Camera won’t focus/very noisy

Fluffyllama95 (Della) · #1 23-02-2022, 08:34 AM

Hi!

Set up my scope last night. I’m running HEQ5 pro, red cat51, ZWO ASI385MC, guide scope 30f/4 with a ZWO mini guide.

I connect everything to my pc and planned to either use Nina or sharpcap.
But I could not get a good focused image no matter what I did. It was literally like a TV with white noise. Couldn’t see anything.
I am no expect in this, in fact I’m very new so I have no idea what sort of setting I need to set for the camera first.
I wanted to polar align/plate solve first.
I set my mount up south with my compass to be exact and set it to 42 degrees, but when I go to plate solve it’s blury and can’t find anything to even begin.

Please Help!

Nikolas (Nik) · #2 23-02-2022, 08:39 AM

You need more backfocus, ie add spacers to the back of the scope and try focusing, Also a good idea is to focus on a distant object during the day in order to get an idea about the correct focus area.

Tinderboxsky (Steve) · #3 23-02-2022, 08:44 AM

Hi Della,
Can you remember the camera settings that you were using that gave you the white screen? Particularly, the gain and exposure settings.
It sounds like you may have been wildly over exposed in addition to any focus issues.

Fluffyllama95 (Della) · #4 23-02-2022, 09:19 AM

I tried all different exposures. Sitting around 10 seconds as an average with a gain of 200.

Nikolas (Nik) · #5 23-02-2022, 11:49 AM

As stated earlier
Focus on a distant object during the day, you most likely have a backfocus issue you may need to extend your focus tube out further.

AdamJL · #6 23-02-2022, 04:29 PM

agreed with Nik. I've seen similar when I haven't focused my guide camera.

Take it outside during the day and do a quick test to see your rough focus point, and note it down. If your focuser has mm markings, that's great. If not, I used to put some tape on the drawtube at focus and mark the line myself. Easy to dial to at night.