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Imaging with a Star Adventurer


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3 minutes ago, Icesheet said:

I have a question for Star Adventurer users. After polar alignment can you release the clutch knob slightly and to help frame a target or by doing this do I compromise my polar alignment?

You can but I'd suggest checking polar alignment afterwards aswell just to be on the safe side and to be sure.

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On 15/12/2017 at 16:17, Thalestris24 said:

Hi Steve

Thanks for your response. I think there's probably not much I can do with it that I haven't previously tried. The Darkframe tuning looks quite good but it's practically the price of a new SA! Maybe I'll just get another one though I wish there was something a bit better! An EQ3 Pro is only £200 more than an SA and is perhaps a bit more versatile...

Louise

My thoughts too.  

I love this wide-field stuff very much.  However for only a bit more money could pick up a good used HEQ5 and that will be more versatile and allow me to get my C9.25 on it for planetary.  Accepted that it will be less portable but that does not bother me really.

The SA looks a great piece of gear though.

 

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I managed a quick test on M45 with the SA and a Stellarvue 60. A total of 23 min at iso 200. 

Needs a bit more practice on PA and the focus is a bit off higher iso and so on, but all in all I think I'll be happy with this travel setup.

M45 Jan 16 2018.jpg

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On 13/01/2018 at 05:01, knobby said:

Star adventurer mini expected on Monday :hello2:

I'm hoping that buying while cloudy won't cause any more cloud !

It's here ... And the sky is blue ! Lovely bit of kit , just trying to suss the polar scope illuminator .

It's almost light enough to fit straight on my tripod head and dispense with the wedge (for holiday travel) but just a wee bit wobbly.

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21 hours ago, Icesheet said:

Thank you! I just noticed that when I did this it seemed to turn the clock on the polar scope too. Was worried it was perhaps putting me off and limiting my exposure length.

The dials on the polar scope are only for initial alignment, once aligned they can rotate as necessary with your scope/camera without impacting your alignment.

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Thanks Dave, I've had it set up with the wedge and with just the tripod head and both feel pretty solid ... I little ding to the camera lens rocks a bit for about half a second on either setup.

Edited by knobby
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3 hours ago, knobby said:

What's the concensus on polar alignment with just the tripod head ? It's a 3 way head Manfrotto 460MG 3-Way so very rigid and smooth, might give it a bash next clear night .

That should be fine as long as the tripod is rigid. I'm using an old Celestron heavy duty Alt-Az tripod and get a very responsive polar alignment using the tripod adjustment knobs. I attach a snapshot showing the arrangement.

Cheers,
Steve

DSCF0014a.jpg.4ade08eacf4de02851b9b354d8ea4f62.jpg

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On 27/12/2017 at 10:54, MattJenko said:

Missed this thread till now. Shame on me. Some awesome work being done with this little mount.

I have not had my SA out for a while after a house move, but here are some of the images managed over the last 18 months with it, all unguided with both scope setup and a Canon 450d/50mm lens. Also showing off the mono rig on a Berlebach tripod to keep the whole thing low and out of the wind.

 

TS60_SA.jpg

m45_ii.jpg

Andromeda_LRGB_ii.jpg

Cygnus_Widefield.jpg

Milky_Sagittarius.jpg

Wonderful images! May I ask what is the little dovetail clamp you have to attach the scope to the SA? 

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2 hours ago, SteveNickolls said:

That should be fine as long as the tripod is rigid. I'm using an old Celestron heavy duty Alt-Az tripod and get a very responsive polar alignment using the tripod adjustment knobs. I attach a snapshot showing the arrangement.

Cheers,
Steve

DSCF0014a.jpg.4ade08eacf4de02851b9b354d8ea4f62.jpg

Thanks Steve, I'll use the wedge mostly but I'm going to La Palma so I'm going to try fitting the Star adventurer in my camera bag.

 

IMAG1347.jpg

IMAG1346.jpg

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Took advantage of the clear ish spell tonight to try the 'non wedge' polar alignment.

I'm now a member of the star adventurer mini imaging club.

I used f8 at 400 ISO to see how long I could go without trailing.

Managed 300 seconds @ 24 mm

 

CSC_0190.JPG

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30 minutes ago, knobby said:

Took advantage of the clear ish spell tonight to try the 'non wedge' polar alignment.

I'm now a member of the star adventurer mini imaging club.

I used f8 at 400 ISO to see how long I could go without trailing.

Managed 300 seconds @ 24 mm

 

CSC_0190.JPG

Impressive for such a small mount, I quite fancy a mini..

Alan

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