Gina

Tried looking at Orion (by changing the time in KStars) but seems I need an extra catalogue or two as Barnards Loop and the Flame Nebula are not in KStars ATM.

Lagoon and Triffid Nebulae fit quite nicely as a pair in the 400mm Esprit or individually in the 1000mm MN190. The views through the telescopes are not necessarily at the same angle as with the lenses.

Been looking at the FOV on a number of objects in KStars. Firstly, the Cygnus Loop. Lagoon and Triffid Nebulae. These are candidates for a telescope rather than lens. Eagle Nebula. 400mm FL Esprit 80 ED Pro telescope also ST80 1000mm MN190 telescope. Still a small image with the ASI1600MM-Cool camera. This target needs a camera with a smaller image sensor, a longer FL telescope or Barlow

Just steadily proceeding with the roof control unit. Then I might make up a dual imaging rig with two 105mm lenses, one with fixed filter the other as I have now with EFWmini. I can't do this with 28mm LF lens or 135mm as I only have one of each. I do have a pair of 200mm FL f4 lenses though. If I were imaging two colours I would have one as Ha and the other as OIII but for three colours it would make more sense to have Ha and OIII in the EFW and the SII in the other rig since SII needs longer exposures. I was originally thinking of having OIII in the fixed filter rig due to the focus difference but I've found the focus is pretty close with the 105mm lens between Ha and OIII.

Hmmmmmm... Guess I could do with a good run of early nights!! Well, I have been quite busy lately...

The lens is gradually clearing but not there yet. The airing cupboard is not all that warm as the hot water cylinder has a very effective jacket.

Currently printing the box for the roof control unit.

Yes, good point.

The wet is gradually evaporating out of my 105mm lens, some of it as liquid water coming out from the bottom of the front lens. Every so often I warm it up with my little craft type hot air gun.

Just checked some of the subs from last night and I lost 32 out of 50 SII 120s subs due to mount limit. All the other SII subs of the Cygnus Loop were fine. Strangely, the 30s subs of Ha and OIII show as vastly overcooked in the stretched view in PixInsight's Blink. They look fine viewed individually without autostretch.

It's a lot deeper than mine!

Started raining slightly so went out and closed roof and brought imaging rig indoors. Lens is still steamed up inside so I've applied a little warm air from a hot air gun and warmed the lens up a bit.

With the wide field and short exposures I'm using, guiding isn't necessary. I expect things will be different when I get imaging with the Esprit or MN190 scope.

Ah, so I need to work out at what RA value the meridian flip is required. Does this work automatically in that the FOV remains the same though rotated by 180 degrees?

Just been out to the observatory having shut down the imaging rig and parked the mount. Looks like we must have had a shower this morning as the floor is wet in places and the lens has internal moisture. I've left the roof partly open to let everything dry out, just covering the rig from any possible rain blown by the westerly breeze. Seems my next job will have to be the motorised roof control with rain detector. Only the lens seems to have suffered at all from wet and that is gradually drying out so hopefully will be fine in due course. The other thing that need sorting out is automatic meridian flip. The mount hit it's limit before the imaging run had completed and I've lost around half a dozen subs.

Anyway, I've had enough for tonight. I'll leave it running on 120s SII 50 subs.

120s SII - a bit more but bigger stars.

Not much in SII but might permit tri-colour imaging in Hubble Pallet.

OIII 30s stretched in GIMP.

30s looks about right for Ha for the Cygnus Loop with the 105mm f2.8 lens (about a stop faster than the 28mm f3.5 lens). This is using ROI to avoid downloading unwanted image area.

OK - proved I can select a target and slew to it with plate solving to get on target. Guess I might as well do some imaging. Cygnus Loop looks a good subject.

Lagoon and Triffid Nebulae but there's cloud on the horizon! 60s Ha

Target Eagle Nebula - solved and slewed to target. 60s Ha

Got it working

This is supposed to be a "shake down" session rather than imaging so I think I'll have another go at plate solving.