From: Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@me.com>

Date: January 20, 2010 5:56:11 PM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] New Images

Milton, 

I usually put the caps on the cameras etc. when not in use. That problem with my Flea 2 was because I had the 0.3 Mogg extender attached without the 0.6 lens which would have enclosed the chip. This was an oversight.  I`m sending it back soon as it`s still under warranty-should just be postage (& definitely insurance) to PGR. I take everything off the scope now except the finder when I`m finished because of water problems & cap. I`ve heard of many problems with people not protecting their HC`s sufficiently for instance. Your suggestion of duct tape around the finder worked a treat. I put even more on later so there`s less play at the back.  I  have been known to  bump it removing the scope cover though..That`s a good idea to have a finder setting for the camera..more complicated I suppose when using the CRG. My filter wheel (an Atik Fira 1) should be posted today when it`s daylight in England. The guy in Adelaide went on extended holidays in the new year so he lost my order. I`m still waiting for the solar film from him-it apparently got lost in the mail so he`s sent out another parcel.?!

Mark.

On 21/01/2010, at 11:04 AM, Milton Aupperle wrote:

Mark;

I rarely ever do visual anymore and the cameras are nearly permanently
attached, so yes I do my star aligns with a Camera Attached. Each time
you remove the camera your asking for dust to get in your optical path
and on your CCD.

I Re-center the Guide Scope on what the Camera sees as center, NOT
what your eye sees in the eyepiece. Then both are in synch, assuming
someone doesn't remove the guide scope or bump it out of alignment.

As for collimation, I turn on the Reticule in Astro IIDC, which puts
up a cross hairs with concentric circle on the screen. I defocus the
star and then adjust the knobs on the SCT secondary mirror until the
star is concentric with the circles. If it's too faint, I bin the
image 2x2 or 4x4 so I can keep the frame rate high.

The NAB Forecast and CSK are calling for very steady skies tonight, so
I've reconfigured my C8 for lunar and Planetary (Mars) imaging this
afternoon. I have to check the collimation in about 1 hours time using
aldebaran and I'll simply use Astro IIDC to do that.

TTYL..

Milton Aupperle

On 20-Jan-10, at 4:33 PM, Mark Gaffney wrote:

>
>
> Hi Milton,
> Mine`s the basic CG-5 though I guess you`re talking about an
> operation familiar with it too. You`re doing all your alignments(I
> gather) using the cameras? That`s much more advanced than me. I`ve
> had trouble focusing stars with the cameras when I`ve tried. This is
> perhaps as I`ve been trying in not very star rich areas-basically
> working with really bright stars like Sirius & Canopus.Then there`s
> that problem I`ve talked about before where the camera is naturally
> a little offset from the target causing me difficulties?! With VNC I
> had Mac to Mac screen sharing done easily. It was back & forth from
> the PC to the Mac that was the trouble. I wanted to try collimating
> with Metaguide at least but I`m back to my quite cumbersome monitor
> on long VGA cable- extended usb ones for keyboard/mouse..With the
> initial alignments I find their accuracy is often compromised a
> distance from the alignment stars.
>
> Mark.