The Astronomy hobby thread

[masraum]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

AFTER


I haven’t been able to try out any of your suggestions because it has been cloudy in the Los Angeles Area every night for the past week . . . As if the light pollution wasn’t bad enough.

I have been able to do a little post processing with a little success. Thanks for all the help

Great, post-processing is huge in the AP realm, whether it's the moon or deep sky objects.

[Eric Hahl]

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

Since we're here...
In the last 10 days or so, I have:

Bought a Vixen 102mm refractor for myself (Relabeled Orion, with an adjustable front lens housing).

Finished tearing down and rebuilding the Super Polaris mount that I bought, for myself (except the legs, they need refinishing).

Finished tearing down and rebuilding a CG-5GT mount (Celestron Advanced GT). It moves, but the GoTo electronics are buggered. I might end up converting it to a regular dual axis powered CG-5 and flip it.

Continued to get my friends birthday present put together, a 6 inch Celestron Evolution with the StarSense autoaligner, and an Orion StarShoot imager that I had lying around. Found him a solar filter, a 45 degree diagonal so he can birdwatch with it, upgraded the firmware for both scope and alignment scope, and scrounged some sky charts. I still need to get the backlash dialed in and make sure that everything works, we've been pretty socked in lately. He'll be able to run it from his Ipad, which is pretty cool.

Finally sat down with my 1.5 CGE mounts. Put them on the workbench, grabbed one of my random NexStar hand paddles, found a power supply that came with my CGEM-DX, and...everything freaking works! I have the parts needed to complete the second mount coming, then I'll have 2 actual full CGE mounts that WORK! I fully expected that both of them would be basket cases that got sold for parts. I bought one out so someone's living room (that's a story, imagine a CGE on the tripod sitting in your living room for 3 years when you DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE THINGS WAS...The 1/2 mount I got from an Ebay recycler in Baton Rouge, it was from the University and must have been some sort of research project (I took the Megabus out there and back in one day, and smuggled about 90 pounds of telescope parts in my luggage).

Sounds like you've been busy!

[RNajarian]

I picked up a Celestron StarSense auto aligner yesterday . . . Wow it makes getting started a lot quicker/easier. It centers the target pretty well even with a 4 mm eyepiece in. However, when the low power light illuminated on my powertank, it seemed to lose its alignment.

Anyone else notice this?

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

I picked up a Celestron StarSense auto aligner yesterday . . . Wow it makes getting started a lot quicker/easier. It centers the target pretty well even with a 4 mm eyepiece in. However, when the low power light illuminated on my powertank, it seemed to lose its alignment.

Anyone else notice this?

The Nexstar hand paddle does all of the thinking, and they are susceptible to low power problems.
https://www.nexstarsite.com/
https://www.nexstarsite.com/OddsNEnds/HCFix.htm

Also, it's well worth updating the firmware on your scope, your StarSense AND your hand paddles (both of them).
https://www.nexstarsite.com/Firmware.htm

My brand new off the shelf Evolution and StarSense both were at least one version back from current.

[RNajarian]

THANKS! I appreciate the advice.

EDIT: I found the files easily enough, but am going to take my time and read up how to do the upgrade. I’m scared about “bricking” my scope. I’ve got most of the cables in addition to the WiFi module. Hope to do this soon. Thanks again.

[Pazuzu]

Are you using a splitter to run the StarSense and the WiFi module at once?

From what I understand, if you have everything plugged into the scope at once (StarSense, WiFi, StarSense hand paddle), then connect the bottom of the hand paddle to your computer via USB, then run Celestron CFM, it will see all of the things you have, listed one at a time.

You then basically say "update all" and it will...well, update everything. It's actually pretty slick. It worked perfectly on my setup. I even got an old hand paddle (uses a phone jack instead of the USB port and a true serial port on my old laptop) upgraded. Now, I'm trying to update my late 1990s era CGE mounts, they require a different cable and they run a different program to update them.

I'm glad I kept an old laptop around, now I use it for Megasquirt, to update old telescopes, and to run the SBIG ST-237 CCD camera that I picked up.

[RNajarian]

I am not running a splitter, will a regular phone jack splitter work?

I’m studying how to do this . . . May start with the original hand controller first and see how that goes before attempting the StarSense . . .

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

I am not running a splitter, will a regular phone jack splitter work?

I’m studying how to do this . . . May start with the original hand controller first and see how that goes before attempting the StarSense . . .

A regular splitter will work, but you must be some sort of OLD MAN to know what one of those is! Celestron makes a "special" splitter which has a bit of cord on the single side, so you're not really stressing the port on the telescope, but a regular splitter is just fine.

Reason I asked is because I didn't think that the 5SE had enough extra ports to run both the WiFi module and the StarSense. The Evolution series has 2 AUX ports, so you can connect both at once.

So, if you have the WiFi module, have you run your scope using a tablet? It's pretty cool...the hand paddle is more reasonable, but there is a fun tech factor in moving it around by clicking stars on the screen.

[RNajarian]

Yes the 5SE only has one AUX port . . . and yes I am an old man.

I’ve controlled the scope via an iPad, you are right it is fun.

I tend to usually use the hand controller though.

[Pazuzu]

This is what it looks like when you are slipstreaming firmware into a mount, using a computer, and software all circa 2000...at 9:30 at night while drinking beer.

but it worked! Both of my CGE mounts are now running the newest motor control firmware.

[RNajarian]

You’re a better man than I, I’m having trouble doing mine.

[RNajarian]

In case anyone was wondering about the Celestron Splitter ...

The OEM Celestron AUX port multiplier/splitter which resembles a phone jack has six pins. Most phone splitters have either 2 or 4 pins.

The OEM Celestron part is about $20 and knockoffs are about $10 on eBay.

[RNajarian]

. . . Oh and speaking of AUX ports . . . My new Celestron StarSense autoaligner is incredible!! Amazingly accurate. Once I get my six pin splitter for the AUX port I’m going to try and track/photograph satellites using the Starsense, WiFi, and the SkySafari software.

I’d love to see Kosmos 482 before it reenters the atmosphere.

https://www.universetoday.com/141742/spot-a-failed-soviet-venus-probe-in-earth-orbit/

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

. . . Oh and speaking of AUX ports . . . My new Celestron StarSense autoaligner is incredible!! Amazingly accurate. Once I get my six pin splitter for the AUX port I’m going to try and track/photograph satellites using the Starsense, WiFi, and the SkySafari software.

I’d love to see Kosmos 482 before it reenters the atmosphere.

https://www.universetoday.com/141742/spot-a-failed-soviet-venus-probe-in-earth-orbit/

or as it does re-enter and starts to glow.

[flatbutt]

enjoy

[Eric Hahl]

Excellent video, thanks!

[Eric Hahl]

Captured 2.8 hours worth of Hydrogen Alpha and Oxygen iii over the last 2 nights on the Crescent nebula and surrounding area. Shot with Takahashi FSQ-106 telescope and Atik 16200 mono camera cooled to -30C below ambient temp.

[bugstrider]

Originally Posted by Eric Hahl

Captured 2.8 hours worth of Hydrogen Alpha and Oxygen iii over the last 2 nights on the Crescent nebula and surrounding area. Shot with Takahashi FSQ-106 telescope and Atik 16200 mono camera cooled to -30C below ambient temp.

Phenomenal!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[flatbutt]

Very nice, how are you cooling the camera, N2?

BTW speaking of H alpha my new new Lunt Solar 80 is on the way! I'll try to post some solar pix for youse guys.

[Eric Hahl]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Very nice, how are you cooling the camera, N2?

BTW speaking of H alpha my new new Lunt Solar 80 is on the way! I'll try to post some solar pix for youse guys.

Oooo! Lunt solar 80! Nice!!!

The Atik 16200 is Thermal electric cooled, dual-stage peltier with heatsink & exhaust fan. Aircooled! Yeah!