Pinwheel Galaxy M101

[KristapsKem]

That is a lovely image you got here Kristaps. Congratulations. Hopefuly, my feathertouch focuser will arrive next week, until then, my RC10 is useless , loosing galaxy season.

Thank you, glad you like it!
But I think the stock focuser is not THAT bad to not to try take some images. I did successfull photos with mine. Yes, FWHM is not evenly spread across the star field cause of tilt shift, but it does not mess with galaxy THAT bad that you cant get great picture out of that data... Don''t waste opportunities of dark skies. Nights are getting too short now. Just my opinion.

For example theese pictures.... They're done with stock focuser and even without auto focus and guide dithering...
http://kristapskem.blogspot.com/2013/08 ... tered.html

[Skywatcher737]

Lucky you to have a good weather . I did not have a single good night in Vilnius during my one week vacation. Stock focuser would not be the problem for having a great time under starry sky. The problem is eq6 mount, it can not deal with 2000mm focal distance, errors are comming out. I will try to mount my riccardi reducer, but it will not be possible until arival of feathertouch. Anyways, mount upgrade is going to be necessary, new mount will sit permanently in my observatory in September. Already made a deal with manufacturer.

[KristapsKem]

The problem is eq6 mount, it can not deal with 2000mm focal distance, errors are comming out. I will try to mount my riccardi reducer, but it will not be possible until arival of feathertouch. Anyways, mount upgrade is going to be necessary, new mount will sit permanently in my observatory in September.

From my experience you have to be VERY accurate with balancing this thing. If you do so, then it works great. My FL is 1624mm and I had problems with EQ6. Thats why I bought...(!) EQ8. I think its the best mount one can have within some healthy budget.

Already made a deal with manufacturer.

Interesting, what mount did you chose?

[Skywatcher737]

The problem is eq6 mount, it can not deal with 2000mm focal distance, errors are comming out. I will try to mount my riccardi reducer, but it will not be possible until arival of feathertouch. Anyways, mount upgrade is going to be necessary, new mount will sit permanently in my observatory in September.

From my experience you have to be VERY accurate with balancing this thing. If you do so, then it works great. My FL is 1624mm and I had problems with EQ6. Thats why I bought...(!) EQ8. I think its the best mount one can have within some healthy budget.

Already made a deal with manufacturer.

Interesting, what mount did you chose?

I decided to get ASA DDM60

[KristapsKem]

I decided to get ASA DDM60

Wow, congratulation, great choice! When I was deciding what mount to upgrade from EQ6 this one was in my top list, but... was too expensive for me... Interesting will be to see what problems you will have with that DD system. Guiding is not required, but will it be better than autoguided mount...? I am saying this, because atmosphere is turbulent thing, not perfect, so m a y b e... maybe tracking will be too good for seeing we can have? Anyway it will be wery interesting for me to hear some review from you when you get that DD mount.

[kobalts]

Guiding is not required, but will it be better than autoguided mount...?

Autoguide is possible -http://forum.astrosysteme.com/index.php?/topic/8-some-general-questions-regarding-asa-ddm-60pro/
I think true manufacturer -''Guiding not required''. Guding can not correct turbulence '' tremolo ''.This can be done only
very dynamic adaptive optic.
I had a desire to build DIY mont where linear movement swich to rotary, used linear magnetic motor or better USM. But is not transportebl mont. ,)

[Skywatcher737]

Better or not? I think it will be better, most important thing, no periodic error. Unguided imaging is not my primary goal, but having a chance to to do it, makes me feel good. I've checked mounts in this price range, most of them still have old worm gear design, I decided to invest slightly more in direct drive technology, and get high end top notch performace. .

How do you guide your eq8 Kristaps? I have found myself having a problem finding a good guide star at 2000mm with my offaxis guide. Are you using separate guidescope?

[KristapsKem]

You don't get me wrong. I think that mount is the best one can have in the market. I am just curious why Paramaount or Astrophysics does not make one. I guess there is a catch.

I guide my EQ8 through TS OAG9 Off-axis with SX Lodestar M camera. I had no ANY problems finding guide stars ever. Some very rare times when star is very weak i just change guiding exposure to 2s and then its completely fine. Now SX has some new higher resolution Lodestar model and I was reading it's even more sensitive.

[Andris R]

Interesanti,interesanti,Kristap Kem un Sqywatsher737, vai redzat domu apmaiņai arī reālu piepildījumu? Protams leiliska iestrādne citiem tehnikas ''pilotēšanā'', Man tās atgādina dzīšqanos pēc perfektcionimsa,uzsvaru liekot uz tehniku un elektroniku, skaisti, ja vien būtu starpība, kā sasniedz konkrēto mērķi. Jebkuriem dzelžiem ir tehiskās robežas, un tās ir skaidri definētas, jebkurā gadījumā, bet ieslēdz sistēmā cilvēka iespēju potenciālu, spēju attīstību , tad astrofotogrāfs ir simbiozē ar savu iekārtu, kā mākslinieks,vai amatnieks ar sa vu instrumentu- viens vesels,lai radītu mākslas darbu...
P.S.par to pensiju fondu - .... un atvainojos par filozofisku atkāpi, no tīri tehniskas tēmas, bet pat zobrati ieklemmē, ja nav eļļas piliena...

[KristapsKem]

Pensiju fonds... godīgi, jo vecāks kļūstu, jo vairāk saprotu, ka "valstij vajadzīgs" ir tikai radīta ilūzija, lai tikai turpinātu tās aitas cirpt. Pašam ir jādomā, un jārūpējas par savu "pensiju fondu", jo pretējā gadījumā var arī neizvilkt līdz oficiālajam..
Mans piepildījums šai domu apmaiņai ir šis direct drive statīvs. Es tādu būtu gribējis, bet nevaru atļauties. Tagad redzu iespēju uzzināt par to mazliet vairāk no reāla, ne reklāmas veidota avota un apmierināt savu ziņkāri par- kā būtu, ja būtu.
Dzīve ir kā rotaļu laukums. Tāpat man arī astrofotografēšana. Jā, es varētu arī pietiekami veiksmīgi fotografēt ar HEQ5 statīvu, bet tad mana "rotaļa" pārvērstos stresainā un brīžiem mulsinošā darbā- cīņā, lai to jau tā tik reto un ilgi gaidīto reizi ar brīvo laiku un skaidro tumšo nakti izmantotu ar gandarījumu. Tikai tāpēc ir nepieciešams labāks statīvs, kamera, lai gandarījums par aizvadīto laiku koncentrējas uz bildes iegūšanu ne uz pamatbloka zobratu eļļošanu. Un tāpat pat EQ8 ir un paliek ķīnā ražots biznesa projekts, kuram šur un tur ir nepieciešams "eļļas piliens".