RandallK
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/10/06
Posts: 716
Loc: Nanaimo, B. C. Canada
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Here's a picture of M51 from two nights ago with a lot of moonlight on the southern horizon. This was taken with MY new Meade 8" SCT, along with the original Orion DSCI StarShoot and a .5X focal reducer. Now that I have the SCT collimated (with my DMK webcam), I'm looking forward to posting more with this scope. I took 30 frames at 50 seconds unguided on the SkyWatcher HEQ5-Pro mount. Comments welcome.
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Scopes: Meade SC-8AT w UHTC
SkyWatcher 5" F/5 Reflector
SkyWatcher 127mm MAK
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Cameras: Orion Starshoot DS Colour Imager V.1
Imaging Source Webcam DMK21AU04.AS
Palm TX PDA w Astromist and Bluetooth wireles control.
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JoelTN
member
Reged: 07/24/08
Posts: 76
Loc: Gallatin, TN
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Dang, As a newbie to AP, I have to say that I would be tickled silly to have a first attempt like that...Nice. 
Scope is GEM mounted or Alt/Az?
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Joel
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Mike D
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 08/15/07
Posts: 854
Loc: South GA
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That is extraordinary for 50 seconds unguided!
Well done.
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Vixen SXD
Vixen ED80Sf
Hutech 350D
STI Stiletto
Meade 2080
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1385
Loc: New Mexico
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Absolutely. The fact it is unguided and you kept it that well on track for 50 second subs is impressive.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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JoelTN
member
Reged: 07/24/08
Posts: 76
Loc: Gallatin, TN
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oops, did not read your entire entry...EQ-5 mount. Nice job
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Joel
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EricJD
super member
Reged: 07/24/07
Posts: 112
Loc: Chesapeake VA
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Wow, that is just awesome.
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Orion 120mm @ f5
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kmsu
Vendor / Maxvision
Reged: 02/25/08
Posts: 201
Loc: Maxvision Kunming Yunnan China
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SC8 D=2000mm
50 seconds?
unguided?
Very good!
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maxvision Club
kmsu@163.com
MEADE ED127 F7.5
maxvision ED102 F7
MEADE ED80 F6
maxvision Maksutov-Newtonian 152 F4.8
LXD75 mount
JE160 mount
JE120 mount
K3 mount
Canon 5D
Canon 350D
Nikon D70s
SBIG-STV
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s58y
Post Laureate
Reged: 12/12/04
Posts: 4832
Loc: Eastern NY
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Nice m51 shot. The tracking looks good
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Hutech 30D, SBIG ST-402 autoguider
SV80S, SV66 guidescope
AP900, G-11, Barndoor tracker
http://www.pbase.com/s58y
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Jared
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/11/05
Posts: 1852
Loc: Piedmont, California, U.S.
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Looks like the SkyWatcher HEQ-5/Orion Sirius mount is working very well for you! As others have mentioned, getting 50s unguided images with round stars at 1,000mm focal length is pretty impressive. I was never able to get more than 30s with my GM-8 when imaging at 715mm, so the fact that you are going almost twice as long with 1.4 times the focal length is really superb. Keep up the good work!
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- Jared Willson
- Fluorostar FLT-110 w/ TEC optics
- Vixen VC200L
- Astro-Physics Mach1 GTO
- Stellarvue SV80S
- Takahashi Teegul SP Mount
- STL-11000
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RandallK
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/10/06
Posts: 716
Loc: Nanaimo, B. C. Canada
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Thanks very much! I DID have problems over the last few weeks, wondering why at one time I could get up to 90 seconds unguided then all of a sudden, not even 30 seconds!
The problem wasn't in balancing, I discovered that the main bolt that holds the mount head to the tripod had become loose. Since tightening it, I'm back to much higher tracking rates. It really shows that it can be done, but you must have VERY accurate Polar alignment with your mount agreeing to the correct hour angle of Polaris.
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Scopes: Meade SC-8AT w UHTC
SkyWatcher 5" F/5 Reflector
SkyWatcher 127mm MAK
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Cameras: Orion Starshoot DS Colour Imager V.1
Imaging Source Webcam DMK21AU04.AS
Palm TX PDA w Astromist and Bluetooth wireles control.
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