AutoStarSuite.Net

One other thing I forgot to mention is I also use a neutral density filter at the front of the eyepiece to further dim the image and lots of ''Very short'' exposures. Given the DSI field of view and the fact that the sun is about 30'' in diameter you need a short focal length. BOL. JimT 

Orion.com has due heaters. Also just search for telescope dew heaters on the net. Does your scope have a dew shield that fits over the front? Often that and a hair dryer are all you need for an 80mm scope. I have a dew heater and dew shield on my 10” SCT but for the 60mm finder and the 80mm camera scope I use a hair dryer. Also the hair dryer is

First off-Never Never Never look thru or use the DSI or anything  looking at the sun thru a telescope!!!! That said, search the internet for specific advice about viewing the sun thru a scope. There are a number of filter manufacturers (they fit over the front of ths scope to block heat and harmful rays) that will allow you to observe the ...

DSI to the computer VIA USB. Computer to the mount with PHD (Push here dummy) software which is a free download. I think you will also want the GPUSB from Shoestring Astronomy http://www.store.shoestringastronomy.com/index.htm because it makes everything simple. Great interface between the computer and the guide port on the mount.   I don’t ...

John, you will have to post some. You can also learn a lot from the really experienced (not me) how to improve your imaging techniques and how to get the most out of post processing. Make sure to check out and sign up on the Yahoo DSI user group if you haven't yet. JimT

Good advice so far but you need to set the exposure time at REALLY FAST! like .005. Try different times while looking at the image to get a feel of how fast you have to go. JimT

The fact that you are getting ''Noise'' suggests that it may be working. Does the noise shift with each new exposure? When you cover the nose does the noise change? If you point it at a light bulb does it change? Point it out your window with the camera lens and the exposure set to 0.10 seconds. However, you may not be able to get ...

I built a spread sheet of my scopes with different focal reduces and the DSI I chip size. Handy worksheet to have to refer back to and modify as you change equipment. JimT

If you haven’t already been here check out this link and sign up. It’s a great source for invaluable tips and help:   http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Meade_DSI/   Auto-guiding will enable you to take longer exposures and hence get a much more saturated image Vs. many shorter exposures. That said, if you are just starting out you ...

Fred, my one image of M45 was thru my Pentax 50 mm lens, 73 exposures at 30 sec. each. I have a DSI IC and save all uncombined as TIF files. and process them in Photoshop. One thing I learned is experiment with the sliders because with TIF, WYSIWYG. What post processing do you use? Another idea is short exposures to get crisp stars and longer ...