How to easily point my lens towards my target?

[sza85]

Hi!

Last week I received my Star Adventurer, and I'm learning how to use it. I had no issues aroud 0 - 80mm, but yesterday I was out trying to take pictures with my 200mm Takumar (300mm on my DX body), and I was struggling to point it towards my target (Andromeda). I know where it is, I could see it with my own eyes, yet, I wasn't able to point my lens towards, only after like 40 minutes... :/

I don't know how others do it, so any advice would be appreciated!

What I was thinking about:

1. hot shoe adapter + phone holder + phone / tablet with stellarium, so I would see in the app where my lens pointing (adds weight)

2. some kind of hot shoe adapter + a reflex sight

3. some kind of hot shoe adapter + a green laser pointer

4. a small scope, maybe a finder scope attached to the other end of the declination unit

5. maybe it's overkill, but is it possible to make the Star Adventurer GoTo somehow?

 

Thanks in advance!

[ronin]

Hot Shoe holder and a Red Dot Finder seems an often used set up.

Don't think the Star Adventurer has a Dec motor so that makes goto not an option, as you cannot go down or up.

Where are you, it helps to be able to point you at a supplier of items. As in I think 365Astro sell the bits but may not be applicable to your location.

[sza85]

5 minutes ago, ronin said:

Hot Shoe holder and a Red Dot Finder seems an often used set up.

Don't think the Star Adventurer has a Dec motor so that makes goto not an option, as you cannot go down or up.

Where are you, it helps to be able to point you at a supplier of items. As in I think 365Astro sell the bits but may not be applicable to your location.

I am in Hungary. I guess there are 2 bigger webshops who are selling items like these, but didn't see the hot shoe red dot adapter so far... Well that's what you have Ebay and Aliexpress for. I just have to decide (with your help) which way to go

[PeterCPC]

Astroboot (EU) have a hot shoe red dot finder for 13 euros.

Peter

[sza85]

Thanks for the tip!

[geordie85]

Are you using a ball head? I find it alot easier than just the eq mount. 

[sza85]

4 minutes ago, geordie85 said:

Are you using a ball head? I find it alot easier than just the eq mount. 

I have the declination unit attached, and on top of that a ball head, yes.

[geordie85]

Then probably a hot shoe adapter and finder would be best 

[sza85]

1 minute ago, geordie85 said:

Then probably a hot shoe adapter and finder would be best 

I'm looking for it, but can't find one. I can see a 6x24 finder scope, I guess that would be enough, but no adapter for hot shoe. The only way I would be able to mount it on my camera is to get the scope and a hot shoe 1/4" adapter, and make a piece of wood in between that fits for all the screws.

[PeterCPC]

Look here

Peter

[sza85]

2 minutes ago, PeterCPC said:

Look here

Peter

I've checked that out, and it would be good if I would decide that the red dot finder is good for me. I just don't know if it's enough or it would be better to use a small finder scope which has some magnification.

[PeterCPC]

I would not consider putting a finderscope on a hot shoe - it would be too much weight.

Peter

[sza85]

I guess you are right. Thanks again for your reply!

[kendg]

If you know someone with a 3d printer, this works great.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:241592

[MattJenko]

What I do is platesolve. You can connect something like Stellarium to the ASCOM simulator telescope and then use something like APT or AstroTortilla to do the platesolve, with nthem connected to the simulator as well. This tells you where in the sky you are pointing and you can fine tune knowing exactly where it is you are and how far away from your target you want. I also use a ball/socket to make things easier sometimes, but find I don't often have to.

Not quite your #5, but a manual variant.

Matt

[Knight of Clear Skies]

I usually look through the viewfinder of the camera and star-hop to my target, using the ball-head.

[sza85]

14 hours ago, kendg said:

If you know someone with a 3d printer, this works great.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:241592

Yeah I found that but unfortunately I don't know anyone who has a 3D printer :/

[sza85]

13 hours ago, MattJenko said:

What I do is platesolve. You can connect something like Stellarium to the ASCOM simulator telescope and then use something like APT or AstroTortilla to do the platesolve, with nthem connected to the simulator as well. This tells you where in the sky you are pointing and you can fine tune knowing exactly where it is you are and how far away from your target you want. I also use a ball/socket to make things easier sometimes, but find I don't often have to.

Not quite your #5, but a manual variant.

Matt

I don't know about it but I'll look into this, thanks!

[sza85]

12 hours ago, Knight of Clear Skies said:

I usually look through the viewfinder of the camera and star-hop to my target, using the ball-head.

Yes, that's another solution, maybe I shouldn't be lazy

[wimvb]

14 hours ago, Knight of Clear Skies said:

I usually look through the viewfinder of the camera and star-hop to my target, using the ball-head.

This would be the way to go. If you make test exposures you can use the bright stars to finetune the pointing.

Btw an equivalent to the SA, but with goto, would be the eq3-Pro.