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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2016 13:56:22 GMT
need more practice I think still getting used to the new scope and camera this is a random patch of sky
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Post by Dragon Man on May 26, 2016 15:56:17 GMT
The second pic look great Dave. I'm trying to work out which star cluster it is.
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2016 1:40:28 GMT
Yeah that is a problem had a bit of trouble getting the scope to hit the mark last night will have that sorted by the next session. So I just moved the scope around until I found some thing that's why I said a random patch of sky. Had the scope pointing south when I got that shot.
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Post by Rick in NWArk on May 27, 2016 16:05:29 GMT
Like Ken says, you are on track with that 2nd photo. Trust me, I've had much worse first light - so you are doing great.
I'm curious about the red tint of the image... are you using any filters?
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2016 18:30:32 GMT
no filters used Rick I have no idea why it's got the red in it so going to try the UV/IR Filter that came with the Rev Kit next time to see what happens. This is all a learning curve for me.
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Post by Rick in NWArk on May 27, 2016 22:52:52 GMT
No worries, Davo, just tryin to help out.
I really like the idea of pointing to a random potentially interesting spot of sky and just do live exploring.
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2016 22:59:46 GMT
thanks Rick at this stage I'll take all the help I can get
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Post by ChrisV on May 28, 2016 3:29:11 GMT
Davo
My two cents worth as a fellow newbie. I think you are having problems with the goto ? I went through the same thing. I was also using an SCT on an EQ mount - I think that's what you are using?
I took a step back and practiced the 2 star alignment with a low power eyepiece* and focal reduction (makes it easier to find the damn stuff). I started with just rough polar alignment - got Sth with compass on my phone and roguh setting of alt. Then see how your alignment is by goto'ing to stars or something easy to see. Just get that right first. It only takes a few goes to sort it out - then you are good for finding stuff.
Once you get the hang of that, then you can sort out the polar alignment - so then your tracking will be good. The good thing about the celestron mount (mine is an old adv GT) is that it has the ASPA (all star polar alignment). Took me a few goes to figure it out, but once you get the hang of it, its great. I know get great tracking.
Or maybe someone else has better advice ?
Chris
* Edit: suggest the eyepiece as it just takes out a layer of difficulty with the extra fiddle with camera settings.
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Post by howie1 on May 30, 2016 2:26:26 GMT
A few GEM setup tips ... * Before you level the tripod, push the legs into the ground with your full weight, then add the accessories tray tighten it up so its snug. If you dont push firmly into the ground, it can move in the ground when you add the mount and tube and all your kit. If you are on hard ground or concrete, you obviously cant push the legs into the concrete, so screw the accessories tray up really tight to hold the legs in positionFULLY expanded laterally. If you don't, it can again move when you add the mount and gear by the legs slipping outwards. The tightened tray stops this by having already pushed the legs out laterally as far as they can go. * You dont have to buy a reticule EP to do alignment. DEFOCUS the star so its like a big blob almost across the FOV. Far easier to centre a big defocused 'doughnut' by looking at the gap left around its edge of the FOV, than trying to centre a focused star speck in the middle of FOV. * A cheap orion or celestron zoom EP is great for alignment as you have both 20+ mm and <10 mm in one go. Find by low power then zoom in for the final alignment. But if you dont have the money then just use what you got and remember the defocus trick. * A two star alignment is MORE accurate than a three star, UNLESS you KNOW you have cone error or BIG mirror flop with your OTA, in which case use 3 star. Google cone error. * When you first look through Skywatcher HC (hand control) menu, (and I think also my old Celestron CGEM DX) it wont display the PA routine ... UNTIL you have successfully done at LEAST a 2 star alignment. 1 star wont open it. Mind you I have never updated the HC software so new versions may not behave this way. * NOW THE BIGGIE!! Don't bother with the polar scope. Provided you level the tripod, and put the OTA into the HOME position as accurately as possible before you power up (which most people do by 'marks' on the RA and DEC areas), then when you slew to the first star in your alignment routine, centre it using the ALT/AZ BOLTS and NOT the HC movement buttons. This 'finds' very close PA for you without all the bending and cursing looking through a polar scope which could in itself be out of alignment hence inaccurate! All subsequent ones after this first one, you should use the HC buttons for all stars. If you then do a PA routine to further refine the PA, IMMEDIATELY following the PA routine you MUST do another 2 or 3 star alignment, AND with this second 2 or 3 star alignment you MUST use the HC buttons for ALL stars (NO use of ALT/AZ bolts in this second alignment). * The HC PA menu option is very accurate and does the same calculations that many such PA routines do in third party software. * Drift alignment is very easy if you want to do it to PA, but it takes a bit more time! You really DO need a reticule EP for this, or use cross hairs in your camera software! You centre ANY star in the EAST, turn off tracking and use ONLY the RA button to move 'approximately' with the star. After a minute, it will more than likely 'drift' and even though you are moving the RA it will no longer be centered. Put your hand out at arms length as if to make a 'stop/halt' signal (palm outwards and fingers pointing straight up) and with your straight arm pointing at the target star in the EAST. Align you fingers to the path the target star will follow through the night (IE they will run 'up' your fingers in the next hour or so). So if you 'wave' your fingers slightly left and right, the 'plane' in which your fingers move runs N-S and is vertical ... as is the ALT adjustment of your mount, so you have to adjust the ALT bolts to keep the star being 'drift aligned' centered. Adjust the ALT bolt to centre the star and then let it 'drift' again for another minute and so on until it doesnt 'drift'. Then centre ANY star as overhead'ish as possible, and repeat the above ... turn off tracking and ONLY use the RA button to move approximately with the star. After a minute, it will more than likely 'drift' and even though you are moving the RA it will no longer be centered. Put your hand out at arms length as if to make a 'stop/halt' signal with your straight arm pointing at the target star OVERHEAD. Align you fingers to the path the target star will follow through the night (IE your fingers will be pointing westwards). So if you 'wave' your fingers slightly left and right, the 'plane' in which your fingers move is E-W and pretty much horizontal ... as is the AZ adjustment of your mount, so you have to adjust the AZ bolts to keep the star being 'drift aligned' centered. Adjust the AZ bolt to centre the star and then let it 'drift' again for another minute and so on until it doesnt 'drift'.
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Post by ChrisV on May 30, 2016 8:33:18 GMT
Howie
I like the biggie. That's a really great + simple idea ? I'm giving it a go ! Drift alignment scares me - I'm not good in 3D space and always get confused when I read about it.
Chris
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Post by Deleted on Jun 1, 2016 14:47:38 GMT
Took your advice on p/a worked like a charm thanks Howie
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Post by howie1 on Jun 2, 2016 4:04:16 GMT
Thanks Davo. Glad to help out.
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