Main imaging obstacles?

[northcanadian]

Hi all:

I'm just curious as to what SGL members may have found to be their main problems imaging ....and how did they resolve the issues?

Thanks and clear skies

Roger

[PhotoGav]

Clouds & Moon.... Still looking for a solution............. That's the main problem, not enough time to actually image - everything has to be just right to gather good data. Good dark clear skies are hard to come by, especially when mixed with work and family responsibilities. As for other main problems, there are millions, but they are all relatively easy to overcome, generally with some specific questions and help from the fine, knowledgeable and generous people here on SGL, a great deal of patience and more often than not, by throwing a bit more money at the problem!

Good luck.

[Alien 13]

Hi Roger,

I have only been imaging for a few months but this is a list of problems i had.

1.Polar alignment the 1st time was hit and miss but once i understood the concept i carried out some mods to my setting circles, built a polar scope illuminator got hold of a right angled camera viewfinder and bingo all sorted. I can now set polaris within a minute of its true position.

2. Focusing with a DSLR again i came up with a method that works for me without the faffing about with laptops or bat masks, using live view i only focus on the very dimmest star in the FOV the focus is then an on/off action so there is no error.

3. Dust on sensor, this has caused me more problems than anything else flats are not effective when the camera has an auto sensor clean routine (the dust moves about) so i have made a DIY filtered vaccuum attatchment that fits on my hover to remove any large particles/pet hairs. The vingetting is sorted in PS with a inverted mask routine.

4. Battery power, all my equipment runs off a 12V power tank now with DIY convertors built from LM317 type voltage regulators.

5. Light polution, I basically ignore this and never use a filter i push my subs till they are allmost white and it seems to work ok for me.

The only remaining issue i have is finding the true position of polaris online now that the clocks have changed every app including stellarium seems to give a different answer.

Alan

[Kropster]

I second that.... time is the main obstacle, given the weather, long summer daylight hours, other demands on my time.

Then throw in the odd bit of gear that for some reason takes ages to set up on the occasion that we do get a good spell of clear sky and it leaves very little.

[PeterCPC]

My biggest problem is to do with planetary imaging. Although the GOTO is set up ok using Starsense, I find that it never quite lands on the target if using a camera. Although only just out, I find it the very devil to centre the object sometimes e.g. Mars. I end up doing sweeps around the area and waiting for it to enter the field of view and it goes straight out the other side of course. Believe it or not I was trying to image Mars a month ago with my DFK21 and had exactly this problem when I just gave up after trying to find Mars after 20mins. Other times I can find it in 2 mins.

Peter

[SlyReaper]

Clouds are the big obstacle.  My solution is my cloud zapper, just mount on the side of my scope, press the button, and whoosh, the cloud is gone.  Handy.

[PeterCPC]

If only!

Peter

[romx]

Clouds are the big obstacle.  My solution is my cloud zapper, just mount on the side of my scope, press the button, and whoosh, the cloud is gone.  Handy.

If someone invented one of those they would be a millionaire selling to people with scopes, I know I would buy one. Alternatively one that zaps the met office for never getting the forecast right

[steppenwolf]

Three problems for me:-

1. UK weather conditions - especially high altitude moisture but boy is this a cloudy country (unless there is a full Moon, of course, then it is always crisp and clear!).

Resolved with incredible patience

2. Obtaining a flat field of view - This applies to both my reflector and refractor(s) 

I'm about there with my FLT98 refractor and WO Focal Reducer/Flattener IV

3. Differential flexure - bane of my imaging life, I still get some even with an off axis guider (although it is only a tiny amount now) which should be 'impossible'!!

A very carefully adjusted and fettled (with shims) off axis guider is a big improvement over a guiding telescope

[JB80]

I think "myself" is the biggest obstacle.

But it's true, there is a learning curve and it's something that I always manage to do the hard way first before bowing down to reason and adapting. I'm also incredibly lazy.

Budget too is a big factor, I mean I try and do as best as I can with the equipment I have and upgrade when possible but even I know I won't be getting planetary images of the highest calibre(which SGL is blessed with some of the best around) from a 6" newt and Phillips cam and likewise I know it will be a struggle to get my set up tweaked for deep sky.

I know you can get amazing astrophotos on a budget though so it needn't be to restrictive.

[oldpink]

equipment malfunction can be a PITA

last night for instance twice EQMod timed out and lost connection forcing me to park the scope and start again

[libraryman]

My biggest problem is my age and the long weeks between imaging opportunities, I forget everything I've learnt!!

Ray

[Pete Presland]

with planetary imaging its the seeing conditions, all you can do is go out on every available clear night and hopefully sooner or probably later catch some decent conditions.

with DSO's the light pollution, as yet unresolved although two street lamps have been off most of the year near my house.

[lensman57]

Hi all:

I'm just curious as to what SGL members may have found to be their main problems imaging ....and how did they resolve the issues?

Thanks and clear skies

Roger

The weather and the light Pollution, there is nothing that can be done with the former and despite  having two of the best LP filters available, very little can be done with the latter too.

A.G

[Kropster]

My biggest problem is to do with planetary imaging. Although the GOTO is set up ok using Starsense, I find that it never quite lands on the target if using a camera. Although only just out, I find it the very devil to centre the object sometimes e.g. Mars. I end up doing sweeps around the area and waiting for it to enter the field of view and it goes straight out the other side of course. Believe it or not I was trying to image Mars a month ago with my DFK21 and had exactly this problem when I just gave up after trying to find Mars after 20mins. Other times I can find it in 2 mins.

Peter

I second that.

I spent half an hour last night trying to get Mars onto the ccd....... by luck got it in view having swept around and had it zip across the screen.... very frustrating!