Help with alignment

[Neil H]

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjb8I_CkMuDAxW1m1AGHdJxB40YABAMGgJkZw&ae=2&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtOmsBhCnARIsAGPa5yYavWyzli2Dwie7rYCyG12eLUFBhT1oqWhfd_QyB7udmq81W2Yzj_caAnXIEALw_wcB&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESVuD2vIEaKMTHc69RsBf2WHL5PQeDKPFQl0O12WMdzBR5-0WDdJ4C3ZoytVoqxJqckbI_GF_o1cqc-9HnMppLGL0E_MDUteofjnvw1nGznhVw4LWq5IUu&sig=AOD64_0-dXNs9zj3IAHxC6RPSoURbrq9nA&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwilmYbCkMuDAxUHS0EAHbFNCGQQwg8oAHoECAUQDA&adurl=

[Neil H]

The 127 came with 2 extension 1 long and 1 short that's the link to one of them 

[wookie1965]

7 minutes ago, Neil H said:

The 127 came with 2 extension 1 long and 1 short that's the link to one of them 

No link posted Neil

[Neil H]

Look at post above Paul

[wookie1965]

Just now, Neil H said:

Look at post above Paul

I did its blank on my PC

 

[Neil H]

11 minutes ago, Neil H said:

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjb8I_CkMuDAxW1m1AGHdJxB40YABAMGgJkZw&ae=2&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtOmsBhCnARIsAGPa5yYavWyzli2Dwie7rYCyG12eLUFBhT1oqWhfd_QyB7udmq81W2Yzj_caAnXIEALw_wcB&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESVuD2vIEaKMTHc69RsBf2WHL5PQeDKPFQl0O12WMdzBR5-0WDdJ4C3ZoytVoqxJqckbI_GF_o1cqc-9HnMppLGL0E_MDUteofjnvw1nGznhVw4LWq5IUu&sig=AOD64_0-dXNs9zj3IAHxC6RPSoURbrq9nA&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwilmYbCkMuDAxUHS0EAHbFNCGQQwg8oAHoECAUQDA&adurl=

 

[wookie1965]

[wookie1965]

https://www.bresseruk.com/Astronomy/BRESSER-Extension-Tube-25-mm-for-2-5-HEXAFOC.html

[happy-kat]

55 minutes ago, Neil H said:

Do you need me to measure mine , the bresser ones screw in to the focuser tube 

the OP has a bresser mak

[Beardy30]

56 minutes ago, Neil H said:

Do you need me to measure mine , the bresser ones screw in to the focuser tube 

Yes please - I’ve tried my 25mm EP and my camera in the startravel diagonal and it’s a great picture spot on focus - any idea how I take the image , I clicked on capture but didn’t seem to also anything 

[Elp]

Before you mess around with extension pieces, try with a diagonal > then camera with the t nosepiece. Use an eyepiece first to find focus, then replace the eyepiece in the diagonal with the camera and focus will be nearby. It's far easier to do this then mess around with backspacing distance to image straight through the focuser, I have never failed to find focus through a diagonal with a normal telescope setup.

You'll know if the camera is working, take it out of the diagonal and point it to a light source, if it takes a blank image something is wrong in your software settings. If it's blank in the telescope it's very likely not in focus (stars can be difficult to focus on in a camera if you're not near focus because A. Your exposure settings are not long enough to pick up stars which are faint light sources compared to imaging during the day, B. You're focusing too fast for the exposure to pick up the stars (once you're near focus it can sometimes take like a quarter to half turn of the focuser depending on the focuser to find stars, focus, then make them disappear, it's that fine a focus range), focusing too fast you'll wonder why the screens blank, you also need to allow for some time for your tripod to stabilise any vibration via touching the scope. You'll know when you're near as stars will appear as faint large circles which get smaller as you near focus and get larger again out of focus. C. Your camera sensor is not near the plane of focus, if this is wrong the camera will be blind and won't see anything at all or near focus the stars will be large circles and never get small to point light sources, hence the suggestion to use an eyepiece first to focus, then replace with the camera).

Once you can focus through a diagonal, then attempt straight through the focuser imaging once you've got a set of extension pieces. You can try focusing either method during the day focusing on a far off tree or something, the only difference is your exposure settings need to be very fast or you'll have a white screen instead due to the abundant amount of light hitting the sensor, the opposite of what happens at night where the amount of light is limited in comparison.

Just a other point, in your software at night you might need to raise the gain a little. It's not the best thing to do as it acts as an amplifier to the signal so introduces more noise into the image, the image will brighten up, but it doesn't actually increase the photons hitting the pixels in the camera sensor.

If the moon's out at night it makes for an excellent target to try out on as it's easy to find and easy to focus on. The moon will be bright so your exposure time needs to be dialled back accordingly otherwise it'll appear as a white circle, if not making the whole image white.

Edited January 7 by Elp

[bosun21]

2 hours ago, Beardy30 said:

Do I need this for my Bresser 127 also ? 

No. The Maksutov should have enough focus travel to reach focus on its own. Using an extension will increase the focal length a little if you do decide to use one.

 

1 hour ago, Neil H said:

Do you need me to measure mine , the bresser ones screw in to the focuser tube 

The OP has the Bresser 127 Maksutov.

[AstroNebulee]

@Beardy30With your mak you shouldn't need to use the extension with your camera. I use a zwo 120mcs with my Skymax 90mm and only use the nose piece adapter. You will need an extension for the 102 starfield as mentioned in this thread. 

With North level alignment it's quite essential to have the mount level, pay no attention to the bubble level in the mount it is usually a bit off. Use a small spirit level to level it is best I find. 

As happy kat suggests do 3 one star alignments is a good shout. The first will be off but roughly there. The second closer and the third usually spot on. 

Try using the synscan pro app to align and see how you get on with that before using sky safari to control your AzGti. 

Make sure your finderscope is aligned with your main scope. Are you using an eyepiece to align before inserting your camera? 

Lee 

Edited January 7 by AstroNebulee

[bosun21]

1 hour ago, Beardy30 said:

Yes please - I’ve tried my 25mm EP and my camera in the startravel diagonal and it’s a great picture spot on focus - any idea how I take the image , I clicked on capture but didn’t seem to also anything 

@Neil H is talking about his 127 refractor and not the Maksutov which you own. To capture images you indeed use the capture setting and select how many images you want to capture at the settings you have already set (exposure/gain etc). Remember that the images will be saved to a file on your laptop. You can also use the live stacking setting.

Edited January 7 by bosun21

[Beardy30]

56 minutes ago, Elp said:

Before you mess around with extension pieces, try with a diagonal > then camera with the t nosepiece. Use an eyepiece first to find focus, then replace the eyepiece in the diagonal with the camera and focus will be nearby. It's far easier to do this then mess around with backspacing distance to image straight through the focuser, I have never failed to find focus through a diagonal with a normal telescope setup.

You'll know if the camera is working, take it out of the diagonal and point it to a light source, if it takes a blank image something is wrong in your software settings. If it's blank in the telescope it's very likely not in focus (stars can be difficult to focus on in a camera if you're not near focus because A. Your exposure settings are not long enough to pick up stars which are faint light sources compared to imaging during the day, B. You're focusing too fast for the exposure to pick up the stars (once you're near focus it can sometimes take like a quarter to half turn of the focuser depending on the focuser to find stars, focus, then make them disappear, it's that fine a focus range), focusing too fast you'll wonder why the screens blank, you also need to allow for some time for your tripod to stabilise any vibration via touching the scope. You'll know when you're near as stars will appear as faint large circles which get smaller as you near focus and get larger again out of focus. C. Your camera sensor is not near the plane of focus, if this is wrong the camera will be blind and won't see anything at all or near focus the stars will be large circles and never get small to point light sources, hence the suggestion to use an eyepiece first to focus, then replace with the camera).

Once you can focus through a diagonal, then attempt straight through the focuser imaging once you've got a set of extension pieces. You can try focusing either method during the day focusing on a far off tree or something, the only difference is your exposure settings need to be very fast or you'll have a white screen instead due to the abundant amount of light hitting the sensor, the opposite of what happens at night where the amount of light is limited in comparison.

Just a other point, in your software at night you might need to raise the gain a little. It's not the best thing to do as it acts as an amplifier to the signal so introduces more noise into the image, the image will brighten up, but it doesn't actually increase the photons hitting the pixels in the camera sensor.

If the moon's out at night it makes for an excellent target to try out on as it's easy to find and easy to focus on.

Superb thank you - I have done this just earlier this morning on a tree in the distance and the camera in the diagonal was superb in its image and focus  cheers 

[Beardy30]

10 minutes ago, AstroNebulee said:

@Beardy30With your mak you shouldn't need to use the extension with your camera. I use a zwo 120mcs with my Skymax 90mm and only use the nose piece adapter. You will need an extension for the 102 starfield as mentioned in this thread. 

With North level alignment it's quite essential to have the mount level, pay no attention to the bubble level in the mount it is usually a bit off. Use a small spirit level to level it is best I find. 

As happy kat suggests do 3 one star alignments is a good shout. The first will be off but roughly there. The second closer and the third usually spot on. 

Try using the synscan pro app to align and see how you get on with that before using sky safari to control your AzGti. 

Make sure your finderscope is aligned with your main scope. Are you using an eyepiece to align before inserting your camera? 

Lee 

Thanks 

however it was dead level and the alignment was way off so I will have another go tonight cheers 

[Beardy30]

Thanks for all your help lads it’s much appreciated 👍🏼

[Neil H]

Sorry I must have miss read it