All my short questions about astrophotogrpahy and just in general.

[Lotinsh]

I wanted to make just one big thread with all my questions in general, because I can't seem to find everything on google and they are too short for their own thread.

 

Can I do astrophotography if it doesn't get fully dark in night at summer?

How do I find deep space objects in the middle of city where I can't see most of the stars? 

How do I know that I have located the object if I can't see it in camera?

How do I photograph planets if they're too small in camera view? I already have a 3x barlow, do I need a 5x? Also is 3x + 2x barlow 5x or 6x? Since doesn't the 2x magnify the 3x 2 times?

How do I know if my polar alignment is good enough?

Can I buy a second motor for my eq5 with single motor drive and make a laptop look trough my dslr to correct drifting?

Also what benefit is there of the second motor? Is it needed? Optional?

Which light pollution filter under 140ish eur would be the best for me? Or should I just buy an UHC filter?

Can I not use a coma corrector if I would crop my images?

Since I'm trying to use my Heritage 130p, does adding the dslr make my telescope not be in collimation? Since its held by 2 tubes aren't they bending from weight and making it not aligned?

Do counter-weights count as additional weight on my mount? Or is the limit just how much can my gear be without counter-weights?

Can I use the eq5 rotation degrees shown on the mount to find objects in sky? Like guiding but manually looking what degrees are showing on my eq5?

 

I might add other questions, this is all that comes to my mind at the moment, I would be happy for any advice in general, like tips and stuff, everything is welcome since I'm a complete beginner in astrophotography trying to follow youtube tips and stuff.

Edit: I'm sorry if my question seem dumb, they probably are

 

Edited February 5, 2022 by Lotinsh

[vlaiv]

40 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

Can I do astrophotography if it doesn't get fully dark in night at summer?

Yes you can, but results won't be as good as in full darkness.

Moon in the sky has similar effect and so does light pollution. You need much more total exposure than you would otherwise need in dark skies.

41 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

How do I find deep space objects in the middle of city where I can't see most of the stars? 

There are different ways of doing this

1. Using brighter stars as orientation

2. Using some sort of plate solving - this is really the same as above, except - you let the computer examine stars (so it can work even with faint ones) and tell you where the scope is pointing.

43 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

How do I know that I have located the object if I can't see it in camera?

Same as above - by looking at star patterns in test exposure. You look at planetarium software and note star pattern around target - and then you try to recognize it in test exposure. Or you can let computer do that for you.

44 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

How do I photograph planets if they're too small in camera view? I already have a 3x barlow, do I need a 5x? Also is 3x + 2x barlow 5x or 6x? Since doesn't the 2x magnify the 3x 2 times?

Photographing planets uses very different approach. DSLRs are not the best option for capturing planets. There are planetary cameras for doing that.

One records a movie - or sequence of very short exposures which try to freeze the seeing and then software later stacks those exposures.

Barlow that is to be used depends on camera pixel size and telescope F/ratio. There is formula to determining needed F/ratio for best image (most detail / largest image).

45 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

How do I know if my polar alignment is good enough?

By looking at declination drift. If you get star elongation in direction of declination - then you need to get better polar alignment.

You can also use software to calculate how good your polar alignment is. SharpCap has this option.

47 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

Can I buy a second motor for my eq5 with single motor drive and make a laptop look trough my dslr to correct drifting?

Yes and no.

You can get second motor and you can guide your mount, but computer can't "look" thru DSLR as it is imaging. You need separate small camera and way to attach it - either to finder or to main telescope.

This is called guiding and yes - most people doing astrophotography do it at some point.

48 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

Also what benefit is there of the second motor? Is it needed? Optional?

It is optional. Benefit is that you can correct for poor polar alignment if you guide and you can turn your mount into a goto.

Using computer can automate centering of your target if you have both axis powered.

For simple astrophotography - you don't need it. If your polar alignment is good, once you've located your target - it should not move in declination so there is no need to move the mount in that axis.

49 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

Which light pollution filter under 140ish eur would be the best for me? Or should I just buy an UHC filter?

UHC and LPS filters are different types of filters. UHC are good for emission type targets only, while LPS filters can be used on any target. UHC is good filter to have - as long as you use it for what it is intended for (emission type nebulae).

I've only used IDAS LPS P2 and it is good LPS filter, but I'm afraid that it is a bit over your budget. Not sure what to recommend inside your budget.

51 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

Can I not use a coma corrector if I would crop my images?

Yes - you can only use central portion of your field of view and stars will be ok there.

That way you loose field of view, but what is left has good definition. You can judge yourself how much of the field you can keep - depending on how much distortion is ok for you (it is progressive and rises with distance from center).

53 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

Since I'm trying to use my Heritage 130p, does adding the dslr make my telescope not be in collimation? Since its held by 2 tubes aren't they bending from weight and making it not aligned?

Focuser on Heritage will not hold DSLR properly and will tilt. This will cause issues with the image.

53 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

Do counter-weights count as additional weight on my mount? Or is the limit just how much can my gear be without counter-weights?

Mount payload is usually given without counter weights - which means gear only. EQ5 has say 10Kg payload - that means it can carry 10Kg of gear and 10kg of counter weights.

55 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

Can I use the eq5 rotation degrees shown on the mount to find objects in sky? Like guiding but manually looking what degrees are showing on my eq5?

Yes you can and that is the purpose of settings circles - but in practice, it almost never works except for very wide field.

Here is video explaining why:

 

[teoria_del_big_bang]

Wow a lot of questions there, and I certainly am not experienced enough to answer them all.
Due to my limited knowledge in some of the questions posed I have not answered some of them and even the ones I have the answers are to the best of my limited knowledge.

But one reply I am sure of is that pretty much all of these questions (and probably all the ones that you will have soon) will be answere in a very easy to understand format if you obtain a copy of "Making every photon count" by Steve Richards".
This was my first purchase before I bought any equipment and really is a must for anyone starting out with AP 🙂  

1 hour ago, Lotinsh said:

Can I do astrophotography if it doesn't get fully dark in night at summer?

Short answer is yes, but together with your light pollution you have to pick your targets, some of the dimmer targets will be difficult id not impossible.
You can improve things by using some form of dual narrow band filter even with DSLT (I should think so anyway).

1 hour ago, Lotinsh said:

How do I find deep space objects in the middle of city where I can't see most of the stars? 

Has your EQ5 mount a goto capability ?
If so and you can connect to it with ASCOM or INDI then you could platesolve and sync the mount to automatically find your target.
If not then not sure, but probably take some exposures, long enough for the stars to be seen and then star hop.

1 hour ago, Lotinsh said:

How do I know that I have located the object if I can't see it in camera?

I would think you need to connect the DSLR to a laptop, or computer, via usb.
Most DSO's cannot be seen in live view of camera so have to take shortish exposures, but long enough for something to show up when the image is stretched on your laptop, normally not more than 10S is enough for most DSO's to show something recognisable.

 

1 hour ago, Lotinsh said:

How do I photograph planets if they're too small in camera view? I already have a 3x barlow, do I need a 5x? Also is 3x + 2x barlow 5x or 6x? Since doesn't the 2x magnify the 3x 2 times?

I have not even tried planets yet.
Planets and DSO's require totally different approaches, and really different equipment.
With the equipment you have you may find planets very small and adding barlows I do not think will yield very good results (but as I say I have no planetary experience so only my thoughts).

1 hour ago, Lotinsh said:

How do I know if my polar alignment is good enough?

Without guiding you will not get very long exposures without good PA.
There are several bits of software you can use to check and adjust your PA if you have your DSLR connected to a laptop.
I have never tried with a DSLR but assume no different to using a dedicated camera.

1 hour ago, Lotinsh said:

Can I buy a second motor for my eq5 with single motor drive and make a laptop look trough my dslr to correct drifting?

You cannot use your main camera and scope for guiding you would need a guide scope and seprate guide camera.
 

1 hour ago, Lotinsh said:

Which light pollution filter under 140ish eur would be the best for me? Or should I just buy an UHC filter?

If in a light polluted area then you will benefit from some sort of LP filter or a dual narrow band filter.

1 hour ago, Lotinsh said:

Can I not use a coma corrector if I would crop my images?

Yes. Depending on the distortion at the outer edges depends on the amount of crop you will need for a decent image.

1 hour ago, Lotinsh said:

Do counter-weights count as additional weight on my mount? Or is the limit just how much can my gear be without counter-weights?

No, the quoted payload would not include the counter weights, but keep in mind that for AP it is not advisable to go any where near the maximum payload for any mount.

Steve

EDIT: Just noticed that @vlaiv has replued whilst I was typing, if his advice differs from mine then I would rely on his advice before mine 🙂 

Edited February 5, 2022 by teoria_del_big_bang

[Lotinsh]

Thanks, that answers pretty much everything, so if my telescope will tilt and cause issues, is it a good idea to buy a new telescope at somepoint? It's probably not going to be any time soon as I don't have that much budget.

Edit: Thanks to both of you, this will come in useful for sure.

Edited February 5, 2022 by Lotinsh

[vlaiv]

39 minutes ago, Lotinsh said:

Thanks, that answers pretty much everything, so if my telescope will tilt and cause issues, is it a good idea to buy a new telescope at somepoint? It's probably not going to be any time soon as I don't have that much budget.

Edit: Thanks to both of you, this will come in useful for sure.

In that range, 130PDS is the scope to go for in case of astrophotography.

If you have a friend with 3d printer - maybe you could print some replacement parts / add ons for Heritage to make it more stable imaging platform?

One member of my local forum 3d printed replacement focuser for his Astromaster 130 newtonian and takes images with DSLR with it.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2552565

Maybe you could do something similar to your scope if you have access to 3d printer?

[Lotinsh]

Ok, so this is going to sound super dumb. I purchased a cheap laser collimator, it was either a 50 eur good one, but I went with a 20 eur cheap one from aliexpress, I think I got a screw stuck in it while trying to collimate the damn collimator. What in the world do I do now? And why don't they come collimated and have sealed screws???

[happy-kat]

I use a collimation cap on mine, you can make one from an old 35mm film canister, drill a hole dead centre in it.

There is a member imaging with this telescope in the no eq challenge thread.