Mars (R-RGB) 20 September 2020

[StargazingAde]

Hi there, 

absolutely love the photograph!. But you have touched on something I have been thinking of for weeks now reference collimation and the effects of the ADC!. I have a CPC1100 which I have a X2 Barlow, ZWO filter wheel, Omegon ADC attached to my ASI290MC. So I am using a colour camera so it's more useful to use the ADC. Lots of people say collimate with all items in the train except the ADC then add the ADC into the train and adjust to correct but I have always thought that the ADC will throw out the collimation. Am I right in my thoughts that possibly leaving the ADC in the train in a neural position and collimating the train and then when it comes to image Mars which I am doing at the moment, adjust on to Mars and focus, adjust the ADC the correct setting but instead of moving the mount re center by using the collimation screws?. I have added a picture of my setup - still new to astrophotography.

[geoflewis]

Hi @StargazingAde, I'm a little wary of guiding you on the correct procedure, but I think that what you have described concurs with the advice that I received from Anthony Wesley, however, neither he or I are using a colour camera. That said, I believe that the collimation process should be the same. As Anthony says, the correct procedure is to collimate with the ADC in train, then use the collimation screws rather than the RA/Dec controls to recentre any offset. I hope this helps, but I must caveat the advice as being untested by me personally.

Good luck.

[MarsG76]

Awesome detail.....

[StargazingAde]

Thanks @geoflewis, It's something I am going to try as soon as it stops raining and the clear skies and seeing return!. In fact I have put it in my 2021 diary🤣

[Pete Presland]

Fabulous images, hopefully some more views before opposition.

[geoflewis]

1 hour ago, Pete Presland said:

Fabulous images, hopefully some more views before opposition.

I've been pretty much clouded out since 22 September - image and gif posted on a separate thread below.....

There's little sign of it clearing in the next few days for cloest approach on 6th Oct, but we live in hope......