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Yes, it seems I’ve messed that up. I totally forgot to focus to the mark on the focuser when I took my flats. I’ll have to redo them. I suppose it’s time to invest in an ELP to save me the hassle, and get my flats done at the end of the session! I’m buying something new almost every day in this new Hobby!

Hi Vlad Today I started my imaging session by setting up in the afternoon, and started by taking flats and dark flats. I then went on to do the Lights when it got dark. I have just realised that I took my flats and dark flats with the focuser all the way racked in, just as the scope was when I took it out of the case!! I have a mark I did with a sharpie pen on the focuser tube to mark my focus, but I completely forgot to move the focuser out to that position! Does that mean that the flats and dark flats I took today are rubbish and useless? These were new flats with the reducer in place!

stunning...

Not sure where to post this, but I assume it is related to the mount's software. I use iPolar on my AZ-EQ6 Pro for PA, and it is absolutely fantastic! Takes about 2 minutes, and then I do a 3 star aligment, first star is almost central in eye pece, then 2nd & 3rd are dead center. My question relates to the info that comes up on the handset after it says: Alignment Successful PEC Error has been accounted for, then it comes up with two readings: Mel & Maz? Pic attached What are those, and are they just advisory, and do they explain anything about my PA, setup, etc? I guess it is telling me my PA was off by Mel & Maz, and the mount's software has adjusted for it?

Would this work? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EL-Panel-White-10x10cm/221583107656?hash=item339761e648:g:~vEAAOSwjVVVnUI~ Would be great if you can point me in the direction of one that I can buy, that is easily powered? The one I found on ebay is just 10cmx10cm, and has a weird connector?

Yes, makes sense. But how could you do flats at the end of the session? Its pitch dark?

so having a faster f ratio just gives me a wider field of view, but no increase in light gathering power, so technically it will help me fit a bigger target in my frame, like M31, but with no increase in the targets detail or brightness? Is that right?

Sorry, forgot to ask one last important question. What advantage did the reducer do to my imaging? I understand that it shortens focal length and makes the scope faster, but in practical use, what difference does it to to my workload and sequences? should I have taken LESS than 100 subs, or subs shorter than 120 seconds now that I’m imaging at f/6.375 rather than f/7.5? i don’t seem to understand this yet?

Excellent. Very clear. Thanks.

But aren’t the flats unrelated to the reducer change? do you mean that since I’ve taken new images with a reducer, I need to redo flats with the reducer in place? oh, yes of course. I’m an idiot....

Yes, I recall I saw a setting suggesting 1:1 or 1:1 fit or 1:1 with scroll. Something like that. and yes, now that you say that, in live view, M51 was unusually LARGE and dead centre. I thought that was the effect of the reducer! silly me... So, how do I undo any silly things I do with binning, zoom etc in the future? do I choose 1:1 fit or which one? lastly, is my focus ok?

100 x 120s subs Here's a better result after it was kindly re-processed by one of the gents here on the forum.. Many thanks @geeklee Yesterday night I tried the FR for the first time. Not sure why it messed up my live view in APT, and how I frame the targets? Live view kept jumping to 4x4 binning, and I had to force it back to 1x1. When I completed the sequence, even though M51 was dead center on my screen, the resulting FIT files showed M51 in the image corner? DId I mess up something, or is it because of using the reducer for the first time, and I should have chnaged something in the settings? Here is the outcropped image:

Good afternoon I am hoping for some advice regarding: 1- Which filters are advised to help with imaging with a OSC? 2- What are the realistic targets I should aim for, with regards to Nebulas and DSOs other than the galaxies? With Mono cameras, it is pretty obvious, LRGB for Broadband & H,S & O for narrrowband. What about with OSC? What filters would help my imaging? I realise that Nebulas etc are better shot with Mono & filters, but I would like some advice on what I can do with what I've got? My setup is: ZWO ASI294MC Pro, SW ED80 + .85xFR , C11 XLT + .63FR & SW AZEQ6 Pro, Bortle 9 skies in South West London. Many thanks

how times have changed......

Just to confirm your post, and check I got this right: You want me to reverse just the fliter, so that it is oriented like this in the imaging train: BUT, with the 1.25" the OTHER WAY AROUND so that the filter is closer to the sensor, but oriented like in the picture above? Many thanks

M3....re-done...

RIng Nebula, re-processed...

I assume you mean this one: So, I screwed the filter I have into it. This adaptor can only screw into the 21mm extender from the SCOPE side, but the filter pokes out. I can see you advised the filter should be as close as possible to the sensor, so I reversed it. Is this the correct way it should go in? Ahh...I see now why that adaptor has 4 holes in it, so that you can use a pointed object to screw it in or out of the 21mm extender? And here it is with the 16.5mm added on to it: Did I get that right? Lastly, if I go all out and invest in 2" filters, I assume they would screw into the backside of the 21mm extender just like the 2" adapter, without the need for any adapter? Many thanks!!

I wanted to thank everyone who helped me in this thread. Your input was immense and much appreciated! I have not bought any filters yet, and since I have a OSC camera I was advised to get: 1- UV/IR cut filter 2- CLS filter 3- Optolong L Pro (recommended by many) I was told that 1.25” is more than enough for my imaging circle and 4/3 camera. My question is: Where will a 1.25” filter fit in this train? Everything in my train is obviously wider than 1.25”?

Congrats Tomi... great choice...

Got a bit better at processing in GIMP I added calibration subs... A bit better , I think: M13 revisited

Last question please So, we have sorted the reducer out. How come I was achieving focus these past days WITHOUT the reducer, using my weird reverse contraption of adapters, shown in my above pics? My original setup has an additional 55mm at least to this neat newer setup? So I was focusing WITHOUT the reducer at about 110mm from the sensor all these past days?

lol...thanks just posted this before I saw your explanation

ahh...I think the missing 6.5mm is the depth of the actual sensor in the camera.... right?

But isn't this setup: 11mm + 21mm + 16.5mm = 48.5mm? Shouldn't it be 55mm?