second light - Lodestar-Cx2

[nytecam]

My 2nd brief session at the scope [Meade 30cm LX200 SCT] last night with the new colour Lodestar using SX s/w - here's a couple for starters in Comet Jacque + faint tail  [60s] and classic M13 [20s]. 

For M13 I've always assume the background 'fuzz' is noise but a careful check with Wikisky/Sloan DSS shows it's mostly [but not all] very faint stars in the cluster in mag 17 range - anyone up for a star count?     Previously I've darkened the background to suppress 'noise' but not for this shot !

[nytecam]

Here's NGC 7331 [100s] and nearby Stephan's Quintet [120s] in Pegasus - note the bluish tinge to N7320 the larger and lower gx which may be a starburst gx.

[Paul81]

Wow - the colour really transforms those galaxies and the CX2 is certainly showing is is no slouch in the sensitivity department! Superb!

The colour adds to Stephan's Quintet, as you can clearly distinguish the blue foreground galaxy and the four that are merging are yellow.

[nytecam]

Thanks Paul - as you may gather - I do like higher colour saturation - currently via SX s/w - hope your LL will address this but only when you're ready

Here's two bright PNe in Bowtie [NGC 40] in 60s exp and CatsEye [NGC 6543] in 40s for field and just 5s exp for inset enlarged closeup.  Any longer exposure and [as main pic] and the PN is swamped whilst there are virtually no stars in the very brief exposure so compremise needed as displayed.  

The Bowtie [handles x2 'zoom' shot well!] is remarkable for its strong red H-alpha emission [there are a few other small PNe like it] whilst typically the blue-green emission lines from H-beta and dominant oxygen OIII are more commonplace like the CatsEye here - good fun and colour certainly add so much more to the experience

[nytecam]

Final shot from evening - underrated globular M92 in Hercules in 20s exposure - anything longer burnt-out the core even more !

[nytecam]

Here's my YT video clip of Cx2 #2 gallery @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osRrchrDEqE 

[jam1e1]

Superb progress, really like the galaxy too really good detail do you need really good polar alignment for these types shots? Don't have a perm Obs, got eq6 az would set up each time used if get one of these, just trying to assess setup time

[Paul81]

No polar alignment necessary - I use my az eq6gt in alt az mode and get 30-60s exposures just fine. I can setup in less than 15 mins!

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[jam1e1]

Great thanks Paul, how long is lead from lodestar to pc, ie do I need laptop outside or can I control from inside house?

[HiloDon]

Great thanks Paul, how long is lead from lodestar to pc, ie do I need laptop outside or can I control from inside house?

The provided cable is about two meters. I use a 5m extension to feed it to my remote observatory shelter. I understand that you can link three of these together. Haven't tried that, but that's what the manufacturer claims. There's a number of these avaiable if you search it. Let me know if you need the name of the one I have.

Don

[Paul81]

DoctorD has also done some work in using a raspberry pi as a remote computer such that you plug your lodestar and mount into the pi, then using wifi you can route the camera and mount data to your computer inside - I want to get this going myself for when the really cold winter nights return!

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