Focus using Bahtinov mask.

[adamsp123]

I have found by accident an "alternative" method of focusing with a bahtinov mask, at least with my setup.....GSO 8" F4 newt, Canon 1000D and 10" Mask.

The 10" mask is a home made one using thick paper and has sagged and warped a little but anyway I used it on my 8" newt.

Aligning to a not very bright star I found at 10x liveview instead of 3 lines to use for focusing I saw an elongated blob that by twiddling the focuser resolved into 3 dots in a straight line, the change from blob to dots is very sharp and turns out to be the correct focus!

Saves slewing to Vega or something that sort of brightness to focus, I now can goto a nearby brightish star to my subject and focus using that sucessfully.