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yes...agreed... Vlad is on another level!

HI Vlad How did you know Eyeguy drizzled? What am I missing?

will definitely give it a go again..

very very nice image..

I actually did try that before packing up yesterday night: C11 OTA ===> Stock SCT adapter ===> Crayford focuser ====> Focal reducer===> BAADER 2” clicklock ===> 16.5mm ===> 21mm ===> 10mm ===> ASI294MC Pro But the camera and adapters were just telescoped into the clicklock, and overall the setup did not look right? Also, in my last picture, the reducer is being held in the crayford focuser with a thumbscrew only, and it wasn’t very secure

Sorry Michael, I'm in the process of just getting my head around how to connect them first. I tried to attach the camera with the extenders and the thread on the ZWO extenders does not attach to the reducer. Can you please advise what I need to add inbetween the reducer and the camera + ZWO extensions? C11 OTA ===> Stock SCT adapter ===> Crayford focuser ====> Focal reducer===> WHAT DO I NEED HERE? ===> 16.5mm ===> 21mm ===> 10mm ===> ASI294MC Pro I guess I will need a special adapter that will take the thread of the reducer on one side, and have enough thickness to give a total of 98.5mm, and be able to thread to the ZWO 16.5mm on the other side? Many thanks Michael

Hi Michael Thanks for your reply. So, is this what you mean? C11 OTA ===> Stock SCT adapter ===> Crayford focuser ====> Focal reducer? Will the ZWO 16.5mm extension screw then onto the focal reducer, so the setup should be: C11 OTA ===> Stock SCT adapter ===> Crayford focuser ====> Focal reducer===> 16.5mm ===> 21mm ===> 10mm ===> ASI294MC Pro?

Good evening everyone, Long post, but please bear with me.... Please help me in sorting out the mess I'm in with adapters and extensions to setup my C11 for imaging. The equipment I am trying to connect properly: 1- 2" & 3.25" Baader clicklocks. 2- Celestron .63 focal reducer. I have a 2" nosepiece that comes with it. 3- Revelation Astro 2" SCT Crayford focuser My understanding is that there should be 110mm between the camera sensor and the focal reducer? How can I use the above equipment to get things right? The C11 OTA has an opening at the back that is 2" The stock adapter that comes with the OTA has a very small aperture, that is about 1.5", a loss of 0.5" Stock adapter on LEFT, Baader 3.25" Clicklock on the RIGHT The Baader 3.25" clicklock has a 2" aperture, which I would prefer to use, but it extends out MUCH farther than the stock adapter I have come up with 3 configurations: 1- Baader 3.25" clicklock ===> x.63 reducer ===> Crayford focuser ====> what to use here? ===> ASI 294MC Pro I think in this configuration the sensor would be WAY BEYOND 110mm? 2- Stock SCT adapter ===> x.63 reducer ===> Crayford focuser ===> what to use here? ===> ASI 294MC Pro Still, I think the crayford focuser takes it beyond 110mm 3- Stock SCT adapter ===> x.63 reducer ===> 21mm, 16.5mm, 10mm ===> ASI 294MC Pro Here the reducer is only 55mm from the sensor. THis is my setup for my REFRACTOR. I would very much prefer to use the Crayford Focuser to avoid as much as possible image shift and mirror flop. This image shows the setup with the refractor's reducer, which obviously will be removed.

Surely there will be some kind of delay because of the virus pandemic?

I had a look looks like the vanilla CEM70 is 16,000 and the CEM70G, or as they call it, Guide Star CEM70, is 18,800. that’s £1800 and £2100 also, that tripod looks like it was photoshopped onto the mount.

Hi John Does it say if it will use those spring loaded knobs t control the RA and DEC, similar to the CEM25 & CRM60, or will it use simple clutches like the CEM40 and CEM120? I can’t be sure from the product images?

wow....gorgeous... Can you please stop posting photos like that....?? You are leading some of us to desperation...!!

I’m lost for words...

That is absolutely stunning!!! was that a 12” LX200? i wonder if I could get anything remotely close to your result with a C11 XLT? Please give us some insight into what you used for guiding? That is really breathtaking! well done Sir! Chapeau..

Thanks Wim So, just to double check: After creating Pv02 & Pv03, run Preview Aggregator on both, which will create one aggregated preview. In BackgroundNeutralization leave all at defaults - selecting Preview01 as Reference. Apply then In ColourCalibration in White reference box I will prick AGGREGATED, in Background Reference I will pick Preview01, and UNITICK Structure detection, then apply.

Very nice first attempt! Wellcome to the club!! just tread carefully, it becomes very addictive very quickly, and before you know it, you are sucked in!!

35 subs @120s, Gain120, Unguided. ASI294MC Pro & ED80 + reducer/flattener. Processed in PixInsight, with a touch of GIMP to the final image. As hard as i tried, I could not protect M82 from blowing the whites. In BackgroundNeutralization & ColourCalibration, I have not yet figured out how to work on 3 previews? Preview01 is on blank sky Preview02 is on the target (Chose M81 here) Preview03 was on M82, but I could not find a setting to pick preview 03, as well as 02? I had Structure Detection ticked, just in case?

I've bought it as well

After processing with PI, a very faint touch of GIMP added at the end...just to darken the backgraound a little, and change the hue. Not sure which one's better?

Thanks Lee all thanks to you! do you think a filter would have helped get more detail? Like a light pollution filter? Or the extremely expensive IDAS D2 would have given a better result? 180s x 100 is 5 hours of data! I am a newbie, so I’m not the one to judge if the result is reasonable for an ED80 + .85reducer + 294MC Pro, or I should have got a better result and I need to add something to my train, a filter for example?

Good evening everyone Over the past two clear nights, I took 100 subs @180s of M101. Went through a PixInsight guide advised to me by one of the members, thanks @geeklee Still haven't tried any filers that might improve the result Please feel free to offer feedback! ASI294MC Pro, ED80 Many thanks

Thanks Olly, Lee & Wim That is much much better than what I processed. I have yet to go through the tutorial very kindly given to me by Lee. With regards to calibration, can I please double check that I am doing it right: 1- DARKS: I match the LIGHTS SUBS duration and CMOS TEMPERATURE, so if my lights were 180s -10C, I do about 20 subs @ 180s DARKS @ -10C. Focus is not important with DARKS. I do the DARKS inside, with the camera in a jet black small closet, cooled to -10C 2- FLATS: I match the FOCUS & same scope setup as the LIGHTS. Aim is to remove the OTA with the camera, and leave it untouched till next day to do the flats, or if I setup early afternoon, I start with the subs, but only if the focus was FIXED from the previous day's imaging session. In APT, I aim for about 30000 to 40000, which shows below the histogram. Aim for 3 peaks, no clipping, and use the T-SHIRT method. Morning or late afternoon, AWAY from the sun, directed at the sky. Usually it turns out to be anywhere from 0.02 to 0.05 seconds, based on the light. I do about 50 @ -5C. 3- DARK FLATS: I match the FLATS exactly, which ever exposure I took in the FLATS, for example if I went for 0.02 seconds, I repeat with the Dark Flats. also about 50 @ -5C. 4- BIAS: I was advised NOT TO DO BIAS, as it is detrimental to CMOS results Of course, ALL imaging, including LIGHTS has a COMMON setting in ASCOM, which I choose first: a- GAIN: 120 b- Offset: 20 c- USB set to lowest at 40. Is that right?? Many thanks

Do you mean image acquisition? I use APT

65 subs x 180s It was quite low in the sky, with the moon out. DSS and processed in GIMP Still working on improving in PixInsight, and will process it later... Apologies...don't think it turned out great. I had hoped for better. Because of my very poor processing skills, its hard to know whether my issues are with the ACQUISITION, or the actual PROCESSSING? Please be gentle...don't hurt my feelings... Edit: to answer the above question, I think its best to attach the TIF file as well. Autosave001.tif

I am about to go through a tutorial and process the TIF in PixInsight, but before going through that, I did a quick process in GIMP. 25 subs, 180s. Please feel free to critique and offer advice.... Many thanks