How to Find ANY Deep Sky Objects Without a Go-To Mount

[@meltimmins6368]

id appreciate a tutorial video from you on plate solving

[@NatarajanGanesan]

Thanks for pointing out the zooming in method from low mm lens to higher one. One more method people often overlook is the RA Dec coordinate system to roughly arrive at the target. Since RA coordinates are marked in most equatorial mounts, one use this to arrive at the rough position. Then use the Polaris as a rough indicator of 90 and eastern or western horizon as 0, use it to arrive at the Dec coordinates.

[@Fishe.]

Focus fucks up I think

[@ianmacdonald2307]

Enjoyed that Nick as always. All explained in simple terms. I am awaiting the arrival of the SA and the ED 72 from FLO. I purchased a Sky-Watcher 3/8’ stainless steel tripod for greater stability. I already have a RD finder and a Telrad on my Dobsonian and I will probably start with the RD finder first. This will be my first step into astrophotography. Keep up the good work - you have inspired me to take the plunge!

[@AstroExploring]

Thanks Ian, I’m a simple guy so I need simple explanations! That tripod will be great for the SA, nice and sturdy indeed. I’m so glad you’ve decided to take the plunge, best of luck!!

[@lasvegasastro7638]

Thank you I just got into astrophotography and subscribed, liked and turned on post notifications! I also got a Sky watcher Star Adventurer 2i pro pack!!

[@AstroExploring]

Thanks! Congrats on the Star Adventurer 👍🏻

[@arpadjakab-peter5431]

Hi! Can you do plate solving with this app and connect my goto mount with nina? Or can I connect bothw camera and mount with this app for plate solving? Thanks

[@robcole5579]

Been waiting for this one! Great content as always, thanks Nick

[@AstroExploring]

You’re welcome, thanks Rob!

[@HendrikVanEck]

I like the bright star near the subject …. I plate solve but on the star adventurer it all manual movements not like my EQ6 GOTO MOUNT… so I’ve been a little spoilt sitting inside while my telescope braves the cold on its own…. Thanks for jogging my memory from the days of when I started out…..

[@michaelsaltsman7550]

Yet again Nick a cracking video

[@AstroExploring]

Thanks Mike!

[@wombwell1978]

I think this a great video I received my star adventurer I was wondering how to find them cheers

[@Westlake]

Great tips Nick! Enjoying your videos!

[@AstroExploring]

Thank you!

[@Gekiko7167]

Amazing video. When I get a Star Adventurer I will definitely try this tips out.

[@AstroExploring]

You’ll love the Star Adventurer!

[@pixelvin2272]

Great Video! Got my Eq-5 with an Ra motor a few days ago and had problems with finding my targets. Hopefully I'm going to be more successful tonight.

[@AstroExploring]

Thanks man! And good luck!

[@AstroExploring]

Comment below if you have any tips of your own! Oh and apologies for the poor audio, somebody forgot to plug the mic in.

[@pixelvin2272]

If you are using a small refractor, it might be possible to use an adapter for attaching your phone to the focuser and using the Sky Safari App for seeing where you are pointing. Does anyone have experience using that method?

[@AstroExploring]

Pixelvin now there’s an idea to explore!

[@mikebeswick3420]

Hi. Enjoye4d the vid...im thinking of starting off in this hobby....yes i was wondering how you found the stars...i see most use a goto device...would this fit onto the star adventureer or does that make it very expensive....i only have a dslr camera...looks interesting...star hopping should be hard...im not sure why set the device to the north star...is that a form of calibration....can you then move the camera as long as the mount doesnt move??

[@swiiswii7253]

Just got my star adventurer today so lost and trying to figure out how to set the date time laditude longitude would be cool if you could do a video on that !

[@AstroExploring]

Don’t worry about the date and time on the setting circles. For polar alignment just rotate the mount so that 0 is at the top and use an app like the SAM Console app to find the position of Polaris. I have a video on how to polar align which you might find useful

[@swiiswii7253]

@@AstroExploring thanks will have a look

[@astroazores]

I hope you do the video about plate solving!!

[@AstroExploring]

I’m sure I’ll get round to it!

[@leili621]

I am wondering how if it is accurate enough to find target if I palce my phone on top of len and use Polar Scope align pro app to locate DSO.

[@AstroExploring]

Give it a try, you might be surprised! If your lens is wide angle enough this should work 👍🏻

[@jacqueline6073]

Do you recommend a refractor or reflector for deep space images?

[@AstroExploring]

You could use either but most people will go for a refractor and I would say that a refractor is the easier of the 2 to begin with

[@nayfy]

Great videos, thanks. Purchased my Star Adventure 2i, now just waiting for a clear sky. Quick question or 2 .... Once the battery is in the Polar scope illuminator is the only way to turn it off by turning it right down to min? Do these batteries last pretty long with sensible use?

[@AstroExploring]

I’m not sure on the new model but the old model I found that I had to unscrew the battery to be able to turn it off. I’ve had mine 3 years and it still works

[@nayfy]

@@AstroExploring Thanks, I've inserted a small piece of paper to break contact while it is stored, just incase.

[@Oxizee]

Why sky-watcher just dont add objects in the synscan app? Seach object in the app, and let mount skew to its target? Shouldnt be a problem to program something in the app.

[@davidemancini7853]

Can you plate solve using star adventurer?

[@AstroExploring]

Not like you can with a go to mount. You can manually plate solve to see where you’re pointing in the sky and then make manual corrections to the mount

[@bushcraftandastronomer.3775]

Thanks so much for advice and i now have the sky watcher star adventurer pro thanks to your video on star tracker! Going to make a list of deep sky objects I want to photograph. You use skyview app? It's pretty good in locating deep sky objects and the stars etc. Can't wait till the dark skies come back. I've got the Canon 700D so it's going to be alot of fun when the nights start getting longer!

[@AstroExploring]

You’re welcome! I don’t use Skyview but I have a couple of similar apps on my phone that I use. Yeah I can’t wait to welcome back some astro dark!

[@entropytango5348]

Nice video. i especially enjoyed the lack of loud and painful introductory music

[@woldsweather]

Surely taking lenses on and of just knock the Polar Alignmernt out? Well it would if I did it!

[@michaeldavis2818]

Another great video Nick and your content is always helpful. I definitely relate to the struggle about finding your target! You forgot to mention LUCK. Haha...sometimes you just get lucky. That's happened with me but unfortunately not enough to actually be able to count on it. Your methods are helpful...especially the one about using a red dot finder. I just purchased a GoTo mount (Sky-Watcher EQ6) to help me find targets much more easily. The first night out was not successful and struggled with technical issues on the mount...there's always something new to learn! Thanks again for putting this content out here!

[@AstroExploring]

Thanks Michael! How could I forget luck?! I’ve certainly had some of that in my time! Great choice with the EQ6, once you’re up and running a GOTO mount takes all the guess work out of it 🔭

[@januszabr]

Thank you for this video. I've used Stellarium and phone compass to find the M8 the other day, but thought there must be a better way. Have you actually tried mounting Telrad to the camera hot shoe? Does it have that option? Trying to decide which one to buy.

[@AstroExploring]

I’ve never mounted a red dot finder to a DSLR, only a telescope but there are plenty of people who do. I don’t think a Telrad would fit in the hot shoe of a DSLR but there are plenty out there that do if you give it a Google

[@chrisoriordan6975]

A red dot finder is worth its weight in plutonium ! Makes targeting so so so much simpler !

[@ly8370]

Easiest is to use stellarium app and a phone holder and mount the phone on top of the telescope. Then search for the DSO on the stellarium app and it will guide you to push-to find the object.

[@mikebennett2015]

Did this work for you? I tried it and found it was several degrees out.

[@vibedesigns8809]

Great videos - just subscribed! I noticed you used your HEQ5 mount for photographing Andromeda, but not with your Star Adventurer and Manfrotto tripod. Is this because you need the stability of the HEQ5 for longer exposures for M31 - or would the Star Adventurer, with the Manfrotto tripod, be capable of a decent M31 image, without the heavy investment of the HEQ5?

[@AstroExploring]

Thanks for subscribing! I’d only just got my HEQ5 when I was imaging Andromeda so I was mostly just wanting to test my new gear on a target I’d imaged before. I’ve used the Star Adventurer to image Andromeda but only with a camera lens rather than my scope. The SA and tripod is more than capable of good Andromeda images 🙂🔭

[@vibedesigns8809]

@@AstroExploring Thanks, I appreciate the reply. I think this was the route I was planning. A SA, tripod and DSLR (like the EOS 60d) to start AP - and then look in to a small refractor scope like the Evostar 72ed at a later time. I have 130p and 150p telescopes with heavy mounts, but they're not very portable for exploring in to rural areas! - Think you've just convinced me :)

[@jrbfotocom]

plate solving - if your camera is wi-fi, upload jpeg to nova.astronomy.net, wait while it processes, after success click on 'go to results' click on 'view in WorldWide Telescope' and it will show the plate. If your camera is not wi-fi... simply take a pic of the back monitor with your phone, crop out the excess and upload that

[@ironian24]

WHERE THE FFFF made me laugh lots right at the start. I am still waiting for my star adventurer, its an upgrade I hope to the ioptron sky explorer, I believe the mkii star adventurer which I am waiting for will have wifi which if so should make seeing what your looking at a bit easier if using your laptop or phone screen, what do you think? I found by finding different objects it was a good idea if you own a zoom lens then take a wider angle shot at the highest iso possible so you are not taking too long to get a shot to see where you are and also a laser light is great to use for reference , point the laser at the star closest to the nebula and if it shows in your live view then your going to be pretty spot on then take the test shot at the highest iso for reference.

[@AstroExploring]

The WiFi will definitely help! I’m sure you’ll love it when it arrives

[@rednutrage]

Useful video Nick! Currently using the zoom method but may pick up a finder scope for ease. The other method I was thinking about recently was moving the mount manually to the alt/az using the clutches on the star adventurer. This actually came in handy the other night as my ball mount maxed out and I couldn't get to the right dec. Also with plate solving, are you aware of any apps that do this? I use Canon connect to control my camera and it would be great to do it on device instead of carting a laptop around!

[@AstroExploring]

Thanks a lot Matt! I’m not aware of any apps that can do that, if only I was a software developer! I could see a market for that 😃👍🏻

[@clyse88]

me every time i move my camera my polar alignment gets off. oof

[@1pcmedic]

Astrophotograhy is like a concrete project, much prep for a little final work.

[@pekwalker]

I have a hot shoe smart phone holder mounted on top of my camera and have it running Stellarium. That way I can move the camera and see Stellarium at the same time. It makes things extremely easy. Here is the mount I am using (NOT an affiliate link): www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081492FC6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@wingshum7551]

great, I'm just looking at plate solving. look forward your video. Original I found skywatcher video clipkzbin.info/www/bejne/oGiTfWavetqSqNk Hence would like dig deeper, find out how to, Is it similar? I keep thinking how the ST4 socket at SA would do.....

[@AstroExploring]

I saw that video but didn’t find it very helpful unfortunately. It’s a similar process but hopefully I’ll be able to explain it

[@prnzssLuna]

This has happend to me today. Wanted to photograph north america nebula, but I couldnd find that darn thing :D. 3h wasted >.>

[@AstroExploring]

We’ve all been there! For the North America nebula, locate the star Deneb as it’s very close. Take a test shot at a wide angle (if using a lens) and you’ll be able to find it

[@prnzssLuna]

@@AstroExploring I know, and I wasn't really expecting any success with it^^. I'll just go out and try again till I got it. Thanks for the tips tho, I'll try the different lenses today. Pics or not, the night was still absolutely beautiful, and just being under the stars is beautiful enough:) Also, one upside of it: I found your channel because of it, so there's a win :3

[@adventureswithfrodo2721]

This is assuming you can see stars in the sky, lol.

[@astrodad-simonb277]

WTF is lol