tooth_dr

Thanks Ragnar, this is just a step ahead of where I am at the minute. I haven't started using Adjustment Layers like that.

Thanks Ragnar, I’ll need to sit down and read over your message again, I understand it, just not sure where to apply it

I have been using Layer Masks routinely now, but it never occurred to use the overstretched image as the layer mask itself! Great idea. Do you have any links on where to learn more about this?

It actually worked out as well as I had planned in my head. I bought a sheet of 6mm plywood, and cut it into 16cm wide strips using my table saw (and my wife helping with the large sheet). This left a small 5cm strip that I used for bracing. I started by laying two bits together end to end, and a third piece on top, exactly in the middle. I applied a good amount of wood glue to the top strip before setting it is place. I continued until I had three strips on the bottom, and three on top, staggered as below. I put some short screws into the plywood, but take care as it is thin and rings easily. I set it up on its edge and got the wife to hold one end, and brought it round into a circle, and screwed it together. As expected the inner sheets have a shorter circumference than the outer, so I went round each joint, and removed the screws to release the pressure on the inner layer. After I had done this will all the joints the form was in very decent circular shape, and was 2 thicknesses of plywood, so total = 1/2". I added 5cm stripes to the outside as reinforcement at the joints. I left it sitting in a circular shape overnight, to allow glue to harden with it in the right shape. I went over all the screws today and cut the sharp protruding end back flush to the wood with a 4.5" grinder and flap disc. I have a few stakes cut out to ensure it's level with I go to pour it, but that's on hold due to my local concrete supplier currently being closed. HTH Adam.

LOL

That certainly wouldnt be considered a compliment over here

@Xsubmariner thanks Martin. There is more than I need but I plan to throw in a couple of empty ducts for future use. I have just put the dome together inside the garage this afternoon so I’ll try the wiring sorted as much as possible. I can’t get concrete at the minute due to CV-19.

Also just wanted to add - do you have Links to your new techniques. It definitely working

Hi John I first noticed this when I was imaging m106 last year. This year I made sure it was framed along with M106. It’s quite spectacular. The colours you have in the stars is fabulous.

Thanks Martin. I appreciate the reply. I’m going to have the same dilemma as you, with the mesu, as the CW shaft is about 90cm long. I currently have a warm room in my observatory - it’s a 12x8’ shed with a 4x8’ warm room section. It’s on the north side of the telescope section. I have three PCs and monitors in there, and some storage. It’s cosy but ok. I accept the dome is going to be imaging only, nowhere to sit etc and check things over. Just maybe a little stool to move around. Ive no plans to extend it just yet, but where it’s going to be sited, the dome could be extended in the future to incorporate an extra room. I have the space. Im currently trying to pin down where to route the ducts and mount the electrics etc. The other option is to install a raised floor over the concrete, just enough to run cables below it. Looking the feedback and views prior to pouring concrete. Thanks Adam

Very nice! The smoke trails can sometimes be picked up on all sky cameras of bright enough.

I'm looking for advice on where to mount kit in a 2.2m dome. I'm close to being ready to pour a base, and am currently laying out conduit. I have most space at the south aspect of my current obs (as I'm sure most people do). But if I mount my PC etc at the south aspect it's going to radiate heat all night up to the main imaging area. I dont have a bay in my dome, so any restricted to where I can put stuff. I have a 10" 1200mm reflector on a dual mounting plate, and it extends about 1m from the centre of my current pier (with tube pointing N-W when horizontally placed). Any help or advice or links very much appreciated, as I wont get two goes at it. Adam.

I have the 15x70 you mention above. I rest them on a fence top or roof of jeep or vertical corner of house and they work well. Heavy enough to hold and a little jittery if not rested on something, but I grab them as my #1. I also have a pair of 8x21 but these are really just for bird watching and the likes, I haven’t tried them for astro.

Nicely done! Lovely wide FOV, with plenty of detail and the stars look good.

I have done some rough measurements and my scope extends 104cm from the centre of my current pier (closest to North wall of my 8x8 shed). If I place my pier in the centre of my new 2.2m dome the scope will hit the wall of the dome. I could add counterweight to the front of the scope and slide it further back on the mount? Or offset the pier to the south. If I do the latter is that going to mess up viewing through the slot? Shelyak software can account for this offset but will I lose viewing at high angles. Any advice?

550mm! I thought it was 1050mm. Bonkers.

Cracker! So much detail when zoomed in, such fine disc detail. Well done.

Anyone suggest best location to base pc and monitor? About to dig in tracks and ducts. Are metal piers hollow up the centre ie can the ducts and cables run up the centre of the pier? Or if not what diameter is the average base plate? Thanks.

@JeremyS agreed, William is incredibly helpful and sorted me our with my pc and capture card. Michael O’Connell is also a good guy and helped me out a few times over here in Ireland.

Did this set up automatically detect and save meteor captures? Hi Helen Sounds like you got a good deal on that camera indeed! What lens came with it? I wonder could you send a photo of the wiring inside the case? Do you have a heater in the CCTV case? There was issues around how you split the wiring to the camera and heater. Could you try the camera alone, so only 12v to it and nothing else to see if that helps? I also get a lot more noise in hot weather than cold weather. I hadn’t checked my camera data for 2 nights to find the HDD full 🤪

Progress update - After getting a few outstanding jobs done around the house, I decided to make a start on my observatory yesterday. I wanted a round base. I dug out a centre cube, and a circular area around it. I cut up a sheet of 6mm ply into 16cm strips and set about making a circular form. I set it into ground as a test. There is 10cm below ground and 6cm above. I plan to peg it into the ground later, remove anY braces on the inside to ensure a smooth casting, and cut off all the screws protruding through with a grinder so they don’t get stuck in the concrete. I bought 50mm pipe and some ends to lay underneath the floor. Question - how close to the inner edge of the dome itself should the ducts emerge? Where is the best place for the computer to sit - NSEW? I don’t have any bays. My power and internet is coming in from behind the fence. Thanks Adam.

Looking good. What was the total integration time?

This is a project around 4 nights worth, all taken after M106 the meridian so only 3 hours per night (dual rig so 6 hours) I'm finding it difficult to get any processing done with the kids being off, and the weather nice, so I've stayed up a few nights late to rattle through some of the data sets. This is not great, but here it is. L 31500s R 14700s G 13200s B 13200s Total integration time: 21.5 hours Here is the new version I did tonight, I've left the previous version below. Feedback welcome please. V2: V1:

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Where do you change the bit level at?