alan potts

I always wanted to try this wider field, even down to buying a .6 reducer for my 800mm scope. Sadly though even at 55mm spacing some fine tinkering is required as the stars are elliptical slightly at the corners. As always i just bunged it back in box and put it on the shelf. I finished this 5 hour run the other night before I managed to nearly kill myself with the handle of one of my axes, now have two purple eyes and 7 stitches in my forehead. So here's my Sh 2 171, as I say 5 hours and a bit sampled at 95%. Feel free to offer advice there will be plenty wrong I am sure. Alan.

Martin easy to use for me is a must. I tend to do everything quick and to eye, I have an excellent eye of colour and general composition in photography in general, I know I am never going to compete with many on this site so don't try to. I am happy with my shots and that's the main thing to me. May look at one of the star removal systems though. Alan

I understand what you are saying but in truth I don't know how to do this separating stars and nebula. I processed this in less than 5 minutes as I always do, I do very little to anything really, stretches and then sometimes selective colours boost. I may well add to it as I have a few clear night still before the Moon annoys me again. Anything I do that look decent is normally by accident. I tend to use Camera Raw Filter mostly as well as Select and Mask. Alan

A good while ago Olly, who is known by most on here, posted advice along the lines of I use to take 3 images a night now I use 3 night for one image, it's always stuck in my mind and now do this. Last year i took a shot of this same subject and was fairly pleased with my 90min-2 hrs effort, i didn't realise how bad it was until I added another 7 hours of data. So heres a 90% selection of a total of about 9.5hrs taken over a year or so, still can't see a cave though. Advice always welcome. Thanks for looking, Alan

Maybe the best image I have seen this year, very well done. Alan

Hi. I don't know if you know him already but Danislav Kodzhabashev is involved with the local group in and around Sofia and probably know everyone in a 100klm radius that is into astronomy, I am some way from Sofia near Sevlievo and only rarely go to Sofia these days. I could check with him and message you his phone number if it was OK with him if you want to meet like minded people. Alan

Welcome Peter hope you enjoy the site. Alan

Out of season maybe but as good as any I have seen, nicely done Sir. Alan

How odd, I was looking at my very first image taken about 5 years back and it looks exactly the same as this one, maybe I had a bit more red. Nice start and keep it up. Alan

I think that has come out rather nicely. Alan

That's as good as any versions of this I have seen, really lovely colours. Alan

I'll try it again, though I have only had it a short while I haven't been able to use for weather firstly and then I dislocated two fingers on my right hand (still affected) which hampered me doing a great deal. FLO being what they are I am sure will be understanding in the face of this. I dare say these laws on sales, which I don't entirely agree with, do not take into account that if in the UK you could be unable to try anything for many weeks. We had a terrible April and though May has been great I haven't Just able to try it the once so far. Thanks for your help. Alan

Really, if that is the case then I did exactly what you have done without any additional shims. The affect I get is s little like stars all around edges that look like those from a reflector with spider vanes, absolutely unuseable as an image. I have to say though from memory the centre was not bad. No one would accept what I got as even half decent, it was rubbish and I have since dumped all data. If anything I was wondering if it could be pinched optics as at a quick glance I didn't see the fault. I do have some thin shims I could try to add. I don't have any luck at all with reducers, no matter what they cost, OK the scope is an F 7 APO but decent optics at the top end of the spec but it should be better than what I am getting, miles better. Alan

I have a UV/IR filter on the front of the reducer. The trouble with it is that the lenses that do the work are recessed into the housing. I must carefully try and measure it to see what it is. It may just be leave of the 16.5mm spacer, lets hope. I am not going to go to the trouble of finding other spacers, for what it cost I will just throw it in a draw and forget it, my fault for not reading it correctly. Thanks for your input. Alan

Bought one of these 0.6 reducers from FLO about two months back and like a moron didn't read the advert correctly. Optimised for DSLR's I see it states with a back focus of 55mm. I banged in the normal 16.5mm and 21mm spacers and then wasted 4 hours of wonderful sky, returning rather odd shaped stars in all the frames. Does anyone know if this can be used on my Zwo 071 or is it for the bin as I will not return things that are my fault. Alan

As good as any I have seen from a shorter focal length. Alan

Never seen that one before and considering your conditions a great result! Alan

Well that has come out a lot different to anything I get on a OSC and I think this is the best image I have seen of it, or at least the one that appeals to me the most. Cracking shot!! Alan.

Be nice to see some clear sky at the moment, this time of year we often get sunny days and stormy evenings, as well as up and down weather in general, 27c yesterday 12c today Alan

That is lovely, now what better reason for me to mount up my M/N 190. Alan

I prefer the lead photo, not a fan of in your face saturation, though having said that I often over do mine in an effort to cover up poor work. Alan

Never seen that one before, outstanding for such a dim object, small too I would think. Alan

Me and my big mouth, it was cloudy until too late to start. With getting up at 5.30 most mornings the hour going forward really ruins my nights. It was only a couple on months back where I could easily get 4-5 hours in before bed, now we are down to 2 tops. Alan Alan

That's as good as any image I have seen of this galaxy, superb shot. I use to stay at the Old Hall many time when visiting Middlewich Ideal Plant. I liked Sandbach. Alan

I have just had a look which I have to confess seeing where you were I completely thought it was out of range. I could get onto this, albeit a bit lower than I would like. I have shot M41 a few times in the past. Seeing the last week has been very still, even Sirius was as still as I have ever seen it for many nights. I am clear tonight so I may have a go at getting a few shots of it. Not the best time of year as one of my walnut trees comes into play. It is always best before the meridian for this low down. Alan