zcapp96

I have to say that Flo really disappointed me, they were clearly listed on the vendors list on the website but their presence just seemed to be a handful of leaflets with their website address. They could have mentioned here that they were going to be there in name only.

I decided to pop along anyway, picked up a load of zwo stuff at 10% off from 365 astronomy. I was shocked at how few stalls there were now. This was the first time I had been in years and there were only 2 pure astro shops, 365 and the wide-screen centre. I remember it being much better before, surely cannot last much longer like this.

Was wondering if anyone has been to astrofest today in Kensington and seen if any retailers are offering any good deals. I was thinking about going tomorrow and was wondering if it would be worth the trip, none of the talks really appeal to me (not for £50!). I might have considered a couple if I could have just paid for them!

The weather has been awful here and have had little opportunity to image anything this year. The clouds parted a bit on Monday, although still a bit of wispy cloud, so I decided to try and get an image of Ceres close to M100. Used my 72ed and a astromodded Canon 600d. 27x3min exposures. Not too bad considering the weather and I have tried to identify as many of the galaxies in the shot as possible!

Just a quick attempt at the moon using a Evostar 72ed and an asi290mm, it was far too windy for C9.25. Best 25% of 5000 frames stacked.

I could see the eclipse from my garden due to flats and trees blocking the low Sun so took my telescope and son to a local park and set up in the car park. Felt like I was on an outreach program as I let a few dog walkers have a look as well! Used my DSLR as I didn't have power for the laptop and 290mm. Got some good images before I got clouded out for the 2nd half. Taken with a Canon 600D through a 150pds with a white light filter. All are just single shots. Love how you can see the mountains on the edge of the moon!

I used my new 2x Barlow for the first time last night with my c9.25 and it really seemed to help bring out some detail. Was a case of cloud dodging and grabbing frames when I could so I don't think I was 100% on matching the levels for each channel but turned out really well, I think. Best 45% of 5000 frames in RGB with a ASI290mm

Finally got around to processing these files into an animation from 9th August. This was just a test to see what I could get at the end of a session and with the Sun due to rise in an hour. I only used an IR 740nm Pass filter as I didn't have time to keep changing filters for colour. Turned out really well and is something I will have to explore as we approach opposition and I have more time! Best 50% of 5000 frames for each of the 30 images taken with a ASI290mm through a C9.25 at F10. 1.mp4

After what seems like forever, I was finally able to get the C9.25 out to try and image the Planets! All three are from using a ASI290mm through the C9.25 and were the best 35% of 5000 frames for each channel. An IR 742nm Pass filter was used as the luminosity layer for the Jupiter and Saturn images.

This is an animation showing AR2994-6 in both White light and Hydrogen Alpha from the 24th of April. White light taken through a 150PDS, Hydrogen Alpha taken through Daystar solar scout. Both used ASI290mm and the best 30% of 5000 frames. Sunspot animation HA.mp4

I did, it didn't seemed to have much effect. I have noticed it seems fine for the first few avi's then slows down. Resetting the computer seemed to work for a few more avi's but I don't want to have to do that every half hour or so. It was slowest when processing white light solar images, I have moved on to HA images now and its much quicker, I wondering if the relatively blank WL AVI's are causing the difficulties.

This is a white light image taken through Baader solar film on a 150pds and a ASI290mm. Mosaic of 8 frames, each the best 30% of 5000 frames. Taken forever to process as Autostakert is being a real pain at the moment! Taken on a very windy 24th April of Sunspot groups 2993-5.

I don't know what's happened but Autostakkert has becoming really really slow recently, it how takes over an hour to process a single solar pane (1900x1000 with 5000 frames) It never used to be that slow. Don't think its the computer, has a 6 core Ryzen 5 processor, 16GB Ram and and 8GB Radeon RX580 graphics card. Has any one else had this problem and been able to solve it?

I studied Astronomy and Physics at UCL in the late '90's and was lucky enough to use the radcliffe 24 inch refractor. It also features in the 'Look and read' BBC schools serial 'The Boy from space’ and also was the observatory that the scientists observe the alignment of the 3 stars that signify the second coming in 'The Omen 3'. It's a fantastic scope and so large that the whole floor has to be raised and lowered to enable you to see through it!

Using my 290mm and full aperture I get flats by placing the plastic bag the scout comes in over the end of the telescope and aiming at the centre of the Sun and this seems to work well but the field of view is so much narrower that what you are using.