tomato

Here’s mine, needless to say imaging was not high on the list of holiday activities.

There is a lot of interesting structure in this nebula, alas I think it is a bit too far South for me to image successfully.

Great to hear! I guess I was just lucky.

IMX 571 based astro cameras are available from a number of vendors in the UK, examples available from UK vendors are ZWO ASI 2600, QHY268 and the Altair Hypercam 26. The cheapest variants however, such as the RisingCam, are as far as I know, only available direct from China. This thread documents one experience of going down that route.

Great image!. Good job it was captured at a dark location, you'd struggle for some background sky to do a LP removal operation.

I also think you won't be disappointed with a IMX 571 sensor. Based on posts on SGL , it has become a very popular camera since it's introduction.

I guess the crux is what constitutes a nice picture. I have tried to create more of a dual colour image by loading the channels into StarTools to their respective HST palette channels then after default processing I used the "Interpolate G, 100R,(50R+50B),100B in the Matrix option in the colour tool. Then into PI, separate the stars with StarXterminator, adjust the levels and channel saturation with Curves Transformation, reduce the stars with Morphological Transformation, recombine with PixellMath (~(~starless)*(~stars)), then a good dose of NoiseXterminator. There are some vertical bands in the background which I have not attempted to remove, I have probably accentuated them with my pretty aggressive processing approach. What is the object? I would like to have a go at imaging it.

Stunning.

Sorry about the previous random post, saved to the wrong thread…🥴

Yes, it is a concern. However, the scarcity of clear nights in the UK probably means I will need a service before the mount does.

Yes it is a concern. However, the scarcity of clear nights in the UK probably means I will need a service before the mount does.

Yes, I remember reading a very similar comment in one of Jack Newton’s books referring to the Horsehead Nebula.

There is a nice 15 min IPlayer video by Pallab Ghosh in the article, one of the rigs looks like a (very) high end amateur set up. Weave: New device will investigate Milky Way's origins https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-62321537

I also follow what appears to be a popular workflow: calibrate and stack in APP, rotate, crop and LP removal in APP, then on into PI or StarTools. On broadband images, I generally get better colour with PI’s Photometric colour calibration rather than APP’s calibrate star colours.

Some good detail in NGC 7331, I also like the framing, it shows the Deer Lick cluster off nicely.

+1 for ensuring all of the ancillary software required by Sitech has been installed. I don’t think it is a Windows 10 issue, I have two Win 10 laptops working fine with a Mesu 200. Is it Steve Richard’s quick guide that you are using, that’s the one I would recommend.

Thanks for your visit report. I note that you said Lucas works alone in the shop and he produces about 40 units per year. I do hope he can grow the business sufficiently so he doesn’t have to remain a one man band, which often seems to be the case with the inventors of unique and exceptional items of engineering in the astronomy world, and the consequences that arise when the source of the knowledge and expertise resides with just one individual. I just read today that there are three key individuals at Sidereal Technology, the manufacturers of the Sitech units, one is a retired NASA Space Shuttle Mission Director, no less.

I image at F2.8.

I have a lot of red LEDs dotted around inside the dome, they all do a good job on indicating the status of various dome control systems, but their light can easily intrude into the lens. I quickly needed a lens shield extension to fix this and the cardboard tube was just the right diameter and the length looked enough to shroud the lens so on it went. Its long enough to eliminate the problem. I have a Sony mount lens (significantly cheaper second hand than the Canon mount) and have access to the tools and expertise needed to make the adapter to mate them to the camera. The problem is the original screws holding the SY sleeve in place on the lens barrel are not very strong so even my lightest OSC camera option can suffer from sag. The adjustable cradle does the trick to provide support at the rear end. @Tomatobro who has a dual rig SY135 rig using the Sony lenses, uses full circle bolted cradles on the cameras, similar to your set up.

The ultimate fly-tip, but no need to look for a utility bill in the wreckage.

The SY135 is a great choice for widefield NB imaging. Although a mono camera with dedicated NB filters will ultimately give you the best results, it also works well with a modern sensitive OSC camera and a suitable dual band filter like the IDAS NBZ. I use my lens with both types of camera, I think I prefer the OSC set up simply for less mass hanging off the lens and the (relative) ease of aligning the camera, which as @Adreneline points out is critical for good star shapes. Support for the camera is a good idea though, please excuse my very homemade extended lens shield and camera support!

Still imaging the Elephant's Trunk region, now at 51 x 3 mins with the SY135/IMX571c/NBZ combo. Although I have a hour of Astro darkness back, this object is at the Zenith and the with the lens mounted alongside the RASA it is looking at the dome shutter drive mechanism at this orientation. Still, I have tried a pseudo HST palette with the data I have.

I would have thought an "ignorant savage with a computer" is more likely to hit you over the head with it rather than type an abusive reply.

Vlaiv, Looks like the 3D printer potential has really captured your imagination. I do have room for one in my warm room but I was raised in the realm of machine tools, and I would still prefer to machine a piece of billet rather than extrude plastic filaments.

I’m sure he will reply when he sees this thread but @Tomatobro has an EQ8 in an observatory. It currently carries a StellaLyra RC10, here is a recent example of a galaxy image (M102) taken with the set up. It’s a substantial piece of kit and not suited to a set up/take down operation but that’s not an issue for you.