groberts

OK thanks - so the software will not reject because of the differences?

As we move into lower temperatures soon it will not be an issue ❄️ just the summer / late summer period.

Graham 

I appreciate that using a mono camera with temperature control it's best to shoot all the same subs at the same temperature.  However, if you have two or more sets of the images taken at different temperatures (otherwise indentical settings e.g. exposure, gain etc), can they still be processed together - in my case using Deep Sky Stacker?  I appreciate it's not desirable but will it work OK?

I ask because my default temperature I use is -20C but at some of the higher temperatures we've been having recently (+30C) I've often not been able to get to my optimum temperature and can only image at lower temperatures e.g. -15C;  my camera is rated at -40 to -45C so when it's very warm / hot it struggles.  I could, of course just take all the images at a lower temperature but obviously when possible colder = better. 

Graham  

Like some others here, I was so inspired by this thread ealier this year I decided to try the Samyang 135/f2 myself.

Delayed by covid deliveries, the lack of clear / dark skies etc and my own laziness, at last I've just achieved first light and mainly wanted to post to just say thanks to those that helped. 

At the moment I'm just experimenting using the lens matched with a modded Canon 550D and Philippe's excellent AstroKraken 3D printed bracket and microfocuser.  I had planned  to spend more time on Cygnus but the aforementioned skies didn't co-operate.  Notwithstanding,  I'm pleased with the intial short images of the Veil, Cygnus and especially NAN, unfortunately all <=1 hours integration of 120sec subs.  Still it's more than whetted my appetite and I hope over the coming months to change to a mono camera + refine the overall set-up.  I just love the FOV and quality obtained with this lens + the relative ease setting up = a real winner with UK condtions. 

Thanks everyone. 

It's not that the said books/ tutorials don't show workflows but I find there are some critical (obvious) directions that are not clear to me.  Anyhow Jim's cribsheet looks like it could be helpful.  My approach in learning PI has been to try to mostly follow Light Vortex but it's not apparent to me where to go after RGB combination etc. with the said RGB and L images.

After many days of work I've completed the pre-processing PI section, which though (I think) has been successfull, in the long run I'm thinking of using APP instead, as the PI method is, to say the least, ridiculously complex!  It's from there or coming out of APP I'm uncertain of the next step(s) and wanted to clarify before embarking on the next inevitable mamoth task in PI! 🤞

Graham      

With some (LOL) difficulty guided by Light Vortex and other tutorials (Warren Keller, Harry’s Astroshed, Mastering Pixinsight etc), I’ve managed to successfully pre-process mono LRGB data for M101 in Pixinsight + combine the RGB channels. 

Not surprisingly, I’m now confused as to how to proceed and would be grateful if anyone could share a basic / essential minimum workflow from this point on how to arrive at a final LRGB image i.e. PixInsight for dummies!  I’m presuming that the work now moves on to separate non-linear processing of the RGB and L images before combining into a LRGB image + further final processing?   

Whilst the aforementioned tutorials are very useful, the ‘big picture’ route from here is far from clear, or at least it is to me.  I can continue to learn the necessary  processes required using the aforementioned tutorials but need a clear / unambiguous roadmap, without too many ifs, buts or technical embellishments - hopefully.

Graham

As a matter of interest do you find APP easier than PI for pre-processing?  I find PI particulary complex with this phase and I'm thinking of of perhaps moving to APP and then PI for post processing.

Graham 

I'm battling up the said PI learning curve but I'm motivated by your result, a clear improvement on the earlier version.  Few more months (years!) and I might get there too! 

Well done.

Graham

Thanks for the offer Steve.  I'm OK for the moment but will certainly get back to you as suggested if needed.

I moved over to mono a few years ago and am now reasonably familiar with what is a surprisingly different process to DSLR, though ultimatelky far superior.  The ability to control temperature has been a real game changer but, as a result, I'm rather lazy in keeping calibration up-to-date; having built a library some 18 months ago and changed nothing in my imaging train since, I continued to use the said library.  However, this summer I needed to clean the filters and sensors and thus build a new library, only to realise that doing so without lights in DSS required a different approach, which DSS is not ideally suited to, thus the thought to move on from DSS to something else.

Graham     

Thanks Steve, no I have not used the Batch Pre-processing script, I was so worn out by the step-by-step approach it completely put me off but before heading off elsewhere I will give it a try.

Would appreciate any more on the "amlost foolproof workflow" if you have any more please? Otherwise., thanks again, Graham 

Thanks for your comments on personal experience. 

Apart from the ability to do the job well, ease of use is an important feature I'm looking for.  As mentioned,  I have PixInsight and spent 10-days or more stacking + aligning a test image guided by the excellent Light Vortex tutorials.  However, in the end I can only say it was a nightmare - exceedingly complicated and messy to use.  Notwithstanding, I do hope to use PI for post processsing. 

Any more thoughts on AA and APP or others much welcomed.

Graham  

For some years I've sucessfully been using DSS with both DSLR and mono cameras.  Having moved to mono a few years ago, I'm finding dedicated processing of calibration files for my library a bit tricky without also using accompanying lights and am wondering if it's time to move on to new software that would enable stacking + alignment etc. + in particular in this case building a library using just calibration subs, to be achieved more easily and perhaps quicker, though in this regard DSS isn't too bad?

I recently tried Pixinsight for this purpose and it found it to be way to complicated - although I did not use their batch processing facility.  Otherwise I'm attracted to Astro Art and APP.

Any recomendations + personal insight much appreciated.

Graham  

As somone who has only recently embarked on my PixInsight journey and tearing my hair out after two weeks of playing with the PI stacking and alignment, I've just caught up with last weekend's Ikarus/Pixinsight talk by Dave which has reinvigorated my dedication to learning this brilliant but somewhat difficult to use processing software.  So just really want to thank Dave and especially those responsible for the Ikarus project, which is an inovative, unique and and very positive contribution to the astrophotography community.  In addition, I'll now have something to do during the inevitable week's of cloud that seem to hang over my house much of the time!

Well done + thanks, Graham      

Fabulous image and a real step-up  from what was already a very good one - colours + details + overall quality - can't see how you can improve this further, well worth the extra effort.  Very well done.

Yes you're correct , it's due to the mounting which produces the 1.25" but a smaller effective filter area - the useable aperture of the 1.25" filter is +/- 26-27mm.

The general recommendation from ZWO is :

So 1.25″ filters won’t have vignetting up to F5 focal ratio scope and 31mm filter won’t have vignetting up to F2 lens.

I believe your scope in f5? so borderline + the extra size to 31mm is probably the way to go.  They're a bit fiddly to fit but do a good job - here's my write up of First Light with the camera & FW - you will not regret the move to mono, except for even less sleep! 

https://watchthisspaceman.wordpress.com/2017/03/28/first-light/

34 minutes ago, sagramore said:

Sorry - I forgot to ask one specific question about this potential setup. Were I to buy in to the ZWO1600MM-Pro with filter wheel and filters (I would probably go for LRGB + Ha + SII + OIII complete set from FLO or similar), I understand that there are differences in the filter diameters. From my limited reading I believe this is all to do with vignetting and illuminating the whole frame of the camera and smaller filters can cause some issues here. Would it be worthwhile opting for the 36mm filters given my setup (using the 0.9x reduced 130PDS)?

Go to the following attachment and fill in the appropriate numbers to calcukate the minimum filter size for your set-up:

http://www.astrofriend.eu/astronomy/astronomy-calculations/minimize-vignetting/minimize-vignetting.html

which I calculate to be 23.72mm without a Reducer/Barlow.  I use the ZWO1600 + EFW & FF wich gives a similar number and I use 31mm filters + flats with good results. 

8 hours ago, sagramore said:

Now - the problem. I've always had some issues with the Canon 550D disconnecting during imaging. Originally it was pretty minor, and some sessions I'd have no problems at all. However, lately, it has become unusable as it disconnects CONSTANTLY, which means that even setting up and focusing is infuriating, and once I manage to frame a target, usually I have to quit anyway because I can't run any subs longer than a few seconds without manually reconnecting the camera to the laptop. I have tried different USB cables and different USB ports, I've also tried with and without a USB hub. It's always the same. I can't be 100% sure it's not the laptop, but it feels a lot more like a camera problem than a laptop problem.

I wonder how you power your camera? Some years ago when using a Canon DSLR powered by a mains power adapter the camera went down and after weeks of searching I finally discovered that it was probably a microscopic crack in the cable from the adapter to the camera - new adapter and it was working again, see here for more   https://watchthisspaceman.wordpress.com/2016/08/11/the-eagle-has-landed/

Good luck.

I'm certainly no expert in the science of calibration but following advice a few years ago, I set ADU at 25,000 using APT and find it works well. 

So I would suggest ADU 12,000 is way too low and your flats are too dark.  

Thank you Patrick - simple when you know how!

Are there any other catalogues that work like this, or is this just an anomaly?

Graham

Last year I successfully downloaded the DWB catalogue from here http://www.schoenball.de/astronomie/cdc/cdc_en.htm + installed it in the CdC Catalogue section + turned it on + navigated to DWB111 the Propellor nebula using Find-Slew and obtained a pleasing image of this exciting part of Cygnus  https://watchthisspaceman.wordpress.com/2019/10/12/fabric-of-reality/.

This year I go back to Find-DWB111-Slew and CdC cannot find the object - though the catalogue is clearly installed + can be seen on the screen + is switched on in the relevant Catalogue list (see below).  This is driving me mad, can anbody see what I'm doing wrong or have overlooked?  

Graham

I agree the Lodestar x2 is indeed outstanding - not cheap but perhaps a case of you get what you pay for, in this case = excellence.

Thanks again.

Thanks David - a toilet roll, now that's the sort of technology I like, will give it a try. 

If I may also ask: 

1. I presume 80mm is the drawtube that comes with the guidescope (approx 40mm) plus an extension tube then?
2. Do you happen to know what the size and type of threads (make & female) are for the extension tube?
3. What did you make of the Evoguide + Lodestar x2 combination? I already use a Lodestar  x2 on another rig and find it to be an excellent guidescope.

Graham 

Graham

Can anyone using this combination tell me what extension is necessary to obtain focus and what you used?

I tried this out tonight and can see that focus will only be achieved some distance behind the current scope tube - probably a few centimetres.

Graham

OK thanks 👍

My ZWO1600MM-Cool camera is late 2016 + probably 2nd generation and I remember having signifcant driver issues when installing at the time. 

I've just acquired a new (refurbished) ThinkPad laptop to use with the camera + x8 EFW and would be grateful is somebody could confirm what the correct driver(s) would be for the camera/EFW and a source (presumably ZWO?). 

The one currently installed is v 1.0.0.4 but I presume this will have been updated, though would an updated driver work with a 2nd gen camera?

Graham