I have a problem finding Mars!

[inFINNity Deck]

I image Mars using my C11 EdgeHD, 2x Barlow (so f/20) and ZWO ASI174MM. Getting Mars onto the chip is fairly easy when defocussing and imaging at a relatively long exposure like a quarter second or so. Initial aiming can be done by looking along the scope as Mars is currently the brightest object in the sky and therefore cannot be missed. I defocus the scope to a point that the resulting doughnut does not fit the imaging chip any more, the longer exposure time ensures that the faint doughnut still is visible. In this way the edge of the doughnut will be visible even when Mars is way off the chip. Once framed I adjust my finder scope so next move helps finding Mars even quicker.

Nicolàs

[Jammy]

As lots of people have said, use a widefield eyepiece to get the correct location.  I leave the eyepiece defocussed and the scope on the camera focus (or as near as possible).  It doesn't matter that the eyepiece is defocussed as you're only doing a search of the sky.  Another thing I've tried is finding a star close to the planet that I can focus the camera on with Bahtinov before slewing the scope to Mars.  IF you're reasonably polar aligned you won't be far off slewing a short distance.  That way I know the camera is in focus too.

[MarsG76]

I use a flip mirror... when I added this, it made a world of difference....

 

[michael8554]

Give framing with a non-reticle eyepiece a go, but I found that camera and eyepiece centre points were a little different, necessitating offsetting in the eyepiece, where the crosshairs helped.

Michael