Nikon d3200 Sky-Watcher 114

[Davemen2000]

Hi all I'm new to this site so please bear with me. Image just bought a Sky-Watcher 114 for my son fir Christmas ani I've also got the fittings to use my nikon d3200 with it. My problem is that when I attach the camera I get no picture at all does any one know what I am doing wrong?

Sorry probably a newbie question but I am a newbie and want to get it right for my son on the day

[ShrimpBoatSteve]

Hi,

I have the same camera and you will need to take exposures of about 20 seconds using an ISO setting of 1600. I would recommend using a remote shutter release to avoid vibration when pressing the button. Any exposures over this time will get star trails.

Also, point the scope at a bright star (Vega, Capella etc) and use the liveview on the camera to get perfect focus. I use a very fine permanent marker and put a small line on the focuser at this position. That way you can swap back to the eyepiece and find an object and swap to the camera and set the focus again. It may be a bit inaccurate so take a few shots with tiny adjustments to focus.

Also check you have the tube cover removed ... I've put the cover back on during a session then forgotten to take it back off and started imaging for 20 minutes ... doh!

Cheers

[happy-kat]

The Moon is the best target to practice with.

What fittings did you get do you have a link?

[Davemen2000]

Thanks for that I will give it a try when my son is not about. Do you think it's because I was focused on a close object as to why I couldn't see a picture at all on my camera?

[happy-kat]

Telescope is not designed for close objects that wont have helped.

An ariel some half mile away would be better (not the sun).

[Davemen2000]

The Moon is the best target to practice with.

What fittings did you get do you have a link?

[Davemen2000]

I got the Celestron Universal T-Adaptor but I've only tried to focus on things at the end of my street so not far

[happy-kat]

There may be a limiting factor, not all telescopes will reach focus with a camera attached, the focuser runs out of travel before focus is reach this can be because the type of telescope the primary mirror it too far away.

You need to establish if you are running out of inward or outward focus travel.

The camera must be in manual mode.

[Davemen2000]

There may be a limiting factor, not all telescopes will reach focus with a camera attached, the focuser runs out of travel before focus is reach this can be because the type of telescope the primary mirror it too far away.

You need to establish if you are running out of inward or outward focus travel.

The camera must be in manual mode.

[Davemen2000]

I think I have seen other people are using the same as mine and have managed to get it to work. It's early days yet and difficult to experiment with my son around because I don't want him to see it before santa comes lol

[happy-kat]

Why not work with the camera as a joint project.

A webcam would work great on the Moon. A better weight for your tripod to manage as well. If you have a webcam already knocking about.

[Davemen2000]

That might be worth looking into. Maybe I should start by just focusing on getting the Telescope set right first

[happy-kat]

Good idea.

Stellarium worth looking at too free software

[Davemen2000]

Good idea.

Stellarium worth looking at too free software

I'm downloading stellarium now but will it work with Windows 10 some say they are having problems

[ShrimpBoatSteve]

I'm running windows 10 and don't have any problems with it. Great program to learn the skies and decide on targets before braving the cold!

[Davemen2000]

Just to update I set the telescope up today and managed to get a pic on my nikon d3200. Not a very good pic but it was a chimney about 1 mile away as the moon is nowhere to be seen.

[Charic]

keep at it. It just takes time to master and set-up.

I have some extension tubes, T-rings/adaptors, and the like, but its been a while since I strapped my D5000 to the scope, but I did manage some images of the Moon.

[Davemen2000]

Has anyone got any ideas for what to find on Christmas day evening? First time with my son and his telescope I thought aswell as the moon maybe the andromida galaxy?

[glowingturnip]

Christmas Day is actually a full moon this year, so that's a definite.  Andromeda, Pleiades ?

[happy-kat]

Using stellarium you can move the time forward and see what is visible for you on Christmas day.

We don't know which way in your garden is the direction you might be looking, I don't have full 360 available from my garden.