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The Orion photo I spent 3 hours on came out blurry
Spent all Friday night setting up my scope in the backyard. Got the tracking aligned perfect. Then my neighbor's dog barked and I flinched. Knocked the focus knob. Didn't notice until I checked the images on my laptop at 2 AM. Has anyone else had a good night ruined by one small mistake?
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betty1441mo ago
Taped my focuser ring with painters tape after one too many nights like this and it saved me from the same kind of mistake. @eva243 is right that stuff happens but there are ways to cut down on the heartbreak. A quick test frame after you get setup can catch a bump or a loose knob before you throw hours at a blank.
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beth_green1mo ago
Blame the neighbor's dog? That's giving away all your control over the setup. If you're out there with a scope worth that much time, you should have a rock-solid tripod and a remote shutter release so a barking dog can't mess you up. I always lock down my focus knob with a rubber band after I dial it in, and I tape over the ring to keep it from moving. The tracking being perfect means almost nothing if you don't physically secure the focuser. Why not just take a test shot right after you set up to catch that kind of mistake before you waste three hours?
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