Re: Planetary imaging troubles with my new G811
Glen,
Your problem is a common one.?
The image chip is quite small (regardless of the large number of pixels, the chips are still small....and therefore inexpensive).? Even if the planet is centered in your finder scope it may be just off the small chip area.??
So I do this:
I leave the video camera connected by cable, but carefully remove the video camera from the optical train. Don't let the camera fall to the ground.? ?I then insert a 1.25 inch diagonal and wide angle eyepiece.? I don't expect the panet to be in focus, I only need to see where the planet is in the wide field center the planet in the eyepiece. Then I reinsert the video camera and....voila: the planet is in the video image.??
Sometimes especially for an SCT, the focus can be so far out, you have the dark central obstruction in focus.? You can use the moon to get the focus settings then go back to the planet.??
When on Jupiter, I push the gain way up, the exposure way up and use a visible moon of Jupiter with a Bahtinov mask to set my focus.? Then go back to Jupiter with lower settings.??
Anyway, focus the video image, center it, but.. not yet don't start the Autoguider in FireCapture.?
Also rotate the video camera so the rings of Saturn or equatorial bands of Jupiter are horizontal.? This aids in later de-rotating the planet frames in the WinJuPos program.? I guess you could also try to get the polar cap of Mars at the bottom of the image to de-rotate that planet also.? ??
Then...recenter the planet and start the Autoguider in FireCapture.?
If the Autoguider then quickly moves the planet left or right out of the frame, you must check (or uncheck) the RA reverse setting in FireCapture autoguider. Likewise if the image moves quickly out of frame up or down it is the DEC checkbox reverse that must be changed.?
This is an experimental hobby. Try some things ...you really can't harm anything.? ?Keep notes about your optical setup and Firecapture settings so you can find the optimal settings for your system.
Have fun, and enjoy the journey!
Michael
Michael,
Thanks for your reply. I have FireCapture installed. You mentioned hand-centering the planet before launching Autoguide in FireCapture. But that's been my problem. Doing a goto in Gemini to Mars after starting it from CWD, I can't even see Mars in FireCapture, let alone center it. The mount looks like it's right on the planet just from line-of-sight, but my image train, with a 2.5x barlow, is just too narrow a view to try to slew the mount to frame the planet. I end up spending an hour or more with no luck and I just give up.
That's what I need to do. Any thoughts on that?
Thanks,
Glenn
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Re: Parking and Flipping and Piers
That's an approach, hard to argue with "it just works" :)
but you'd really need to see the ascom logs to figure out what's going on. that "90 degree off on park" thing is a little curious, i haven't heard that before if it's just a straight park at CWD.?
APT is commanding the flip 1 min after the meridian. The Gemini¡¯s limits are set 20 minutes after the meridian. I think the solution is a 12 pier extension and just shoot thru.?
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Rick Paul
Tucson, AZ
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
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Re: Parking and Flipping and Piers
APT is commanding the flip 1 min after the meridian. The Gemini¡¯s limits are set 20 minutes after the meridian. I think the solution is a 12 pier extension and just shoot thru.?
--
Rick Paul
Tucson, AZ
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Re: Planetary imaging troubles with my new G811
Michael,
Thanks for your reply. I have FireCapture installed. You mentioned hand-centering the planet before launching Autoguide in FireCapture. But that's been my problem. Doing a goto in Gemini to Mars after starting it from CWD, I can't even see Mars in FireCapture, let alone center it. The mount looks like it's right on the planet just from line-of-sight, but my image train, with a 2.5x barlow, is just too narrow a view to try to slew the mount to frame the planet. I end up spending an hour or more with no luck and I just give up.
That's what I need to do. Any thoughts on that?
Thanks,
Glenn
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Re: Parking and Flipping and Piers
Hi Rick
my best guess is there's an issue either with APT or the script you are writing.
You will need to dig up your ascom log for that session to know exactly what happened, but chances are it was outside of the safety limits set in the Gemini
Regarding park, not sure how your script is written, if it's specifying just park, or a specific position like 'home', coordinates, etc.?
I (and many others) do both of the things you are asking about in a different software package and it works just fine for me.?
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Re: Parking and Flipping and Piers
Hey everybody. Have not received any responses on my first two questions.?
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Rick Paul
Tucson, AZ
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Re: Losmandy Counter Weights?
Hello Jim,
I bought a set of Robin Cassidy, Stailess steel counterweights now made by BnD Astro.
BnDAstro.com. Mike is a super guy to work with and prompt in shipping.
HAPPY SKIES TO YOU AND KEEP LOOKING UP Deric
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Re: Losmandy Counter Weights?
But Jim, it's not just a piece of iron my man, it's custom cast with LOSMANDY in it.
That costs more.
I remember seeing some Stainless Steel counter weights once. But they were way more. I think they were for an AP mount, and $125 each.
I needed some smaller weights for my defunct AVX mount. I took a chopped Jalipeno can, and a Tuna can, and cast them full of lead. Came up with ~9#'s.
Worked great. Looked like crap, but it was a POS mount anyway. The OEM 11 pound for the AVX hit the elevation screw handle when it swung in the RA axis. Great design!
Nobody ever said anything, hard to see them in the dark. ;^)
--
SonnyE
(I suggest viewed in full screen)
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Re: Losmandy Counter Weights?
As an alternative, I bought a pair of 1-1/4 slip collars to utilize counterweights from my vintage Cave mount (1-1/2).
Jamey
Is there another source for counter weights?? They use a 1.25" shaft diameter.? I don't want to pay $75 for an 11 pound piece of iron.
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Losmandy Counter Weights?
Is there another source for counter weights?? They use a 1.25" shaft diameter.? I don't want to pay $75 for an 11 pound piece of iron.
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Re: Losmandy group on Astrobin
Facebook only works well for members so I would not advocate it.? When I go to the Losmandy Facebook page, I am required to log in (which I can't) or become a member (which I won't).? Banners pop up randomly.? So it is not a good solution for posting messages and pictures.
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Re: G11 bearing lubrication
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I was thinking about using a little bit of Superlube on the worms, would that be ok? I want to avoid dismantling the worm gear assembly.
.
Vahe
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
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Re: G11 bearing lubrication
I was thinking about using a little bit of Superlube on the worms, would that be ok? I want to avoid dismantling the worm gear assembly.
.
Vahe
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Re: Losmandy group on Astrobin
There is an official Facebook page managed by Losmandy.
I'll definitely try telescopius for posting pictures, I already used it for finding targets, very useful :-)
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Re: Losmandy group on Astrobin
Dave,
We would need an administrator to volunteer. Flickr administration is minimal active. Flickr is a simpler, just give me the pictures please, UI. If someone want to create the FB page, I'm game. Just don't want to administer it.
Jamie, Telescopius.com rocks! I use it for all my pictures as well.
Andy
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Bittor,
Not sure about Gemini 1, but had a similar issue with Gemini 2 failing to center accurately in SGP. In that case going into the hand controller to Restore Factory Defaults was the answer. Then you must re-enter all inputs as from the beginning.
If your stars are egg shaped it sounds like something is going on with guiding. Are you using PHD2? If you can show your guiding graphs, someone can probably diagnose. Not sure why guiding would work with NINA but not SGP.
Hopefully someone with a Gemini 1 can help you further.
John
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Re: Losmandy group on Astrobin
I use?https://telescopius.com/ it's free and focused on astronomy. It's a lot like astrbin where you add your equipment, sub details etc, but it's free as in free beer.
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Re: Planetary imaging troubles with my new G811
I know it's not really standard and somehow controversial but I've changed the gearboxes on my mount to McLennan 25:1 then 50:1. It made a big difference in tracking for my planetary imaging. The mount is a lot smoother with corrections and increased torque at the worm in sidereal. I can track Mars in a 400 pixel square ROI at 8m FL quite comfortably for 3 min at a? time without any issues. Regardless long FL imaging is taxing on any mount. You need to go back to basic mechanics, makes sure the worm tracks are clean, the grease the right type with no contamination and then a good polar alignment and balance are critical.
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Re: G11 bearing lubrication
I clean with turp and soak in WD40 then air dry and regrease. +1 for superlube both spray and gel tube for all bearings. I use MP50 on the spur gears. Tried a few different greases but I find it's the best consistency to stick and keep the worms wet with no binding or stiction. I pull the mount apart and service it every 12 months.
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Re: G11 bearing lubrication
WD-40 will certainly dissolve the old grease, but it's a somewhat expensive way of doing that.? Standard paint solvent (petroleum spirits), Kerosene (Paraffin in the UK) and diesel fuel all work just fine and are relatively cheap.? Gasoline/Petrol is more of a fire hazard so I'd avoid it.
For a final rinse you might use something like spray brake cleaner, but that's really not necessary.? Just a final rinse with a fresh batch of the same solvent you've been using to get the grease out should work fine.
Use a good synthetic grease (Superlube is fine), work it into the bearings thoroughly, and you should be good for several years to come.
Jim Simpson
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Michael Herman
Richard Paul
Astrophoto_Andy
Jamie Amendolagine
