Gina

Sun's gone down now.

ASC is now set up in its permanent position on the side of the observatory. I fastened the dome outer ring to the main casing but otherwise haven't touched it - been busy with other things and I can bring it indoors again if I find I get any dewing up. The dew heaters are not connected ATM. Here's a screenshot from KStars with camera set to minimum exposure, gain and brightness. The sun has yet to set.

The 135mm lens looks favourite for tonight. Here's the FOV in Orion covering from M42/43 in the south through Horsey and Flame to M78 and NCG2071 in the north though I think the last two are rather faint.

Update... 109 Ha 5nm subs processed last night. That leaves Ha 3nm subs of Orion, Barnard's Loop etc. and other odds and ends to be checked with Blink and further processed.

I have plenty of data from last night to process I gave up relatively early as I couldn't find anything else to image with that FOV - everything of interest had sunk out of view. I think I've now exhausted the available views with the current 28mm lens so planning to change lenses for tonight hoping that the sky will remain clear. Have to have a good think about what to image I have realised why I was having a problem with M42 - I'm now not using high clipping as M42 is expected to saturate in order to capture other DSOs in Orion. So I might have another go at Orion - Flame through Horse's Head to M42 area. I would normally take flats but the images captured since the clean-up and lens change are not showing dust bunnies or any vignetting so there seems no need to bother (unless data processing from last night shows a problem).

Might try another odd tweak or two but this is pretty much there I think I could take the Peltier TEC out as cooling is clearly not needed any more or at least it isn't in winter but I think I had better get the dew heaters working. Probably leave the Peltier TEC for now - "if it ain't broke don't fix it"

A few small adjustments to improve the image. Increased exposure to 15s, increased gain to 310 and drew the curtains to cut out the light in front of the house Tomorrow I think I'll secure the case sections and dome outer ring - maybe add some silicone grease to seal the edge of the dome to the outer ring to stop wet getting in - and put the whole thing including mast in it's proper place on the side of the observatory where it will be upright and cover the sky better.

Dome added. As before exposure of 10s uncooled with camera temperature of 14.5C and gain of 210.

Full resolution integration untouched from PI - just saved as PNG.

Finished integration Auto-stretched integrated image in PI. Some amp glow not fully subtracted but not too bad. Angelfish looks like an alien

Focused by unscrewing lens and clamping straight with adapter and clamp screw. Here is a screenshot of the image with camera outside - no dome. Focus seems pretty good except right at the top (north). I could live with this Now to try adding the dome...

Registered now integrating (stacking) images.

Calibration done now registering - StarAlignment.

109 Ha 5mn subs captured - 103 passed Blink and now calibrating. Currently capturing Ha 3nm subs having refocused - it was 1 count different from yesterday (now +4 counts).

My all sky camera has captured a U.F.O.

I've now put the dome back on and here's the result. The focus is still out so must have changed since last night. Something not tight I should think. I'll take it back in and try the C-CS adapter as I've lost that fluke good focus anyway.

Focus is alright now but the field is not flat or may be slightly tilted - stars are elongated in the RHS of the frame. I plan to retake at least 100 of both 5nm and 3nm Ha subs with the new framing.

Here is a full resolution PNG saved from PI.

Another screenshot now with stars.

Now capturing images with the new focus position and have also adjusted the framing slightly to include a previously unseen object near to the Rosette Nebula - there is nothing on the other side of the image being lost in this readjustmant of FOV. Here is an auto-stretch of a single 60s frame in PI.

Just refocused the Ha 5nm and it's all of 25 counts away from the 3nm filter (-23 counts v +3 counts). Amazing! It's as if the filter was a different thickness.

Here's a screenshot of KStars FITS Viewer with the ASC back on the guttering but without dome. I've also rotated it so that north is at the top. Certainly out of focus but whether the same amount all round I cant tell yet. My observatory can be seen bottom left.

Full resolution version straight from integration in PI. 130 OIII subs of 60s gain 600 and -30C.

OIII integration auto-stretched in PI.