Posts Made By: Alex McConahay

Is that the place in Big Bear? They were a sponsor at RTMC--so they were around memorial Day--seven weeeks ago or so.

Alex

Six minutes is a lot to go for any mount unguided. (Well, any mount that I could afford.) (Although with a 200-300 mm lens, you should have some leeway.)

What are your streaks like? Are all the stars streaked the same? Or are some streaked more than others? Are they streaked evenly, or do they look jagged? (Post a pic, please!)

Technically, one does not have to level the whole mount to get a proper polar alignment--as long as the axis is parallel to the earth's axis--you got it. However, It is generally easier to get the whole thing right if you level the head.

Try severely mis (polar) aligning your scope/camera.

THen take a long exposure.

You will get star trails, of course. But the interesting thing is to look at the shape of the trails. If the path is smooth, then the motors/gears are working well enough. If they are jerky, then you have some issues in the drive train, periodic error, etc.

Alex

John,

I don't see the anomaly that makes you think something has come off of it, or split......Are you referring to the two brighter spots on the track, or is there something I have not picked up on the monitor? Could that not be just two small stars that happen to be on the track?

(I mean, you aren't talking about that big triangle thing......that was probably put there later, and is not actually part of the original picture--or was it?????)

Alex

I used the Stiletto all the time with my Olympus, and have one also have their CVF focuser for my Canon 20D. The focusing was pretty accurate and easy.

I once did a comparison on focusing solar photos (edge of the sun through a white-light filter/TV 85/Canon 20D) and compared the focusing using the image sharpness grading of Images Plus. The focuser was much easier to use than the viewfinder (and the VariMagni Finder--which also works on the 20D) However, the focus results were not clearly superior to the viewfinder itself. It did beat the Varimagni finder. In short, the Viewfinder alone found as good a focus on the edge of the sun, but the CVF was easier and quicker. The VariMagni came in third in both ease and accuracy.

What does this say about stars? I don't know..... never used my CVF on stars because I use DSLR Focus and the computer for the 20D.

As for "seeing" affecting performance. I should guess that if the seeing is so bad that it is hurting the Stiletto, then it is time to hang it up as far as imaging for the night.

Alex

Try Floyd's suggestion of changing collimation screws first. If that does not work, then you may be able to move the whole mirror cell forward a bit. Take a hard look at how the mirror cell is fastened to the tube or box. If it is just a question unscrewing a few screws, and re-drilling the holes a centimeter or so forward, then go for it. Make sure in doing so, though, that you still have clearance for the collimation screws/fan, or whatever else you have back behind the cell. This is always less expensive and sometimes easier than changing a focuser. (On the other hand, if you are thinking of upgrading the focuser anyway......)

PS.....Somebody check my logic here--Is it forward or back when there is not enough in-travel on a focuser--I always mess that up!!!

Alex

Just a few things to add to the already excellent replies:

1. If you have a cross-hair reticle eyepiece, or can borrow one, do so.

2. Don't work with a star or the moon to do the adjusting. Pick a distant street lamp, tree, or insulator on a far away power pole--or something else that does not move, and is during the day when you have lots of light.

3. Before adjusting the position of the dovetail itself, make sure the finderscope is centered all the way back on the o-ring (of you have one) and that the other thumbscrews are set to the center....Then adjust the position of the dovetail to match the object as well as possible. Then tweak with the thumbscrews as needed.

Alex

Just a few things to add to the already excellent replies:

1. If you have a cross-hair reticle eyepiece, or can borrow one, do so.

2. Don't work with a star or the moon to do the adjusting. Pick a distant street lamp, tree, or insulator on a far away power pole--or something else that does not move, and is during the day when you have lots of light.

3. Before adjusting the position of the dovetail itself, make sure the finderscope is centered all the way back on the o-ring (of you have one) and that the other thumbscrews are set to the center....Then adjust the position of the dovetail to match the object as well as possible. Then tweak with the thumbscrews as needed.

Alex

Real nice shot!!

Alex

Go to Anacortes and ask them for the "camera adapter" and "T-ring" that will work with your scope/camera.

They will bill you something like $40 to 60 or so and ship you a "camera adapter" that has a 1.25 or 2 inch front end that fits into your focuser drawtube (remove your diagonal--it is not usually used in astrophotography). The back end of this device has a set of threads that accept a "T-ring." T-rings are made up of a front end that fits those threads (on the back of your "camera adapter") and a back end that matches the front end of your camera. (The back end of the t-ring looks exactly like the back end of one of your lenses. They are made so that any "universal mount" device (like slide copiers, microscope adapters, camera adapters, even lenses--a jillion things come with t-threads) can be mated to a camera and have everything at the proper focal length.)

Put these things together with your camera, and you can take pictures. Your telescope tube will act like a very long telephoto with fixed focal length and aperture (and therefore fixed F ratio).

Of course, there are other things you will need to take GOOD pictures. The cheapest is probably a remote control so you do not have to touch the camera when taking a picture (of course, you could use the "self Timer" to start the exposures--but that is a pain in the....)

The most expensive is a mount capable of smoothly guiding your telescope, and so forth.....In many ways, the mount is more critical than the optical tube.

By the way-- I should advise you as you begin astrophotography......."Abandon all hope all ye who enter here."

Alex