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Imaging with a Star Adventurer


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On 27/10/2018 at 15:58, knobby said:

but it did with the other lens ? strange, where you definitely on the manual focus mode (by the lens release switch)

Defiantly on manual on the camera. Just the wrong type of lens. Still I'm not disheartened, I'm Going to do some more widefild wit the 135mm instead, and see what I can do with that. 

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Slightly different question, but still SA related.

Now I have got my SASA and dslr for imaging which is great. am also using my konusmotor 500  scope for visual only which I’m really enjoying. Next step is to combine it all and try to image with the scope, dslr and SA tracking. 

I was wondering am I able to put the konus on the sky adventurer? I think the max limit for the mount is around 5kg. Any known issues?

I would like to know if any of you have telescopes scopes on your star adventure or just use it with a dslr and guide scopes?

Thanks

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 29/10/2018 at 08:06, Leon-Fleet said:

Slightly different question, but still SA related.

Now I have got my SASA and dslr for imaging which is great. am also using my konusmotor 500  scope for visual only which I’m really enjoying. Next step is to combine it all and try to image with the scope, dslr and SA tracking. 

I was wondering am I able to put the konus on the sky adventurer? I think the max limit for the mount is around 5kg. Any known issues?

I would like to know if any of you have telescopes scopes on your star adventure or just use it with a dslr and guide scopes?

Thanks

Hi,

I couldn't find specific information about that scope OTA weight, but my guts say it's probably too heavy.

Additionally, although these newtonians are excellent first scopes, they're not very useful as astrophotography scopes: there's probably too much coma, and I doubt you'll be able to get focus with a DSLR, as the focus excursion is typically very short.

Furthermore, a focal length of 500mm starts to be way too much for a star adventurer, particularly if not autoguided. And of course, adding an autoguider will add even more weight.

Edited by GuLinux
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11 hours ago, Ken Mitchell said:

First night out with guidesetup on the SA was a succes. 

41x 5min with TS72 f6 iso 800 with Nikon d610

TS50mm guidescope with zwo asi120mc-s

M45 3hrs22 41fr crop.jpg

Really stunning, congrats :)

I really have to get myself up to work, I need to catch up with these results ?

 

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16 hours ago, Ken Mitchell said:

First night out with guidesetup on the SA was a succes. 

41x 5min with TS72 f6 iso 800 with Nikon d610

TS50mm guidescope with zwo asi120mc-s

M45 3hrs22 41fr crop.jpg

That's impressive.

What are your skies like on the Bortle scale?

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New one from the last 2 nights and second time using guiding with the SA.

All went well except for the winds on night 2 which gave some vibration to some of the frames and didn't include 50 minutes into the total integration. Might put a heavier load on the tripod and see if it will changes things.

First night got 39 frames of each 5 min and second night 38 frames of each 5 min. A total of around 6hrs and 20min.

TS72 APO + TS flat72 with Nikon d610

77 x 5 min guided

Tracked with the SA and guided with TS 50mm mini guidescope with asi zwo 120mc-s

Stacking was done in DSS and processing in Photoshop.

 

Ken

 

 
 

 

rosette 6hrs21 77fr.jpg

Edited by Ken Mitchell
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Andromeda was my first 'proper' image taken with the Star Adventurer once I'd got up to speed with it all. 200mm F3.5 58x2min subs, 16 darks, flats and bias. Taken with a Canon 450Da and CLS filter from Bortle 6 skies back in late September.

I'm now incredibly addicted to this astrophotography game. Ha ha.

M31.jpg

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23 hours ago, Ken Mitchell said:

New one from the last 2 nights and second time using guiding with the SA.

All went well except for the winds on night 2 which gave some vibration to some of the frames and didn't include 50 minutes into the total integration. Might put a heavier load on the tripod and see if it will changes things.

First night got 39 frames of each 5 min and second night 38 frames of each 5 min. A total of around 6hrs and 20min.

TS72 APO + TS flat72 with Nikon d610

77 x 5 min guided

Tracked with the SA and guided with TS 50mm mini guidescope with asi zwo 120mc-s

Stacking was done in DSS and processing in Photoshop.

 

Ken

 

 
 

 

rosette 6hrs21 77fr.jpg

Wow.

How are you managing to get 5 minute subs guided with such a large scope? Are you using a Polemaster too?

On a similar note, anyone with this mount played with PHD2's new polar alignment routines? I'd love to know how practical the Polar Drift and Static Polar  alignment procedures are.

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Hi All,

Got my hands on a Star Adventurer a while back and have only used it a handfull of times.

Loving it so far!

I want to use my modded canon camera but i dont have any lenses for it (other than stock 18-50mm) and would prefer a small scope on it.

Can anyone recommend a relatively cheap (£80-£120) compact telescope i can use for this as a portable solution. 

I have seen the Orion CT80 which fits price range but has a 1.25" focuser. can i still use this for astrophotography(can i buy a new focuser)? i accept that the quality may not be amazing! but this is just a portable 'pick up and go' kit for when im on weekends away and dont want to carry 30KG worth of equipment around : )

 

Thanks,

T

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12 minutes ago, tony8690 said:

Hi All,

Got my hands on a Star Adventurer a while back and have only used it a handfull of times.

Loving it so far!

I want to use my modded canon camera but i dont have any lenses for it (other than stock 18-50mm) and would prefer a small scope on it.

Can anyone recommend a relatively cheap (£80-£120) compact telescope i can use for this as a portable solution. 

I have seen the Orion CT80 which fits price range but has a 1.25" focuser. can i still use this for astrophotography(can i buy a new focuser)? i accept that the quality may not be amazing! but this is just a portable 'pick up and go' kit for when im on weekends away and dont want to carry 30KG worth of equipment around : )

 

Thanks,

T

That price range wont get you much worthwhile new. 

An ST80 may be an option, but the CA will be horrible.

If it's purely for imaging purposes, depending on whatever focal length you're after and you don't mind used, you're probably better off with an old prime lens like a Takumar or the like.

One of my favourite images so far with this mount was with a 250mm vintage lens I picked up for a whopping £15. There are still bargains to be had.

vnEkUrKhn8TG_4SX1mv8A7MlWmLCWS1Q9fOjhvzc

Regards

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On 14/11/2018 at 09:19, GuLinux said:

Hi,

I couldn't find specific information about that scope OTA weight, but my guts say it's probably too heavy.

Additionally, although these newtonians are excellent first scopes, they're not very useful as astrophotography scopes: there's probably too much coma

Hi All,

I'm looking at upgrading my manfrotto tripod to  something far sturdier and taller that can accommodate the SA etc. 

I'm 6f3" so ideally having a tall tripod makes life easier as long as it doesn't get blown about by the wind. 

I've heard the eq6 is a good shout but perhaps a little on the short side, but or the manfrotto 055 potentially still wobbly, or vixen porta ii. 

I'd like to spend less than £60, but is that realistic? 

What do you use or recommend? 

Thanks 

Leon 

Edited by Leon-Fleet
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Single sub, which is my best shot of M42 from Sunday nights session. Taken with my Nikon D90 and 400mm lens tracked with the SA.
Taken at Iso 800 F5.6 for 120s. Rough crops and edits in PS Camera Raw.

My intervalometer wasn't playing ball so only have a limited number of subs. Also Polar alignment was poor as my tripod is very wobbly, and the ball-head is not so great, so micro adjustments for framing was hard, (also knocking out the alignment every time) 

 Definitely, need to work on my focus and polar alignment but happy with the results. I'm going to try to stack the few frames that I did manage to get If I can figure out the processing.

FB_IMG_1542643402709.jpg

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Hello everyone,

I was imaging M45 a couple of nights ago with my Star Adventurer Mini and the stars would move up and down(oscillate) as the session progressed. I thought it was normal and that is was due to periodic error. So I decided to try and measure this error. I found that the stars moved 24 pixels(highest position upwards to lowest position downwards) and  using a 135mm lens with my 1200D I had a pixel size of about 7" per pixel(according to http://www.blackwaterskies.co.uk/imaging-toolbox/) . That would give me an error of about 168" which is huge, compared to the 50" error that was measured in Phil Hart's test. Now maybe I did something wrong with the calculations. What do you guys think?

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1 hour ago, Snooze said:

Hello everyone,

I was imaging M45 a couple of nights ago with my Star Adventurer Mini and the stars would move up and down(oscillate) as the session progressed. I thought it was normal and that is was due to periodic error. So I decided to try and measure this error. I found that the stars moved 24 pixels(highest position upwards to lowest position downwards) and  using a 135mm lens with my 1200D I had a pixel size of about 7" per pixel(according to http://www.blackwaterskies.co.uk/imaging-toolbox/) . That would give me an error of about 168" which is huge, compared to the 50" error that was measured in Phil Hart's test. Now maybe I did something wrong with the calculations. What do you guys think?

How good was your polar alignment? 

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2 hours ago, Snooze said:

Hello everyone,

I was imaging M45 a couple of nights ago with my Star Adventurer Mini and the stars would move up and down(oscillate) as the session progressed. I thought it was normal and that is was due to periodic error. So I decided to try and measure this error. I found that the stars moved 24 pixels(highest position upwards to lowest position downwards) and  using a 135mm lens with my 1200D I had a pixel size of about 7" per pixel(according to http://www.blackwaterskies.co.uk/imaging-toolbox/) . That would give me an error of about 168" which is huge, compared to the 50" error that was measured in Phil Hart's test. Now maybe I did something wrong with the calculations. What do you guys think?

I believe the max recommended focal length is 100mm (according to FLO: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-star-adventurer/skywatcher-star-adventurer-mini-sam-wifi.html )

Louise

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3 hours ago, Thalestris24 said:

I believe the max recommended focal length is 100mm (according to FLO: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-star-adventurer/skywatcher-star-adventurer-mini-sam-wifi.html )

Louise

You may already know this but that specification applies to Polar alignment without a Polar scope with the mini. See page 19 in the manual. I believe these mounts were sometimes sold without one.

Cheers,

Dave.

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28 minutes ago, davew said:

You may already know this but that specification applies to Polar alignment without a Polar scope with the mini. See page 19 in the manual. I believe these mounts were sometimes sold without one.

Cheers,

Dave.

In that case FLO should update their page! If focal length is not @Snooze's issue then it must be something else. I've no personal experience with the mini but I had terrible problems with my SA and had to dis-assemble it and adjust the motor and worm gears and it still doesn't give as good tracking and images as some peoples' seem to do.

Louise

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