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Imaging with the 130pds


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  • 2 weeks later...
4 hours ago, Heizel said:

Hi 130 pds owners :) i have mini guide scope 30mm 132 FL with asi 120 mini mono camera. It will be enough for guiding this little beast or i should buy somenthing bigger? Enyone trying to guide 130pds with mini guide scope?

I had that mini guide scope in the finder shoe with an asi290mm and it wasn't good enough for me. I was averaging >1.3"/pixel in phd2. Moved to an evoguide 50 bolted onto a dovetail on the mounting rings and now much happier with my guiding at <0.8"/pixel. My imaging scale is ~0.9"/pixel, so anything higher than that results in less than stellar frames. Mounting it securely also makes an equally weighted contribution to good guiding.

HTH

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Take a look at my setup (if you're not blinded by the lights!). Camera parallel to counterweight bar, evoguide locked down on top dovetail of mounting rings.

 

Another good option would be keep to your mini guide scope on the findershoe for Sharpcap polar alignment routines and get and off-axis guider.

 

Hth

IMG_20200122_193943.jpg

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11 hours ago, Heizel said:

Hi 130 pds owners :) i have mini guide scope 30mm 132 FL with asi 120 mini mono camera. It will be enough for guiding this little beast or i should buy somenthing bigger? Enyone trying to guide 130pds with mini guide scope?

Worth having a try.

I use a 50mm x 183mm guide scope which is probably a bit more reliable and on a good day gets ~ 0.60" (someone I know with a  similar setup gets 0.40" grr...)

Edited by Stub Mandrel
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6 hours ago, mAnKiNd said:

Take a look at my setup (if you're not blinded by the lights!). Camera parallel to counterweight bar, evoguide locked down on top dovetail of mounting rings.

 

Another good option would be keep to your mini guide scope on the findershoe for Sharpcap polar alignment routines and get and off-axis guider.

 

Hth

IMG_20200122_193943.jpg

Well done for coping with those lights! I use a 30mm long  'dewshield' made from camping mat lined with black flock; I bet if you used something like that you might see improved contrast.

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11 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Well done for coping with those lights! I use a 30mm long  'dewshield' made from camping mat lined with black flock; I bet if you used something like that you might see improved contrast.

Thanks, I'll give that a try!

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On 06/02/2020 at 02:38, alacant said:

gs.thumb.jpg.90af40a003f7802e739dee13b9d14d76.jpg

 

Hi

2 alternatives shown here. An off axis guider with t7m or 60mm guide telescope, discontinued zwo120mm and 40mm dovetail clamp. Black shower cap optional.

HTH

IMG_20200301_200301.thumb.jpg.c5d18156a9c854eb99b9e97e463e690f.jpg

 

Thanks for sharing this tip! I got me thick black shower cap from ebay and I'd "like to believe" it's making a difference...my wife was giving me weird looks when I was opening up the parcel😂

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Did some more lunar work on Monday night and attempted an HDR moon.  The diffraction and reflections weren't quite what I was expecting but actually I really like in the final image..  Still really pleased I chose the 130 PDS!

 

HDR Moon-Edit.jpg

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I have newly acquired the 130PDS and would like to try some basic AP with my Nikon D3200. I've ordered a T-ring https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0002379UO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Do I need anything else to connect the camera to the telescope?

Sorry if this is too much a newbie question. I thought the people on this thread would be best able to answer.

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2 hours ago, PatrickO said:

I have newly acquired the 130PDS and would like to try some basic AP with my Nikon D3200. I've ordered a T-ring https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0002379UO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Do I need anything else to connect the camera to the telescope?

Sorry if this is too much a newbie question. I thought the people on this thread would be best able to answer.

Yes, you will need something that will screw onto the T-ring and then go into the 2" focusser tube (I think try googling "2 inch t-ring adapter).  For me that is my coma corrector.  I also have a 2-1.25" eyepiece adapter from which the 1.25" can unscrew and be replaced by the T-Ring to do the job.  I can't remember if that came with the PDS or my 200P though (though I think the latter) so it might be that one of the accessories you already own will do the job

Edited by OllieN
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1 hour ago, OllieN said:

Yes, you will need something that will screw onto the T-ring and then go into the 2" focusser tube (I think try googling "2 inch t-ring adapter).  For me that is my coma corrector.  I also have a 2-1.25" eyepiece adapter from which the 1.25" can unscrew and be replaced by the T-Ring to do the job.  I can't remember if that came with the PDS or my 200P though (though I think the latter) so it might be that one of the accessories you already own will do the job

If I remove the eyepiece holder there is a screw thread. Will the adapter screw straight into that?

Thanks

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Hi all

Just wondering if anyone has used a Moonlite CR2 focuser with the 130 PDS ?

I have a new camera and filter wheel that is heavier than my old DSLR, this combined with my fickle SW autofocuser tensioning means that I am experiencing what I think is focuser ‘sag’. I certainly have tilt that seems gravitational and when I put a laser collimator in the focuser tube I can wobble it so that the red dot moves around the primary mirror donut.

I’m getting nowhere trying to improve this so I wondered if investing in a premium focuser might be the answer ? I’ve read that Moonlite focusers are good but are they really solid ? Solid enough to hold a large imaging train without unwanted sag ?

These focusers cost a lot of money and I’d have to save up for quite a while to get one, but I don’t mind doing that if it going to help solve my problem.     

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12 minutes ago, Spaced Out said:

Hi all

Just wondering if anyone has used a Moonlite CR2 focuser with the 130 PDS ?

I have a new camera and filter wheel that is heavier than my old DSLR, this combined with my fickle SW autofocuser tensioning means that I am experiencing what I think is focuser ‘sag’. I certainly have tilt that seems gravitational and when I put a laser collimator in the focuser tube I can wobble it so that the red dot moves around the primary mirror donut.

I’m getting nowhere trying to improve this so I wondered if investing in a premium focuser might be the answer ? I’ve read that Moonlite focusers are good but are they really solid ? Solid enough to hold a large imaging train without unwanted sag ?

These focusers cost a lot of money and I’d have to save up for quite a while to get one, but I don’t mind doing that if it going to help solve my problem.     

Difficult choice I got to the point when I was thinking of either getting a moon light focuser or moving onto a refractor, in the end I decided it was a false economy to try putting a £300 focuser onto a £160 scope and saved for the refactor instead. The original focuser is fine for a DSLR or a OSC cooled camera, but by the time its having to hold a dedicated mono camera and a 8 position filter wheel it just cant hack it. The main issue is that you colimate with the light weight colimation tool in it and then the whole thing moves when you put the camera system on and hey presto your colimation is wrong.

Edited by Adam J
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6 hours ago, Adam J said:

The main issue is that you colimate with the light weight colimation tool in it and then the whole thing moves when you put the camera system on and hey presto your colimation is wrong.

If that camera system allows for fast enough downloads, you may be able to collimate on a star with it. Or at least check collimation on a star (star test). If you then point to another star and collimation has shifted, you know it is the focuser that is to blame. Putting a £300 focuser on a £160 telescope may seem overkill, but you end up with a £460 imaging system that still may be good value for its money. That new focuser doesn't have to cost £300 either. I have the low profile SW Crayford focuser on my MN190, and it holds my ASI + efw + oag well enough. I doubt it costs as much as a Moonlite.

Btw, you should also check the primary mirror support, to make sure that doesn't move. Another possible source of shifting collimation 

Just my €0.02.

Edited by wimvb
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5 hours ago, wimvb said:

If that camera system allows for fast enough downloads, you may be able to collimate on a star with it. Or at least check collimation on a star (star test). If you then point to another star and collimation has shifted, you know it is the focuser that is to blame. Putting a £300 focuser on a £160 telescope may seem overkill, but you end up with a £460 imaging system that still may be good value for its money. That new focuser doesn't have to cost £300 either. I have the low profile SW Crayford focuser on my MN190, and it holds my ASI + efw + oag well enough. I doubt it costs as much as a Moonlite.

Btw, you should also check the primary mirror support, to make sure that doesn't move. Another possible source of shifting collimation 

Just my €0.02.

The problem is that the 130PDS has a very low tube diameter and so virtually nothing fits it except for the moonlight as they made a special kit to allow it to be mounted. Most focusers available only fit tubes down to 6 inch Newtonian size. In so far as I have been able to find its the moonlight or nothing on the 130PDS. 

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This is my firts test  lights with 130pds. Picture are not perfect, stars not super round and there is a coma at the edges but im very happy :). 33 min exposure taken from my red/white zone balcony-  double cluster in perseus 

gromada podwójna w perseuszu.jpg

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23 hours ago, Adam J said:

Difficult choice I got to the point when I was thinking of either getting a moon light focuser or moving onto a refractor, in the end I decided it was a false economy to try putting a £300 focuser onto a £160 scope and saved for the refactor instead. The original focuser is fine for a DSLR or a OSC cooled camera, but by the time its having to hold a dedicated mono camera and a 8 position filter wheel it just cant hack it. The main issue is that you colimate with the light weight colimation tool in it and then the whole thing moves when you put the camera system on and hey presto your colimation is wrong.

Thanks for this. I think I am committed (= attached !) to the 130 PDS for now, been using it with DSLRs and learning the ropes, I’ve really enjoyed it so far. I’m just disappointed I’ve spent a big wedge on a camera upgrade only to discover the stock focuser doesn’t like the weight and my images show sag/tilt. I am using an ASI 1600 + EFW + OAG + Baader MPCC + various spacers, it all weighs 1.28 kg !

I am happy save up and buy a Moonlite if it is the right tool for eliminating this sag/tilt issue. I’d love someone to come on her and say yes I had a similar problem and yes the Moonlite solved it ! That would give me some confidence that I am thinking along the right lines. 🤔 

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On 07/03/2020 at 10:59, wimvb said:

Thank you. This looks interesting, certainly worth considering I reckon.

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