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Star Adventure - First Light

Thalestris24

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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Hi Louise, just wondering how you calibrate PHD does it fail Dec calibration or can it be set to calibrate RA only. ?

Only asked about the CLS clip filter as I found it produces those red / blue haloes making it hard to focus don't know if this is aggravated by CA , I've found the IDAS LP filter better but I know you don't want to spend more money.

Reading Stephens link Tommy Narwatil seems to have success with a fairly heavy setup.

Some folks apparently looking to mod the Dec adjustment to motorise and guide in Dec.

Dave

Lacerta weight is stated as Kg 6.00 on 365 site

Hi Dave

As above screen grabs, I drift align in the East. PHD2 is set to RA only, i.e. DEC off. It doesn't appear to be able to save the calibration using that configuration but it doesn't take too long to just do it in RA. I don't think it's the clip filter producing the CA - most likely the very cheap optics! There is nowhere to easily fit another filter anyway. I don't think it would be practical or worthwhile to try and add a DEC drive. I suspect the 365 quoted weight includes the Alu case etc.

Louise

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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Good luck louise.

I can't help thinking that you might be pushing the wee SA too hard though. I couldn't really envision trying to image at 400mm with this mount...it's just too light for my clumsy setup attempts. Perhaps looking into something like an Astrotrac would be a better option? I have also heard good things about the new Fornax Lighttrack system- a friction driven portable mount:

http://www.365astronomy.com/FORNAX-10-LighTrack-Mark-II-Mobile-Tracking-Mount-for-Astrophotography.html

365 Astronomy also have stock of the earlier version of the Lightrack at £299:

http://www.365astronomy.com/FORNAX-10-LighTrack-Mobile-Tracking-Mount-for-Astrophotography.html

Hi

If others have done it... I'm not giving up yet! Astrotracs are too expensive for me! I don't want to throw good money after bad - I'm too poor.

Louise

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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After some further tweaking, I did this 3 x 180s one last night (Moon was up and bright by this time):

post-33532-0-56708800-1446482440_thumb.p

With a crop (slightly right of centre):

post-33532-0-00012000-1446482492_thumb.p

It's just a random star field in the East. The SA is a pia to get on a target! No calibration frames or anything fancy! I suppose not too bad but I'm sure it could still be better!

Louise

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Davey-T

Davey-T

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I use an RDF in the flash shoe to get in the right area you can then do small adjustments in RA using the two arrow buttons and in Dec using the screw adjuster on the dovetail adapter, combined with live view it works OK.

Dave

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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I use an RDF in the flash shoe to get in the right area you can then do small adjustments in RA using the two arrow buttons and in Dec using the screw adjuster on the dovetail adapter, combined with live view it works OK.

Dave

Hi Dave

Yes, that would work in theory! Trouble is I can't see many stars by naked eye here :( I'd have to have a 9x50 finder which would add more weight and be awkward to fit. However, it might be my only practical option for finding targets.

Thanks

Louise

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Scott

Scott

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about 12 mths ago, I fell out with a fella because I mentioned that in my opinion, the sw was more of a camera mount. he was most indignant and claimed he had no problems running his with two 80mm refractors on top. he made it clear he had no intention of ever speaking to me again (over an opinion?). Shame really as I'd love to see some of these images with two 80mm's :D

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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about 12 mths ago, I fell out with a fella because I mentioned that in my opinion, the sw was more of a camera mount. he was most indignant and claimed he had no problems running his with two 80mm refractors on top. he made it clear he had no intention of ever speaking to me again (over an opinion?). Shame really as I'd love to see some of these images with two 80mm's :D

Hehe I think maybe balance is more important and it gets difficult to balance with a heterogeneous mix of things attached... Also, I have the impression that the Star Adventurers' performance vary a lot ex-factory. So some work very well whereas others are quite poor... I'm going to undo mine to see if I can make any tweaks/adjustments. There are a number of gears as well as the worm so there could be scope for optimising the meshing. It also needs something added to the alt adjustment knob to improve its fine adjustment. As I mentioned, the RA performance is poor compared to the unguided DEC which is actually very good once accurate PA is obtained, though the Alt adjustment doesn't seem very stable...

Louise

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Scooot

Scooot

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It looks as if it's going to handle my 60mm ok, but then that's quite light as scopes go. This was 60seconds unguided with it, Bear in mind I'm very new to Astro imaging but it doesn't seem overly stretched with it and balances very well with the counterweight only half way up the shaft.

post-20507-0-52806900-1446584681_thumb.j

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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It looks as if it's going to handle my 60mm ok, but then that's quite light as scopes go. This was 60seconds unguided with it, Bear in mind I'm very new to Astro imaging but it doesn't seem overly stretched with it and balances very well with the counterweight only half way up the shaft.

attachicon.gifimage.jpeg

That's pretty good and nice scope! I have in mind to get a better scope if I can get the SA to perform. Was that a single sub? If so, I wish I could get so much data in only 60s!

Louise

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Scooot

Scooot

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That's pretty good and nice scope! I have in mind to get a better scope if I can get the SA to perform. Was that a single sub? If so, I wish I could get so much data in only 60s!

Louise

No, I took 20 and stacked but I think it only picked about 15 of them, I'm new to stacking too so wasn't to sure how to control it. ISO 800. I'll dig out a single sub if it's any help. I was very pleased with the tracking though, and hoping it wasn't a fluke, I haven't had the mount long so haven't had to many chances to try it out.

This was was of the subs as it came out of the camera.

post-20507-0-59733500-1446587277_thumb.j

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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No, I took 20 and stacked but I think it only picked about 15 of them, I'm new to stacking too so wasn't to sure how to control it. ISO 800. I'll dig out a single sub if it's any help. I was very pleased with the tracking though, and hoping it wasn't a fluke, I haven't had the mount long so haven't had to many chances to try it out.

This was was of the subs as it came out of the camera.

attachicon.gifimage.jpeg

That's still a lot more than I can  get in 60s. My urban sky has a poor s/n,  but I keep trying!

Louise

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Davey-T

Davey-T

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Hi Louise, did I mention that I found it easier to make final alt adjustments after locking the lever, you can still move it and it stops it jumping about making fine adjustment possible, I monitor it through a session and make small adjustments to keep Polaris tracking round the circle, the same applies to the az adjustment, you can still move it slightly with the screws tightened.

Once reasonably PAd I get round stars in 15 min subs using 24mm lens.

Sold the ST80 so may try the WO Star 71 on it one clear night, it weighs about 2.5 Kg plus camera, so should work OK.

Dave

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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Hi Louise, did I mention that I found it easier to make final alt adjustments after locking the lever, you can still move it and it stops it jumping about making fine adjustment possible, I monitor it through a session and make small adjustments to keep Polaris tracking round the circle, the same applies to the az adjustment, you can still move it slightly with the screws tightened.

Once reasonably PAd I get round stars in 15 min subs using 24mm lens.

Sold the ST80 so may try the WO Star 71 on it one clear night, it weighs about 2.5 Kg plus camera, so should work OK.

Dave

Hiya

Yeah, I have the lever in the lock position :) One thing I  find odd is that when adjusting in alt, if I need to rotate the knob in the opposite direction, it goes loose before I can tighten it again. Is that normal?

Louise

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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Doesn't look right, is the screw boss insert thingy it screws into rotating / loose or the knob loose on the shaft ?

Dave

Hiya

Um, the knob isn't loose - the shaft rotates with it. I'll take it off the tripod and have a closer look...

Louise

Edit: the slop is only there with the lock lever in the tightened, lock position?

Edit2: Ok, on further inspection, the slop only shows up if the lever is really quite tight. If it's only 'slightly tight', the forwards backwards motion is smooth :)

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