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I have an EQ6 on a pier in an Observatory which I am still trying to get an almost perfect alignment so I can take longer widefields for a starter. My limit is around 20 secs with a 55mm lens. I have spent over $5000 now (and umpteen hours) to get to this point and still not happy with the results.
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Seriously? Only 20 seconds with a 55mm? Surely that can't be right?
You should be able to do much longer than that with a 55
The photo below is a single 10min exposure with a 105mm lens, which would be close to 20mins with a 55!
The crop shows only a few pixels of trailing.
It was done on a portable rig with about 30min spent polar-aligning thru the Astrotrac's notoriously dodgy polar scope. For longer exposure times/focal lengths I would obviously need to drift align.
Yes, seriously. I have alignment issues in that I only see a Nth\Sth slice of the sky, no East or West horizons at all so getting a good alignment is proving elusive. My East is about 80*, my west at 40* and I've only had the OB going properly over the last month or so. The weather has not been very cooperative either. Couple that with family commitments and you don't get too much time to spend fiddling with gear.
It's coming right. I upgraded the handset to 3.28 for the Polar Realaignment feature but I don't have enough sky for it to find suitable stars at enough displacement to complete the task so it's all been a trial and error process ( and getting to understand the EP vs reality movements relationship ). I think I need to improve the scope collimation as well, more tools to build.
Also settling in new computers and power, lights, setup processes etc. About to explore the vagaries of PHD guiding soon which should finalise the system.
Considering virtually all of the system has been built by myself except mirrors and some electronic components it has been a very entertaining and successful project.
All part of the fun to keep me busy and occupied ...
Brent,
Have you tried EQAlign or Alignmaster?
Both make it very easy. try out an eval of alignmaster with the extended star list. just my personal preference, I find it very easy now.
I'm an eq6pro owner and I would go for the Astrotrac for widefield. You will use it 10x as much as the HEQ5 for widefield. Faster and lighter to setup, way less power hungry, you will just chuck it in the car and use it wherever you go.
If you don't like it, or upgrade later you can probably sell it for close to your purchase price.
I'm an eq6pro owner and I would go for the Astrotrac for widefield. You will use it 10x as much as the HEQ5 for widefield. Faster and lighter to setup, way less power hungry, you will just chuck it in the car and use it wherever you go.
If you don't like it, or upgrade later you can probably sell it for close to your purchase price.
+1
I have both, the AT is great for overnight stints at dark sky sites.
For a permanent pier at home or if you're spending a whole weekend or more at a dark site, the EQ5 or 6 is a better option.
In that case, just get a north south bearing, use an inclinometer to set your mount correctly, and then do a drift alignment.
Even with your small slice of sky you can knock it over in one evening, and it won't vary much in an obs.
Have a look at the links I posted in this thread, or invite someone over to give you a hand and make a fun evening out of it.
I'd be tackling getting aligned before doing anything else, the fun really begins at that stage
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroID
Yes, seriously. I have alignment issues in that I only see a Nth\Sth slice of the sky, no East or West horizons at all so getting a good alignment is proving elusive. My East is about 80*, my west at 40* and I've only had the OB going properly over the last month or so. The weather has not been very cooperative either. Couple that with family commitments and you don't get too much time to spend fiddling with gear.
It's coming right. I upgraded the handset to 3.28 for the Polar Realaignment feature but I don't have enough sky for it to find suitable stars at enough displacement to complete the task so it's all been a trial and error process ( and getting to understand the EP vs reality movements relationship ). I think I need to improve the scope collimation as well, more tools to build.
Also settling in new computers and power, lights, setup processes etc. About to explore the vagaries of PHD guiding soon which should finalise the system.
Considering virtually all of the system has been built by myself except mirrors and some electronic components it has been a very entertaining and successful project.
All part of the fun to keep me busy and occupied ...
Polarie: $400 unit + $250 polar scope + $200 Manfrotto 410 Geared Head = $850 total (plus postage US -> Australia)
Positives - Portable, relatively cheap, fast to set up and take down
Negatives - Limited to what I can do with it, can buy a CG-5 for the money
Summary - Considering this has actually ended up more expensive than the Astrotrac (which from what I've read, seems to be superior in most ways), I'll give it a miss.
Just a note that there is no way you need to be spending that much on a Polarie. That's the first time I have seen it priced more than the AT anyway.
I just had a quick look and you can get the complete kit(Polarie,tripods & ballheads) from astroshop.au for under $800 and even then you would be paying far too much for the set up that you really need.
As it's been mentioned it is already in Oz, you don't need a manfrotto geared head or a polar scope down South and assuming you already have a tripod depending on what type all you would need is one or two ball heads and if you already have that then you just need the unit.
But as you say it does have other disadvantages if you are after something else.
Brent,
Have you tried EQAlign or Alignmaster?
Both make it very easy. try out an eval of alignmaster with the extended star list. just my personal preference, I find it very easy now.
No, I don't have computer control of the mount yet, something else to add to the 'To Do' list. I seem to be playing around with all sorts of bits and pieces. I had it almost perfect but I then misaligned the mount by failing to notice an incorrect setting in the handpiece so ended back at stage one again. I'll chuck the Android Inclinometer at it again but it's a matter of finding time as much as anything else.
Guiding is also the next big 'To Do' which would also ignore a perfect alignment requirement.
This weekend is out of action, big dinner party at our place and heaps of clouds predicted so patience is the other necessary prerequisite in this game.
I will be especially interested in nebula as they are very interesting. My budget is really only say $300-$400 at this stage, I'm guessing this won't buy me too much?
I'd recommend that you keep saving for no less than something like an EQ5.
The portable mounts (Polarie, Astrotrac, etc) are really fantastic - but they can be very challenging to learn on. Trying to get pixel-perfect tracking on these will seriously drive you nuts
Also, when you start out you tend to think of the equipment as being the biggest piece of the puzzle. Until you acquire something suitable, that's certainly true... but there's a LOT more skill, learning, and dedication involved than you might imagine!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Poita
I'm an eq6pro owner and I would go for the Astrotrac for widefield. You will use it 10x as much as the HEQ5 for widefield. Faster and lighter to setup, way less power hungry, you will just chuck it in the car and use it wherever you go.
I agree - you can be imaging within minutes on the Astrotrac, and get some wonderful shots. I think an EQ5 might be a good option here, though, because there's a longer upgrade path (e.g. add an ED80 down the track) and having a dual axis drive plus GOTO makes life easier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZeroID
I had it almost perfect but I then misaligned the mount by failing to notice an incorrect setting in the handpiece so ended back at stage one again.
This sounds very strange? How are you performing your alignment?
Polar alignment on the EQ6 is adjusted by tweaking the altitude/azimuth knobs on the mount itself (not the hand controller) - it shouldn't have anything to do with the 2 or 3 star alignment process?
By the way, your 40° W sky is more than enough for performing drift alignment.
I'll chuck the Android Inclinometer at it again but it's a matter of finding time as much as anything else.
How are you performing your alignment?
