Hals

x2 Barlowed view of the now famous AR3697 (ex AR3664) up to AR3701 and AR3698.

Pete.

Sol at 10:31 2nd June 2024.

Seeing average at start then deteriorated as the session went on.

ED80, Lunt Wedge & ASI174MM mini.  Best 24% of 1500 frames. Captured in Sharpcap, processed in AutoStakkert, Registax and PS.

Pete.

Superb !

That is definitely orientated correctly.

Depending on your main imaging camera sensor size you may be able to lower the prism further into the light path.

As others have said you can check by doing flats looking for the prism shadow (which calibrates out anyway).

I have a similar issue to you with a very small portion of my OAG view vignetting (Edge 8HD, Celestron OAG\0.7 reducer & 174MMMini) but it does not cause any problems guiding. 

I never have any issues with the 174 in that regard and can always do multi-star guiding.

Pete.

I could ditch the autofocuser to save about 380g but it's really convenient to use especially because  I still use the 80ED for nighttime imaging. Think I'll be ok as is, looking on CN and around the web people have used heavier rigs successfully on the SQ.  

Excellent thank you 👍

Great images Nicos. 👍

What's the weight of your Borg 89ED with imaging kit on the SolarQuest?

I'm using an Evostar ED80 with a Lunt 2" wedge, SensoSesto autofocuser and AS174MM, all up weight of 4.7kg and was wondering if the SolarQuest could handle it ?

Currently using a HEQ5 but thinking about the SQ for ease of set up and more portability.

Regards

Pete.

Excellent Steve.

There's the old AR3664 creeping back round (now AR3697). Looks to have decreased in size from its last apparition but apparently still potent with a recent X1.4 flare this afternoon.

Looking forward to this recurrent nova. I remember reading about it when I was a kid (one of Patrick Moore's books) and thinking I'll be old when it goes again. 

It's going to go again and I'm old !

Edge on spiral NGC 4565 "The Needle Galaxy", a popular target in Coma Berenices.

Just under seven hours integration time including a couple of hours during the recent Great May Aurora, when this galaxy was right in the middle of a very bright display. I decided to incorporate these subs because clear skies are at a premium. Some awful gradients and resulting colour bias to remove so this is the best I could do under those circumstances. 

Edge 8HD, 0.7 reducer via ASI294MMPro. LRGB. Stacked in DSS, processed in GraXpert and PS. 

One day I'll get around to PixInsight.

Cheers

Pete.

Very nicely done.

Thanks. Yes I do but I find the GraXpert does a better job. It often seems to find a gradient to remove after I've used Gradient xterminator beforehand !

Pete.

A quick blast with GraXpert3.0 and PS. 

Pete.

Absolutely top drawer work Alex 👍

Excellent write up and results, it looks very promising. Thanks for the heads up.

Outstanding George. 

Excellent image Goran. So much extra detail over what one usually sees, like a whole new M97. Yes, I do like this one.

For planetary I would remove the 0.7x reducer you have in there. 

This solar cycle is turning out to be one for the history books.

See if AR3664 returns on the opposite limb in around 12 days.

You can track it's progress here https://www.raben.com/maps/

That was a bit special Paul.

Superbly atmospheric 👍

I marked all the somewhat washed out subs in Nina with the "thumbs down" icon when the aurora was in full swing. A really strong part of it was right where I was imaging and showed up just like thin cloud. When I get round to processing the final image (still only about halfway through my planned sequence) I'll have a closer look at the poor ones, see if they can be salvaged.

All in all a small sacrifice for such a wonderful sky show. 

Yeah, I thought it was clouding up as my images got a bit washed out and the guidecam image wasn't clear, went out to look and the rest is history.

Excellent pics. Likewise, never seen anything like it, its the best aurora I've ever seen in my life from the UK. So bright. 

Strangely it was not visible to the North, only overhead and to the West with some arcing down to the East.

A truly amazing sight.

Amazing show tonight, mainly overhead and to the West. Phone pics only, I'm imaging NGC 4565 and went outside to check for suspected cloud when...

3 minutes ago, Vic L S said:

Thanks. I did come across some people saying the Celestron OAG taking quite abit of backfocus? But it's got a bigger sensor. 

I might have to look at the OAG-L. Seems like a good compromise of sensor size and having more backfocus allowance. 

Take a look here...https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.ancientphotonsastro.com/post/back-focus-for-the-edge-hd-8-at-f-7-and-f-10-using-a-celestron-oag&ved=2ahUKEwixgb_t1OKFAxXJSkEAHU7LD7MQFnoECBUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0_W8pERpcnbX-nDLc-Snex