Bobby1970

I really like your images. Good to see a different wider perspective. Just shows how vast it is out/up there. 

I have always had issues getting decent results from Startools. Part of it is die to my data admittedly. 

I joined the Startools forum and the creator Ivo, has been most helpful in responding to my queries. 

Also following this post with interest. 

10 minutes ago, Mike JW said:

Hi, NGC 3190 is Arp 316, also Hickson 44 and also VV 307 - so you did a three in one. Mike

Thanks Mike. Good to know. Tbh I was amazed that the little scope picked anything up resembling this. 

Captured last night. Live stacked using sharpcap, processed in Startools. 25x 60s captures.

Thanks for looking 🙂

17 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

Not sure if binning would help, 2x2 would push you to the realms of under sampling.

A 1.5x barlow or powermate would get you "closer" and still be in the ok sampling range.

Wouldn't that effectively increase my focal length. Thus needing more accurate tracking??

Just downloaded the latest version of Startools. Will see what that's like. And join the Startools forum. 

1 hour ago, MarkAR said:

I think you'll have more control stacking in DSS. 

Also just checked your FOV on astronomy.tools and it looks like you've cropped quite a bit to concentrate on the galaxy.  That's always very tempting but means you can accentuate any fuzzy detail and background noise.

Try a DSS stack and only crop any outlying borders.

Thanks Mark. I did crop. But part of the Autodev (stretch) in Startools is to show you where any stacking artifacts or anomalies are. But I do crop in excess of that for better framing etc. I don't routinely bin, I should probably do that also I suspect. Next chance o get o may not live stack. And use DSS see what the difference is. 

11 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

Post processing can be a minefield, I'm only really making a start myself using a trial period of Pixinsight. It's a case of numerous small tweaks rather than aggressive whacks.

BTW, what scope/ camera/ reducer etc were you using?

Scope was my Altair 72mm semi apo. No reducer. 

Camera is a ZWO 178mc. 

I initially started using the mount (AzGti) in alt az mode for some eeva and short exposure live stacks. 

Then i thought why not try it on EQ mode and go for longer exposures and live stack with darks then process them. 

Wonder if I would be better capturing only then stacking in DSS, maybe that would improve things. Not sure. 

Saw this cluster of galaxies on Stellarium and thought I would have a look and try and capture it with the 72mm scope and 178MC

this is around 20min of captures livestacked, processed in startools

Fascinating little area of the sky I think.

10 minutes ago, MarkAR said:

Looks pretty good. Not sure what's causing the fuzziness, initial thought was focus or too short exposure time. Could also be sampling rate of you camera/scope set up.

Thanks Mark, I appreciate the comment

I may (with my limited processing ability) have over de-noised it tbh. I just can never seem to get a happy balance between noise and or uneven background. 

I have followed several Startools tutorials and my images never seem to come out anything like as good as what I see. lol.

Had another go with the AZGTi in EQ mode.

Live stack of 60s (200 gain) exposures totalling 30 min. Dark frame subtraction also used, all in Sharpcap live stacking routine.

Processed in Startools and Paint.net. - Think I may have to join the Startools forum as my images always seem to look noisy/blotchy to my eyes regardless of what I do 😞

Anyway, thanks for looking 🙂

Just now, Adam J said:

by rasing the left hand adjustment on a levels stretch too far to the right in most cases, but I am not really familiar with star tools. Everyone finds processing difficult at first.

I've been struggling for years. Lol. 

I don't even touch the histogram as such in Startools. Autodev and then regular Dev take care of it. I think the only place it shows the histogram as such is when you are adjusting the colours.  I have only  just figured out how to mask parts of the image I do not want processing or pick selective parts just to process them. Lol. 

13 minutes ago, Adam J said:

Looks like you got some good data, but i think you have clipped the black point quite badly so your probably missing out on additionally detail that is avaliable in the image.

Tbh. I still can never get to grips with the processing side of things. Lol

I do a stretch in Startools using the Autodev option. Then crop, then wipe to get rid of any gradients. Fiddle with the colours. Then use HDR and Life modules. The only other thing I had a play around with was the Heal tool to remove some "blotchy" bits of the background. Oh and noise reduction.  

How would I clip the black point? 

Skywatcher 127 Mak, AZGTi, ZWO 178MC

Grabbed around 10k frames with the 178. Then ran it through PIPP, AS3, Registax and Gimp.

Was amazing to see just how much bigger it has got and also how much slimmer the phase has gotten.

Previous attempt with this set up:-

Thanks for looking

Decided to have another go at this target with my AZGTi in EQ mode.

ZWO 178MC, Altair ED72-R

I managed to get polar alignment using Sharpcap, and was in the "good" zone so decided that was good enough.

I tried a single 1 min frame at 200 gain and the stars seemed ok so used the livestacking feature to capture 30 frames, I also captured 15 dark frames and subtracted these using sharpcap.

Then used Startools, Paint.Net and windows photo editor.

The stars on the final stacked image where a bit egg shaped, not sure exactly what caused this, but I used some features in Startools to get them round again. My scope was balanced ok, slightly tail heavy maybe, but PA was good. 

Anyway, im pretty happy with the AZGTi in EQ mode at the moment. Framing could have been a bit better, maybe should have used reducer to fit them in better?

Thanks for looking. 🙂

I have an iOptron iPolar which I have used on my Star Adventurer with a home made 3d printed adaptor. I have also used Sharpcap with my main scope and ZWO 178mc with my AZGti. 

In my view, the iPolar interface is better than Sharpcap but for a tenner for a license you can't go wrong I guess. 

Welcome to SGL

I have the same scope as you and an AZGTi. I have a zoom eyepiece its a Seben 8-24mm. For what it cost I think its pretty good tbh. Do a search on here for some owners reviews of it.

Zooms tend to have a smaller FOV as far as im aware so have this in mind. What I tend to do is use something like a 32mm Eyepiece as my initial "finder" as it gives about the widest views in your 127mm Mak as far as I know. Once on a target I swap it for the 8-24mm zoom. I paid around £20 used for my zoom. Not sure what they are new but it seemed worth a punt at the time and its pretty good on the moon also I have found.

Sounds to me as though it's slipping. My first AZgti went back because of something that sounds very similar although not as extreme as yours. Fortunately the replacement is much better. 

I have owned the ST102 and 120. I had a baader semi apo filter in the diagonal and found it did improve things somewhat. It won't turn your scope into a "semi apo" but I thought it was a worthwhile addition for a relatively cheap scope. 

2 hours ago, fireballxl5 said:

I've gone the ASIair Pro route with my AZ-GTi in EQ mode.  60mm refractor with ASI071MC guided using a 50mm finder scope with ASI224. PA easy,  plate solving to find any target easy. Just tried three minute exposures so far at 256mm and 630mm focal lengths with good results.

 

I am seriously considering the AsiAir Pro. May I ask. How long can you go unguided with your AzGti??  I'm hoping to get 1min with my 432mm focal length scope. Am I being realistic? Or not. 

Only a single frame. I had trouble focusing the Canon Eos 450 on the 90mm Mak for this as there's no "focus peaking" feature as there is on my Sony A57, (but the battery was flat for that) and the screen doesn't tilt.:-(

Anyway had a play around to produce this. I always like the inverted look so may try this again. 

Another vote for the revelation 32mm. I have had one for years and found it very good. 

1 minute ago, tooth_dr said:

That’s excellent. Thanks for sharing. 

That's very kind of you to say. Cheers. 

I am hoping to get to a point where 1 min exposures with the AZGTi, unguided could be done regularly

Then considering an ASI air Pro. 

Still trying to work out an optimal gain figure for the camera v exposure. 

And I haven't got a clue how to do flats with this camera either. Lol. 

I decided to try my AZGTi in EQ mode for the first time last night. Using the 72mm scope and 178MC.

I used the Sharpcap polar align feature in sharpap. The only issue was the adjustments using the star adventurer wedge. But, I got it into the "GOOD" zone so decided that was close enough.

Then used the livestack feature to grab 30mins of 20s images.

I really only wanted to try the EQ mode and it seems to have worked I guess. I only did a one star alignment in the Synscan app also. 

Then processed in Startools.

The full moon won't have helped things but I am glad that I got something and had a practice of the EQ mode. 🙂

There's a cooler for sale on ABS for £50 ish quid I think. Not sure which model of canon it was for. 

Watched a few youtube videos on this bit of kit and I think its something I would benefit from tbh. Love the idea of being wireless and maybe even imaging / EEVA from inside the house once its set up.

Has anyone used one with a Skywatcher AZGTi it sounds as though it is supposed to work, but there seems a few posts from people on here who had issues??

I know I could got the Astroberry route, or the stellarmate route, but the AsiAir seems almost plug and play tbh.

Would love to hear peoples experiences, especially with the AZGTi

Many thanks