Sky-Watcher HAC150 – a budget deep-sky fast astrograph
A quick look at the new Sky-Watcher Honders Advanced Catadioptric Astrograph, a 125mm f/2 catadioptric “camera-only” telescope. Is this baby RASA the new grab-n-go sensation?
A quick look at the new Sky-Watcher Honders Advanced Catadioptric Astrograph, a 125mm f/2 catadioptric “camera-only” telescope. Is this baby RASA the new grab-n-go sensation?
The Lunar X is a pattern of light cast by the rising Sun over a complex group of walls near the Werner crater. It’s only visible for about 45 minutes each lunar cycle and it’s only visible a couple of times each year to people on Earth. We knew of an apparition coming up, so we used a remote dome to get an image. We did have to battle our share of clouds, of course.
Most finderscopes and guidescopes are sufficiently different so you can’t use one for the other. ToupTek GS series scopes can do both, because they have removable sections to allow you to adjust the length of the tube. We reconfigured a scope to allow it to focus on infinity with two camera types and three eyepiece configurations.
ZWO SeeStar smart telescopes have become very popular. Their ability to be run in equatorial mode has improved their abilities considerably but putting them in EQ mode is difficult. We put together a small kit of parts you will need to do it without encountering problems.
Macrophotography with a WeMacro Rail provides the depth of focus normal macro lenses can’t achieve. But managing lighting is still a difficult process, especially in such a cramped area. This article shows the effect of a couple of gadgets that help you see while posing your subject and diffuse harsh lighting during the exposure run.