Hello there

[Guest reluctanttyke]

Hi folks,

 

i'm new to this stargazing so I thought I'd join up to find out what other people were doing and where i was going wrong (I'm pretty sure I'm doing several things wrong as results so far have been disappointing ).

 

i've got a Skywatcher Skymax-127 Synscan AZ GoTo Telescope which came with  x10 and x25 eyepieces. At the same time I bought  coloured and moon filters. Since then I have purchased a light pollution filter and a flip mirror, there's a x 1.5 and a x 2 Barlow in the mix as well. I use a Canon 650D for taking pictures and i'm trying, but failing, to get a webcam working. I'm also trying, and again failing, to get Stellarium to control the 'scope (i can get the scope to slew from Stellarium but when I tell it to track the scope just sits there).

 

Anyway enough of my woes - i just thought I'd say hi, introduce myself and start trawling the forums for possible answers to my issues.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

 

 

[Brantuk]

Hi Pete and welcome to EMS.

 

I'm no real imager but you can control a scope via Stellarium if you get the "StellariumScope" free add-on (just in case you're not using that specific download).

http://welshdragoncomputing.ca/x/index.php/home/stellariumscope/about-stellariumscope

Feel free to ask specific questions in the relevant section and you'll soon get some helpful suggestions. Enjoy the forum!

[Daz Type-R]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

I too am no imager (it's cheating don't you know???)  but I`m sure somebody will be along at some point to offer some assistance.

 

[Tweedledee]

Welcome to EMS Pete 

 

You will get lots of help from this forum, and you're conveniently close to Wymeswold Dark Site 

[tuckstar]

Another visual monkey here, welcome aboard.

[Smithysteve]

Welcome to EMS Pete!

We have all been in your position with scopes, eyepieces and other Astro paraphernalia! ?

We are all still learning! 

With your setup you should be able to find quite a few interesting objects up there at the moment... ?

Just keep on persisting ☺️

Cheers!

[Dean Watson]

Hi Peter, not used the scope you refer to but assuming its alt-az, by the name (?) and not equatorial you might struggle to do long exposure astrophotography with it.  More than capable of planetary imagng though.  As to integrating with stellarium and what not, wouldn't worry too much about it.  Ive been doing AP for a few years now and have never felt the urge to integrate with an off site (off scope!) software or laptop for anything other than data capture or long exposure guiding.  Do you mind me asking what webcam you are using?  Of course if the drivers are installed correctly that's the first port of call.  For capture I used to use WcCtrl but now use Sharpcap which integrates with most webcams I believe used and certainly most astro specific cameras.

 

Of course for the DSLR you wont need any of that.  Speaking of which, while an altaz mount isn't the best for AP you should get away with shorter unguided exposures (say around a minuteish) with minimal star trailing.  Having never used one I dont know if they will autoguide.  Of course that's time for another lesson 'download' (!) but don't be afraid to ask.

 

The flip mirror is a big plus.  Really helpful for framing an object and getting the focus close to the camera using if you have a similarly focussed eyepiece in it too.

 

Hope this all helps.

[M.]

Welcome to EMS

[BAZ]

Hi Pete a warm welcome to EMS.

Sorry an other visual monkey here as well. That's a cracking planetary scope, don't worry too much about the imaging just yet and get the most out of the scope visually. Jupiter is good at the moment and your scope is wells suited to that.

It will be good for the brighter Messier's as well, the planetary nebula and globular clusters should be good as well. Have a bash at M13, that's just stunning.

 

Enjoy the forum.

[philjay]

Hi Pete

Im a mix of visual and imaging, master of none .

The 127 is a great scope but if your wanting to image with the Canon and an alt az mount, Im afraid its not the ideal set up, it can be done but its not easy. Altaz will not be the best for long exposure DSO plus the limited field of view of your scope will mean you are restricted to objects like the brighter planetaries and globulars.

 

For planetary imaging though the scope plus a web can should be fine, this is one from when I had a 127 and a MAk 127 from 2004, not the best and I know there are folks out there take superb planetary with this scope.

 

Never use Stellarium so cant really help there. I control my scopes with an old prog Skymap Pro which uses ASCOM interface and it works a treat. Don't know if stellarium uses ascom or not

[Stephen]

Hi Peter welcome to the EMS