From: Milton Aupperle <milton@outcastsoft.com>

Date: February 13, 2010 1:33:24 PM MST

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] guiding..M 42 etc. [3 Attachments]

Mark;

On 13-Feb-10, at 8:45 AM, Mark Gaffney wrote:

I then connected the GPUSB, centred Betelgeuse using the reticle in  

Astro IIDC & tried some very inexperienced guiding. Basically I left  

the settings as they were already, callibrated, then began tracking.  

The star drifted below the reticle gradually & I left it running for  

several minutes. Here`s the log..

You might want to try reading the manual first (see page 16 for starters) because you did not event turn on Declination Calibration or Guiding, just RA only. The log indicates this, the Guide sheet window SHOWS this. That's why it did not even try correct anything on the vertical, because you didn't tell it to when you calibrated (Dec : No Calibration).

Secondly, that isn't the log, that's a single page screen snap shot image The log is a text file with multiple pages and one can open in Apples Text Edit and scroll through it. Do not bother sending it to the list because Yahoo will screw it up. You should do as other people do and send LOGS as files to me directly using our support e-mail address.

Thirdly, if it drifts out of the field of view that fast at that short a focal length (your likely at around F 1 with the doubles focal reducers), then your polar alignment is completely whacked.

That would explain why your having so much trouble finding objects.

After that I tried slewing to M 42 again & without adjusting with the  

finder took a 2 minute & a couple of 4 minute exposures (I got the  

darks a bit confused with the 4 minute ones though..) Here`s the  

result with the 2 minute one. I was pleased I got some sort of  

nebulousity showing this time;

Your stars are completely out of focus faint blobs and elongated in the vertical axis. That likely means your polar alignments is completely off, likely on the horizontal axis, but it's hard to tell.