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fwm891

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fwm891 last won the day on October 27 2019

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    http://milsomguitars.weebly.com/ https://www.astrobin.com/users/fwm891/

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    Male
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    Astro Imaging, Acoustic Guitar building, Making own equipment, tinkering...
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    Kingstone, Hereford

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  1. Had a 'few' (sadly few being the operative word here) nights now with the HEM 27/RASA/ASIAIR+/ASI585MC combination. (no counterweight used). I run everything off two small Celestron LifePO4 Batteries. I've used an 8x 50mm TS guide scope with an ASI120MM guide camera mounted on the RASA's top rail for all guiding and not had any problems with finding enough suitable guide stars. I've fitted the guide scope, ASIAIR+ onto a small losmandy saddle. This I can slide up/down the RASA's top rail to fine tune the dec balance when I swap between the 585MC and the 2600MC Duo though with the Duo I guide with it's second sensor. Guide exposures: I'm finding as most seem to find that the shorter exposure times yeald the best guide graphs and ½ sec to 1 sec being best. That via the 8x 50 guide scope is quite easy and when using a UV/IR cut filter with the Duo. Guiding at <0.5" on a good night is achieveable, circa 0.6" on an average night and around 0.8" with pooer seeing or longer exposure lengths. Narrowband filters with the Duo (6nm Askar Ha/OIII is my narrowest at present) require 1.5 - 2 sec guide exposures but the guiding doesn't seem to stray much beyond the 0.8-1.0" with total errors showing in the range of 1.25" - 1.46". There are night when things don't go quite so well and others where things are slightly tighter which as this is a grab-n-go kit rather than a permenent set-up. It replaces the AZ-GTi (with EQ mod) I previously had as a grab-n-go so: a) the GTi would never have carried the RASA 8. b) guiding is better given that the focal lengths used are similar. For me the pluses: Carries more load (bigger instruments) Currently using either: an Altair Ascent 80 f6 Triple with x1 or x0.8 reduce/flatteners or a Celestron 8 inch RASA future: Askar 120APO Uses the same surveyors tripod so no additional expense on supporting the mount. Easy to PA via the ASIAIR+ GoTo's are accurate and require little extra time centering Minuses: Black mount makes set-up more awkward in total darkness Azimuth adjustment knobs are small (or my finger are too big) especially if cold. Heavier than the AZ-GTi (I do keep it on the tripod so not a major negative) WiFi connection via handset - doesn't really worry me as when in use the handset just lays on the tripods equipment tray. Operation: Setting up I've found that I don't fully tighten the altitude or azimuth locking bolts but leave them 'snug'. Tight enough to take out any wobble but loose enough that adjustments can be made to the alt/az axles when doing a PA. I've not found any slackening of the bolts/machine screws during an evening. In fact the last few sessions I've not even checked the 'snugness' of the locking bolts (until just now!) and they're fine. I've not set the slew rate to 'max' keeping it one notch down. I've not had any problems with the slews from the Home position or when it does a flip. I'd just like to keep the RASA in one piece so a few extra seconds is worth it. Happy with my HEM 27.
  2. fwm891

    Francis-Astro images

    Images taken using a mix of mono DSLR, OSC DSLR, Cooled OSC cameras on observatory mounted telescopes. Now OSC almost excusively.
  3. Managed to fit my Nikon 800E to the Askar 120 APO with its 0.8x reducer also fitted. Shot a number of subjects but I've just picked one 90 second sub from a set of M45 to process this morning. It was apparent last night when imaging with the 800E that the throat/lens mounting flange was acting to mask the extremities all round especially the corners. Stars are still visible in these areas so perhaps I should shoot some flats and try to reduce the shadowing caused by the cameras lens mounting. No problems with smaller APS-C formats. Processing in PI, noise reduction only. NGC2264 image added (6x 90 second subs) processed as above
  4. Just give him the mug now - magic shot Goran
  5. fwm891

    The Constellation Orion

    Needs rotating by 180° - great image though (unless your southern hemisphere!)
  6. Hello and welcome etc. Theres the PAS astronomy show on the 23rd March (most vendors) will be giving discounts on kit and lots of kit to see AND HANDLE makes a big difference if you can compare things side by side...
  7. @Elp I'm loving it. Images are clean right across the frame with good contrast (APS-C, ASI 2600MC-Duo) which I guess as it's supposed to cover full frame sensors should be expected, but I don't have a dedicated astro full frame camera. I have a Nikon 800E which I'm testing with NINA on my desk top to make sure things sync OK. I'm looking at getting a second 120 to make up a dual rig in the obsy. I've been playing with FoV simulators not just for subjects but to get a better idea of what cameras I can put on each and how I can get almost matching FoV's with the different reducer/flatteners mated with which camera. ie the 1x flattener (840mm fl with the full frame will almost match the 0.8x reducer 672mm fl with the APS-C) or the Duo and the 585MC with the 1x and 0.8x respectively. Processing wise I'm using PI but I've found I haven't needed to use BlurXTerminator for star reduction/halo control. None of the images above have used it. All my testing with it has been done at near full moon so I'm really hoping that weather is kind so I can see what it will give with darker sky backgrounds. Quite pleased with the above given the 97% illuminated moon, M42 and M81/82 images were shot with a UV/IR cut filter so no real attempt to reduce the sky background at the time. I've had an Altair 115 Wave Series previously which I've always regreted selling but going back through some of the older images it wasn't as contrasty. Whether that's tech moving on I don't know but the images don't have the same detail?
  8. Superb image. To me a touch magenta overall ? Please delete my attempt.
  9. First longish clear night for sometime. Bright moon (16.5 days old 97% illuminated) but new scope to try out so solder on... Scope Askar 120 with 0.8x reducer used for all images, coupled with an ASI2600MC Duo Gain 101 Offset 25. Had my first go for ages at M42. Series of subs: 25x 60s, 20x 25s, 15x 10s and 15x 5 seconds. These were first registered and individual stacks made in PI, saved as tiff's and then the stacks were brought together in Photoshop (fun!) then back into PI for some tidying up and resizing. I used an Astronomic L2 UV/IR Cut filter for the M42 images. NGC 281. Managed to catch this in a gap between mine and a neightbours house lowish in the NW. 15x 240 second subs using an Askar Ha/OIII 6nm NB filter. All processing in PI. M81 / M82 Duo. High overhead again to get away from the worst of the moons glare in the southeast. 10x 240 second subs. An Astronomic L2 UV/IR cut filter was used. All processing in PI. I have used some of the 'RC' processes within PI namely: StarExterminator to separate the stars and backgrounds so I can process them independently. Also the NoiseExterminator to reduce the noise levels after processing some steps. I've not used the BlurExteminator to reduce the star sizes and halos as I'm still getting used to what the scope/reducer will give me without software interferance. M42 and NGC281 are uncropped APS-C frames, M81/M82 has been cropped for framing.
  10. I don't think it matters about posting but where people don't 'login' for an extended period them they should expect to be removed. I belong to other forums where that is the case. 18 months for one and I think 2 or 3 years for another.
  11. Solved folks Just updated ASCOM and plugged the camera in, fired up NINA and it's now cooled down from the camera selection box. It also seems theres a new driver from ASI cameras from the ZWO site as well. I'll install that later. Many thanks for your input all. Francis
  12. @Nigella Bryant @Veej The camera is connected directly to the lappy. It's an ASI 2600MC Duo. I'm doing everything you're saying connecting via the camera selection box, setting the required sensor temp, and starting cooling... But nothing happens until after I've finished framing, slew/center, calibrate guiding, go to the sequence screen and set-up exposures etc, press the start arrow which then triggers my delay and AF, then the cooling starts showing: cooling 0% which increases to 100%... Which like this morning going out at 4 it was 4.35 before the first sub started (clouds rolled in 10 mins later) so loosing all that time waiting for the sensor to cool just got a bit frustrating today.
  13. A mono version would be great too
  14. I’m using NINA and entering my equipment profile, confirm the camera temperature needed and switch on the cooling. Connect all other equipment and proceed to select a target, slew to it and start a sequence. It’s only at this point that camera cooling kicks in. Is there a way to start cooling earlier so by the time the scope has found, plate solved, centred, focused… the object the sensor is at or near temperature and ready to go? I’m only going down to minus 10 C so not taking a great deal of time but if I push the camera down to -25C it will take a considerable time.
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