|
Final equipment addings
Hi all,
We are by the end of this year, and i enjoyed the last years into astro regarding all issues and breaks i was going through, but i never give up and it helped me to keep going, and i am almost putting some final touches to my gear so i can be ready next years as much as i can.
A. I had issues with guiding in the past, didn't know why, but i finally figured out why, very shame that i wasted like 2 years without solving the guiding issue only just recently, so this require me a question now as long i solved the guiding issue and also asking again what is the solution if i need to.
1. What guiding scope you can recommend me to get beside the one i already have which QHY mini guide scope? I have ZWO 60 one but i don't like it at all, and the weight of ST80 for now isn't a good choice, i will have two separate dual imaging system, i might use this mini guide scope with the lightweight or with the heavy, which means i need another one, but not QHY mini guide scope again, OAG is included but i don't know if it is a good idea with small to medium scopes sizes anyway.
B. Plate Solving now became like a necessary for my imaging, sounds i am wasting some time nowadays only to do stars alignment every time before imaging, and sometimes it just take longer time than it should be, and also i fail in meridian flipping, not sure how can i do imaging smooth and good enough without solving those two.
2. What is a good plate solving software to use? I am using SGPro for now, not sure when i will move to NINA but maybe sooner than later, so i don't know if there is like a stand alone for that or use the integrated one, your advice. Also with meridian flipping, is there a better way to do it without issues like the frame is shifted or focus being lost or maybe cable disconnect for a device by accident?
C. As long i am increasing my equipment i need to make it like complete, so now i am having many different scopes i am thinking about buying many autofocuser or motors to match them, and i want to match few of them with color, i have one already, so will think about more.
3. What autofocuser rather than ZWO EAF i can buy that has either blue color or black? I have Pegasus one for my 90 triplet, i want to buy same or another one if blue for my small 60mm one that has blue touch, people don't care about it, yes, but i prefer to be in sync with colors, i have FRA400 so EAF will be the one, also the second 60mm it will be red so another EAF i will choose, i just don't want to have ALL my scopes only with EAF and only with Pegasus, refractors are almost done of choices with colors, while my Newt i don't know, one has blue and the other is just black and white, i am not in rush to buy motors all now, but i will have time to add them to my order list and buy them one by one, i might buy two EAF for two red lines scopes, the rest i can wait.
D. In future i might or might not get a full frame sensor for astro, but if that is in my mind and plan i want to know about how good to go with it if many keep saying that sometimes it is more issues than it is helpful, for example matching scopes, but i see some people buying it regardless what they are using it with or for what, so i don't want to keep myself away from this option or avoid it forever.
4. If i plan to get a full frame, should i go with mono or OSC? And if i go with mono for any reason, should i make sure that i only buy 2" size filters for my smaller sensors now so i just be ready if i upgrade? I have APS-C both mono and color, i don't know if 36mm is enough for this sensor size, i just try to add some 2" filters for it in case i go larger in sensor, and for color cameras it is easier and more affordable to have 2" than mono filters, i bought UV/IR cut at 2" for my OSC, i also bought Ha 3nm 2", now i am thinking about dual band filter and SII filter [OIII i will stay with small sensor only as i have Chroma OIII 3nm 1.25" or getting it from the dual band filter], should i get SII 3nm as 36mm or as 2"? At the end i won't use a full frame with full set all filters anyway, the full frame if OSC will be used with Lum or dual band filters only, if mono then only Ha and/or Lum for details.
For now those above are my main plan to finish this year or soon except the last point, just the SII filter i can make it soon if i know the choice, or wait to see some new items coming for filters then i can decide, i can't wait to put my gear into use as soon as possible, i used my new scope by 1st-2nd date one night for narrowbanding target, and i made sure to use all filters that night, i got data, but they are not good or not enough for 1 night, but that gave me a hope that once i add another camera to get busy with a filter then i can have enough data per night, and i can make an extra night only to finer the details more, rather than using 1 setup which it was a headache after all, i hated imaging with 1 setup no matter how good i make everything, i was lucky to get data of three NB filters, but i know it isn't good enough, and soon i will process the data and post elsewhere to see the quality of scope optic maybe, stars are bad because no dedicated flattener/reducer and no correct back focus.
Sorry for typing this, but i am really getting to finish this small setup very soon, so only left serious bigger setup in future such as a better mount and larger aperture scope for visual or even larger scope for smaller distant targets, but that is for future plan, for my current mount i can use it for small setup either dual or triple, will see how can i put it all together.
Thank you,
Tareq
|