jhonson

The red-dot sight can be unreliable; a sturdier one might help. For the shaky image, ensure the tripod is stable and all connections are tight. The alignment issue when tightening might be due to loose parts..

I missed it. Can you share some of yours?

Yeah, you’ll need longer exposures with narrowband due to less light. Flats are a must for each filter, but no need for darks or bias. Processing-wise, splitting Ha and Oiii or using a fake SHO palette can work. Just watch for noise and artifacts.

On 14/12/2021 at 19:40, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Giving up on the weather forecasts I've not even checked for the last week. Tonight locking up, I looked out and the sky was crystal! A good opportunity to try the Opticron 15x70s on my old aluminium Monfrotto Art monopod & Neewer ball head. The whole system worked as expected I managed about 45 minutes just gazing really. Lunar, Pleiades, Hyades and about half the session spent on Orion. I could definitely make out the 'wings' of M42. The longer I looked, the more I saw. The binoculars really provide a sense of scale compared to a telescope view. M42 looked massive against the background expanse.

A nice relaxing session at a balmy 8°c. Unfortunately I forgot to wipe the damp off the garden chair and my bottom was soaked when I went in. 🙄

Those Opticron 15x70s are fantastic for spotting details like M42’s wings.