Davide Simonetti

Oh, that looks great...I think I'm going to open APT and have a look. I don't have my kit set up at the moment because it's cloudy and I'm at home but I can still play 😀. Cheers 👍

Wow, that's another bonus. I quite like using APT so having programs that interface with it is good news. I'm looking forward to trying that out next time we get a clear night (which, sadly, doesn't look like being anytime soon).

Thank you so much for that. That's a much better result than the one I got from Astrometry.net. I've been looking for a good open source astrometry program and up until now I've occasionally been using XParallax VIU but it isn't as good as ASTAP. I've just downloaded it with the HyperLeda database and I'm playing with it now and learning to use it and it seems to be just what I was looking for, so thanks again...and thanks also for your encouraging comment 😀

Thank you 😀. Yes, the shot was taken in north London under Bortle 8 skies...and with a full Moon. So the Optolong L-Pro filter is doing a splendid job. I'm kicking myself for not getting one years ago because it's a real game-changer when you're struggling with light pollution.

The galaxy NGC 891...a quick and easy target because we weren't sure what the weather was going to do and there was a full Moon and stronger than usual winds to contend with. After a cloudy evening, the night sky became beautifully clear and NGC 891 was well situated for imaging. The shot was framed in such a way as to show some of the other galaxies that are part of the Virgo Supercluster (I counted 27 in the image but there are probably more). Astrometry.net identified only a few of them. Those identified are, from left to right: NGC 914, NGC 913, NGC 911, NGC 912, NGC 910, NGC 909, NGC 906, NGC 898. Their approximate distances from us range from between 200 million to 250 million light years. 22/10/2021 030 x 300-second exposures at Unity Gain (139) cooled to -20°C 050 x dark frames 040 x flat frames 100 x bias frames Binning 1x1 Total integration time = 2 hours and 30 minutes Captured with APT Guided with PHD2 Processed in Nebulosity and Photoshop Equipment: Telescope: Sky-Watcher Explorer-150PDS Mount: Skywatcher EQ5 Guide Scope: Orion 50mm Mini Guiding Camera: SVBONY SV105 with ZWO USBST4 guider adapter Imaging Camera: ZWO ASI1600MC Pro with anti-dew heater Baader Mark-III MPCC Coma Corrector Optolong L-Pro filter