focaldepth

To expand and to some extent answer my own question. The Baader Click lock is my preferred attachment to the Q10 focuser but I have the Primary mirror as close to the secondary as I dare. I have MPCC -> M42 ->SX wheel ->spacer -> ASI2600 and that give me 57.5 from Baader M48 thread. I am going to try (when new ZWO EFW arrives) MPCC -> Spacers -> ZWO EFW ->ASI 2600. Hopefully the MPCC and spacers will disappear into the Focuser allowing me to lower the primary again. My theory being the optics are seeing mirror edges because the primary is too high.

Hi all, I have a Baader 2" 54mm thread Click Lock on a Quattro. It is great for consistent collimating and imaging. However I have had to raise the Primary mirror to achieve focus and this has introduced funky diffraction patterns I think. I did have a 3d printed aperture mask on the primary which helped a bit but recently removed it. (DUH) The pattern has varied from time to time and may be where the primary ends up after collimation? The click lock wastes something like 30mm of back focus! Has anyone seen a low profile version, Artesky do an M72 one. Baader say they have not intension of making one? I am trying to make use of some clear skies at last and dont wan't to waste photons by experimenting. Attached image is an early draft done in PI.

My take on the Cygnus Loop. Taken at Dalby Forest on 21/8/23, Borg 60, HEQ5,ASI2600, Ha, Oiii, Sii, RGB. All 300s exposures. Just under 2 hours on each narrowband and Just under 1 hour on each RGB. Dark and gloomy colours.

Thanks for the suggestions, and the link. I hope FLO manage to find an alternate API to use.

Does anyone know the future for Clearoutside weather site and app. Can anyone suggest a site or app for UK cloud prediction that comes anywhere close to Clearoutside. Apple have taken over Darsky and are killing off the API that Clearoutside uses. I used to feed data to Wunderground and plan on rejoining but their forcasts cost money. BBC has huge "wet bias". I've bought the bits to make a cloud detector/alarm. I love and use Clearoutside and if it goes I will miss it.

Hi all, I have been imaging for 10 years now. So still a novice really. I am hoping for some suggestions to take my hobby forward. My interest is galaxies and nebulae but I will point the scope at anything pretty. I image mainly at home in urban skies. Strangely I have clouds, lots of them. Twice a year I get to a dark sky with my smaller rig. The clouds follow me there. I have a roll off roof Observatory (shed) with pier and am planning a roll away shed on a second pier. My main 2 imaging setups are: 1) Quattro 10" F4 NEQ6, guided SX H18 or ZWO 1600MM 2) Quattro 8" F4 NEQ5, guided SX H18 or ZWO 1600MM I also love my Borg 60mm F4 for wide field. For image capture I am on Kstars/Indi/Ekos. For processing wise I use Pixinsight with a dash of Photoshop. I know I need to improve on the final post processing steps, a work in progress. I have learned that in urban conditions the key is lots and lots of total exposure time. So the questions: If I were to throw a few thousand pounds at this where am I best spending it?. Am I correct in thinking mount first then aperture? If aperture what difference would 12 or 14 inch make to my images? What difference would, say, Orion Optics scope make over the Skywatcher. Any suggestions welcome, reasons behind those suggestions would also be very welcome. Thanks in advance.

Depend on the USB speed, my ZWO is USB3.0. Linux usually runs on quite modest hardware but can't perform miracles. To give it a go, download the UBUNTU usb image, use RUFUS (under windows) or DD(under linux) to copy it to a USB. boot from the USB and try it in live mode.. If that work re-boot and install, most of the install questions are easy to answer.

Thanks for suggestions. I should not speak too soon. (Lucky I am not superstitious(cross my fingers)). BUT.... I ordered an HP laptop from Ebuyer without Windows(£180), yesterday evening, arrived this morning. Installed Ubuntu, kstars, indi, stellarium, and a bunch of other stuf. Plugged in, HEQ5, SXH18, SX Filter wheel, Polemaster, SX Costar, game controller, ASI 174. Guess what, they ALL worked first time. Linux just isn't fun any more, no more rebuild kernel down load source, fix deliberate mistakes..make files....Too easy. Just a few things I am stuck on, I suppose I should read a manual or something: Joystick slew rate. Filter colour names. Scripting. 12V charger for this laptop. We're off to Dalby on Thursday, I wonder if I will have it all set up and working. Oh and my Windows 10 laptop has finished another update, and it works as well. I will have to reload the astronomy serial port drivers but that is expected.

Great, you have convinced me, I am moving. Tonight I have hit the Nth Windows 10 screw up, tonight the windows button has stopped working. There must have been 12 times so far when I have a clear sky, power up one of a few laptops I use for astronomy, and " Windows is about to enhance your life experience, please wait a few minutes"..... " now rebooting", !windows is installing your updates"......great finished 4 hours later. Now all the camera and ascom drivers have been replaced with "improved", non-working Microsoft one's, again. Oh look. the sun is rising. I came on here tonight to check on the Linux status and found this. Being a Debian hardcore Linux user, I'll give it a go. I will probably still process the data in Windoze, as a lot of software I use is Windoze only. A Question though, are there reliable and usable packages for capture from SX, ZWO and Celestron cameras and filter wheels and SW mounts for DSO and Planetary, with scripting and guiding? John.

Thanks AM, just making final decision on how to photograph it. Probably 2 cameras one zoomed in and one wide angle and a DOB for a visual look at the red moon.

If anyone else is up for it I'll be there at midnight.

Thanks astronymonkey but I will be heading to Osmotherley and as you say as the current forcast is indeed good.

Yes good point. The moon is quite bright. It would be nice to see the umbra under dark conditions though. It was an excuse to test out the carpark/pull-off somewhere dark with low(ish) horizons and assess the place for future dark sky adventures when the moon has gone away. The weather forcast is still changing almost hourly and currently predicting clouds. The clouds have only 2 more days to make their minds up.

The post code of the 3 Tuns inn in Osmotherley is DL6 3BN There are 3 main roads out of town, take the one to Hawnby. The gravel pull off is on the right, 2.5 miles from the inn. DL6 3QB is the post code but not much help really as it is a mile or so away from the pull in. The Clear Outside forecast keeps changing several times per day between clear and cloudy so who knows if the eclipse will be visible. I have not tried the spot myself but thought this would be a good excuse to try it out, if clear skies allow.

MrJaffa, I was thinking of trying the Osmotherly/Hawnby car park on Sunday/Monday to watch/photograph the Eclipse. So far the weather looks (wait for it...) Cloudy. If the clouds change their minds I'll be there with a few friends.

That is the one that I asume it is. His directions were, go to Osmotherly and take the road to Hawnby. I have not been there to check it out but I must have driven past it many times over the years. I have no idea what the passing night time traffic is like. It is 17 miles and 25 minutes from me. I am torn between spending time putting together my Grab N Go rig or looking for places to use it. Looks like there is only a slim chance of a hint of sky tomorrow night and the moon will be getting in the way.

A friend of mine has suggested a car park somewhere between Osmotherly and Hawnby. He says it is really dark there. He spends a lot of his time walking, cycling or hunting in that area and also enjoys naked eye astronomy. I will have to check it out one night.

Hi, I am now kitted out with a DOB and an Astro tracker for grabNgo, still putting together a portable imaging setup. The further you go toward Helmsley (past Clay bank) the darker it gets. I have not found a good spot to park and set up yet. There is a nice, little, campsite just outside Dalby Forest that is dark, apart from the bright blue toilet block lights. There are a few campsites bang in the middle of the moors. So I am still looking. I plan to go to the CADAS meeting at Wynyard on the 11th Sept. (Thinking of joining) If I get any suggestions from them, I will let you know.

Oops, old thread!

Anywhere up on the moors if you can find a pull in. Sutton bank (30 miles) claims to be a dark spot, a bit of a drive, when ever I go there the clouds follow me.. I still have to try Keilder, even further. As above, if you get over the Clevland hills, that gets dark, still near Midlesbrough sky glow, i'm still looking for a good spot. I'm just putting together some grab n go gear so I am looking for other places as well. I'm in Ingleby Barwick BTW.

I just stumbled across this while looking for tips on how to get the best out of my own m31 image..... OK I must have imagined it.... No I did not... Wow it really is so good. It is the gold standard for M31 images. At least I now have a stretch (pun) target to aim for.