Imaging with a Star Adventurer

[SteveNickolls]

48 minutes ago, Radders said:

Just a quick question, is it essential that you calibrate the Polar Scope? 

I certainly would, you may find it needs no change from the factory. 

Enjoy the mount.

Cheers,
Steve

[8472]

4 hours ago, Radders said:

Just a quick question, is it essential that you calibrate the Polar Scope? 

Yes, as best you can.

[Radders]

Thanks. 

[Radders]

Set up the Star Adventurer in the garden and aligned it up the side of a chimney. When rotating on the RA axis it seemed ok but when I got my head round the dials and checked its position at 31st October, 0 and 6 were not straight down. So it appears I'll have to adjust it. I've found a page where some replaced the grub screws with M3 threaded thumb screws so I'm going to do that.

Any idea what size Allen key I need for the grub screws? The smallest one I had was too big. 

[Davey-T]

1 hour ago, Radders said:

Any idea what size Allen key I need for the grub screws? The smallest one I had was too big. 

It's 1.5mm, easier if you get a set of screwdriver type ones of Amazon, also be careful if you loosen all of them the reticle can fall backwards then if you screw the allen screw in it can drop right through.

Personally I wouldn't worry about the setting circles as long as the Polar scope stays centred when you rotate it.

Dave

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Piece-Driver-Small-Engineer-Japanese/dp/B001HQKYJ8/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=allen+key+screwdriver&qid=1556579194&s=gateway&sr=8-12

Edited April 29, 2019 by Davey-T

[Radders]

Cheers Dave. Just thought I'd square everything up properly. Will try again when I get the right Allen key and the light was fading last night. 

[GuLinux]

Quick question.

I'm currently undecided between trying a dual camera setup (with a second camera + lens on the other side of the dovetail, in place or in addition to the counterweight), or to just get a second SA (which would also imply using a second tripod though).

 

Surely the second might prove to be more stable, but the first setup is tempting, particularly because it would greatly reduce the need for a counterweight.

Did anyone try the first setup? Would you recommend it? 

[Radders]

The Polar Illuminator really is pathetic isn't it? Tried mine in the kitchen last night. I couldn't even see the reticle. Changed the battery tonight but still the same level of brightness. Any solution other than shining a red torch down it? 

[Davey-T]

23 minutes ago, Radders said:

The Polar Illuminator really is pathetic isn't it? Tried mine in the kitchen last night. I couldn't even see the reticle. Changed the battery tonight but still the same level of brightness. Any solution other than shining a red torch down it? 

A few folk have made their own better replacements.

Dave

[Snooze]

21 hours ago, Radders said:

The Polar Illuminator really is pathetic isn't it? Tried mine in the kitchen last night. I couldn't even see the reticle. Changed the battery tonight but still the same level of brightness. Any solution other than shining a red torch down it? 

I have no problem with my Polar Illuminator. It's bright enough for me to see the reticle clearly. The only thing I have with mine is that is does not stay in place even with the adaptor I received(too loose).

Edited May 9, 2019 by Snooze

[geordie85]

I've never even used mine

[Davey-T]

It is rather easy to knock off and lose in the dark, good idea to PA in twilight if possible then the reticle can be seen without illumination.

Dave

[8472]

15 hours ago, Radders said:

The Polar Illuminator really is pathetic isn't it? Tried mine in the kitchen last night. I couldn't even see the reticle. Changed the battery tonight but still the same level of brightness. Any solution other than shining a red torch down it? 

I'm surprised nobody has tried this yet, but you can squeeze in 2x CR2025 batteries (instead of a single CR2032)- that doubles the voltage and will make the illuminator much brighter. Used batteries would be best, to minimize the new higher voltage.

I wouldn't leave them in long-term, though. Just long enough to get PA, should suffice.

[knobby]

Not bragging but mine is bright enough, it only needs to be dim really ... Just enough to show the reticule markings but not too bright to over power the stars.

Make sure it's proper dark when you use it.

?

[Radders]

Just tried the 2 cr2025 battery method in the illuminator and its definitely brighter. Will try it on the the Polar Scope later. 

[Davey-T]

24 minutes ago, Radders said:

Just tried the 2 cr2025 battery method in the illuminator and its definitely brighter. Will try it on the the Polar Scope later. 

Probably be hard to turn off with 2 batteries in it mine kept turning itself on with one battery so had to remember to remove the battery when done.

Dave

[Radders]

 

I brought a Skywatcher 1.75" tripod yesterday which is rock solid by the way, so went out this morning to a location about 20 from my home with a decent view of the horizon but when I got there I realised I'd forgot my ballhead! 😡 This is 11 x 3 minute subs and 5 x Darks. To be honest I thought the Milky Way core would of showed up more than this so not sure if I needed more subs, shorter subs or its my post processing. Maybe it would of helped if I'd of been able to frame it in landscape orientation. It was starting to get light when I packed up at 3.45am. The stars look pretty round to me but not much colour other blue and white?

Any suggestions or help then feel free.

[Gfamily]

On 08/05/2019 at 23:04, Snooze said:

I have no problem with my Polar Illuminator. It's bright enough for me to see the reticle clearly. The only thing I have with mine is that is does not stay in place even with the adaptor I received(too loose).

I bought a 3D printed adapter on ebay, which works much better than the appalling sw one, which seems to be made from the wrong sort of plastic,  and being made slightly too large doesn't help. 

[jimjam11]

Before I bought a polemaster I used the red light on my head torch. It was easy to hold in the right position for the time it takes, and it was one less thing to lose...

[ruskclark]

Bit of a wide one from back in December, just about squeezed M31 and M33 in to the same frame at 70mm on an APS-C sensor. 50x3 min subs.

Taken from my backgarden Bortle 6/7 with the help of a CLS.

[8472]

M57 - Olympus m43, 710mm mak lens + Unguided Star Adventurer

[Ken Mitchell]

One of my latest images with the Star Adventurer, the Blue Horsehead Nebula. 

Nikon d610 camera
TS-Optics Photoline 72mm FPL53 APO with 
TS-flat72
Tracked with the Skywatcher Star Adventurer 
TS 50mm f3.6 guidescope connected on a zwo asi120mc-s

Total exposure time: 7hrs 56min,
iso800 f6

Stacked in DSS
Processed in Photoshop

[knobby]

Heads up ... The SAM app now dithers 👍

[8472]

12 hours ago, knobby said:

Heads up ... The SAM app now dithers 👍

Hmm.

I wonder why the SA equivalent is still in beta download only? No official release in months, now.

[DaveHKent]

It looks like I have recently made the right choice. I wanted a tracking mount for widefield images of the milky way and star fields, and had fancied the Omegon Mini Track (the small windup mount). Then I realised it only worked in the northern hemisphere and I'd be disappointed if I go on a more exotic holiday again, but a model that works in both was a little bit more. But for a little bit more still, they have the newer sturdier version, then add a bit more and you get both hemispheres. As the cost mounted up, it was getting close to the star adventurer, so a new one arrived on my doorstep on Friday (A very quick response to questions and shipping from Rother Valley Optics).

Seeing some of the images on this thread has convinced me I have made the right choice. I have a Celestron Nexstar SLT90 (altz goto mount) and thought DSO imaging was beyond me. It looks like this will take the weight of the tube if I want to go that far, but some of the images with just Canon DSLRs have been amazing.

I have got a couple of questions though. I don't have a ball head and my photography tripod is a cheap basic one. I have set up my SA on there and it is clear it is going to be very wobbly. I have a load of Amazon vouchers, are there any tripods or ball heads people would recommend on there? The Skywatcher SA tripod is £59 (but not sold on Amazon), so I was looking in the same price range. There are a number of ball heads with good reviews for £20-£30, would pretty much any of these be suitable?

There is a Neewer tripod that will take 12kg for £47 and the ball head is removable, which would give me both for £50. Would I regret scrimping on this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Aluminum-centimeters-Camcorder-kilograms/dp/B073515X3H/ref=pd_ybh_a_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=607M2SPFZFE0HN5NYFJ3

 

A short term alternate I could use is to put the SA onto my Nexstar Altz mount. If I didn't use the wedge and put it straight on the mount, it would fit but be mounted sideways. Would that work or would the tracking now be working the wrong way? I would not have the Nexstar mount unpowered so it did not track. How would I go about aligning, still turn the 6 so it is pointing to the ground.

Edited July 7, 2019 by DaveHKent