fwm891

Great stuff. Anything on a mono version of the 585?

Hi, This has worked really well, my only problem came with trying to use an older Baader filter that was too deep in the body but all the modern 2 inch filters I’ve tried fit okay. Guiding I thought might present problems with NB filters (6nm) is my narrowest at present. Even then with the duo I have plenty of stars to guide with. At least I haven’t imaged anywhere that’s not given me guide stars. NB filters may need longer exposures for guiding that may be a problem with harmonic drive mounts. I have an iOptron HEM27 which is okay with 2 second guide subs but prefers under 1 second. I machined my filter holders in ali but they could be printed easily enough. Good luck with the build. Clear skies Francis

No. This was using my Askar 120 APO @ f7 with an ASI585MC uncooled camera

Another early morning M27. Same set-up with much the same result...

I can't say what the Askar 120 APO's are like for visual use but I have 2 mounted as a dual set-up on my obsy mount and the optics (both 1x and the 0.8x) are superb with pin point stars right across the FoV.

+1 for the 585. I'm using the uncooled camera with my Askar 120-APO. Waiting to see if a mono version is in the pipeline... M51 is a great target for the 585 plus lots of other galaxy's and smaller neb's.

Put me down as an opposit - photographer - visual is out for me. Tried it, got the tee shirt (didn't fit!)

What to do when you wake early! Well today I thought go for it it was gone 4 am but I managed to get the obsy open camera mounted and fired up, hoped the focus was good from the previous session as there was no time for an auto focus run. Set NINA for M27 hit slew and centre 20x 60s ... I got 5 mins before the sky got too bright. Now its all packed away again, I've had a play with PI and it's still only half 6! Breakfast calls....

Good session last night even with the first quarter moon high and bright. I've stacked a mix of 120, 180 and 300 second subs total of (37) used with 6 having sat trails and being dumped. Scope was my Askar 120 APO with an ASI 585 MC (uncooled) camera, Baader UVIR cut filter on an iOptron CEM 60 mount guided via PHD 2 and a TS 80mm guidescope piggy backed on the 120. Processing was done in PI. Hope you like

Yes working fine...

Yet it can still show 100% cloud cover with a starry sky forecast...

Dakota Starry Nights reviews on YT are quite in depth for these Dobs...

Last night was the first clear night for what seems ages so I tried some imaging with the 120 rig and an ASI 585 MC (uncooled) camera on a couple of deep sky objects (M51 and M106) I kept to more common objects as they're well known making the outcome easier to judge too. The 120 APO had it's 1x flattener fitted so working at f7. The 585 had its gain set to 252 with an offset of 25? (need the check that). UV/IR cut filter used for all exposures. M106 13x 180 second subs. Processed in PI. Stars and background processed separately then brought back together with pixelmath I also experimented with a soft mask to help control the background/foreground balance. M51 22x120 second subs. Processing similar to M106. Both images reduced for display but uncropped.

Stunning Nigella stunning.

If you go to the info page on FLO's website you'l find Clearoutside 'a weather' prediction ap enter your postcode for location and it will give you your bortle number. There are other programs around but that is the simplest.

Imaged with an Askar 120 APO 13x 300s subs and processed in PI. Camera: ASI 2600MC DUO Gain 101 with offset 25.

Well done. Agree with @tomato about the redness. I would also lighten the background too that will help you bring out the tidal effects more.

Photos added as requested 👍

I have my two Askar 120 APO's on a temporary plywood non adjustable base at present really just to make sure this set-up is going to work the way I had it working "in mind's eye" to start with. (Must take some photo!s) I have a pulsar pier with an iOptron CEM 60 on top (non EC) in a RoR back garden obsy with quite restricted skies due to buildings and trees. Long ago I had a 115 refractor which I sold and regreted selling as it walked out the door. Recently I've had problems handling my 10 newt on and off the mount so I decided to get another refractor and purchased an Askar 120APO. After 1st light with this scope I put in an order for a second, what a brilliant scope and started drawing up plans to build a platform for the pair to get them looking at the same patch of sky. Needless to say N°2 arrived before I'd built the adjustable platform so a piece of 12mm marine ply had to take it's place. I very carefully machined and planed the plywood to make it fit for purpose as possible and bolted the two tube ring assemblies on one side and a losmany plate on the other. All as parallel as I could make them. The tube assemblies I've offset lengthwise (35mm) so the focus knobs don't clash. Dec balance was done by shifting each OTA by the same small amount until they could be left without tipping up or down and locked off. Cameras were mounted and cables attached. I was surprised I still only needed the single 9.5Kg counterweight supplied with the CEM 60 although it was right out to the full extent. I added a small 1Kg weight to bring the bigger weight in a little and use the smalller weight's movement to fine tune RA balance. The OTA's both have 1x flatteners and I have a 0.8x flattener/reducer which is the same weight as the 1x so balance should be little effected by a change over. The cameras in use at present are an ASI 2600MC DUO and a 585MC I'm yet to work out how to get both cameras working via NINA so I'm using NINA to control the DUO/mount/guiding/dither etc as normal and ASI STUDIO to just capture images from the 585. Loosing the odd sub where dither happens during a 585's sub... As it's galaxy season here's a couple of 'pairs' from Friday night with this set-up as it is at present:

Well done Lee