Non-Guided Exposure Time / Adjustments

Sky-Watcher HEQ5 PRO Equatorial Mount Acquisition Beginner Deep Sky
7 replies•252 views
schmaks avatar
schmaks avatar
Hi,

How long of an exposure is safe when shooting unguided? I’m using an HEQ5.

Also, how do you go about manual adjustments if you’re visibly drifting to keep your subject in frame?

(I know, I need a guide scope/system—but until I have one…smile

Thanks!
Well Written Engaging
wsg avatar
wsg avatar
With good balance and polar alignment my CEM 60 has surprisingly round stars  with 2 to 3 minute exposures unguided. I've never used one but yours is a comparable mount to mine.  30 to 60 seconds should be easily attainable with your HEQ5.  Most of my images on Astrobin are unguided at 30 or 60 seconds, often with 90 or 120 second shots mixed in on the fly.

Scott
Helpful
Stefano Ciapetti avatar
Stefano Ciapetti avatar
That's really depend on the mount. With my Vixen GPDX I have done unguided exposures of 3 minutes even at 1600 FL. With my CE60 I do maximum 1 minute. But it also depend on the kind of camera you are using. With CMOS cameras short exposures are very good (and then stacking them). I am doing only unguided exposures. However it's good if you are using a PC and the aquising software can do a plate solve and automatically, if the object is moving too much from the center, it can center the object again and keep exposing.
There are several software that can do that. I have made a very simple script in Astroart which works very well.

Stefano
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schmaks avatar
schmaks avatar
Thanks!

So would the manual process to be stop shooting, resented with the hand controller then begin again?
wsg avatar
wsg avatar
When I shoot with my DSLR I stop the camera and carefully change what ever setting i need to, usually exposure, leaving the mount tracking. You can't really hurt the mount if you take care, but I have found the more I can leave the mount alone, the better my images are.  Just be sure to eliminate any frames with motion blur before you process.
Helpful Concise
schmaks avatar
schmaks avatar
I am more so curious about manually adjusting the mount of the subject drifts off-center; not adjusting the camera.

Suggestions?
Stefano Ciapetti avatar
Stefano Ciapetti avatar
When I didn't have the software doing it I did it manually. I knew approximately how long the object could stay in the center (or nearby)  of my camera (a DSLR) and after a certain number of exposures, I manually recentered the image using DSLR screen and doing a short exposre to check. A real pain.
Via software it's easy. I go to bed and leave the mount and the computer doing all the job.
Concise
Scotty Bishop avatar
Scotty Bishop avatar
I've done up to 2 on my CEM25P, but it really depends on your focal length, weight, polar alignment, and how windy it is.
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