I recently decided to take up astro-photography. I bought a 10" Dobsonian reflector. It was very heavy and being elderly and feeble, I could not carry the OTA into the yard. I gave it away to a young and healthy friend of mine. I then bought the largest telescope I could carry, a Celestron 150mm XLT with a GT-4 mount, it came today. 🙂
Hey Steve - The ASIair Plus will automaticlly populate your flat exposures times into your Flat Dark exposure setup. Let Autorun auto-expose your flats. Once you are done shooting those, then go back into Autorun and reset it. Tap on the Flat setting box that you set up earlier and change the name to Darks. Next there is a small box with a pencil mark through it to the right of where it populates the 300 sec exposure time. Tap on that box and it will auto populate the exact flat exposure times that it auto calculated earlier for you. Shoot your Flat darks and enjoy!
Hmmm, I'll give that a look. I know I used to be able to keep the flat exposures with the old aap ap set up when I was using an iPad, now I'm using my android phone and the ap has changed quite a bit. Thanks!
@@enteringintospace4685 watching this video late I was going to say the same thing he did but saw it. It was already in here. It does work for me as well and I’m also on iOS so I don’t know if android won’t allow it.
@darkrangersinc I definitely think it's and android thing because the pencil is gone. I've used that before shooting dark flats when I was using an old iPad.
Fantastic Steve, I absolutely love my GSO 8 incher and I’m a Newtonian lover for life now, I’ll never switch to any other type again, NEWTONIANS RULE lol, great results, clear skies
This split difraction pattern is caused by not having in line one of two pairs of oposite veins, thus they form a very wide V shape not a straight line. You'll have to adjust the position of your secondary mirror. After you find which one pair it is, use those 4 nuts that hold the spider, loosen one side and tighten oposite one. Also think about tuning the focuser by adding one roller skate bearing on a free floating side of shaft (this one without micro adjustments where your EAF is). It fits very well in this plastic housing. You'll have to use this black plastic sleeve that sits on shaft with some tape to fit it nicely inside the bearing, or get some proper size sleeve that'll fit the bearing and shaft. I've glued with a hot glue edge of the bearing to the plastic housing on my copy of this GSO telescope. I've also used some teflon plumbing tape and wound up few turns on that V grove that pushes shaft to the rail on focuser tube to give it less friction.
Steve, great video as always! I use the SW Quatrro 8" and i feel your pain as far as collimation. This reflector needs to be collimated every time I take it out. Even without jostling this thing around. Enjoyed your walk through also. Been done many times but still fun to see how others go through their steps. Hopefully weather here clears enough to capture the supernova. Horrible high altitude smoke from fires that sweep the northeast US. Cant't wait to see what the big secret is. Clear skies and lots of bug spray!
The split spider vanes at best focus is a collimation issue. If you have a collimating tool with crosshairs, your spider vanes should line up perfectly with the crosshairs. Also use the mirror clips as another indicator for best collimation.
The ASI air can help you reframe it each night so the rotation is perfect. Go back into image management, click on one of the photos from the previous night and hit go to after it loads It will take you to the exact same position, and if your rotation is off It will tell you and then it will take you to frame it and it just re-shoots every second like polar alignment as you adjust it. Instead of using tape, a silver or gold sharpie also works if you want to go old-school ;)
Hey Steve! Awesome video! Ya know sometimes the redneck inventions are the best most cost effective ones 🙂 I really like your idea of a windshield! Maybe perhaps I will make one but in full camo 😁 As far as the odd diffractions, probably the best way to fix that is to upgrade your vanes to a solid CNC milled one! It will also give you those sharp spikes! Orion / Skywatcher are known to have flimsy thin vanes which is a shame as it wouldn't add that much to the cost to use a solid assembly. Really nice images! Clear Skies!
I run the TsOptics Photon 10" f/5 (254/1270). Looks about the same to me (prolly still a rebranded GSO). But what a tank of a tube. I replaced the focuser with the Baader Diamond SteelTrack (6kg payload). Single best upgrade I made to this tube. When I pair with the Nexus, I get 950mm at f/3.75. Oh yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!! ~Clear Skies
You say that's for wind protection hey? Sure you are not doing naked Astro? loving your images Steve and like you just love what a 10" newt can deliver, I now have the 533MC on mine, great combo. I was thinking about your diffraction spike issue and wondered have you checked that the veins are not twisted on that axis at all?
Busted! Lol....especially need when I do "pole her alignment" 😁 They don't appear to be twisted but maybe it's just enough. Now that I'm back to a refractor for a while I'm going to really go through the newt!
Yeah I'm doing the same, kinda tedious when you shooting several filters. The old aap application would save the flat times even if you chose darks after
Well just so happens I have this one for sale. No issues just going a different route. I haven't posted it on cloudy nights yet so if you're interested let me know!
Great tutorial video Steve! That really is a beast of a scope! Seriously how does the EQ6 handle it, only I’m considering getting a bigger reflector type scope (don’t know what yet!) for my EQ6, just wondered what’s the limit in the real world!! Beautiful, stunning images at the end Steve 👍 Clear skies
Hey Simon! Yeah I'm getting .7 guiding with the eq6r so it will definitely handle more than that specs tell you. There's such a huge light gathering difference from the 8 to the 10....makes me want a 12🤣. Thanks!!
Great video Steve reflectors are a pain in the ass but when they're dialled in they can also be fantastic, I've currently got a love hate relationship with a RASA 11 when its dialled in it's brilliant but when it messes around I feel like smashing the thing up lol.
Steve? Does the ZWO camera heater help with condensation on the coma corrector input/objective lens? Have you run into any other dew issues? I got one of the older models with the baffles, bought used, and man it got soaked in dew the first night and both primary n secondary fogged up, even with the fan and custom baffle on rear for max psi/airflow. I've since covered the tube in Reflectix and made huge dew shield and it helps a ton but I noticed the corrector objective still fogs and was hoping maybe the ZWO heater might help. Otherwise I might try n mount some power resistors onto the tube around the focuser. Anyway I finally got this beast up n running after fixing it up for a month and works friggen great besides the dew issue. Seems like it weighs close to 40 Lbs with all the gear. Hope all is well.
Steve, I really enjoy your videos. I am liking this 10" f4. Any updates on how you feel about it? Get one? Dont get one? I trust your opinion, cuz you are a real dude. Thanks, Joe D
Hey thanks man! You can't beat the apeture and speed these newt offer. Be prepared for some tweaking and the additional weight. Mine clock's in at over 40 lbs with all the gear on it. They could build them better but it's not a deal breaker. If you have the mount to handle it and don't mind star spikes I would definitely say go for it!
Why are you heating the camera with a dew strip heater, and also cooling it with the cameras peltier cooler? If you have a lot of humidity in Fla, do you also run a humidifier and a dehumidifier inside your home? Just wondering. Like the video and the humor. James
Hey Steve. Cuiv, The Lazy Geek just posted a YT video about upgrading his spider vanes with a kit from backyard-universe for his 8” newt. Still testing it out but he says it’s improved his diffraction spike and has made collimating much easier. Maybe worth a watch.
Hi Steve, love those images! I think the 533 may have just made it to the top of my list. If I could quickly plumb the depth of your considerable knowledge of the asi air and Pixinsight I would really appreciate it. I have been using WBPP to stack my data from the 294 mc without issue for a while until last week when all the lights are rejected by WBPP as having no valid PSF signal samples ,no noise estimates or noise scaling factors contained in the metadata. This is during the measuring phase of WBPP all steps up to and including debayer are successful. I re stacked some old data back through WBPP without any issue so doubt that PI is to blame, do you have any ideas please? All the subs look normal to me but image solver does seem to have problems with solving them so wondering if I’ve not done something correctly. Rig is EQ6 R pro, 294 mc pro ASIAIR pro. Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give, cheers from NZ.
Thanks!! Honestly I'm having PI issues and a couple other friend are too but each is different. Mine is crashing I have to wait for the sct to refreshing after closing a tool, theirs are Stacking issues as well. Im thinking eventually I may have to reinstall Pixinsight. Have you tried Stacking in dss as a comparison?
Good review. I have considered this and similar scopes.. but I've been put off by the tinkering required. They do produce excellent images though :) CS!
Good video.. Beautiful images! I have a 10" Newt as well but it is a f4.9. As you said it is a beast, love hate relationship. BTW, I am also based in FL.
Steve, Quick Question. Do you think this scope/coma corrector would work with the ASI2600MC Duo? Not much about this scope a 2600 and the 220 on an OAG on the internet. I like EASY.. And this would pretty much do it for me. Thanks, Joe D
Hey Joe! I'm actually using this scope/ coma corrector with my new 2600mm and it's working great. However I was using an OAG and the focuser just wasn't strong enough for all that weight. I had to move back to a 50mm Guide scope. Hopefully I'll have a video out soon on the new set up.
And, I was more worried about the Coma correctors ability to pickup a guide Star with the duo. The schematic of that camera suggests a 44mm image circle. I appreciate you buddy. Joe D
You don't have issue with focuser slipping and coma corrector sticking into tube? For me it slipped and couldn't hold imaging train, had to give up mono. Even if tighten so hard that eaf couldn't move it anymore.
I have a new 8” Orion, hateful unit. Collimating has been a nightmare, making focusing impossible. I’ve had this thing for 6 months now, not a single photo yet. Back to my ZS61 😞
Those images at the end are super pretty. I was thinking about the 10 inch or the EDGE 8 and I caved in on the EDGE telescope. The images are good but not that good or maybe because I am in bortle 9
I tighten the holders of the primary more than recommend collimat3d and now it doesn't move. And to my surprise no pinch stars so now collimation is a thing of the past everything tight. Unless hit something or drop scope should be collimated
Thats strange your Asi does not save that flat info. I have the Air as well and mine saves that time. I just change it to dark and click on the exposer to auto fill it in. Maybe a reset of the Air?
My app looks different after an update. Setting up auto run exposures has completely changed. So I guess it's and app thing as apposed to a hard ware thing
The vans are not perpendicular and parallel to each other. I had the same problem on my 6" newt. There is a small amount of adjustment possible where the spider vane attach to the secondary. Should be two screws per vane. Tweak as required.
i have a 10 inch newtonian dob - and i was wondering if i could mount it on the eq6-r pro - looks like from your videos i can! 🙂(ruclips.net/video/OSjPhZrOQBk/видео.html)
I recently decided to take up astro-photography. I bought a 10" Dobsonian reflector. It was very heavy and being elderly and feeble, I could not carry the OTA into the yard. I gave it away to a young and healthy friend of mine. I then bought the largest telescope I could carry, a Celestron 150mm XLT with a GT-4 mount, it came today. 🙂
Hey Steve - The ASIair Plus will automaticlly populate your flat exposures times into your Flat Dark exposure setup. Let Autorun auto-expose your flats. Once you are done shooting those, then go back into Autorun and reset it. Tap on the Flat setting box that you set up earlier and change the name to Darks. Next there is a small box with a pencil mark through it to the right of where it populates the 300 sec exposure time. Tap on that box and it will auto populate the exact flat exposure times that it auto calculated earlier for you. Shoot your Flat darks and enjoy!
Hmmm, I'll give that a look. I know I used to be able to keep the flat exposures with the old aap ap set up when I was using an iPad, now I'm using my android phone and the ap has changed quite a bit. Thanks!
@@enteringintospace4685 watching this video late I was going to say the same thing he did but saw it. It was already in here. It does work for me as well and I’m also on iOS so I don’t know if android won’t allow it.
@darkrangersinc I definitely think it's and android thing because the pencil is gone. I've used that before shooting dark flats when I was using an old iPad.
Fantastic Steve, I absolutely love my GSO 8 incher and I’m a Newtonian lover for life now, I’ll never switch to any other type again, NEWTONIANS RULE lol, great results, clear skies
Word!!! I switched to my refractor for neb season but I already miss the beast😉
This split difraction pattern is caused by not having in line one of two pairs of oposite veins, thus they form a very wide V shape not a straight line.
You'll have to adjust the position of your secondary mirror. After you find which one pair it is, use those 4 nuts that hold the spider, loosen one side and tighten oposite one.
Also think about tuning the focuser by adding one roller skate bearing on a free floating side of shaft (this one without micro adjustments where your EAF is). It fits very well in this plastic housing. You'll have to use this black plastic sleeve that sits on shaft with some tape to fit it nicely inside the bearing, or get some proper size sleeve that'll fit the bearing and shaft. I've glued with a hot glue edge of the bearing to the plastic housing on my copy of this GSO telescope.
I've also used some teflon plumbing tape and wound up few turns on that V grove that pushes shaft to the rail on focuser tube to give it less friction.
Thanks for the detailed response! I'm currently shooting with my refractor so I'll be diving into some newt upgrades.
Steve, great video as always! I use the SW Quatrro 8" and i feel your pain as far as collimation. This reflector needs to be collimated every time I take it out. Even without jostling this thing around. Enjoyed your walk through also. Been done many times but still fun to see how others go through their steps. Hopefully weather here clears enough to capture the supernova. Horrible high altitude smoke from fires that sweep the northeast US. Cant't wait to see what the big secret is. Clear skies and lots of bug spray!
Thanks! Yeah enjoyed my 8 Quattro, it's amazing though the difference the 10" makes. Good luck!
Your main mirror is loose.
Great video Steve I really enjoyed it definitely some great info on the 10" Newt
Thanks so much!
The split spider vanes at best focus is a collimation issue. If you have a collimating tool with crosshairs, your spider vanes should line up perfectly with the crosshairs. Also use the mirror clips as another indicator for best collimation.
Clever and simple solution to have a reliable reference for the camera
Hi Steve, yeah i also have a 10" 1 too! LOL I do have that older Meade SN10 that yours remind me of...
The ASI air can help you reframe it each night so the rotation is perfect.
Go back into image management, click on one of the photos from the previous night and hit go to after it loads
It will take you to the exact same position, and if your rotation is off It will tell you and then it will take you to frame it and it just re-shoots every second like polar alignment as you adjust it.
Instead of using tape, a silver or gold sharpie also works if you want to go old-school ;)
Aha! That makes sense! I knew you could slew to a target but I didn't know it would give you rotational guidance.
I must try this out....thanks!
Hey Steve! Awesome video! Ya know sometimes the redneck inventions are the best most cost effective ones 🙂 I really like your idea of a windshield! Maybe perhaps I will make one but in full camo 😁 As far as the odd diffractions, probably the best way to fix that is to upgrade your vanes to a solid CNC milled one! It will also give you those sharp spikes! Orion / Skywatcher are known to have flimsy thin vanes which is a shame as it wouldn't add that much to the cost to use a solid assembly. Really nice images! Clear Skies!
Great point on the veins! I'll definitely look into that. Thanks!
I run the TsOptics Photon 10" f/5 (254/1270). Looks about the same to me (prolly still a rebranded GSO). But what a tank of a tube. I replaced the focuser with the Baader Diamond SteelTrack (6kg payload). Single best upgrade I made to this tube. When I pair with the Nexus, I get 950mm at f/3.75. Oh yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!! ~Clear Skies
Very cool! I guess I should have mentioned the focuser on the orion. It's a 3" and probably the best built part of the while ota.
You say that's for wind protection hey? Sure you are not doing naked Astro? loving your images Steve and like you just love what a 10" newt can deliver, I now have the 533MC on mine, great combo. I was thinking about your diffraction spike issue and wondered have you checked that the veins are not twisted on that axis at all?
Busted! Lol....especially need when I do "pole her alignment" 😁
They don't appear to be twisted but maybe it's just enough. Now that I'm back to a refractor for a while I'm going to really go through the newt!
Great video man! I saw some beautiful shots at the end too. Were all these shot with your 10 inch newt shown in this video?
As to ASIair flats, I go to Image Management to get the exposure of the flats, then enter that into the auto run Darks for the dark flats.
Yeah I'm doing the same, kinda tedious when you shooting several filters. The old aap application would save the flat times even if you chose darks after
Hey Steve, thanks for the video, I went out to the Orion website and sadly, this scope is no longer available.
Well just so happens I have this one for sale. No issues just going a different route. I haven't posted it on cloudy nights yet so if you're interested let me know!
Hi Steve great video.... Love the beast. Keep up the great work.
Thanks Steve!!
Great tutorial video Steve! That really is a beast of a scope! Seriously how does the EQ6 handle it, only I’m considering getting a bigger reflector type scope (don’t know what yet!) for my EQ6, just wondered what’s the limit in the real world!! Beautiful, stunning images at the end Steve 👍 Clear skies
Hey Simon! Yeah I'm getting .7 guiding with the eq6r so it will definitely handle more than that specs tell you.
There's such a huge light gathering difference from the 8 to the 10....makes me want a 12🤣. Thanks!!
Great video Steve reflectors are a pain in the ass but when they're dialled in they can also be fantastic, I've currently got a love hate relationship with a RASA 11 when its dialled in it's brilliant but when it messes around I feel like smashing the thing up lol.
Thanks! And I thought I had a fast beast...lol
Steve?
Does the ZWO camera heater help with condensation on the coma corrector input/objective lens? Have you run into any other dew issues? I got one of the older models with the baffles, bought used, and man it got soaked in dew the first night and both primary n secondary fogged up, even with the fan and custom baffle on rear for max psi/airflow.
I've since covered the tube in Reflectix and made huge dew shield and it helps a ton but I noticed the corrector objective still fogs and was hoping maybe the ZWO heater might help. Otherwise I might try n mount some power resistors onto the tube around the focuser.
Anyway I finally got this beast up n running after fixing it up for a month and works friggen great besides the dew issue. Seems like it weighs close to 40 Lbs with all the gear.
Hope all is well.
Steve, I really enjoy your videos. I am liking this 10" f4. Any updates on how you feel about it? Get one? Dont get one? I trust your opinion, cuz you are a real dude. Thanks, Joe D
Hey thanks man! You can't beat the apeture and speed these newt offer.
Be prepared for some tweaking and the additional weight. Mine clock's in at over 40 lbs with all the gear on it. They could build them better but it's not a deal breaker. If you have the mount to handle it and don't mind star spikes I would definitely say go for it!
Thank You Steve.
I cant tell you how much you've actually helped me in this hobby. I really appreciate it!@@enteringintospace4685
Why are you heating the camera with a dew strip heater, and also cooling it with the cameras peltier cooler?
If you have a lot of humidity in Fla, do you also run a humidifier and a dehumidifier inside your home?
Just wondering.
Like the video and the humor.
James
The tec cooler cools the sensor while the dew strip keeps the glass plate over the sensor from fogging up. Thanks!
Hey Steve. Cuiv, The Lazy Geek just posted a YT video about upgrading his spider vanes with a kit from backyard-universe for his 8” newt. Still testing it out but he says it’s improved his diffraction spike and has made collimating much easier. Maybe worth a watch.
Hey!! Thanks for the tip....ill definitely check out his video.
I have emailed the company to see if it would work on an orion. The sites a a little different
Hi Steve, love those images! I think the 533 may have just made it to the top of my list. If I could quickly plumb the depth of your considerable knowledge of the asi air and Pixinsight I would really appreciate it. I have been using WBPP to stack my data from the 294 mc without issue for a while until last week when all the lights are rejected by WBPP as having no valid PSF signal samples ,no noise estimates or noise scaling factors contained in the metadata. This is during the measuring phase of WBPP all steps up to and including debayer are successful. I re stacked some old data back through WBPP without any issue so doubt that PI is to blame, do you have any ideas please? All the subs look normal to me but image solver does seem to have problems with solving them so wondering if I’ve not done something correctly. Rig is EQ6 R pro, 294 mc pro ASIAIR pro. Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to give, cheers from NZ.
Thanks!! Honestly I'm having PI issues and a couple other friend are too but each is different. Mine is crashing I have to wait for the sct to refreshing after closing a tool, theirs are Stacking issues as well. Im thinking eventually I may have to reinstall Pixinsight.
Have you tried Stacking in dss as a comparison?
No I’m on Mac so not an option unless I go to the dark side 🙂thanks anyway, keep up the inspirational work. 👍
Good review. I have considered this and similar scopes.. but I've been put off by the tinkering required. They do produce excellent images though :) CS!
Thanks! They are worth it....trust me!
Good video.. Beautiful images! I have a 10" Newt as well but it is a f4.9. As you said it is a beast, love hate relationship. BTW, I am also based in FL.
Can you make a video about your wind break and how well it works, please?
Steve, Quick Question. Do you think this scope/coma corrector would work with the ASI2600MC Duo? Not much about this scope a 2600 and the 220 on an OAG on the internet.
I like EASY.. And this would pretty much do it for me. Thanks, Joe D
Hey Joe! I'm actually using this scope/ coma corrector with my new 2600mm and it's working great. However I was using an OAG and the focuser just wasn't strong enough for all that weight. I had to move back to a 50mm Guide scope.
Hopefully I'll have a video out soon on the new set up.
Steve, you are the best. It sounds like the duo might be a good camera with this scope because there’s no extra weight. We shall see. Thanks buddy.
And, I was more worried about the Coma correctors ability to pickup a guide Star with the duo. The schematic of that camera suggests a 44mm image circle.
I appreciate you buddy.
Joe D
Can't beat the flat wizard in NINA. I see you getting an Eagle. I see myself getting one at least.😂
Lol...yeah I'm seriously considering a mini pc. I can't knock the aap's but it would be nice to have more capture control
You don't have issue with focuser slipping and coma corrector sticking into tube?
For me it slipped and couldn't hold imaging train, had to give up mono. Even if tighten so hard that eaf couldn't move it anymore.
I have a new 8” Orion, hateful unit. Collimating has been a nightmare, making focusing impossible. I’ve had this thing for 6 months now, not a single photo yet. Back to my ZS61 😞
Those images at the end are super pretty. I was thinking about the 10 inch or the EDGE 8 and I caved in on the EDGE telescope. The images are good but not that good or maybe because I am in bortle 9
That's a great scope too, sorry about those skies....Thanks!
I tighten the holders of the primary more than recommend collimat3d and now it doesn't move. And to my surprise no pinch stars so now collimation is a thing of the past everything tight. Unless hit something or drop scope should be collimated
Thats strange your Asi does not save that flat info. I have the Air as well and mine saves that time. I just change it to dark and click on the exposer to auto fill it in. Maybe a reset of the Air?
My app looks different after an update. Setting up auto run exposures has completely changed. So I guess it's and app thing as apposed to a hard ware thing
The vans are not perpendicular and parallel to each other. I had the same problem on my 6" newt. There is a small amount of adjustment possible where the spider vane attach to the secondary. Should be two screws per vane. Tweak as required.
Perpendicular! I'll definitely that out, thanks!
You call it an Orion ‘cause they put their name on it, but it is actually a GSO, which is good ‘cause they make some of the best mirrors 👍🏼
Don’t know why you have to re-set your cooling temp - my ASIair keeps it @-10 from session to session
I'm beginning to think it's the android version of the aap that's giving me troubles. Didn't have these issues when I was using the iPad.
After seeing this video I'm tempted to sell my excellent RC8
I sold mine....lol
Roger on light leaks! LOL.
I recently bought a Celestron Nexstar 8se and was told it cannot be used for astrophotography. Hopefully I can prove the nay sayers wrong.
Any scope can be!! They all come with thier own challenges....let me know how it turns out for you!
Where is your dew shield?
Still at the store😉 haven't really needed is for this scope
give NINA manual rotator a try
I gota get into a mini pc so I can run Nina again!
Don't throw out your back lol
Use NINA flats wizard...ditch ZWO ASIair...good cameras crap all else including their shoddy EAFs.
Watch the first 20 seconds with you eyes closed.
Lol....yeah my gf was like "what!"...lol
i have a 10 inch newtonian dob - and i was wondering if i could mount it on the eq6-r pro - looks like from your videos i can! 🙂(ruclips.net/video/OSjPhZrOQBk/видео.html)