I need to be quicker...

[Ande]

As the sun set, and the stars and planets began to punctuate the evening sky one by one, I got quite excited.  I could have another go with my new gear. Second light if you will. First light wasn’t exactly successful, so I’d be better prepared this time.

Spent ages meticulously going over my camera settings, and getting the tripod all nicely balanced up. All batteries were fully charged.  Delighted myself with the thought of using the new Williams Optics wedge with my Skyguider. It really is a lovely upgrade. Then I decided I would manipulate the DSLR via the phone app. Try and eliminate any camera shake, as I don’t have an intervalometer yet. 

Could I get it to connect? Could I [removed word]!  Must have wasted a good 45 minutes until the soddin’ thing would join in.  Eventually made the connection, and purposefully strode outside. Erm......  What happened to the stars? Where has my beloved Pleiades gone, my target for tonight? Bloody clouds had snuck in while the phone sapped my time!

Gonna have to do better next time. It’s gonna have to be like a formula one pit stop. I need to turn it into a sporting event, and shave valuable seconds off the operation. Must....go.....faster 🙄

[DaveL59]

Yep the weather of late has been a bit of a let down for sure. I did have a fiddle with phone control of my Sony A77ii but its so limited its of little real use. Till I get an intervalometer sorted I just use the old remote shutter release from my M9000 film camera as luckily its the same connector 🙂 

Might have been easier tho to have just set the self-timer to 3 or 10 sec to allow the vibration to dampen down till you have the controller, but now you have the phone working you've both options...

[Ande]

Yes, I should have abandoned the whole app idea.  To rub salt into the wound, I’ve just popped out again, and it is now crystal clear.  Pleiades is getting quite close to a very bright moon, and I now have to do go do some work. If it’s still clear after 10.15pm I might have a glimmer of a chance. I’ll have a peep on Stellarium and see if anything else is worth pointing the lens at

[John]

Quick set up and tear down are key to getting much astronomy done in the current UK conditions

It is clear now so I've popped my 100m refractor out on an alt-az mount and can get on with observing practically straight off.

 

[chiltonstar]

1 hour ago, John said:

Quick set up and tear down are key to getting much astronomy done in the current UK conditions

It is clear now so I've popped my 100m refractor out on an alt-az mount and can get on with observing practically straight off.

 

I did exactly the same with my 100mm frac as Sirius was in a good position and barely twinkling - nicely split! For a quick roll-out, you can't beat a frac and a simple mount.

Chris

[Neil H]

Same here set up clouds rolled in waited still clouds so packed up clouds cleared set up clouds came back its just like the god of clouds is taking the mick out of me so packed up and refused to look out of the window in case it cleared 

Merry Christmas every one 

[MrFreeze]

So it's not just me then! The cloud appears just as it's starting to get dark, and lasts till well after Jupiter and Saturn have set, then clear again after I've given up for the night.

Merry Christmas or at least as merry as you can make it under the circumstances.

David

[Neil H]

And to you David i glad its not just me the the astronomy curse

[Chefgage]

16 hours ago, Ande said:

As the sun set, and the stars and planets began to punctuate the evening sky one by one, I got quite excited.  I could have another go with my new gear. Second light if you will. First light wasn’t exactly successful, so I’d be better prepared this time.

Spent ages meticulously going over my camera settings, and getting the tripod all nicely balanced up. All batteries were fully charged.  Delighted myself with the thought of using the new Williams Optics wedge with my Skyguider. It really is a lovely upgrade. Then I decided I would manipulate the DSLR via the phone app. Try and eliminate any camera shake, as I don’t have an intervalometer yet. 

Could I get it to connect? Could I [removed word]!  Must have wasted a good 45 minutes until the soddin’ thing would join in.  Eventually made the connection, and purposefully strode outside. Erm......  What happened to the stars? Where has my beloved Pleiades gone, my target for tonight? Bloody clouds had snuck in while the phone sapped my time!

Gonna have to do better next time. It’s gonna have to be like a formula one pit stop. I need to turn it into a sporting event, and shave valuable seconds off the operation. Must....go.....faster 🙄

I used to have a problem connecting to my canon DSLR using the app. It would sometimes work and other times not. There was a specific order of things to do to connect, not really that good. I then got an interveloper and that was a big blessing. Easy to use in the dark.l, and no daft connection problems.

[Ande]

1 hour ago, Chefgage said:

I used to have a problem connecting to my canon DSLR using the app. It would sometimes work and other times not. There was a specific order of things to do to connect, not really that good. I then got an interveloper and that was a big blessing. Easy to use in the dark.l, and no daft connection problems.

Yes, it is a nightmare of an app. I tried it again this morning, and it is definitely broken. I have to disconnect from a connection I don’t have before it will show me the Connect option. Then it usually fails, and the canon WiFi option keeps disappearing from my settings menu on the phone. I shall source an intervalometer pronto 🙂.

[Chefgage]

1 hour ago, Ande said:

Yes, it is a nightmare of an app. I tried it again this morning, and it is definitely broken. I have to disconnect from a connection I don’t have before it will show me the Connect option. Then it usually fails, and the canon WiFi option keeps disappearing from my settings menu on the phone. I shall source an intervalometer pronto 🙂.

This is the type I got for my canon 200D. I did not get it from here (amazon I think). https://www.subtel.co.uk/index.php?cl=details&offerId=5420371701&lang=1&anid=916620&cnid=6e17000500187291d07f3d04dae4fc49&campaign=co.uk-pla/KZ_Fernbedienung/916620

[Ande]

Excellent. I have ordered a similar looking one off Amazon earlier. It’s coming on Sunday 🙂

[KP82]

Unless you have a permanent setup in a home observatory, setting up the imaging rig does take quite some time. Personally it takes me about 45 mins to set up everything from scratch to be ready to start the capture sequence.

For visual it's a completely different story. I can be out with my dob in 5 mins and start with low power sweeping immediately. Even if I decide to use my refractor on a GOTO EQ mount, I can be observing in about 10 mins. My DIY eFinder does precise GOTO with plate solving, so apart from a rough polar alignment I don't need to waste any time on 2/3 star alignment or searching for targets with low power eyepiece after an inaccurate GOTO.