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Like most things new there were a few trials before things smoothed out slightly and I got a couple of images to show for what felt like ..... Well most of my problem were a cable (USB 3) which needed swapping but I think settings in PHD2 was my biggest headache. Finally I got two sets of subs: 15x 60s on the Wall in NGC7000 and 14x 60s of NGC6995 these were captured through my Orion Optic (UK) VX10 with a TS GPU 1x super flat coma corrector (55mm back focus) The two extn tubes and the 17.5mm backfocus of the Duo were 55mm. No filters were used for these images. Processing was via PI without the use of the RC-Astro routines as I wanted to see what the camera, corrector and telescope produced without the intervention of AI. With RC-Astro:

If you can carry your kit in still assembled then I've found that I've marked my patio where the three tripod legs sit before moving stuff indoors. Then next day I drilled three holes at the marked positions and now I can place the tripod legs in the holes each time and very little adjustment is needed. I do extend tripod sections but to their stops so constant each time. Mark one leg and its hole so you put the same leg in the same hole each time...

Brilliant execution Peter, just jealous of all that exposure data…

Wow! Incredible. To me whats striking is the amount of dark dusty stuff thats showing. Magicians all involved...

I take it we’re not talking Powys UK! Because Hereford hasn’t seen sky for ages…

Another superb piece of work Peter. Spanish skies strike again.

A simple statement like I'm a visual astronomer or I'm an imager which is my best option...

Superb Peter as ever.

I use a surveyors tripod much much cheaper than an astro tripod. just change the anchor bolt to 3/8th UNC or Whit thread. https://smithsurveyingequipment.co.uk/product-category/surveying-accessories/tripods/ No affiliation etc... just bought a tripod.

Many thanks

Is that an Orion UK carbon tube upgrade or from somewhere else? I have a VX10 and am thinking longer term about a carbon tube upgrade....

Currently - My Orion Optics (UK): VX10 on an iOptron CEM60 in my little Obsy.

Tackle your back focus spacing first to remove the field curvature then see what if any tilt remains because 4/100ths of a degree tilt showing isn't much.

Needs to be as close to the camera sensor as possible. Your heater is doing nothing but warming the outside air so entrapping it behind a tilt plate might make your heater more efficient. Are you sure you need a tilt plate. Your using a refractor, what appears to be a matching reducer flattener - try small changes to your back spacing. Or even try placing a slip of paper in different positions around the spacer/camera to give a little 'tilt' and see if you detect a change. (Single thickness of printer paper is thick enough about 20mm wide). It might be you heater that's not an even thickness. Try removing that and see if the error remains... Sorry lots of suggestions but your basic kit looks outwardly sound.

Superb Dave, yet again.

Usually -10 although with these warm nights -5 is enough.

Re: Cooling. My AA 26C has kept very well to temperature even during this hot spell ± 0.1C with a pull down of circa -20°C below ambient and the 0.1°C was only ever momentary

I bought the AA 26C in Jan this year and its a great camera. Currently selling only because I'm after a duo chip'd 2600MC.

Probably stick with B&W then process negs and scan at home before printing/viewing.

That's interesting. I have a 5x4 format aerial camera lens that I set-up years ago to do night sky work with but it's never really been used...

@scotty38 Thanks, Same settings so I'll try again and deactivate the stop tracking when done and see what happens... Really good to be able to get PA with no view of the pole.

Although I finally got my PA aligned with a total error of 19 arc/sec it was a pain getting there. I have an iOptron CEM60 on a pier which I’d removed and serviced (regreased ra/dec wheels) but my view of the pole area is completely blocked so N.I.N.A. looked a good choice for realignment. I’ve watched lots of YT videos so the process of loading the nightly version of NINA and the 3PPA plugin went well. In the videos three 3 positions are solved and the PA errors displayed with the images looping and solving and a revised error displayed. For me I start and get (and solve) the 3 positions, the error is displayed but as it seems to start looping exposures my tracking is stopped and so does 3PPA. My only recourse is to rerun 3PPA again and again making adjustments between each rerun and restarting tracking. For this I have the mount with an Altair 102 Ascent refractor mounted, no guider scope and an a Hypercam 26C as the imaging camera. Mount is controlled with iOpton’s Commander software drivers. These are connected to an HP i3 laptop running win10 Home, with 16 Gb ram, mount and camera are connected to separate usb 3 sockets. The whole connected to house mains via recommended adapters. Anyone have any ideas why the tracking is being stopped thus preventing the looped exposures? Thanks if you’ve read this far.

Superb Dave. Watching just draws me in...

Just a quickie from a couple of nights ago. Unguided. 27 of 32x 60sec subs processed in PI. Scope OO VX10, Camera Hypercam 26C cropped frame, Mount iOptron CEM60. Captured circa 11:30 start time and just let it run. I lost a few frames to sat trails. No filters used and no guiding. NGC 6207 top left ? Hope you like.

Thanks @Elp and @ONIKKINEN looks like 100wh is a minimum. I wasn’t fancying lead acid batteries. At present I won’t be using the 26C as it’s not compatible with the ASiAIR PLUS and I may well sell it and get something that is compatible. But that’s all in the future…