Hi Buldric,
There are a couple of statements in your post that has me confused as to your method of imaging.
here is the first one;
Attempt to take picture with camera after having focused the eyepiece in the camera adapter....This is where it went wrong.
Are you attaching your camera afocally? this is where an eyepiece is used and the camera is placed just above the eyepiece, this only works for Bright Stars , the Planets, and the Moon.
For deep sky work you must use the prime focus method or the piggy back method with another scope or telephoto lens.
The second statement you posted;
After attaining focus, Photograph M31 as planned! Using 30 second exposures, I took a total of 30 photo's, totaling 15min of exposure. I know thats not very long, but, hey, when you have to keep pushing that button 30 times, it seems like a long time =p.
You should never make physical contact with your camera, or scope, or mount, when initiating an exposure, it should be done by means of a remote system that eliminates the need for you to have contact with your equipment,
any contact will result in images that are blurred, no matter how fine a touch you have!
Get back to us with more specifics like the make and model of the camera and the method of attachment you are using. To accomplish focusing at the prime focus of your Scope efficiently, you need to make a Hartman Mask, and install it over the Scope's objective. IF you dont know what a Hartman mask is get back to us!
You first use your lowest power eyepiece and center and focus a bright star while the tracking is engaged, then remove your eyepiece and attach your camera, place the Hartman Mask over the objective of your scope and focus until you see the different holes in the hartman mask come together as one point in your camera's view screen, then remove your camera and without refocusing the scope re-install your eyepiece with a adjustable slip ring over the eyepiece barrel.
to achieve focus in the eyepiece, move the eyepiece in and out of the holder, and slide the slip ring down onto the holder and tighten it when the view comes into focus. now you have an eyepiece that is matched to your camera's focal length, you may have to try different eyepiece focal lengths to enable the use of the adjustable slip ring.
this will speed up the focusing issue.
Now you just use the matched eyepiece to focus your target before installing the camera, the camera when installed, should then be very close to a focused image, but usually a hartman mask is used again on a bright star and not your target image for precise focusing, when you are happy with the focused star image proceed to your target.
At prime Focus, a 30 second exposure for a total of 30 subs, should be much brighter than the image you posted.
If you attempted to image M-31 by placing the camera above the eyepiece, you will not achieve satisfactory results! stray light can ruin your image and your image will be very faint.
You're not defeated my friend! You just need to use the right method and technique.
Dennis
