Synscan v 3.32 beta working well ?

[amus]

Just updated my skywatcher synscan goto mount to 3.32 beta but havent had a single day without cloud to try it out.

How does it work with the alignment ? Is it good enough for like 3-5 min photos ?

Please fill me in what you think about it

I got the eq3 goto mount with explorer 150p tube.

[badgers]

I've had no problems with the beta firmware. The polar alignment routine is a little finicky but it works, depending on your gear you might get 3-5 minutes.

Having a good illuminated reticule eyepiece and using a polar scope to get it close really helps.

I run through 4 iterations of the polar realign until there are only tiny adjustments, I tend to work through the stars of ursa major.

Every now and again the Polar Align fails spectacularly and you've got to start again, but this has only happened to me twice.

Anton

[amus]

I got a polarscope in my mount to and i will try set that as good as possible first then use my webcam and StarTarg prog to center the star.

think that will work ?

[badgers]

It's probably enough to just make sure the polar scope is aligned and you've set it up right.

http://www.astro-baby.com/HEQ5/HEQ5-1.htm

I tend to just use the scales and centre up by eye. Then I 2 star align and then go for the polar realign.

I'm not seeing many adjustments once guiding and can get 20 minute shots with ease, but unguided it's hard to say what your mileage may be.

This technique seems like it should be getting you close to drift align accuracy, but not quite. It's certainly good enough for guided imaging.

Anton

[amus]

Thanks :-) hope for good weather and my canon eos 1000d tonarrive so i can modify it :-))

[badgers]

I started all my imaging on my 150P with an EQ3-2 mount and a Canon.

I'd start off with 1 minute exposures and slowly push the exposure length and see how you get on.

You can pick up a 9x50 finderscope and something like a Logitech QuickCam pro for under £50 to get guiding going which should get you to almost 10 minute exposures.

People like Quatermass and Stan here get absolutely stunning photos from the EQ3 and EQ5 mounts with Canon cameras on skywatcher newts, so there's a good community around to help you get started.

From my experience 10-15 minutes guided is the max, above this and your camera will be getting too hot and things like flexure and polar alignment errors will hit you hard.

Most of the really impressive photos I've seen from these setups are coming from very large numbers of shorter exposures 2-5 minutes at ISO 1600 or ISO 800.

The EQ3 also benefits from filling up the tripod legs with sand and then sealing them with foam. Takes 20 minutes but makes an absolute world of difference in terms of stability for the EQ3 tripod.

Anyway, good luck getting the imaging up and running!

Anton

[amus]

I already got a Philips PCVC740K/00 Webcam : http://downloads.phpnuke.org/en/download-item-view-g-v-g-n-z/DRIVER%2BPHILIPS%2BPCVC740K%2B00%2BWEBCAM.htm you think i can use that on a 9x50 finderscope ? what guide program you use ? i also have my HP HD-4110 Webcam (that is 1080) but i removed the lens on it, can i still use that on the finder scope ? And last question were to buy cheap finderscope ?

Thanks alot for all the good tips here :-) i will sure fill thoose legs with sand cause i notise it to be a little unstable.