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 :-)

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

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

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.

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.

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.

From CWD and line-of-sight to Polaris, I turn on my Gemini 2 controller and do a simple goto to Mars. Planetary tracking to keep the planet roughly centered doesn't work very well. It's specifically frustrating when I switch from wide-field - an F6 or F7- to narrow-field to better image the planet. I'm using a C8 with a 2.5x barlow and a large pixel (4.67um) camera for capturing.?

I've tried Shaprcap polar alignment routine but as soon as I change out my reducer for the barlow, I'm back to square one in aligning with the planet.

Any help to resolve this dilemma would be appreciated.

Should have created it on Facebook, most users already have.

Guess I wasn't clear, the asiair interface (software) on my android device will not connect to the Losmandy. I understand the physical cabeling.

Thanks
Randy

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Randy,

How far is really entirely depending on what is on the clamp.
I'm using an Orion ED80T CF, but I have a large manual filter wheel mounted in my imaging stream (8 filter positions, 1.25"). So the filter wheel is the biggest jeopardy. And it seems in most cases, the thing that gets in the way.
Originally, I was running the default limits. But I discovered I could "Set limits here" and move the settings on the fly, without stopping the imaging the mount was doing. Now that is a really cool feature!

For my first attempt (which was a raving success!) I began Eastward of the South Meridian. I don't keep track of that, I just have my simple filing system I developed and use. My guess would be about half way, if that makes any sense.
I got so enthralled with what I was seeing as the mount tracked across the Southern sky at my location, I was wondering how far I could get. I finally quit because I was about to lose my object in my neighbors tree at 03:30 hours.
But man! I was wide awake and excited with my first experiment.

As the warning chime would begin for the limit, I would move it more with the hand controller. (See: ) Losmandy on YouTube,?

But like so many variables in this sport, what is on the mount, and what is being tracked will have great effect on what can be achieved.
I found myself wondering how far I could go. I was recording stacks at 250 images, then wondered as I past the 5,000 seconds, could I get further? When I was approaching the 10,000 second image point I kept checking the limit clearance of the telescope.
Finally, I squeaked out 13,000 seconds and crashing was eminent, and I was running out of Southwestern sky anyway. So I stopped. That is .

But watch out. You might get addicted to doing these long runs. I keep wanting to push the envelope. I was out at 18,000 seconds on the Andromeda Galaxy the other night.
I think it's fantastic to thumb our noses at the meridian flips.
And I know of no others that can do this. Only from the genius of Scott Losmandy.
--
SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)

I use Astro Photo Tool. I like it. Works well. Cheap.?

I tried SGP and hated it.?

Also been playing with NINA. It’s free, great interface and works well.?
--
Rick Paul
Tucson, AZ

For the life of me I can't get the asiair to connect to the Gemini 2 under any usb baud rate. I have tried as outlined here to connect via usb. Funny that skysafari sees the mount and controlls it fine while asiair is on. But asiair will not connect to the mount itself.
Odd. Any tips?


Thanks
Randy

Hi Sonny,
I am also curious what you have your limits set to ?

I have the RAEXT and 12" Ext, ( but I removed my original 4" riser ? from the FHD tripod...)
(With my imaging train on a ED102 with a Celestron OAG and ZWO cameras I can only get my limits to 96 degrees before I get worried)

Thanks,
Astronut Tim

Sonny, how long past meridian can you go with the 12 inch? All night?
--
Rick Paul
Tucson, AZ

Hi Rick!
The other guys will help you with 1 and 2.

Question 3:
I can attest to using an EX12 extension, and the RAEXT on my GM811GHD.
When dreaming about my 811 (born February 2020) I decided I wanted heavy duty, and I wanted a portable pier configuration. So an EX12 came home with my GM811GHD.

Later, I realized the added value (to me) of adding the RAEXT to make my assemblies easier to move in and out all the time. The Image through the meridian without a meridian flip was also very intriguing to me.
That has become my new most favorite way to do my imaging. No Meridian flip!

--
SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)

On Sat, Oct 17, 2020 at 03:32 AM, Carl Bj?rk wrote:

Aw man, sorry about that, I didn't realize.

It's OK Carl. No harm, no foul.
I just have a particular ilk towards these subscription things.
?
--
SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)

OK, I jumped in Andy.
Thanks!

Just the freebie version for me. Those subscription programs are, to me, just a nickel and dime you to death scheme.
Give me ownership, or gimme free.

My one subscription is to Robin Glovers Sharpcap, presently. ~ $1 a month (in a one shot annual) works for me.

--
SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)