Struggling with imaging....

[Fenriz]

Hi Guys

Well a good night out last night, plenty of stars visible LP still causing a problem. So today ordered a Skywatcher Light Pollution filter from FLO, that should sort that out.

However I am having major problems just trying to take simple shots of stars etc nothing deep sky yet.

I'm only doing short 5-6sec exposures with ISO800 with a remote shutter release to avoid any movement, but the images are still coming out with large star trails. How do you guys take such clear focused images with unguided mounts, is it a case of just manually adjusting the RA/Dec knobs to keep track of the objects.

Surely a 5-6sec shot should not create much in the way of trails.

Take a look at the best I managed last night @ 3.2sec and ISO1600, and please give some advice.

[Psychobilly]

They may be "unguided" but chances are they are motorized "tracking" mounts...

To make life easier you will want at least the RA axis to be motorized...

Billy..

[ollypenrice]

Can I just clarify that your mount is motorized? I just wonder if you might be confusing 'unguided' with 'unmotorized.' An unguided mount is motoriized to unwind the earth's rotation. An autoguider feeds back real time information from a gude camera into the mount to correct the errors made by the motor drive.

If you are not motorized then at any kind of telescopc focal length you will be very limited indeed.

Olly..

Edit; Oops, crossed with Billy who has the same thoughts that I do.

[Fenriz]

Ah I see, that's where I was getting wires crossed then as I only have a standard EQ5 mount which is unmotorised. Is it safe to assume it is possible to buy and fit a motor kit for it?

There is just so much to learn and buy to get into this hobby:) still payday Friday. Wife is gonna kill me soon.

[Keiran]

Yes you can buy motors for your mount, and there are two type you can buy...

Either the Goto Upgrade, which in my opinion is far to pricey and it is cheaper to pick up a HEQ5 Pro GOTO second hand...

Skywatcher - SynScan PRO GOTO Version 3 Upgrade Kit for EQ5

Or the single axis or daul axis motor drives...

Single £80

Skywatcher - Single-Axis D.C. Motor Drive for EQ5

Daul £92

Skywatcher - Dual-Axis D.C. Motor Drive for EQ5

Its is expensive, but you can get very good results on a budget too.

HTH

[Fenriz]

Thanx guys

I keep asking questions then feel real dumb when the answers come back. Still more time =less questions I guess.

But thankyou bulldog, will order one of the Dual axis motor kits this week if that will be a good enough option as I think I'd be divorced if I spent another £300 on the GOTO upgrade.

[Keiran]

For basic AP daul drives is all you need, dont know if you can get them cheaper anywhere else, that was just to illistrate what you need I wouldnt bother with the GOTO Upgrade, really not worth the money.

No dumb questions, there only dumb if you dont ask them, your not expected to know everything.

[Fenriz]

So just to ensure I'm completely clear with this before buying, the motors will automatically keep the object tracked for longer exposure imaging without any manually adjustments?

Sorry to keep going on, just want to make sure I know exactly what I'm getting.

[Simms]

DONT SPEND MONEY YET!!!

Having recently purchased a Dual motor kit for my EQ3-2 I find that I rarely use the DEC motor at all - I could of saved a few quid and got myself just the single RA motor. Dont be fooled - its good for tracking and keeping a subject in view (as long as your polar alignment is good) but it cannot be used to actually slew the whole scope around to another location - for that you will still have to loosen the clutches and point the scope in the general direction. You will find small DEC adjustments will be just as easy to make by manually turning the wheel.

So as long as you are not expecting it to throw your scope around the skies you will be fine - but get yourself a polar scope at the same time, as you will find that for imaging needs a good polar alignment will be just about good enough for short 30-60 sec exposures.

But if you are on a budget then just go for the single motor version.

Saying that though, just being able to use a 6mm EP with 2X barlow and keep Saturn/Jupiter in view without continuously having to adjust allows you to enjoy the experience of viewing a lot more.

(Edit - Subnote - I`ve only had a telescope since January so take anything I say at face value, but its all purely from experience gained over the past few weeks - there are others here with years more experience and knowhow than I can ever hope to have!!)

[Psychobilly]

The minimum "required" is single axis (RA) and very good PA... Dual axis motors wont add anything useful at this stage the handox can be modified to provide for "guiding2 in the future but thats more investment again...

Peter...

[Fenriz]

Thanx everyone, I think for the sake of £20 I may as well get dual motors. Correct me if I am wrong but it appears that my EQ5 has a polar scope already fitted or is it just a mock up

[Psychobilly]

What can you see when you look through it... should have a reticule with Octans on it for the SH and Plough and Cassiopea for us NH types...

[Fenriz]

OK when I look through it I can see a circle in the middle with a cross with NCP next to it with Polaris written next to the circle, on the left is Cassiopea on the right is the Big Dipper and at the bottom is Octans. So I would assume then that the mount already has a polar scope fitted.

[Psychobilly]

yep...

Sorted

[Fenriz]

Sweet, that's saved 30 odd quid then.

[Keiran]

I had an EQ5 when i first started, lovely mount... Kind of miss it