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Everything posted by kirkster501
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M39 Open cluster (LRGB) - 24 October 2019
kirkster501 replied to geoflewis's topic in Imaging - Deep Sky
Very nice Geof. -
Well done and good luck. I made a 8" one 30 years ago and it is still in a telescope not so far from here. It is very satisfying making your own. However, financially I am not so sure it makes sense anymore in 2019 when you can buy the mirror and diagonal ready made for about the same price when you consider aluminising etc. Key tip is to keep the abrasives away from each other at all costs.
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It is easier to move a heavier object closer to you than a smaller object further away, all other things being equal and in proportion. This can matter with PHD guiding changing the mount directions minutely. So mount two weights closer to the mount rather than one at the end of the spindly extension bar. Also less in the way to accidentally bang into in the dark.
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My thoughts too Paul and that’s why I did it. Other than the Pleiades and Praesepe, I rarely see open cluster images. I grabbed M37 and M38 data as well last night so will put those up too.
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I doubt it’s the objective lens, any mark on that would be so far out of focus that you wouldn’t see it. It has to be something nearer to the chip.
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How do you define three park positions on the MESU? Great mount OP!
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I don't follow? If the power cable (coming from battery or a PSU to the camera or mount) is hanging, how can that effect your camera or - pertinent to this thread - the mount? Sure youd short the PSU but not the mount? What inline switch did you use please? That is a good idea and I may do that too.
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Focus with the mirror knob is not accurate enough for AP at such long focal length. You need to be much more accurate and get a proper focuser onto the visual back. This also adds to the FL. https://agenaastro.com/articles/upgrading-the-focuser-on-your-sct.html Until you do, use the "peanut butter jar lid" trick on the mirror focuser.
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My journey with the Samyang 135mm
kirkster501 replied to Adamar98's topic in Imaging - Widefield, Special Events and Comets
On my AF rig above this is the pulley wheel: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0723HRQK4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 And this is the belt: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07D916D4T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The pulley wheel had to be bored out very slightly - about 1/2mm I seem to recall - to fit on the SW motor spindle. 2 minute mickey mouse job with a bit and a drill. -
Astrophotography using a CPC 1100..??
kirkster501 replied to elessar's topic in Imaging - Discussion
Just like there is no perfect car that can do everything, i.e. family, pick up truck, roadster etc, telescopes can't either. Which is why many astronomers have two or three (or more) for different purposes. For planets and lunar the CPC1100 is a great scope. But deep sky AP with a CPC1100 is extremely tricky and having owned one, I speak with experience with them. The long focal length makes it difficult to guide and so smearing of your images occurs. So you start getting into focal reducers and all that faff and it quickly becomes more trouble than it is worth to a beginner. Also the image scale is very small, ruling out many deep sky objects, many of the famous ones of which are large. Look for an HEQ5 and ED80 scope. A tried and tested combination that can yield superb results. -
^^^This.
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M 31 Andromeda Galaxy, 41 hours and 27megapixel mosaic
kirkster501 replied to Grinde's topic in Imaging - Deep Sky
Agreed Olly (if I am qualified to agree). I find this an extremely difficult target to process. How bright the core? How red the HII regions? How bright should the arms be? What colour balance? Grinde's effort here takes this to another level altogether. Masterclass. His Schumacher to my Miss Daisy..... -
My journey with the Samyang 135mm
kirkster501 replied to Adamar98's topic in Imaging - Widefield, Special Events and Comets
Here is my guided autofocus rig - Samyang 8300 with Moravian 8300 camera. It works brilliantly with SGP and I get perfect V curves. A Skywatcher motorfocus unit and a DC focus HiTec Astro. Available as bundle from FLO, about £120 I seem to recall. Add to that a 3d printer pulley wheel and a belt from Amazon. -
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/documents/Flatfields+Mar11.pdf Well worth a read.
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M 31 Andromeda Galaxy, 41 hours and 27megapixel mosaic
kirkster501 replied to Grinde's topic in Imaging - Deep Sky
Holy thread revival.... Inspired by this I am starting on my own multi-month project on this with the TEC140 and ATIK 460. I'm just doing luminance to start with, 15 panes of 9 x 10 minute subs each. Got one pain done so far. Will add RGB 2x2 later. -
http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/ANDROMEDA_Atlas/frames.html Very detailed but useful to bookmark.
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Thanks for the kind comments. M13 is a favourite of mine. The data set was very good and I only had to throw out two or three subs. The 1x1 RGB was great before the addition of the L. I am still struggling for colour in this a little bit and will have another look.
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It can look pretty good with a large SCT and a Nagler 12mm EP on a good night. Not far off the image.
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Windows 7 end of support Jan 2020
kirkster501 replied to Cosmic Geoff's topic in Discussions - Software
I run W10 on my machines with no issue whatsoever. The "only" issue I had is that my Altair Astro Prolific serial adapter stopped working in W10 since in W10 they have a much stricter driver policy. Turn the Internet link from said laptop into a "chargeable use" connection and it will never auto apply updates. -
Thanks Wim, I will check into that. I am struggling with this problem of blown out stars in may of my images.
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I am going to start to put my LRGB masters on my website for all my images so if anyone wants to play around with the data themselves they are welcome to. I am an engineer, not an artist, so others will fare better with the data than I ever will.