Gina

I think I've picked up a bit of nebulosity.

Just been outside again and I reckon I cans a lot more stars now than earlier so maybe the sky is improving.

Here's a screenshot of PI showing the 10m Ha image. Still nothing! Seems tonight is simple useless!!

1m and 3m exposures compared in PI. I would expect to see hydrogen clouds with these settings almost anywhere in the sky. This is 30° coverage in the horizontal. That's a lot of sky.

Not a lot of change so now trying 10m.

OK trying a 3m exposure in Ha and see what that shows.

FITS file converted to PNG in PixInsight.

It's dark enough to show the stars bur there aren't many showing - I'm wondering if there's thin high cloud. This is screenshot of the KStars FITS Viewer image - with a gain setting of 480, temperature of -30°C and 2x binning. 60s exposure. Hydrogen alpha 3nm filter.

Yes, it's very useful.

Now waiting for it to get dark...

Had a thought - tried plugging the mount into the USB hub on the camera and it connected.

Took my Win7 laptop out and tried the mount on that with CdC and it worked fine. Tried another USB port on the RPi and still no joy. Guess I shall have to bring rig back indoors plus my NEQ6 mount and tripod and see if I can sort it out. It's worked before. Since this is very widefield - about 30°- I think I'll use the laptop to set the mount to Sidereal tracking and point it straight up in the direction of Cygnus and see what I can capture. Then tomorrow in the daytime I can try to sort out the RPi. A couple of screenshots. In the main control, clicking Connect just produces an error (see response part at bottom). in Connection I have tried USB0,1,2,3,4. No joy.

Everything is working except the mount!

Yes, I know, I'm very lucky.

Photosd of the rig on the EQ8 - looks a bit lost on that big mount 😄

Mounted the rig on my EQ8 and set it pointing east. It won't reach the horizon southwards, the pier is too low. Images in Ha and OIII. Still using WiFi.

Same camera position, zoomed in and focused on the far hill and trees, pylons etc.

Been working on my widefield narrowband imaging rig and think I have it just about ready for trying tonight if it's clear (cue clouds!!!). Using the KStars/Ekos/INDI system with Raspberry Pi 3B. ASI1600MM-Cool astro camera, ZWO EFWmini with Ha, OIII, SII and L filters, Asahi Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 28mm FL f3.5 prime lens with 3D printed dew shield. Remote focussing with 28BYJ-48 gearbox stepper motor, 3D printed quadrant gear clamped onto lens focus ring and printed pinion on motor. Controlled by DIY electronics and Astroberry Focuser INDI driver, slightly modified. Communication by WiFi. Testing by pointing the rig out of my living room window, facing roughly south. Imaging fine Cooling fine - getting 43 degrees C cooling below ambient EFW working Remote focus working Here are images with Ha, OIII and SII - focused on the bird feeder though I can focus on the distant hill and trees.

I shall have to think of starting a print of this soon. Is that PLA or PETG?

I'm planning to print a 2m high Saturn V too.

Motor seems alright - or at least the windings show the right resistance. More fault finding to do...

Replaced the A4988 but though the motor stays cool it doesn't work. Seems the motor may be burnt out. I'll check and replace with another if so. I have plenty of them. Very slowly getting there I guess!!!

Nearly 5 hours of video Goodness knows when I'll find the time to watch it! 🤣 I have watched other videos on the hangprinter in the past.

Added the HAT and checked the camera cooling control which worked fine. Seems to be a fault with the A4988 stepper driver as the focus motor got hot. I'll replace it.

I've thought about a hangprinter but haven't got an empty room. Maybe one day. Mind you, I promised myself I'd never build a "pink string and sealing wax" printer again! I can't see a hangprinter being very accurate using umpteen metres of "pink string" braided fishing line cord even if it is "minimum stretch".