imaging with dslr and astro - tech at66ed

[TracyH]

I'm wondering if anyone can help me with getting focus on my at66ed.

I have a canon 1200d and tried to image the moon tonight but couldn't get it to focus.  The focuser was extended all the way out and the fine tuning wasn't doing alot.

Should I try an extension tube?

It's a new scope so maybe I've just not played around enough, but to save me some time going in the wrong direction, I wonder if anyone can help?

Thanks

Tracy 

[Joseki]

Hi,

 I don't have this scope, but I found a website that shows how someone else reached focus with an at66ed & DSLR.  http://www.dl-digital.com/astrophoto/Equipment-Other.htm

Alternatively (and to avoid the guess work) you can measure where the focus point is if you aim it at the moon with no eyepiece or DSLR attached and move a piece of paper back and forth until you get a crisp image of the moon on the paper (the distance you want to the surface of the camera sensor).  You can then try and measure how much further you need to go and start trying to find an extension that will give you that length.  - you could also try to reach focus with a diagonal inserted (not recommended for best results but you might already have that to hand). 

[TracyH]

Thanks for the reply.

I'll give that a read and see if that helps.

Thanks again

Tracy

[TracyH]

On 16/02/2016 at 00:04, Joseki said:

Hi,

 I don't have this scope, but I found a website that shows how someone else reached focus with an at66ed & DSLR.  http://www.dl-digital.com/astrophoto/Equipment-Other.htm

Alternatively (and to avoid the guess work) you can measure where the focus point is if you aim it at the moon with no eyepiece or DSLR attached and move a piece of paper back and forth until you get a crisp image of the moon on the paper (the distance you want to the surface of the camera sensor).  You can then try and measure how much further you need to go and start trying to find an extension that will give you that length.  - you could also try to reach focus with a diagonal inserted (not recommended for best results but you might already have that to hand). 

Thanks again for the link.  It helped, I used an extension tube and managed to get focus on the moon and got some good pictures.  Then i found m42 and got some shots of that.  I want to do more imaging, when the weather allows, with my motors on so i can stack the images.  

I'm wondering if i need to buy filters and a filter wheel.  Anyone have any advice on if i need any, if so what ones should i start with.

Thanks

Tracy

[wxsatuser]

You don't really need filters with a dslr for DSOs, except may be an LP filter, if you have LP.