tomato

Enjoy your Esprit 150 John, I have been imaging with one for the last 12 months, and was sufficiently impressed to snap up another nearly new one recently to make up a dual Esprit 150 rig. I simply could not be contemplating this sort of set up without these SkyWatcher refractors.

Very nice, this is real imaging in my book. I agree there may be a tiny bit of sensor tilt as the stars in the lower LH corner look slightly elongated compared to the other corners, but your colours are great, something I struggle with on CMOS mono cameras and filters.

Fabulous images, I can’t offer much in the way of constructive criticism, you clearly have your impressive rig working very well indeed. If I may make one observation, I note there are blue halos around some of the bright stars in the first image, which interestingly don’t all appear concentric with the stars? However, I’m afraid my processing skills fall far short of offering any pointers on this.

Well, we have all of the kit, but we will get one up and running first and sort out the dome automation, then the Mesu will earn it's keep...

A bit more progress, ground prepared for the dome plinth, and concrete mixed and poured.

Thanks for an informative and impassioned debate. If I can add my rather simplistic observation, If you want to capture your images in fewer nights, get a dual rig, in the end I am of the opinion that alas, how much cash you throw at AP is a factor. As we used to say in my drag racing days, “speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?”

Being in the middle of a dome build, I can confirm that this is all sound advice. I love the comment about stop digging the hole, perhaps we went down just a little deeper than we needed to on this one?☺️

Yes indeed, I have a print of the Horsehead Nebula region taken with the 40” (I think) Schmidt camera at Siding Springs in the late 80’s, and I have taken a better image from my own backyard, even with my limited skills.

Top notch, love the vibrant colours.👍

I tried this with a Moravian 8300 trying to run at -30C, it didn’t work. The amount of heat chucked out by the Peltier was too much for our fridge and the camera slowly warmed up. As it was winter time I put the camera outside on a suitably chilly day and took them there, no problem.

Yeah, having recently dug out by hand a cubic metre of soil and clay for a pier base, I really like the digger. 🥵

Well, now you have pointed it out, I do see what you are getting at, but really, it is a very good mono image of the Andromeda Galaxy indeed. I particularly like the detail you have captured in the dust lanes.👍

Thanks, good to know, we will see if the JTD saddle is up to the job first.

I have a specific query which sort of relates to IKI as was, so I hope this is the right place to ask it. I note that IKI was listed as a dealer for Optec products on their website, I may be looking for one of these: https://www.optecinc.com/astronomy/catalog/19230.htm Assuming this item is still available, would FLO be able to supply one? @Tomatobro has one of the JTD items ready to go for our dual imaging rig, but I fear it may not be man enough to take an Esprit 150.

I agree with the other posters, that’s a cracking luminance image, great balance between the core, dust lanes and spiral arms, keep persevering with the RGB and I think you will have a mighty fine M31 result.

In my experience of working for a Chinese owned manufacturing company in the final few years of my career, they can indeed be very rigorous. Incidentally, I recently purchased a (nearly) new Esprit 150 via the SGL classifieds, no optical check with this one. Tonight it was hooked up to a 8300 camera using the spacer arrangement set up for another 18 month old 150, and it delivered beautifully round stars, right into the corners. Very impressed indeed.

With regard to the balancing question, I have considered the use of a sensitive spring balance to manually measure the forces being applied to move the mount but confess that with a portable set up only until now, I have not pursued this idea any further. I was aware of the clock issue with the Mesu which was identified some time ago but was not aware of the fix implemented by ST, so thanks for this. Steve

Hi Adam, I have a thread running in the DIY Observatory section entitled ‘Deep Sky West (Midlands)’, lol, the build consists of a Pulsar 2.2 metre dome with adjacent warm room shed. It has a single 68mm ducting from the warm room to the dome with upright ducts at the dome wall and base centre. Everything in the dome will be powered by 12v supplied from the warm room, there will be a single 240v AC cable running through the duct alongside the power and data cables, but this will only be used to supply power in the dome when the imaging rig is not operating. The dome and shutter will be powered and automated, but this will be a stand alone system on the dome only. The shed is up and the concrete poured for the pier base, it will have an Altair pier, not too fussed about the height as this will be for imaging only. Steve

Super image Peter, and my favourite class of DSO, and it’s circumpolar from the UK. Will definitely give this a go when the Obs is up and running, not sure how long it will take to amass 21 hrs though, even with the dual rig.

I’m feeling more frustrated than guilty in that I haven’t finished construction of my permanent Obs since moving house, as I’d rather put my energies into getting that up and running rather than continue with set and take down every session. However, there does seem to have been quite a few clear nights in the last 4 weeks or so...

Thanks for the replies and your comments regarding the electrician’s quote. There is a second little CU in the warm room shed, two double sockets and a lighting circuit, so you have reassured me re the price. I got a good vibe from the guy, he made a couple of suggestions on how to best run the cable from the house, so I think he will get the job. I getting impatient to finish the obs with the dark nights well and truly back, but still want to do it right. Myself and Tomatobro will be setting up a dual rig for the first time, so will need a bit of time to get that sorted.

Yup, keep the centre of gravity low I say.😜

Pier base concrete fill now complete, will leave alone for 2-3 days before starting the dome plinth. I have a quote from a certified(?) electrian of £460 to provide power from the consumer unit (approx 15 m of 32A armoured cable) to the warm room shed, no trench digging involved. Does that sound reasonable?

Olly, I hope that all goes well for you and Monique. The French authorities only need to check your reputation here on SGL to realise what an asset they have residing in their country.

Thanks Steve, they ended up like that to support the ducting, plus some other off cuts from making the shed warm room base. They significantly reduced the number of mixes needed to fill the base section.