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crashtestdummy

By crashtestdummy
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Sammyb

Sammyb

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I think the polar alignment was quite out, I know the guider works well as I have had it working perfectly before. I Should also consider the balance as well I did rush things a little to try to get it up and running, I was on the drive as well and it's not quite level so I should have done that as well! still took me the best part of an hour to sort it all out to start imaging. There was a little wind as well which won't have helped guiding.

Too many things slightly out there would probably have been a little too much for the guider. I'll take my time in future and sort it out properly, but any help is much appreciated. :-)

I think your set up should be straightforward to get guiding Paul.

I tried to do it on the cheap which was quite tricky. For the guidecam I used an SPC900 webcam on the finderscope which was connected to a laptop running PHD. I used that lap top to control the mount (instead of the hand controller) using Cartes du Ciel via the EQMOD interface and an playstation game controller. I had another laptop connected to the imaging camera (as I ran out of USB ports). Took me ages to get set up and calibrated and there was so much to go wrong (especially in the dark).

I got some limited success but it became too frustrating.

Cartes du Ciel is actually really good for controlling a GOTO mount. Much better than the Synscan handset. You can also keep adding align points to make the GOTO more accurate. Would be good on a permanent mounted scope.

There's a pic below... complete with homemade bhatinov mask.

post-9821-0-50738800-1383690405_thumb.jp

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Soupy

Soupy

Posted
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Well done with the camera Kieran, and good luck up in Galloway!

That set up looks pretty amazing Sammy, mine was all sat on the ground last night had to be careful not to trip over the wires. I am sure I will get it right with a bit of practice and patience.

How did you get on today Damian, fingers crossed, also good luck for clear skies for Galloway with Kieran! :-)

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crashtestdummy

crashtestdummy

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I really don't understand this imaging lark when you need 3 cameras!!!

Managed a couple of hours at Sutton tonight,really dewy and not great seeing but a few more targets ticked off.hoping to get out another time before the moon starts getting in the way again.

Good luck with Galloway fellas,really hope it stays clear as it will blow your mind how dark it is up there!!

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Astronomer69

Astronomer69

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I really don't understand this imaging lark when you need 3 cameras!!!

Managed a couple of hours at Sutton tonight,really dewy and not great seeing but a few more targets ticked off.hoping to get out another time before the moon starts getting in the way again.

Good luck with Galloway fellas,really hope it stays clear as it will blow your mind how dark it is up there!!

Main camera imaging through scope crash one piggyback for wide field and another on tripod shooting time lapse star trails etc.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Soupy

Soupy

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You are never giving up on that new mirror Rich... :-)

Sounds like an amazing place Kieran and by the looks of the pic the skies are amazing! I hope it stays clear for the rest of the weekend for you all up there. :-)

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crashtestdummy

crashtestdummy

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Well I sure as hell aren't contacting them again,the ball is in their court.if I've not sorted an order by the end of the month I won't get delivery this year which means I won't get time to finish the mirror before I move away which means I won't get time to finish it.

Think I may buy some 28x110 binos and a mount for a portable set up

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crashtestdummy

crashtestdummy

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From what I've heard it's a small market so they wait until they have a few orders before making a big piece of glass.if they had just emailed back and told me this I would have been ok with it.in this case the custom from astronomers makes up such a small percentage of their revenue that it doesnt matter to them.obviously this doesnt excuse firms like galvoptics and Orion optics from being Rubbish!I've literally spent 2 months trying to buy a glass blank with no luck.

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hazegood

hazegood

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You guys might remember a while back I asked about my secondary mirror being loose, and gave me advice on how to tighten it, finally today have done that,

Now the collimation bit, I still dont have the proper tools but have managed to get hold of a 35mm film canister from a photography shop. he only had the white ones though, will this let too much light in, of should I wrap it in something like insulating tape in order to use it?

Leigh

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Soupy

Soupy

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That's not good Rich... I hope they get it sorted for you otherwise you'll have to use that grit sand you've bought and melt it down to make your own blank!

Leigh we have a meeting on the 20th if you can wait and bring it down then will take literally 5 mins to laser collimate it. I am sure you will have lots of us that will be willing to help

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Astronomer69

Astronomer69

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Hi guys hope everyone is well its great up here in Galloway 3 clear nights out of 3 and set for a 4th tonight all tho seeing conditions have been very poor. Here are a few of the images i have to upto press.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/astronomer69/10741063356/  Comet Lovejoy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/astronomer69/10741796783/  M31 doffo needs a good Process.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/astronomer69/10743925125/  M42 & M43 under very poor seeing conditions hence the glow around it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/astronomer69/10727255205/  Horsehead and Flame Nebula's

http://www.flickr.com/photos/astronomer69/10757122366/  Time Lapse of Comet Lovejoy

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mapstar

mapstar

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Had 5+ hours of brilliant clear skies last night up here.

Once the moon had dipped down the thin haze that had blighted the previous two night's wasn't there every star seemed to jump out of the sky.

The temperature dropped down to a chilly -6 at one point and we both had massive dew and icing problem's.

My primary dewed twice and having only two dew controllers I had to keep swapping them between heating the secondary, finder and eye piece. Good job I had a heater in the tent to thaw the primary.

We both spent an hour through the night battling it. The diagonal in my finder even dewed up and Kierans battery pack failed so his 80mm dewed.This affected quite a few people and so if anyone is thinking of coming this way make sure your battery is tip top and you have enough capacity to run every thing.

All that though for me didn't detract from what was a brilliant few hours.

Orions neb had a vivid blue purple hue through the eye piece and against the inky blackness was just stunning.

I managed to note down over 50 NGC galaxies last night alone up in Ursa Major and Leo

Finally packed in at just gone 5 with a layer of frost on everything from the scope to the star chart to the tent.Fantastic just a shame I have to drive home today and leave the amazing skies behind.

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