Posts Made By: Ansuman Pal

Ivan,
Thank from your request from beginner's forum. So here is my almost first tries to image DSO using MX516 max exposure 30 sec with 20 stacked (applied 5 dark frame only for M51 to get a darker background)

The real challenge is focusing!

-Ansuman.

Hi All,

Just a question based upon my daily observation.
How much cents / gallon more people are willing to pay just to avoid driving 1 mile extra in a small town, is it 10/20/30/40 or, 50 cents?

-Ansuman

Hi All,
I have been trying to fine tune my Dual drive middle aged CG5 mount and always it seems ends up with some excess play in Gears. Finally the other day I had some time so I opened the Stepper Motor Gear box and found the answer. The design wasn’t that great! The major issue is the Shaft that comes out. It wobbles only because there is little gap between the shaft & the bearing (one may call). The length of the shaft is much less in the Gear box and it’s bound to happen after a moderate use.
Long Story short, I am looking for some more stable Tracking solution that won’t wobble within budget. Any Idea, please!

Thank you all in advance, Ansuman.

Hi,
Looking to upgrade my C8N (Newtonian). Is there any Crayford design focuser available in the market that could be used in Newtonian as well as SCT or may be refractor may be by changing base plate or some additional adapters? I am planning to buy a SCT in near future but reluctant to pay again for an additional focuser.

Hi,
Two days ago, the sky was clear but the moon almost washed the sky desided to take some images before going to bed.
Image details: M57
Camera: Canon 20d, primefocus
Mount: CG5 Non Goto.
Scope: 8N
Image cropped to fit the size.
10X 30sec preprocessed on MaxDSLR and then on Free Paint.net

Planing to take a short trip in fall, for 2 days any tips will be a great help. Because the time is short looking to get into the a few best places for some memories to share.

Thanks in advance,
Ansuman.

Hi all,
For some time ago I bought a Canon DSLR 20D for my wife as she is really in photography. I being trying to get into Astrophotography kept it little out of sight as I regarded it for daytime only. On my last birthday my wife gave me a CD “Guide To Astrophotography with DSLR” and since then I have been trying to take images using the same. Tried with regular lenses for wider views to on my 8in scope using regular T-Mount adapter made by Qualide on a 1.25in focuser adapter. As most of the users of T-mount adapters know that this causes Vignetted image. Recently I upgraded the focuser to a 2in dual speed Crayford GSO type focuser from another AM member. To my surprise the adapter really doesn’t fit, it’s little wider than what I thought. The only solution was to pay for some standard adapter or upgrade to a really cool 2in to EOS adapter. After some thoughts I really couldn’t convince myself to pay for either and sell off the once that I have.
So I took the issue in my own hands. Took a ruler and started looking at the EOS to T-Mount adapter. The adapter comes in 2 parts; one outer ring, which has, goes in the camera and a ring insert with 42mm threads. To my surprise the outer diameter of the 42mm inner threaded ring is a thread (1/32in) over 2in! Walla, I need a 2in+ outer diameter pipe piece and it should work!

2in outer diameter pipe piece is very hard to find in regular Hardware store! I looked up online but the shipping charge was a few folds higher than the price and the actual piece. Well I decided it to my last resort. Tried to look in a few more HW store and everywhere I go some there will say 2in outer impossible! So my final trial was a used HW store and found a hard PVC 2in Coupling adapter, which has an outer diameter of just over 2in. They also had some steel once (may be now) but as I didn’t have a way to grind metal opted not to. To my surprise the adapter has an inner diameter of 1.8125in, pretty close to premium 2in adapter.
The next step was to grind the portion, which will go in 2in focuser to exact fit, paint black flat and attach to the EOS adapter and tight halfway the 3 tiny screws.

Hope the images helps anyone who might try to make their own adapter.

Thanks,
Ansuman.

More Clouds every day, just said to myself enough and took between the clouds with my Canon 20D & 300mm lense on a tripod a few and stacked.
(Image Cropped)

Just came from outside and here are some images using Canon20d, it's coooold!

Hi,
I may not be the first person to ask this question! Is it recommended to have 2 power supplies; one for the Mount and another for may be Dew controller/ other equipment that takes substantial current? I have been using a spare car battery for a while in my observatory but it seems the battery is unable to hold charge for long so I am in the market for power supply.
Thanks in advance, Ansuman.