First frames with Skywatcher 150P

[oyabuns]

Hey all,

Until now this is the best focus I could achieve with my Skywatcher 150P . I use a Canon 700D connected directly to the focuser to reach prime focus. (without a nosepiece)  I bet I can also improve collimation. 
I use the EQ5 GoTo mount and can't take subs longer than 15 seconds, any longer and it will show star trailing. How can I take longer subs? Also the stars don't stay centered and are drifting around the camera screen, to the lower left. 

The attached images are single 15 sec exposures at ISO 1600.

Any tips are welcome, I would like to improve gradually.  ?

 

 

[wimvb]

To get better images several things need to work:

Balancing your scope, with camera attached

Polar alignment. If you have a synscan hand controller with your mount, use the 2-star alignment and then the polar alignment

Focus. A Bahtinov mask is chesp and easy to use

Guiding. The only way to increase exposure time beyond approx. 1 minute, is to start guiding.

Coma corrector. All newtonian telescopes suffer from coma. Especially with larger sensors, you need to correct for this.

Suggested reading:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html

Good luck, and have fun

[gorann]

And point it at something bright and interesting like the Orion Nebula (M42 on your hand control) - then 1 min exposures or less at ISO 1600 will be enough and you may not need to get guiding working at once. That you now see star trailing after 15 seconds probably means that you do not have your polar alignment perfectly right. I would expect that you can get up to 1 min exposures without guiding with a good polar alignment.