Focusing help please

[Third rock]

Hi. I recently bought a new scope as I wanted to start astrophotography. I also got a spc900 and a 5x powermate. I have no bother focusing when using the webcam by its self, but once I attach the powermate I can't seem to focus. Or to even find for that matter. What am I doing wrong? I don't think the object is drifting out of view. I do a two star aligne and ad four cal stars and it's centred nicely. Is there changes to the sharpcap setting to be made or is 5x powermate to much magnification for my webcam and scope to focus? Regards.

Sorry the scope is a c8 on cg5.

Scott

[Scott]

sorry i can't help but i'll be following this thread closely as i've had the same problem and that was with a 2X barlow.

[JamesM]

You might want to post your question over on the imaging section as well, as you are more likely to get a response.

James

[Tinker1947]

I would think you magnification is a bit to much, i don't know any thing about your scope but with mine and a x-box live cam it only gives me a quarter of the moon, i suspect with planets its magnifies to high and they are properly out of the FOV due to this, a 2 X this might give some results....

This is with no barlow...

[Third rock]

I have just won a 2x on eBay. Hope it comes soon as I'm hungry to learn planetary imaging hehe. Thanks

[Freddie]

The 5x powermate will make the field of view MUCH smaller so you need to be sure the object is perfectly in the centre before swapping to the 5x. You may also find that initially the object is then so far out of focus it looks as if nothing is there. The 5x is probably a little too much unless you have really good conditions but you will be able to get focus if you consider the above. Hope that helps.

[ItIsOnlyMe]

I think the camera on its own is equivalent to a 6mm eyepiece, so with a 5* barlow you are down to 1.2mm which on a 2000mm scope gives a mag of around *1735

[Tribal-Wolf]

I actually managed to get mars using two 2x barlows stacked using a webcam. I only did it because I was messing about and wondered if it could be done, the result however was a pinkish smudged that I could not get in focus but the scope tracked it for a while. I have the video some where but like I said it's pants lol.

Also remember that the image moves in the opposite direction when in the webcam to your finder, I presume it's mirrored.

[Third rock]

Thanks for the advice chaps