Gina

I have just installed PixInsight on the new machine and now doing updates. Got a strange error after updating but running PI again and all seems well - don't know if the updates installed or not but if it works I'll be happy I think the next thing might be to read some tutorials

One future possibility might be to sell off the 460EX cameras and buy more ASI1600MM-Cool ones but not yet...

I've done white solar in the past but can't say I found sunspots terribly exciting. I have thought of going over to Ha but I have too much on already - maybe next year This new camera has turned my thoughts on imaging rigs upside down I'm far from sure that a triple 460EX imaging rig would do any better than one ZWO and filter wheel. I might try a triple rig on the EQ8 and ZWO on NEQ6 but that's some way into the future. Needs the second observatory built etc. ATM I'm already having trouble handling the enormous amount of data this ZWO camera is generating

Got the new desktop PC working I used the small TV I've been using with the RPi 3 as monitor and connected by HDMI since the new PC has that. Works fine Connected the supplied keyboard and mouse and plugged the Linux mint + Ubuntu USB stick into the third front USB and powered up. The USB stick was recognised for booting and I booted up into Mint. Then ran the installation option choosing "Other" which allowed setting up partitions. Next I set up partitions for / (root), swapfile, and /home for the rest. I limited the root and swapfile to <250GB so that I can migrate those to an SSD when I get it. The installation insisted on a swapfile so I made it 17MB - just a bit bigger than the RAM. Continued to install the system on the root partition and in a couple of minutes it was done

I have captured sets of Ha, OIII and SII but not yet processed them. That was the 5nm Ha filter. I'll probably repeat the Ha with the 3nm filter when I get the chance. I've got a lot of data to process so plenty to do while the weather prevents imaging apart for many other things

The gain for the above was 500 and I think the maximum is 600. I'm not even using darks and although noise is showing in individual subs it doesn't show after stacking. So for the next session with the Ha I'll up the gain to 600 and see how it goes.

Coming up now I wasn't watching how many of the 112 subs it actually stacked but I would think 56. Image opened in Ps, histogram stretched and curves played with to bring up the faint stuff. I think this could do with a bit longer exposure as it's losing the very faint stuff. OTOH I could increase the exposure as the noise is below the threshold running at -25°C. The 3nm filter is very impressive - very small stars

Now running 112 subs like the above into DSS for stacking.

I certainly will But it just continues to amaze me! Here's one 30s Light sub of the NAN & Pelican from last night with the Astrodon 3nm Ha filter. Just histogram stretched and resized in Ps - which has come back to life That doesn't mean I'm not going over to Linux and PI. May use both - I have an idea involving an SSD that could rejuvenate the Win 7 desktop.

The PC came with a USB WiFi dongle which does 300Mbps with MIMO. Once I get the new PC working I might take the Win 7 desktop out to the obsy to use for imaging instead of the laptop which is struggling with HD size and plug the WiFi dongle into that. If it really will do 300Mbps it will be much better than I'm getting from the laptop. OTOH I might get RPi 3 working before I need to do that.

The new desktop has already arrived - just after 9am in fact I've unpacked it and examined it and it looks good. Next job is to install Linux Mint on it but I need to wake up first - rather sleepy after a late night/morning Another great session last night though. I think that's it for several days now though going by the weather forecast.

I think it must be. The 15s was for RGB. But yes 30s for Hα I am absolutely amazed by this camera - I'm sure it's more sensitive than the Atik 460EX mono CCD camera. The phrase "I don't believe it!" comes to mind but in a nice way

Finished for the night - closed up outside leaving camera to warm up and laptop to desktop link running downloading files.

Still clear Collected 100 odd 3nm Ha subs of NAN&Pelican and now collecting 50 subs each of RGB on M31. Had to reduce gain from 500 to 250 and exposure from 30s to 15s to prevent white-out in the middle of the galaxy.

Decided to try out the 3nm Ha filter on the NAN and Pelican. Having problems with APT but it seems to be working better now having closed other software. I had another go at trying to get APT to save image data to drive D: I could set it to that but then it wouldn't save at all so went back to C: and continually moving files from C: to D: then downloading from D: to indoor desktop and deleting files from D: I need to find another capture software with similar facilities. Preferable that will run on Linux. Having another problem - my desktop copy of Photoshop has ceased to work. Tried rebooting but no joy so I shall have to get PixInsight installed on the incoming new desktop before I can do any more processing! Fortunately, the new desktop is due to arrive tomorrow.

I've swapped Ha filters Easier than I thought - loosened the mount dovetail screws so that I could lift the lens end and unscrew the lens and two adapters out of the FW. This gave nice clear access to the filter in use so I just unscrewed one and replaced it with the other, then screwed the lens assembly back in and fitted the 3D printed dovetail mounting back into the mount and tightened up the screws. Left all cables connected except the feed to the focus motor. Everything working after the filter change Now just waiting for the remaining cloud to clear and darkness Then to decide which DSO to image - don't feel like setting up PoleMaster tonight though I do have the camera attached to the EQ8 - with a rubber band - it's quite secure I was going to see if the Andromeda Galaxy is available but now I also have a new, narrower Ha filter to try. Decisions, decisions...

Uninstalled ASCOM and reinstalled it and after a bit of setting up the mount is connected and working Everything else seems to be working too The forecast for tonight has improved and showing some clear sky so I should be able to do something I guess I should dismantle the rig, take the lid off the filter wheel and swap the Ha filter for my nice new 3nm Ha Or is this tempting fate???!!!

Rain has stopped and I've taken the laptop out to the observatory and tried connecting to the mount again - still the same problem so I'll try a complete uninstall and re-install and see if that works.

I've downloaded ASCOM 6.2 and run the installer. I gave a choice of repairing the current software or uninstalling so I chose repair and it did its stuff and reported repair successful So when it stops raining I'll take the laptop back out and see if it will connect to the mount.

I think I'll get the Starlight Xpress filter wheel with OAG as I'm almost bound to need longer exposures for faint DSOs.

Astrodon 3nm Ha filter has arrived in the post this morning and no more clear skies for the next week!! Oh well, I could do with some early nights

Looks like I won't be doing anything tonight - ASCOM is throwing up an error when trying to connect to the mount The USB-to-serial adapter is being recognised and showing in the Device Manager as COM3 which it has been on each imaging night lately so it's not that. I have never had this error before. I guess the solution will be to reinstall the software Oh well... I guess I must be satisfied with a good session last night and I am a bit tired tonight from the very late night - um... early morning Any suggestions as to whether this can be fixed without reinstalling ASCOM? Or is this the best way forward?

Been thinking about guiding. As usual - two choices separate scope/lens guider or OAG. I have always preferred OAG as I've found it more accurate and also doesn't need a separate scope or lens with its mounting problems. Using a lens I have a back focus of 45mm which can be pushed a mm or two by focussing the lens and there is simply not enough room for a standard OAG and filter wheel. I'm considering the idea of buying the Starlight Xpress USB Mini Filter Wheel (1.25") with OAG. This would make for the most compact and lightweight setup with no alignment problems or flexibility between guider and main imager. It's just a pity the wheel only takes 5 filters - I would like Ha, OIII, SII, R, G and B making 6. I guess I could use this FW for narrowband only as the only time I want RGB is for galaxies and the only galaxy that wants a wide FOV is Andromeda (M31) the rest would want a scope with plenty of room for a normal OAG. M31 being bright and wideband won't need guiding. I may have a go at M31 tonight as there are a couple of hours before midnight forecast for tonight. I think M31 should be above the trees The other thing I want to do is check/improve PA using the QHY PoleMaster. I think the PA is almost certainly a bit off.

This DSO is much fainter than Cygnus ones and has needed a lot more histogram stretching. I think this would benefit from longer exposures as I'm capturing very low data in 30s subs. To go longer I shall need to get the polar alignment better of use guiding - maybe both. Not surprised, I expected to reach the limit of this super simple rig on fainter DSOs and I have been looking at adding guiding. Mind you, the PA could well be out and I think I might use the next night with some clear sky to use PoleMaster to check the PA. Here is the full frame with just histogram stretching and resizing. Stack of 40 subs of 80 captured.

Captured the best part of 100 OIII but then the fog came in and I packed up and went to bed just after 4am. Good session even if I didn't get to complete the series