Anne S

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

The owners are very nice and helpful. They turned off an objectionable light which was reflecting off out motorhome. We and a friend had south-facing pitches so could image east to west.

1 hour ago, fireballxl5 said:

Do you have the details please? Hopefully I'll have this option soon🙂

We stayed at Camping Puro Alentejo, about 10 miles north of Elvas. There's also Camping Os Anjos which is near Campo Major, about 20 miles east of Puro Alentejo.

End of 2022 we stayed at Cantino da Paz which is a farmstay caravan park about 14 miles from Beja.

Anne

We spent 6 weeks in the Alentejo part of Portugal in January and February. We had clear periods but also several days of rain and periods with high level cloud. I managed 9 images, 2 of which were 2 pane mosaics, around 8 hours data for most images and at least 12 hours for each mosaic. I also did several all night sessions unattended. We have a motorhome and stayed on a small campsite where there was electric hookup.

The weather was not as good as I expected, we had the jet stream over us some of the time. It was vastly better than the permacloud we have in Wales! Were going again next year but slightly later.

Anne

10 hours ago, fireballxl5 said:

The ASI071 needs a flattener from my experience using a RC6. I now use a 533 with no such issues,  other than the usual collimation hurdles🤪

Do you bin your 533? I'm currently using a SX 694 binned 2x2 with my RC6. Gives a resolution of 1.4 arcsec/pixel and reduces the impact of the f9 focal length. One day I'll need a replacement.

48 minutes ago, TiffsAndAstro said:

That is an amazing setup. 

For my more basic setup, I just need something that can handle 3 data usb and three power usb.

Maybe just two power usb if I replace my dslr with an uncooled osc.

Are yours mounted on their scopes and if so how and how heavy are they?

I use a Beelink u59 which is 12 volt. I power it through a Pegasusastro Powerbox Advance which has 5 power and 4 usb. Mini pc doesn't have power sockets unless you go really expensive! Ie Stellarmate or PrimaluceLab. The usb is powered. I use mono ccd cameras with filter wheel, OAG, Focuscube and Mount. Though I use a double 12 volt socket adapter so the mount can be plugged into a mains extension lead via a Coleman fridge mains to 12 volt adapter along with the PPBA. I use the PPBA usb sockets first and anything remaining into the MINIPC usb.

The Beelink is attached to the PPBA using a Pegasusastro plate, the PPBA has its own brackets which I attach to the top of the tube rings as I have a small scope. The whole lot can be lifted off quickly if needed. I hope that helps. 
 

Incidentally, I also use a OSC 533 with duoband filters and uv/ir cut filters. They're also in a filterwheel, it keeps dust at bay. You will need usb and possibly 12 volt if you go that way!

Anne
 

Could the single screw in the eyepiece holder cause some newtons rings? I remove the eyepiece holder and attach my Hypercam 178 to the revealed T thread. That's the only way I can get focus! I do need to use a spacer as well as I've a Starlight focuser with very limited focus range. It's much better than the original helical focuser.

I use Astrobin quite a lot to get suggestions of exposure times and filter to use. As to sky quality, I do live in the wilds of Carmarthenshire. Unfortunately I don't have many clear nights!

As the the Iris nebula, the above is broadband. Some targets show much better like that. I'm still getting to grips with dark nebula imaging. I managed the Witch Head nebula is January but that was in the Alentejo, Portugal! I wouldn't have done that well at home. Sky conditions are key. In light polluted areas you need a light pollution filter or narrowband (duo/tri band) to use with your dslr. If you do get a tec cooled cmos osc, you'll find it makes life considerably easier. Although I use mostly CCd cameras, I do have a ASI533mc which is brilliant and only needs short exposures - less than 5 minutes - to do many targets.

A ccd camera some years with several hours using LRBG filters. As to your stars, you've a larger field of view than me so the stars should be smaller. Also the camera was mono and much more sensitive.

They're nice images. As to the Iris, lots of dust around it.

It's stretched to show the dust! Possibly a bit too much.

I use SGPro, not NINA but the process should be the same. To calibrate, I connect everything then do the calibration using Phd2. Look under Tools, I'm pretty sure that's where it is. Phd2 then more or less takes over and slews the mount to the correct place for calibration. Once finished just start your imaging in NINA. You won't be pestered with calibration error messages.

I always had an issue with calibration and the correct location. It's now really easy and quick.

Returning to calibration, I see you're using Phd2. As long as you're using pulse guiding, ie using the mount connection, you only need to recalibrate if you take down your setup. Phd2 can do the calibration for you by slewing to a good position and moving the scope to do the calibration. You don't need to do one after a meridian flip as Phd2 will adjust the corrections as it will know it's now working on the other side of the meridian.

9 hours ago, Adam J said:

There is just no way that a even a F3 would need more than 1.25 inch filters with a SX694, I strongly suspect something else was going on. As I understand it 36mm is fine and used by many people on the 26M with no issues. The only thing I can think is that you must have had the filter a long long way from the sensor. 

Adam

The focal reducer was causing some reflections from off axis stars as well but that only became apparent after I'd replaced the filters. No issues with the new filters and replacement reducer. The scope is an f7, though works at f5.53 with the reducer.

It's good to hear that the 26M should be fine with 36mm filters. I can concentrate on saving up for it!

I had a similar problem when I installed a focal reducer on my 102mm Wave some years ago. A smaller ccd, just a SX694. Completely solved with 36mm filters. When I removed the reducer everything was fine. My ccd was only 16mm diagonal though. I'd like a 26M camera some day and I'm concerned that I'd need to go up to 2 inch filters. My 694 backfocus is 17.5 approx.
 

The reducer steepens the light cone which increases the risk of vignetting.

20 minutes ago, PhilB61 said:

This comes across as utter condescending nonsense. I've no doubt there may be some advantages to Linux, I don't know and don't care. The reason Window's based systems are used by so many is that for the vast majority of people, it is accessible, it has a vast array of software and hardware options and it works! I took have been imaging for just over 3 years and like you have never lost an image or session due to a software issue. 

Obviously people do have issues, with so many users and variety of equipment and experience levels, it's inevitable whether it be Windows or Linux based.

I agree with you. I'm of an age where the first computer I encountered was one that ran using a cassette player to load programmes! I can use programmes but only if they do what they're supposed to do! I've only ever lost subs due to silly mistakes by me. The MINIPC behaved impeccably in my two astro trips this year.

I can't use ASIair as I don't use much ZWO kit and my iPolar only supports Windows at present.

14 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

I use windows 11, and TBH it’s been fine, I always have a clone drive ready to go, and exact copy which can be just booted from already fitted inside my mini PC…

I thought I'd cloned the MINIPC but I obviously hadn't done it properly! My recovery dvd didn't work either.

I've had to reinstall W11 from scratch. All went smoothly and I've got most of the auto stuff loaded on. I've also removed most of the Microsoft junk. At least I was offered the option not to sync my folders this time to one drive. I don't know if deleting it before the MINIPC failed to boot stopped it from using the recovery programmes. Let's hope this is the last time I need to repair it!

Terry often replies during the evening. We had a problem with an Ultrastar earlier this year. He sent a firmware update which I applied. Very easy.

I've got the previous model to your Lodestar Pro, only bought it in December. I'm using it unbinned with no issues. I think I'm using the Ascom driver in Phd2. Can't check as I've had to reinstall everything on the mini pc concerned! Have you installed all the latest drivers?

Years ago I used a MX716 which uses the same ccd, no issues with that either. I was using Maxim dl5 at the time and I don't recall changing anything in the driver. Have you asked Terry Platt at SX?

I know how to bring clear skies, switch my Ritchey Chretien in the dome for my Lunt50 ready for the summer! That'll make sure there's permacloud daytime and clear nights!  I like your profile picture, I want to image that but it was too far to the north in Portugal. Maybe I can do it when we go back next February.

The weather was patchy in Jan and Feb, runs of up to 5 nights interspersed with hazy or wet and windy ones. At least it stays dark longer in the Spring and Summer. It was good to escape most of our winter! When sunny temperatures got up to 19 or 29 degrees in the day time.

I've dabbled in Linux but don't really understand it. I can't use an ASIAIR as I've Starlight Xpress and Atik cameras etc. I also use SGPro for imaging. The MINIPC is used for starparties etc but my dome isn't motorised so there's no point removing to that as I need to rotate the dome. I always use an old laptop for that. I have used an active usb cable at star parties which worked well. I haven't tried that with my ASI533 as that's usb3 and may or may not work successfully. The mini pc is perfect with that.

i just wish i understood what's making the mini pc play up. It's done it two years running after a September update. This time it's different but is seemed crash when asked to copy a zip file over the house network from the laptop removing into it and then when I gave up and copied the file via a usb drive, it copied ok but then wouldn't extract it. I was just about to copy the uncompressed version when the MINIPC wouldn't let me log in and when restarted refused to boot up.

Fingers crossed it'll let me fix it tomorrow!

I cloned it last September after its last breakdown, hoping it'll be fine once I've restored it from that.

Anne