Astronix

It looks like I am getting a lot of noise and I thought that flats were taken to reduce this

Do you have a link for where you bought it?

I think the main thing causing the problem is the light source, what do you use?

The scope is a Skywatcher 72ED the camera is an Asi533 pro colour, I also have an EAF auto focused.

Asi533 mcpro

Hi All, I hope everybody is doing well. Could someone give me an idea of how you they collect their flat frames. I am really struggling at the moment. I have tried the T shirt over the scope with a light source from my iPad method with very mixed results. I have also taken the frames in the morning sky with the white T shirt and had better results. The problem with this method is the weather and clouds 😩 does anyone have a better method? I am using an Asiair to gather the frames and I am getting some good data, but I think that my flats are letting the final image down. Darks and bias frames seem fine. many Thanks

well to begin with the usual beginner issues with polar alignment. From there it has been a long list and a long learning curve. The images I have managed, I probably have not managed to get enough good data because I started at the beginning of summer. So the short nights have not helped with ironing out problems. The 450D that I have is fully modded and I have really struggled to get to grips with it. In the time I have spent outside I have probably not got more than 10 hours of exposures, but I do feel that I have learned a lot in that time. I am pretty confident that I can crack it with the gear that I have ordered, fingers crossed.😀

Thanks for all your replies it is really appreciated and I have taken a lot in and I have added the usb A to mount connection type (RJ) eqdir cable as a result.

To be honest I don't mind being tied into ZWO equipment if it works pretty seamlessly. I want the head torch for trips out to darker skies one of my mates will be coming with me and we will also take some visual kit at times. I will upgrade as time goes on, but every revue that I have seen of the ASI533 has been very positive.

No I don't intend to leave it completely unattended, I will be in and out and at times will probably spend long periods outside.

Yeah, I have ordered all the kit now and a couple of extras and the EAF was part of the order😀

A mono camera and filters will probably happen for me in the future but for now I am looking to simplify things as much as possible.

That is the reason for the choice of the ASIAir, ease of use. I think that in the short time I have had the gear that I have, I have tried pretty much everything with very limited success. After lots of research I think the the ASIAir should make things a lot simpler.

Canon 450d fully modified, but I struggle with it. I am after equipment that is more forgiving than I have at the moment. yes I am staying with the 72ED, for now at least. I have not really seen any decent results so I want to see what it can do and take it from there.

I did think about that, but I also thought it does not hurt to have a spare.

Hi All, A strange thing happened this week, I managed to talk the wife into allowing me to upgrade my equipment. I currently have an EQm-35 Pro mount Skywatcher 72ED OTA Stella Mira Field Flattener ASI 120mm mini guide camera on a 9x50 finder scope what I want to buy is, ASI Air Plus ZWO 2" Filter draw M42 and M48 Connections Optolong L-enhance dual narrowband filter 2" ZWO EAF electronic focuser 5V ZWO ASI533MC Pro colled camera A couple of 12v mains power supplies ZWO Miniscope 30mm F/4 Heater bands with intergrated controllers A red/white head torch. My budget is £2000, I am interested in getting opinions on the choices I have made. Is there anything on the list which you would swap for something different or better? I have been using a modified DSLR camera and to be honest the results have been pretty poor, I am hoping that this equipment will give me much better outcomes. Thanks for reading and I look forward to your comments.

Hi all, A quick question, does anyone use a Canon 7D mark lll with the ASI Air plus and does it work ok? It is not on the list of tested cameras and I am thinking of buying one. (The ASI Air that is) I am just curious as to whether it is compatible or not. many thanks

I do have alight pollution filter so I will try that next. I did mess about with the colours, but again it was the first time I have ever used photo editing software. I will have a watch of that video later, thanks for the help.

Thanks, I will make taking flats a priority during the next session.

M13 it is, thanks for the comments.

Thanks Ian, I will give M13 a go and try to remember to take the flats.

After putting together some kit around two months ago, I thought right here we go get set up the rest should be easy. O’Dear, My first mistake. focus was my first big issue so whilst I was trying to figure out what the problem was, I decided that I would work on polar alignment. After a few failed attempts I managed to get that done and to be honest I now find that very easy. I then ask for help on SGL with regards to the focus issue and after posting some pictures this was resolved. The problem was an extension piece on the end of the field flattener which was stopping me from focusing inward. With that problem solved I tried to take some subs of M51 but as usual the great British weather interrupted me after only 10 x 30 second exposure’s. But I stacked them and messed about with gimp and there in the middle was the faintest image. At least I had got something. So last week I went out again last week and started imaging The North American Nebula, Equipment used, EQM-35 goto mount, Skywatcher 72ED, fully modded canon 450d, no filter used on this occasion. I took 56 x 40 second exposures @iso 800. 20 x darks 20 x bias I did not get any flats. This was the result any feedback or tips would be greatly appreciated. There is a dust bunny on there not sure if it is on the camera or telescope.

Great picture 😁👍

Image sizes, I am shooting in Raw. Thanks for the advice I will double check tonight, hoping to get out later.

I have been having trouble with calibration pictures coming out in different sizes to my lights and flats. my darks, dark flats and bias pictures come out much larger and this is stopping me from stacking them. I am using a fully modded canon 450d and a 72ED scope. Does anyone have any thoughts, the only thing that I have changed is the exposure time.