Telescope setting up time

[TiffsAndAstro]

Now that "telescope setting up ready to go image" has been added to the 2028 Olympic Games as a test event, I was wondering how everyone compares.

My current record from everything in large tupaware type crates to fully plugged and about to press play in Nina is 43minutes.

Maybe 5 mins of that total is plonking tripod pointing north ish (I have felt pen marks  on ground) plugging it all in and connecting to Nina.

Is there anything obvious I can do to improve rest of it? It all "works" as is so I'm reluctant to mess with plate solving exposure times etc too much.

I also calibrate each time, though I think I can stop doing that ify next calibration is "good" rather than ok/average from phd2. That will shave 5 mins off my personal best

 

[LukeTheNuke]

Having attempted off-axis guiding with a C11, I have only word word to say: obsy.

[TiffsAndAstro]

9 minutes ago, LukeTheNuke said:

Having attempted off-axis guiding with a C11, I have only word word to say: obsy.

Yeah in my dreams.

However, I think that would clearly count as a doping violation in 2028 Olympics 

Edited May 1 by TiffsAndAstro

[Carbon Brush]

My observatory build (2007/8) was my best astro spend.
Power on, roof back, view. The scope is on the aligned mount and at near enough outside temperature.
When cloud, rain or cold take their toll it takes very little time to park, close roof and lock up.
OK a condensed scope and mount can benefit from a blast by a hair dryer. 5 minutes.
But going back to this outside setting up for serious observing - no.

[ONIKKINEN]

It takes me around 30 minutes to go from opening my car trunk to the first exposure being taken, could be a bit faster or slower depending on if i have to carve small dents into ice for the tripod to snugly fit in and not slide around. Using a newtonian so i also collimate in that time and like you i do calibrate every night. Sometimes its too windy to calibrate and i'll have to use the previous calibration, but these nights dont produce good data anyway so hardly an issue.

But this speed is for all intents and purposes meaningless, because my newtonian takes about an hour to cool down to ambient where tube currents disappear even with a fan running. So in essence i am 30 minutes too fast.

[TiffsAndAstro]

5 minutes ago, Carbon Brush said:

My observatory build (2007/8) was my best astro spend.
Power on, roof back, view. The scope is on the aligned mount and at near enough outside temperature.
When cloud, rain or cold take their toll it takes very little time to park, close roof and lock up.
OK a condensed scope and mount can benefit from a blast by a hair dryer. 5 minutes.
But going back to this outside setting up for serious observing - no.

Sounds fantastic but not possible for me

[TiffsAndAstro]

5 minutes ago, ONIKKINEN said:

It takes me around 30 minutes to go from opening my car trunk to the first exposure being taken, could be a bit faster or slower depending on if i have to carve small dents into ice for the tripod to snugly fit in and not slide around. Using a newtonian so i also collimate in that time and like you i do calibrate every night. Sometimes its too windy to calibrate and i'll have to use the previous calibration, but these nights dont produce good data anyway so hardly an issue.

But this speed is for all intents and purposes meaningless, because my newtonian takes about an hour to cool down to ambient where tube currents disappear even with a fan running. So in essence i am 30 minutes too fast.

It sounds like I should be happy with my 40 minutes then ;(

I don't have to deal with ice, but  mainly "oh, clouds are clearing up, will it be clear in 40 minutes time and for at least an hour after?"

[Elp]

Probably around 30-40 mins or so. If the setup is pre assembled and I only have to carry it out, maybe 10-15 mins.

The physical setup from scratch doesn't take long, I'm so used to it I could probably do it in pitch darkness knowing where everything is store in my bag. 5 min PA (it used to be even quicker than this until a software update), around 2-3 min fine focusing, 2-3 mins making a plan if it's a new project, calibration takes 2-3 mins if I need to do it again.

Try setting up multiple rigs during the same session, you soon speed up.

[Vic L S]

About 30 minutes for my smaller refractor set up, alot longer for my C8 and I'm not totally comfortable with that set up yet. 

I'd like to build a permanent pier in the garden, but not possible with our current situation as I relocate fairly often. 

Observatory.. A dream.. One day! 

[wookie1965]

Takes me about 30mins to set up my EQ5 goto. 

Polar aligned and two star alignment ready to go. 

[TiffsAndAstro]

ty all gives me some good context ty

[DaveS]

About as long as the camera takes to cool down, 5 mins with the ASI 533, 15 with the G3 16200.

On the other hand about 6 months to go from bare ground to operational obsy, bad weather and lockdown didn't help.

[John]

About 3 minutes but I don't image, don't use GOTO and use alt-az mounts 😁

 

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, John said:

About 3 minutes but I don't image, don't use GOTO and use alt-az mounts 😁

 

You’re not slowing down are you, John? 😊

[Alan White]

Setting to go image, no time at all.
I don’t image and I don’t do too much electronics either, simple push to mounts and most electrickery is few heaters.

 

[Ags]

I carry my RC6 and mount out in one go, that’s one minute. Then it cools as night falls. Carrying it from its sheltered spot to the Scope Operating Zone is a minute, including rough polar alignment. Nailing polar alignment is two to three minutes. Then there’s five minutes calibrating the guide scope and fussing over focus. Maybe 10 minutes all in all.

[Gfamily]

One thing I really love about using the Synscan app is that if I know what I want to look at, I can simply select it from the menu, find it in the eyepiece, press 'Point and Track' and it'll keep it in the eyepiece for up to 30 minutes. 

First experienced with the Az GTI and liked it so much that I bought a Synscan Wifi module to replace the handset on my old Synscan mounts. 

[Elp]

3 hours ago, John said:

About 3 minutes but I don't image, don't use GOTO and use alt-az mounts 😁

 

Think you may have missed out the added setup time negotiating with "others" your plans for the evening?

Edited May 1 by Elp

[VNA]

Hello, using a CGX mount, staying outside, no rain now but always well covered. It would be almost instaneous, unfortunately the GPS module refuses work, 2 of them????
Anyway, it takes less than 5 minutes to go to an object that I want to observe.

[TiffsAndAstro]

4 hours ago, DaveS said:

About as long as the camera takes to cool down, 5 mins with the ASI 533, 15 with the G3 16200.

On the other hand about 6 months to go from bare ground to operational obsy, bad weather and lockdown didn't help.

It's on my list to get, one day

[TiffsAndAstro]

I like being a slight outlier. Strangely reassuring

[Sunshine]

Oh I have everyone beat, about three min to put my scope out and get an eyepiece in it. Visual astronomy is a beautiful thing!

Edited May 2 by Sunshine

[900SL]

I have a bronze medal, after following a rigorous training plan.

I have 3 rubber pucks installed and previously aligned North. Tripod feet dropped straight onto these.  Extension lead and weatherproof socket for power, with a regulated 10A supply

Telescope previously focused, so a quick autofocus, and PA before full darkness. Takes around 10 minutes tops.

Because the scope needs to cool to ambient, I normally put this out earlier, sometimes shoot bias and darks first, and calibrate guiding

Edited May 3 by 900SL

[John]

On 02/05/2024 at 02:26, Sunshine said:

Oh I have everyone beat, about three min to put my scope out and get an eyepiece in it. Visual astronomy is a beautiful thing!

We will call it a dead heat then 🙂

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/421727-telescope-setting-up-time/?do=findComment&comment=4482814

 

[Sunshine]

9 hours ago, John said:

We will call it a dead heat then 🙂

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/421727-telescope-setting-up-time/?do=findComment&comment=4482814

 

How did I miss that? I guess we’re a part of the three minute club!