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Showing results for tags 'skywatcher'.
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Hi all This will hopefully be the new thread for all things regarding the skywatcher Az Gti mount. Please share anything you think is relevant or ask any questions regarding this stunning and very capable mount. I'm hoping that this will become the central hub for this mount and the place to come to for advice, help, information and knowledge for the Az Gti. Share your images of your mount and set up along with images captured or experiences observing with it. I've owned mine since May this year and use it with my sw 72ed ds pro, asi air pro, zwo asi294mc pro (used to use a canon 600d) in EQ mode. Even though its mot meant for astrophotography it sure can pull out some brilliant performances. I live in a 1st floor flat and portability is key for me and the goto functionality is a godsend to setup quickly. So feel free to ask anything and other az gti owners can help and advise.
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Hi guys, having fallen in love with my 130pds, and seeing that I'm not the only one recently, I was thinking it would be nice if we posted our images made with a 130pds here. It gives a nice reference point as well, as to what could be achievable (with better guiding, better camera, better weather...). Well, here goes:
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hello, I am new here and nee to this hobby 😁A few weeks ago I bought my first scope. the skywatcher explorer 150pds. And now I am thinking to buy a barlow lens/eyepiece for visual and later on for astrophotography. I saw in a youtube video about how you can calculate the max magnification and stuff: it's a 6inch, which mean 6 x 50=300x so my max magnification is 300x telescope fc is 750mm and the eyepiece I have is a 28mm so 750/28= 26,78.... so it is okay to get the 5x barlow? because 26,78.. x 5 = 133,9x ? (if I use the 28mm eyepiece) I was thinking to get an another eyepiece (this one: https://www.amazon.nl/gp/product/B07Z64NK65/ref=sw_img_1?smid=A3ICDZYF91YIY1&th=1 ) + 2x barlow lens OR this one ( SVBONY SV170 1.25" Eyepiece Zoom Eyepiece FMC Green Film Zooeye for Telescope (10-30mm) https://amzn.eu/d/5pJSPrj ) - Is this a good eyepiece to get? and can I use this eyepiece on my telescope? Which one do you recommend? - Does the size of the eyepiece influence the visual and for astrophotography? - Do you guys have any advice what I should get? I am really looking for to get in deeper in this hobby Sorry for my poor english language, english is not my first language 😁 thankyou! -
Hello again, After a lot of you gave me some good suggestions for what my first scope should be someone had suggested the Skywatcher a heritage 130p. I just wanted to know if anyone has had this scope and would to share your opinion/experience with it. I was looking something portable and under £200 and this seems to fit. But when scopes are usually this cheap sometimes they don’t perform that well. Also I wanted to ask is having a open tube a problem for dew etc. Many Thanks, Ps (here is the original post if you have anymore suggestions) someone had mentioned
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Yep, you've guessed it! Fumbling around in the dark and I got the polarity wrong. You never think you are going to be that person, until you are... I've fixed the cause of the issue by upgrading my power supply this morning - stable door after the horse and all that. Rather annoying since I haven't used the kit for a couple of years, and am rekindling my interest following a fascinating day at PAS2023. Anyway, I digress. It's pretty hard to faultfind the board properly, as i sold my handset years ago, relying on a Lynx Astro cable for communications. Which was fine until it wasn't. ASCOM now rather predicatably has a comms error with the mount. However, now it's broken, obviously i'm not getting comms with the mount, and the power LED doesn't light up, which from what I've read is a clue. I've stripped down the mount and have the input board and control board on my bench, and I'm tracing the power through the system - I found an old thread where @malc-c went through this same saga - your posts were fascinating and awfully helpful, thank you. In particular, i've inspected the two 470uF capacitors - they look ok, but I'll dig through my spares box and see if I can find some since I've probably got some lying about. I've checked conductivity across all the resistors and inductors, and everything seems fine, so far. Except obviously it isn't! I've got another board on order, as it's been twenty years since my electronics degree, so i'm not too hopeful, but I'd love to fix this one if I can. My plan: Replace the two big capacitors (C41 and C3, by Jumper 1) See if it works (unlikely!). Any other likely culprits to hit next? A schematic would be useful if anyone knows where to find one, so I can trace the power through the board until it stops... Thanks, Jim- 13 replies
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This is my first 'play' with my new AZ-GTi mount to check out it's tracking in EQ mode. The camera is a Nikon 800E set at 1250 iso, lens is a 70-200 f2.8 G series zoom set to 200mm & f3.2. No filters used. The image is a stack of 11x 30 second subs combined in PI and processed in PI for colour. "nd image added or the area around M81 / M82 same processing with the exception of RC's Blur and Noise XT routines run on final images. First quarter moon within 90° (guessed). I have cropped the outer parts of the frame as there was signs of coma in the images although I was pleased that the tracking appeared good. No dither. My set-up was to level the top of the tripod horizontally then put the tripod pan & tilt head on the tripod, level that horizontally too. I then put the AZ-GTi with the camera and lens on a photo tripod placing it with weights down pointing north, switched on the live view on the camera making sure the grid was visible on the screen and centred Polaris using just the vertical and rotational movements of the pan & tilt head, magnifield the view to centre and focus polaris and lack the tripod head movements. The AZ-GTi will operate off WiFi so I used that to set goto and a set of exposures.
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Hi all, Looking to upgrade my mount currently AZ GTI and I've narrowed it down to these 2 but I don't know enough about the GEM28 to make a fair comparison. So if anyone has any experience with both your views are welcome. I'm currently using WO ZS73III and a canon 550d modded but am in the process of getting a ZWO 183mc Pro so my pixel scale is changing from 2.06" to 1.15" so getting the best guiding is my main concern. I use NINA for all of my needs PA, imaging plate solving etc and use the pegasus pocket powerbox advance v2 to minimise cables running down from the mount. Thanks in anticipation Andrew
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Evening all, wondering if the black dots in my polarscope are normal? I've googled dirty reticle safely and didn't find any comparisons 😬 Just wondering if this is etched on the glass and if not should I request a new one or clean it somehow... what's your thoughts? They don't rotate as you focus the reticle brand new S-W eqm-35 pro setup yesterday 🤔
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Thanks to FLO for my new ED150 DS Pro received on Wednesday. I was aware @John was down to test one so I delayed posting for a bit plus the delivery brought the clouds. I will post my initial findings and thoughts and top up as I go. I own or have owned an ED80 and an ED 120 but I no longer have the latter to do an objective comparison. The first feedback applies to the outer packaging. As discovered by others it is inadequate for the item. In my case the outer packaging was ruptured at the pressure points under the narrow white plastic wrap bands. I imagine the bands are used along the supply chain to manoeuvre the package. The gross weight is 26kg so it’s difficult to manhandle for an individual. Fortunately, the flight case was in perfect condition and hopefully has protected the contents. SW could learn from Lunt and double box their items. The flight case itself is typical SW and has considerable strength and weight. There is a lot of unused space though, with cut outs ready for a significant number of accessories which I can only assume is for another market. My version has the OTA, an M48 Canon EOS adapter (why?) and a threaded adaptor to allow connection to the draw tube. that’s it, no diagonal, EP, finder etc like other Pro offerings. The OTA weighs just over 9kg which is the same as my SCT 9.25 but unlike the latter is much easier to handle as it’s a lot narrower. So attaching it to my AZ EQ 6 is a doddle. I have to be sure to carry it level because like every other SW I have owned the objective end cap is loose so tilt the OTA and it falls off. I usually add a bit more felt to solve the issue. i was lucky to have about an hour of clear dark sky last night so was keen to do a star test for obvious reasons if you have read @John ‘s thread. The eagle eyed among you will have seen that the focuser is essentially fixed and has no provision for easy rotation during a session so one needs to rely on rotating the diagonal. My Moonlite which can be switched between the 80 and 120 does not fit the 150 so I eagerly await the adaptor ?. I used my ES 82’ 4.7mm EP on Altair to run an initial star test. The CA profile has been well covered by @John and my experience is almost identical including the slight hexagonal appearance in some situations. In my case the in focus and in and out focus transitions revealed absolutely perfect collimation. A big sigh of relief there. Interestingly I had placed the scope outside for about an hour at roughly 21 degrees but the initial star test was too unsteady but 20 minutes later it was very steady. Using in addition to the 4.7 my ES 14 and 20mm eps i moved on to look quickly at some targets such As Iota Cass which was clearly defined as a triple with distinctive colour ranges, M27 which had a typical grainy appearance very similar to the view in the SCT and M81 and M82. Considering it was not astronomical darkness the dark centre of M82 was very well defined. The best view though was of M57. The detail in the ring was dramatic and high mag was easily tolerated. I must have stared at it for 15 minutes. I tried the Blinking PN in Cygnus and although a small target even with the 4.7 the brightness was remarkable and the structures defined. By now I was tired but tonight and tomorrow look good so I will try and post more findings from a visual perspective. Just to say that the mount had no trouble at all in swinging this beast around and I didn’t even need to do a new alignment from the last session with all targets centred in the EP when using the Synscan database. i must say I’m quite chuffed and a big thanks to FLO for excellent communication on this item.
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Hi, I'm new here but I have a decent grip on the basics of astronomy. I currently have a 70mm EQ mount which I've gotten to known pretty well and I now feel comfortable using EQ mounts. I've decided that I want to get a Skywatcher 200P, but there are many options. Do I want a normal or DS focuser? Do I need to get a heavier HEQ5 mount? Basically I have 4 questions that I'm hoping you can answer: Do I need the DS version? I haven't started to do any AP yet, but I might be interested in doing it in the future. Apparently the mirror is closer in the DS, but if that's so why is the focal ratio still the same? Do I need to get the heavier but more sturdy HEQ5 that comes with motors and a GOTO pad? Do you think I would need a GOTO option instead of just a motor on the equatorial axes? Is it really that necessary to find dimmer objects? If I get a GOTO mount, and this may seem like a very silly question, can I still use it manually? If I turn it off, can I still track and move the telescope around without damaging the motors or gears? Here's a link to the HEQ5 version: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-200pds-heq5-pro.html Thanks alot!
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Hello everyone, I just found a second hand NEQ6-Pro, in good conditions (with transport bags etc), paired with a Meade SCT 200 EMC (the old version). The price is interesting but I don't know if the Meade will be good for AP, I will sell it if not. My main concern is about the tracker. Is it any good for AP? I own at the moment a SW 72ED, and will probably upgrade one day for something a little better in terms of IQ, but I know I will not go for really heavy stuff, the payload probably wont be an issue for the NEQ6-Pro. So what are your thoughts about the mount in terms of AP? Thank you PS: heavy duty mounts such as the HEQ-5, EQ6 etc. are really difficult to find in second hand at the moment (and I'm on a budget). -
Hi everyone, I'm using for the first time PHD2 and after connecting my mount and guide camera (Star Adventurer pro + ZWO 30mm f/4 + Orion Starshoot autoguider), the calibration process fails all the time. I've watched Peter Zelinka's tutorial, but in the end, after 60 west steps, I always get the same "the star didn't move enough" message. Why does phd2 wants the star to move anyway? isn't having stars as still as possible the purpose of guiding?🤯 I must obviously be too much of a dummy to be able to use a program called Press Here Dummy 😅😤
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Hello everyone. Bit of a niche request for my first post, but is anyone using the ZWO EAF focuser on the standard Crayford type 150/750 Sky-Watcher Newtonian? The focuser is stated as being compatible only with Sky-Watcher's astrophotography OTAs with their dual-speed focuser, but I can't see why that is except perhaps that ZWO assume you wouldn't do imaging with the standard tube - whereas it works fine with my Nikon D750. I'm intending to get one but seeking reassurance it will work. I've seen this video: it's on a bigger OTA by the looks of it, but the focuser looks the same as mine (in French, but very clear even if you don't speak it): -
Hi Everyone, I'm in need of basic help with my equipment. I have auto-guided before and I am struggling to connect. I have a Star adventurer pro, a orion starshoot autoguider, Canon 600D and I've downloaded PHD2. I did all the connections but, when I start the program, it just doesn't see my guide camera and it doesn't seem to have the star adventurer as an option in the mounts. I am a total beginner and also absolutely useless with computers and technology in general, so please be patient with me 😅 Thanks in advance for any sort of help
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From the album: Slynxx Learning Curve
5 x 5min Lights2 x 5min DarksFlatsBiasISO 800Canon 75-300mm EF (@300mm) Canon 700DSkywatcher Star Adventurer M45 was pretty low on the horizon here in the UK. Quick alignment & shoot before the clouds rolled in. -
From the album: CCD venture
A h-alpha and OIII shot of the Wizard nebula NGC7380. Processed to resemble the hubble palette colour scheme. ED80 - ATK16HR - Ha clip filter - EQ6 - finderguider 9x50mm PhD2 - photoshop - DSS. -
From the album: CCD venture
A h-alpha shot of the pelican nebula in Cygnus. 2 x panel mosaic. 10 min subs. 9 x 10m + 9x10m stacks stitched together in ms ICE. ED80 - ATK16HR - Ha clip filter - EQ6 - finderguider 9x50mm PhD2 - photoshop - DSS. -
From the album: CCD venture
A h-alpha shot of the Wall section of NGC7000 aka north america nebula. ED80 - ATK16HR - Ha clip filter - EQ6 - finderguider 9x50mm PhD2 - photoshop - DSS.© 2016JayBird
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From the album: Slynxx Learning Curve
First proper try at capturing M31 30 x 75 sec Light Frames 10 x Dark Frames Canon 700D (Un-modded) Canon EF 75-300 ISO 1600 Stacked using Photoshop & the Median stacking process.-
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Hi All, First post in SGL 😀 I only got my first telescope at the start of the year (SW Star Quest 102R) and have been upgrading my kit since then. Current setup is StarQuest 102R F4.9, with ST102 tube rings, Modded Canon 550D, Baader Semi APO 2" filter, StellaMira Field Flattener, AZ GTI in EQ mode, Astro Essentials 30mm f4 guide scope with ASI 120MM mini, Pegasus Astro Pocket Power Box Advance, and NINA running the show. Since I added guiding I am using 5 min subs ( I haven't tried any higher so don't know how much I can actually go) and am quite happy apart from the CA on the OTA which the Baader filter has reduced quite a lot. Latest Pic attached is 3hours 25 min in total with 5 min subs. So as the title says I am looking at my options for upgrading to some ED glass. I will more than likely be looking to purchase second hand and I am in no rush for purchasing, I'd rather wait for the right one to come along. I have narrowed my options down to 3 OTAs and am looking for some feedback in peoples experiences with them, or if there is an OTA that I may not have considered. SW Evostar 80ED (Why is it so much heavier than the others at 4.1KG) StellaMira 80mm ED Starwave 80ED-R Main reasons for these 3 is I like the focal length (around 500), the weight for the AZ GTI (closer to 3 KG the better). Many thanks in anticipation
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From the album: The next step.
Was really chuffed to catch this comet, especially with the two tails. This i believe is the 5th comet i've caught 'on film' as it were. Along with Panstarrs - ISON - Jacques, and Lovejoy (forgot the numerical names). Equipment: ED80 - / 350D -/ EQ6 -/ CLS clip -
From the album: EQ6
Skywatcher EQ6 mount with a modified 12v power connector. REAN Tiny XLR 3-pin (only 2 pins used).© M.Gough 2015
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From the album: EQ6
Skywatcher EQ6 mount with a modified 12v power connector. REAN Tiny XLR 3-pin (only 2 pins used).© M.Gough 2015
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From the album: The Great White
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From the album: The Great White
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