My first setup and questions :)

[Per_jensen]

Hi guys, first of all i'm new here and i just got my very first astrophotography setup

I went all in a got myself a brand new EQ6-R Pro mount, and got myself the Sky Watcher 200P-DS (Might have been a mistake as my first scope) I was out last night but didnt manage to find anything i was looking for, i guess the 1000mm focal length is a bit too much for a newbie as myself  I thought andromda would light up the entire thing, but i couldnt even manage to find that. As far as i could tell the focus was find and my colimation was okay'ish. And my polar align was fine as well. My best guess would be scope alignment was off, and with that focal length i wasnt quite able to do a proper star align.

I then got to thinking a guidescope might help me, i then have the possibility to platesolve and guide (right?)

On the 200PDS i have a 50mm finder scope, i'm thinking about getting the ZWO ASI 120mm mono camera and plug that in to the 50mm for guiding, but i'm not sure if the difference in focal lengths is a problem when it comes to guiding?

Thank you

[Delta1]

You are right 1000mm focal length is a little difficult than shorter focal length. It just takes a little practice.

Did you perform a star alignment on your mount?

When you are done with polar alignment you can point the main telescope to polaris. Then adjust the finder scope so that you can see polaris in center of the finder. After that you can perform a 1-star alignment (that is usually enough) and center the alignment star in the finder. Then you are good to go with the goto-function.

[Per_jensen]

5 minutes ago, Delta1 said:

You are right 1000mm focal length is a little difficult than shorter focal length. It just takes a little practice.

Did you perform a star alignment on your mount?

When you are done with polar alignment you can point the main telescope to polaris. Then adjust the finder scope so that you can see polaris in center of the finder. After that you can perform a 1-star alignment (that is usually enough) and center the alignment star in the finder. Then you are good to go with the goto-function.

Hi Delta, thank you for your reply

I did try to do star alignment from Stellarium (using EQMOD) and when i found the star i was aligning to i centered the star in my FOV on my camera (Canon EOS 1300D) and synced that to the mount, that's when i thought the scope was then aligned but when ever i slew to another place alignment was off again, perhaps i jumped on the EQMOD wagon a bit too fast lol

[Delta1]

I understand. Try with the Synscan hand controller first and the finder scope and perform a 1-star alignment. 

I advice you to use start with hand controller first and then advance to EQMOD later. Also at first skip the camera and use an eye piece on you main scope. After alignment try sleewing to a large object like M31 you’ll be able to see it in the eye piece of your telescope. It’s easier than using a camera in the beginning.

It’s not difficult but needs a little practise. It’s much easier and fun when you know your mount and how it works.

[david_taurus83]

Just to point out the use of Stellarium (StellariumScope) with Eqmod. You've described the very issue I had when I tried to use it. I could never get it to Sync the coords to the mount. Try Carte du Ciel. It's not as pretty looking as Stellarium but it works much better with Eqmod. As long as you use it starting from the home position and slew to a target, once you centre the target in your field of view, press sync and it will correct the coords in the mount. You can even use the moon as it's pretty hard to miss even for a beginner!

[Delta1]

I never use computer to control the mount. Alignment and sleewing to target takes 2 minutes using the hand controller. It takes longer time to connect and start up the computer. When doing astrophotography I have only one target for the night and there is no need for using software to do that.

I use computer for guiding and controlling the camera though...

[RolandKol]

Hi Jensen,

How do you know if your PA is OK?

from your description, it sounds like not... Make 1min exposure picture and check if stars are running...

I would also check EQMOD and delete any sync data it has

Also, check if every software you use has the same coordinates entered and uses the same coord system (like Jnow for example)

[RolandKol]

Also, 

read and enable PlateSoling, - it will eliminate all the headache in relation to scope pointing...

PlateSolving does short exposure, recognises starts and sync the mount with the chart of heavens you use

[Delta1]

EQMOD, skymaps and platesolving I think can be quite overwhelming for a beginner. I would avoid using them in the beginning and keep it simple.

[RolandKol]

6 minutes ago, Delta1 said:

EQMOD, skymaps and platesolving I think can be quite overwhelming for a beginner. I would avoid using them in the beginning and keep it simple.

I would not agree...
I was not able to find any targets initially in my Light Polluted skies at all  
Moon and Orion belt only... Andromeda was not reachable... I simply could not find it with the hand controller...
I did not know the sky, plus, the number of stars in Light Polluted sky was really poor...

but once I set up all on PC (during the day), - at night, - simple platesolving near Andromeda and next slew I was on it! 
 

[Delta1]

 

9 minutes ago, RolandKol said:

I would not agree...
I was not able to find any targets initially in my Light Polluted skies at all  
Moon and Orion belt only... Andromeda was not reachable... I simply could not find it with the hand controller...
I did not know the sky, plus, the number of stars in Light Polluted sky was really poor...

but once I set up all on PC (during the day), - at night, - simple platesolving near Andromeda and next slew I was on it! 
 

If the condition is so bad then you are lucky finding polaris. The alignment stars are quite bright even brighter than polaris. A one star alignment with a bright star should put the mount on the right track IF the mount is setup right in the beginning meaning leveled, pointing north with an ok PA (ok is good enough in the beginning). You can work on getting a perfect PA later

[RolandKol]

11 minutes ago, Delta1 said:

 

If the condition is so bad then you are lucky finding polaris. The alignment stars are quite bright even brighter than polaris. A one star alignment with a bright star should put the mount on the right track IF the mount is setup right in the beginning meaning leveled, pointing north with an ok PA (in the beginning

I had a bit more challenging task as a beginner, as my house blocked Polaris  Polar Alignment without the Polaris was the task which took a while to learn
And @Per_jensen description was exactly the same what I had with a bad Polar Alignment initially. 
I could star align, re-align and etc, but never slewed to another target as in any youtube video... Simply missed... and Missed a lot.

PA is probably the main problem, plus... Coords on the Software also may cause the same error.
 

[Delta1]

10 minutes ago, RolandKol said:

I had a bit more challenging task as a beginner, as my house blocked Polaris  Polar Alignment was the task which took a while to learn
And @Per_jensen description was exactly the same what I had with a bad Polar Alignment initially. 
I could align, re-align and etc, but never slewed to another target as in any youtube video... Simply missed... and Missed a lot.

PA is probably the main problem, plus... Coords on the Software also may cause the same error.
 

Funny thing is that I started out way to advanced myself using skymap and EQMOD and never got the hang of it.

Once I’ve learned the mount using the mount for visual  (even though my intetion was astrophotography) It was much easier.

I think it’s easier to learn the sky visually  than through a computer or camera screen simply because of wider field of view with a telescope and the right eye piece.

We all have different approaches and I respect that.

[Per_jensen]

35 minutes ago, RolandKol said:

Hi Jensen,

How do you know if your PA is OK?

from your description, it sounds like not... Make 1min exposure picture and check if stars are running...

I would also check EQMOD and delete any sync data it has

Also, check if every software you use has the same coordinates entered and uses the same coord system (like Jnow for example)

Hi Roland, thank you for you reply!

I did exposures above 1min, with minimal trailing, but yeah there was a small amount, i was just thinking that was because of the weight of my setup and that didnt allow for much longer exposures without guiding. But one thing i wasnt sure about was the polaris position, and the fact that i live in Denmark with daylight savings and all.. Perhaps i was and hour off? All my coordinates was the same in EQMOD, Stellarium and APT. 

But i've heard alot about Stellarium being bad for EQMOD so i will try the other alternative for sure

[Per_jensen]

52 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

Just to point out the use of Stellarium (StellariumScope) with Eqmod. You've described the very issue I had when I tried to use it. I could never get it to Sync the coords to the mount. Try Carte du Ciel. It's not as pretty looking as Stellarium but it works much better with Eqmod. As long as you use it starting from the home position and slew to a target, once you centre the target in your field of view, press sync and it will correct the coords in the mount. You can even use the moon as it's pretty hard to miss even for a beginner!

Hi David, thank you for your reply! I'm going to install Carte du Ciel and get to learn that one, i've heard alot of people using that over Stellarium, i now see the reason

[Delta1]

4 minutes ago, Per_jensen said:

Hi Roland, thank you for you reply!

I did exposures above 1min, with minimal trailing, but yeah there was a small amount, i was just thinking that was because of the weight of my setup and that didnt allow for much longer exposures without guiding. But one thing i wasnt sure about was the polaris position, and the fact that i live in Denmark with daylight savings and all.. Perhaps i was and hour off? All my coordinates was the same in EQMOD, Stellarium and APT. 

But i've heard alot about Stellarium being bad for EQMOD so i will try the other alternative for sure

Dont worry about a little star trailing in the beginning. First the desired object must be present in your image.

[RolandKol]

Never had problems with Stellarium
I am not aware how you connect it to EQMOD, - I use StellariumScope.exe app in addition.

and yes... 1 hour light saving may be an issue also

[Per_jensen]

Just now, Delta1 said:

Dont worry about star trailing in the beginning. First the desired object must be present in your image.

Oh yeah, that's a must

[Delta1]

I strongly advice you to visually align the mount if the skies allow it. It will be easier to understand the sky and the software.

If you need to know whats on the sky for the night use a smartphone with Stellarium. It uses the phones GPS to visualize the sky. It can even help you locating the alignment star.

[Delta1]

First locate and roughly align your finder  (using screws on the finder base) with polaris when mount is home position. If you are in Denmark you can try 1-star alignment with Deneb. After Deneb is centered in the finder using the hand controller, you can try locate M31 and see if its there or you can try a 30s sub with you camera.

Use your smartphone with Stellarium and and search for Deneb. With the GPS activated within the app on your phone you can hold your smartphone up in the sky and it will point you in the right direction. When You see it with your bare eye it's easier to locate it with your finder scope.

[spillage]

As has already been mentioned make sure PA is as good as you can get it. I would not bother with stellarium or cdc as you will find platesolving will do all you need.

You do not need to do any star alignment and the process once up an running take a couple minutes.

Have you tried APT. The main software if free and it will do all this for you (once setup).

I cannot see if you mentioned having a pier or setting up every time, but I just open APT take a 5 second shot platesolve and sync. I then just choose my target from a list and click one button. The software move the scope and repeats this process until the the camera is on the target give or take a few pixels.

[Synchronicity]

Regarding the settings for the mount etc, someone here suggested using an app called SynscanInit.  This is the Android version but I think it comes Apple flavoured as well. 
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.RapidoDroid.synscaninit2&hl=en_GB

This shows all of the settings as they should be enttered into the SynScan handset when setting up - it saves any confusion about timezones, DST etc.

All the best

Michael