The EQ3 DSO Challenge

[Stu1smartcookie]

A great thread , although I am now using an alt-az mount I did take the following photo on an Eq3 with stock tripod . M81 & M82 ... plus two cropped images . 

Edited May 22, 2021 by Stu1smartcookie

[galatica77]

My CG-4 with MS guiding.

[Wifefang]

On 25/09/2021 at 20:07, galatica77 said:

My CG-4 with MS guiding.

How consistent is your guiding over the period of a night, that's very impressive. I to have a cg4 mount. On a good night I get between .58 and .8 RMS. Did you find that multistar made much of a difference  I must get that up and running.

[galatica77]

7 hours ago, Wifefang said:

How consistent is your guiding over the period of a night, that's very impressive. I to have a cg4 mount. On a good night I get between .58 and .8 RMS. Did you find that multistar made much of a difference  I must get that up and running.

On this night first time with MS guiding it was consistent at around .50     I was using my ST80 as guide scope and piggybacked my DSLR with 135mm lens.

Edited November 5, 2021 by galatica77

[galatica77]

Yes big difference using MS guiding.

[Wifefang]

On 05/11/2021 at 20:15, galatica77 said:

Yes big difference using MS guiding.

I'm going to get on that then for sure. I am guiding my 130pds with a 50mm guide scope. I can't complain with results, but If multi star guide will squeeze a little more out of the mount its got to be a  good thing.  I'll have to post my results and an image up here. This thread is amazing 

Clear skies 

[Wifefang]

This my latest version of the Soul Nebula in Cassiopiea. This is an Ha oiii with rgb stars added composite image. 

Skywatcher 130pds 

Cg4/eq 3-2 mount with eqstar pro beltmod. Skywatcher coma corrector. Canon 450d modified camera. Svbony 7nm Ha filter, astronomik 12nm oiii filter. 50/183 guidescope with t7c cam. Bortle 5 zone

[Wifefang]

On 05/11/2021 at 20:12, galatica77 said:

On this night first time with MS guiding it was consistent at around .50     I was using my ST80 as guide scope and piggybacked my DSLR with 135mm lens.

What target we're you imaging with the 135mm?  Nice wide field of view with that lens

 

[galatica77]

3 hours ago, Wifefang said:

This my latest version of the Soul Nebula in Cassiopiea. This is an Ha oiii with rgb stars added composite image. 

Skywatcher 130pds 

Cg4/eq 3-2 mount with eqstar pro beltmod. Skywatcher coma corrector. Canon 450d modified camera. Svbony 7nm Ha filter, astronomik 12nm oiii filter. 50/183 guidescope with t7c cam. Bortle 5 zone

Belt mod, must be a different CG-4 drive, I have the motors that connect directly to the worm gear shaft, no spur gears.

[galatica77]

2 hours ago, Wifefang said:

What target we're you imaging with the 135mm?  Nice wide field of view with that lens

 

I was more less just testing guiding, though got a few of M31

[AstroNebulee]

Been reading through this thread and it sounds amazing. In currently using an az gti on eq mode with my sw 72ed, 30mm guidescope, asiair pro and 294mc pro. 

Lightweight and portable are my key requirements, living in a first floor flat and carrying my setup down stairs to my imaging area. So this has piqued my interest a little. The mount seems light enough but sturdy enough to take my setup of 3.9kg and still retaining portability. I shall follow this mount when considering lighter weight astrophotography mounts. Eq5 and heq5 are simply to heavy for my situation. The eqm 35 also is an interesting option too. 

[GTom]

Reviving this great thread, I have an EQ3-2 goto mount that came with a solid steel (EQ5 style) tripod and a TS 90/600 photoline scope. I was planning to get a more expensive mount but the great stuff you guys posted is encouraging and I'll just start with this little mount we all got! Got a converted 6D and D5100, an old guidecam but no guidescope yet and I'll have to check if I have all the adapters needed for my TS-flattener.

Any recommendations for  solid but "airline compatible" legs, that fit a normal checked luggage? My next plan is to bring the kit to the Canaries :).

Edited February 21 by GTom