website. Some of their cameras now ship with one attached, particularly the larger sensor ones. I have one on my Starlight Xpress ccd camera but I've never touched it. Tilt can also be caused by having the focuser a long way out. It's better to fit a spacer. Having a filterwheel normally uses up space. I even use one with my asi533 colour camera because I use duoband filters with it.

Darkclearskies has a discount on the Poseidon model.

The only issue with Ioptron mounts generally is that the newer ones all come shipped for low latitude. They need the adjustment bolts moving to the higher position. At least the CEM and Gem ones do! It's a bit of a pain but after that PA is really easy. Particularly with an iPolar, which is now included in the new mounts.

Ioptron's HEM15 is the closest but you've only got strainwave on the ra axis. Belt on the Dec axis. Otherwise the Cem40 and GEM45 are around £1700. I'm really happy with my CEM40. It needs counterweights though. The only subs I've lost in the last year were due to high level clouds. When clear, I get to stack all subs. Anne

RASA scopes seem really good at collecting dust! Lovely images. Anne

I suggest the spacer should be between camera and filterwheel. That'll have the maximum effect. I assume your camera end of the filterwheel is m42. You've much more space to do it than I have. I had to change my reducer and flattener adapters to fit in the OAG. I have an original filterwheel with external OAG.

I've just re-read your first post. You said you had long streaks. I've had those too but it guided fine. It s because it's getting the distortions from the edge of the refractor lenses. Have you adjusted the prism height? It can go lower which will improve the guider skies. Just make sure it's not causing a shadow in the main camera light path.

No, I've used it at 1370 on my Ritchey Chretien without anything else, using the midi fw. Also both with a flattener and a reducer with a 80 mm refractor but that was with the original fw. I did have blobby stars with the flattener, focus was better with the reducer. But guiding was fine with all three. is the Qhy camera sensitive enough? I had issues with a SX superstar, I replaced it with a secondhand lodestar for my travelling setup. I did roughly focus in daytime first.

I've the same setup except for the guidecam. I was advised by Starlight Xpress a while ago that you need 7mm difference between main and guidecam. In my case my SXVR H694 is 17.5 ish and my guidehead is 12.5 ish. The guidecam is as far down its stalk as it can get. Whats the backfocus of your guidecam?

At least Sheringham and Cromer are lower than Kelling. Also in the yellow field there are trees to the north and east. I imaged on Saturday night and the only issue is Holt expanding. Also rugby on Thursdays!

We're going. Pitch yellow 149.

I'm a member of Swansea astronomy club even though it's a 100 mile round trip to attend. But we meet fortnightly most of the year and monthly in the Summer. I could do zoom but I don't think there's much point in belonging to a club if you can't talk to people. Zoom is more suited to official meetings where everyone speaks through the chair. I'm sure there should be a club in Somerset. Maybe do an online search, there are also lists in astronomy magazines. Anne

I haven't imaged since early March and that was in north Norfolk. I've even had problems with solar imaging. It's cloudy almost all the time here and drizzling. For full disclosure, I bought a new AA 80mm Wave refractor in March............ Anne

Nice image, I must try some more dusty stuff! How come you had that much clear sky? I'm halfway switching from solar to deep sky but it's been raining all day so I can't install the night time imaging equipment! Hopefully tomorrow..... Anne

I make the back focus of the top example 56mm. That would assume 3mm thick filters. How thick are your filters? I allow 0.7 for Baader. As it's an APS-c camera the bf would have to be very close to the 55mm. Also, have you allowed for the connections between the imaging items? They may not fit together exactly. The other solution is to get BlurXterminator to correct the stars! Assuming you've also got Pixinsight.....

I've a Feathertouch single speed on mine, though I'd like to upgrade it to dual speed one day. It's the short draw tube 1.25 inch one.

It was fun. Though Saturday wasn't particularly sunny. It was nice to see all the expensive kit! My best image was one with a Quark and 80mm refractor. I also took one with a Herschel Wedge and G band filter with the same scope.

I upgraded to a single speed Feathertouch focuser. The eyepiece tube on the focuser unscrews and reveals a t2 thread. I use an Altairastro hypercam178 to screw in but you can use a c to t2 adapter to attach a guide camera instead. You can add a t2 spacer to bring the focus position to the centre of the focuser range. I found I was focused fully out to start with. Or a moonlight focuser.

Has anyone run a Canon 650d and Skyguider Pro rig with APT installed on a Mele pc stick? I only need APT to control the DSLR and do platesolving? Once platesolved the coordinates will be sent to Cartes du Ciel to give me a visual guide as to where the Skyguider Pro is pointing. At the moment I'm not guiding, though I might in the future. If so, how much memory and disk space would I need? I have considered using Astroberry or an ASIair mini but my Skyguider has an internal iPolar which would need a laptop for polar alignment. Also I've considered trying an Ioptron iMate as that allows a iPolar server to run so I can polar align using an iphone. Anne

That's a lovely image. I must add the object to my imaging list. Anne

I find Clearoutside overestimates the various cloud levels. I suspect Scopenights gets their data from the Met office which only counts thicker cloud. Sat24 shows what's actually up there!

Nice, I've also got a RC6. I've just changed the original focuser for a Baader Diamond Steeltrack and Sesto Senso focus motor. I use mine at 1370mm, which reducer are you using? I managed a Ring nebula and a Tulip nebula last year but haven't done anything this year, partly due to the weather and a long Astro trip to Portugal. Did a few galaxies early last year. Anne