From: Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@me.com>

Date: February 11, 2010 10:18:29 PM MST

To: "Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com" <Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com>

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] Re: PGR Grasshopper Review - 8 months later

Well Milton I accomplished another thing or two last night I hadn't done before- I managed to focus stars with the Scorpion for one! I"d forgotten I"d found a very out of focus Betetgeuse & focused it so that was all I needed to align the finder. Yesterday was very busy for me & I"m tired (out shopping today too!) so I"ll give things a rest until I recover! 

Your idea of practising with guiding first without other things is a good one too. I"ll make that my next goal...

Mark.

Sent from my iPod

On 12/02/2010, at 1:53 PM, milton_aupperle <milton@outcastsoft.com> wrote:

Mark;

Why do you always complicate things so much?

Put the Focal Reducer on the scope, put the Scorpion camera on it, slew the scope over to any bright star and center the star in the camera window. Now adjust the finder scope until it's centered. Your done that part.

As far as learning how to do guiding, focus on that, not 12 other things. Do not bother trying to image at the same time with another camera and Mac Mini, or your PC or something else.

In fact don't even bother using the OAG just use a single camera with a focal reducer and the GPUSB. Learn how to center a reasonably bright star in the FOV, then bring up the GPUSB guider interface and try doing a calibration. Once you've done that, turn on guiding and see what happens. Then slew to a different star and repeat the process so you see what it does and how it does things.

DSO imaging is not simple. It has a very steep frustrating learning curve. It has a lot of variables that you need to experience before you can know when this applies or that applies. A lot of this can not be tought, it has to be experienced. It took me probably two + years before I could get a 2 minute exposures without a lot of star trailing.

So take it slow, set out a simple goal for each night and then repeat them over and over and over until you can do them flawlessly. If you persevere and stick with it, you will eventually start producing some decent images, but it takes time and practice.

HTH..

Milton Aupperle

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, Mark Gaffney <markgaffney@...> wrote:
>
> P.S. Milton, The farthest distance I can use in the yard here is about
> 80-100 metres. Would this be far enough away to adjust the offset of
> the finder with the camera?

>The problem with this is that this offset
> then has to be taken into account when doing the 3 star or whatever.
> ..The only option I have for guiding at present is the DBK.(the Flea 2
> is on it`s way to Canada) Because of the problem with the Scorpion not
> sharing the Firerepeater 400 yet I`d have to guide using the Mac Mini
> & probably my long cables...So it`s quite a complicated proceedure
> even before I make my first attempt at a guiding app. (whichever I try
> first..!?)
>
> Mark.
> On 12/02/2010, at 9:32 AM, Milton Aupperle wrote:
>
> > Mark;
> >
> > Talk to the developers of those packages ( Equinox Image and iCCD) and
> > see what they say. They know more about them than I do.
> >
> > If it's a camera not supported by Astro IIDC, then I don't have an
> > opinion on it. All I'm talking about is the Grasshoppers for 15+
> > minute exposures and your not getting a good bang for the buck with
> > them. Maybe the Grasshopper 2 will be better, but who knows.
> >
> > And maybe you should learn how to do 1 minute Guided exposure first
> > before running off and spending $2 to $8K USD on more cameras.
> >
> > Milton Aupperle
> >
> > On 11-Feb-10, at 3:23 PM, Mark Gaffney wrote:
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > Milton,
> > > I looked at the prices of Starlight Xpress cameras in Australia. I
> > > gather they`re somewhat cheaper than the SBIG ones. I guess it`d
> > > depend on how much you had to spend but what Starlight Xpress models
> > > would you be considering? Would you be looking at the SXVF H9C or
> > > would something cheaper do a good job? It`s a bit of a shame you`re
> > > now directing us away from Astro IIDC but I guess this is a
> > > specialised use..?
> > >
> > > Mark.
> >
> >
> >
>