Am I on the right track? Using ASILive from ASIStudio

[DarthRiker]

Hi all,

So I had my very first attempt at using my scope setup tonight.

I have a Celestron C8 SCT on a Saxon HEQ5 Pro mount & tripod and a ASI294MC Pro Cooled camera.

This is how I have the camera connected to the telescope:

C8 - 6.3 Reducer - T-Adapter - M42M-M48F extender (with M42-M48 adapter inside) - M42M-M42F extender - T2 extender which comes attached to the camera by default (I've placed a 1.25" IR Filter with the required adapter inside mine though) - ASI294MC Pro camera

I have the camera connected to my laptop via USB 3.0 running ASILive (part of the ASIStudio software). I'm not really thinking about astrophotography yet. Just wanting to get my visual astronomy (ideally, via the camera and the laptop) going.

I saved one of the frames I was looking at in ASILive (via the software itself). See pictures (1s and 2s exposure) attached (attempting to look at Achernar... IIRC). Is this what I should expect? Am I on the right track?

Note: I'm fairly certain I hadn't properly aligned my scope. But it was my first attempt and hope to do better with a bit more knowledge of which stars to use in my location. I followed the process of balance and alignment here: https://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=182271

Thank you for any help you can give me. I'm an utter newbie so appreciate any guidance.

[xelasnave]

If you think Polar is out work on it until it is not.. everything turns on having it better than perfect.

I must be honest and tell you that your focus is out...you have dounuts and that tells you that your focus needs improvement.

You need a focuser mask I expect...this sort of thing
https://www.bintel.com.au/product/farpoint-ota-bahtinov-masks/

Work on those two aspects and know this everyone starts with poor polar alignment and dounuts.

Blow your images up and examine them critically and accept nothing less than perfection and then some.

Thanks for posting and please keep sharing your progress and one day you will be as good as I would like to be.
Alex

[DarthRiker]

Thanks Alex! Appreciate it.

Yeah - I thought my focus was off as well.

I will keep practicing my alignment process (choosing the correct stars, running the 2-SA > PA > 2-SA cycle, etc) and work on my focusing skills.

I'm going to attempt a couple more tries at focusing without a bahtinov mask but if it proves too tricky I'll definitely invest in one.

Will keep sharing my progress. I know this a hobby of patience, persistence and resilience, though, so will take my time with it.

[xelasnave]

A simple focuser mask can be made using a cardboard disk with two holes of the same size on the diameter line...say 2 inches from the center and the holes say one inch in diameter...we used this method in days gone by that few know about it these days...cheap and way better than nothing but you will need to focus on a bright star...anyways cover your scopes big end and when focused you will only see one hole in fov..
You need a polar alignment method past the star slignment ...I use a system called Polemaster ...you have a camera in the Polar scope hole and a program that gets you spot on ... There are other ways within capture software but I have not used that and cant remember which software.. someone will I expect.
Alex

[johnnyjetski]

Short Answer is your going great...
Focus is super important and i find focussing on a large globular cluster like 47 Tucanae or Omega Centauri is the best way to achieve really good focus. The better the focus the more stars you see in the globular. It works for me.
Polar Alignment is critical and as you progress will become an obsession to get more and more accurate.
But above all dont let these things detract from the enjoyment of using your scope.
The most important aspect. Enjoyment
Cheers!