DaveS

Check that the Focuser Manager software and Sesto Senso firmware are the same version. I was having all kinds of issues with my installation until I realised what was happening. But I don't use NINA so can't help you there.

Hi Ron, likewise can't help with the IT but very happy to see you back

He's not the only angry bloke.

Yep, I saw that too on the beeb. Edit: I expect our favourite Angry Astronaut will have something excoriating to say.

Well, I'll watch but TBH I haven't watched the "One Show" for years beyond count, I find (Found) it trite and superficial.

I only saw one object, but I wasn't looking for two. The video is timed at 22.58 pm.

VID_20230521_225823.mp4 Visible from here, quite bright, but the video doesn't do it justice.

I set up to image HCG 68 last night but when I came to look at my stack it didn't look anything like HCG 68. A little investigation revealed that I had actually imaged HCG 58 which I had in my target list but had discounted as it was too far west to be viable. According to Stellarium the last sub was captured with it at an altitude of only 11 degrees, and partially hidden by the obsy wall. * Gives self a smack round the head * If anyone wants to know what HCG 58 looks like, here it is, just an hour each RGB It's probably too late now to get anything on HCG 68. Does "jinxed" come to mind ?

I think I was expecting more definition in the spiral arms. This was with the ODK 12 and the Trius 694 which I had put on the 'scope for Galaxy Season

OK, one more. I put a soft mask over the core to isolate it from the surrounding galaxy and the field stars then applied quite a strong Unsharp Mask to bring up the detail. I did try the Multiscale High Pass filter in AstroArt 8 but it produced some "worm like" artifacts .

The "Black Eye" galaxy This is 4 hours Bin2 RGB in 10 min subs, and 4 hours Bin 1 Luminance, also in 10 min subs, on the 13th and 15 May, starting and ending in nautical dark. Very thin and low contrast data, but it is what it is. Stacked in AstroArt 8, initial Post in PI, then back to AA for LRGB combination and slight colour adjustment. Somewhat disappointing, but not unexpected given the suboptimal conditions. This is it for this Galaxy Season, just two images captured over three nights between 25th Feb and 15th May.

M64, the "Blackeye" galaxy This is 4 hours RGB (8 x 10 mins each) bin 2 and 4 hours Luminance in bin 1 This is very thin data, but with astro dark rapidly vanishing was all I could get. Captured on the 13th and 15th May with the ODK 12 / SX694 Stacking in AstroArt 8, initial post in PixInsight Blur X for the Lum, Noise X Masked Stretch and SPCC on the RGB, final LRGB combination and colour refining in AA8 again The conditions were far from ideal, hence the lack of detail in the spiral arms, but it is what it is.

It's not just us taking pretty pictures, the professional astronomers are up in arms too, in fact a real concern is missing an incoming asteroid because of the Musk-rat's junk.

Oh bum, missed it. Will have to pick it up on iPlayer.

I think that our original venue, Lucksall camping ground is no longer suitable, and efforts were being made to find an alternative venue but things have gone quiet.

I had a look at this back in December, just Luminance. I think I may give it a go in RGB come Autumn.

Windows Home will be fine on the laptop, so long as you have a "Pro" version on the computer you're linking to.

I started out with APT when I was using a DSLR, but moved to AstroArt when I got serious with a mono CCD. Currently I use Maxim DL, but that's because the ASA software suite needs it for capture.

Make every effort to avoid dismantling your imaging train, as that will get dust on the surfaces.

One last post from me, then I'm done until there's something definite to report.

A RUD on the OLM or shortly after lift off would have been a failure. SpaceX will (Hopefully) learn from their mistakes and correct them. Rapid failure iterations appears to be the spaceX way. But I think it doesn't matter what I say, you've already made up your mind.

And here's a "good cop / bad cop" pairing. or possibly "beauty and the beast" lol

First of all you have to define what counts as "failure". Way before the launch Elon said that even getting off the OLM would count as a success. That it got past max Q was a bonus. That bloke seems to have pre-judged Starship as a failure. But I'm ignoring him as there are far more balanced videos.

Saying "fail" right from the off is just wrong Here's another point of view.

Well now, here's an off-the-wall idea