The QHY5-II colour planetary/guiding camera arrived over two weeks ago! It was easy to get it set up on the ST80 and then to load the drivers and software (PHD2 plus Cartes Du Ciel). However, that first evening, all I got was very dodgy pictures of star trails....
After a while, I realised what the squiggles on the graph in PHD realted to...
Ah! Polar Alignment is critical. The telescope had not been able to adjust the declination enough. So, that discovered, Iwent ot bed somewhat consoled.
Then , two weeks or so without a suitable evening (weather or me).
Anyway, the (yet another) new routine is:
1. Polar align using polarscope
2. 2 star alignment
3. 2 star calibration
4. Polar align using Celestron Nexstar (using the last calib star)
5. Sync to a star near the target.
6. Ready to go.
Given that the last polar alignment means adjust the alt az lugs on the mount, I think I am going to drill holes in the paving slabs where the tripods legs go (they have a prong on the bottom). This should mean more consistent placement and hopefully faster final alignment.
I have also found that putting the Nikon iso on Hi 1 (about 24000!), I can view everything I need using Live View - easier than peering through an eyepiece.
First image..yuk..too bright a moon, tracking was off (telescope not liking the object lower in the sky?), but it is recognisable as M33, if somewhat blurry (4 x 180 s, no darks):
Anyway, the first decent image is of Messier 103, an open star cluster (6 x 180 s , no darks):
The final target was NGC 185 in Cassiopeia, a spheroidal galaxy (8 x 180 s, no darks):
After a while, I realised what the squiggles on the graph in PHD realted to...
Ah! Polar Alignment is critical. The telescope had not been able to adjust the declination enough. So, that discovered, Iwent ot bed somewhat consoled.
Then , two weeks or so without a suitable evening (weather or me).
Anyway, the (yet another) new routine is:
1. Polar align using polarscope
2. 2 star alignment
3. 2 star calibration
4. Polar align using Celestron Nexstar (using the last calib star)
5. Sync to a star near the target.
6. Ready to go.
Given that the last polar alignment means adjust the alt az lugs on the mount, I think I am going to drill holes in the paving slabs where the tripods legs go (they have a prong on the bottom). This should mean more consistent placement and hopefully faster final alignment.
I have also found that putting the Nikon iso on Hi 1 (about 24000!), I can view everything I need using Live View - easier than peering through an eyepiece.
First image..yuk..too bright a moon, tracking was off (telescope not liking the object lower in the sky?), but it is recognisable as M33, if somewhat blurry (4 x 180 s, no darks):
Anyway, the first decent image is of Messier 103, an open star cluster (6 x 180 s , no darks):
The final target was NGC 185 in Cassiopeia, a spheroidal galaxy (8 x 180 s, no darks):
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