oldannie

Thanks Steve. Annie

I haven't added any darks, flats or bias Steve but will now - I never thought of the obvious!! Annie

Have done a very quick stack and process of 15x300sec Ha exps of NGC6960 taken with Takahashi 106ed and Atik mono 460ex on NEQ6 with MGEN guider. Can anyone tell me what might be the cause of the dark patch bottom left. It has also appeared on another target. Can light leakage result in a dark patch? Annie

Have used the MGEN for about 4 years now and can't fault it. First on a little TS Star 71 and a DSLR and now in my obsey on NEQ6 with Takahashi 106, and Atik 460, mono. Have it on 60mm guide scope. Bought it from Teleskop Services. Annie

Thanks for the link John. Am going to try the astronomik one I have again and if it doesn't work will have a go at the 685nm Altair one. Annie

Thanks for the suggestions. I do have the one you suggest Dave but when I last used it, admittedly some time ago when I didn't persevere much I couldn't get any image but will have a more concerted effort this time. I do have an Olll filter as part of my deep sky set up so will try that also. Annie

Sorry meant to post this on the Lunar forum! Annie

Am wanting to have a go at some lunar imaging as a side interest to deep sky imaging. Will be using a Skymax 150 pro hubby used to use for his observing, with a ZWO asi 120 mono on NEQ6. I also have a 2.5x powermate. Firecapture is the software I have. I am thinking a 1.25" red filter would be a good idea but have only been able to find them as part of sets and don't really want to buy a set. Is a red filter a good idea with my set up ? Annie

Not considered that Geoff but will give it consideration though don't want to sell my HEQ5 but do want to find a use for it! Am particularly interested that you say the fork mount would be heavier than an HEQ5 pro synscan. Thanks for the response. Annie

Thanks - will have a look at this. Annie

I've read some threads about this topic but still confused about what might be best for me. I have an observatory setup for deep sky imaging and have tried to keep it simple. My Takahashi 106 has a smooth focus mechanism so I find all I need for that is a bhatinov mask together with Atik Artemis capture software. My guider is stand alone - Lacerta MGEN and I use the synscan for mount control. I'm not particularly technically minded and find this setup just works for me. Recently I've set up my HEQ5 outside to do some lunar imaging with hubby's scope - Skymax 150. This has a moonlight focuser fitted which I don't find works that well on the skymax. Have been using it with a little ZWO and Firecapture. Have enjoyed the lunar imaging so decided to buy a C8 (would like the C9.25 but am in my early 70's so weight is an issue). Would like some kind of motor/electronic focuser and have been looking at the JMI but wondered if there others I could look at? Am not great at DIY so want something that's easy to fit. I don't mind using some additional software but want to be able to continue using the synscan for mount control. Am not particularly constrained by cost ! Thanks Annie

What a lovely sketch - can't stop looking at it! Annie

I'm pretty much the same Gav - if it works for me I do it! The APP forum seems promising! Thanks again Gav - much appreciated. Annie

Gav - your notes have proved invaluable and have now been able to create a BPM and create masters - what a relief!! I do have a couple of questions though as am being a bit slow on the uptake! 1. I have assumed that the processes you outline above for creating a BPM and creating masters are undertaken separately ? 2. APP will create a BPM with just darks and flats though it obviously won't calibrate the flats without a master bias. Is the quality of the BPM reduced without the master bias? 3. Why do I need to load the master bias when creating a master dark ? 4. When creating a master flat why include a BPM? I may have just mis-read your notes - It wouldn't be the first time I'm being dim! Thanks Annie

Thanks guys - the fact that I have the newer version may account for my problems. Thanks for all those notes Gav. It may be tomorrow before I get chance to have another go but will report back - hopefully it will be 'thumbs up'. Annie

No the bad pixel map as per Sara Wager's video tutorial just the flats and darks are loaded and obviously for the master calibration files just the bias, darks and flat frames.

Same thing happening - ie. nothing when I try to create master flats, darks and bias. Obviously being quite dim but very frustrated! Annie

Always having problems with something - thank goodness for this forum! Decided to try the 30 day trial of APP and thought I would make a start by creating a bad pixel map . Sara Wager's video tutorial makes it look very straightforward so I think am just missing something very obvious. Have loaded some LRGB flats and some 300 sec darks. Sara doesn't appear to load any bias frames but have tried the process with and without bias frames and can't get either to work. After loading flats and darks have checked calibrate and under the 'BPM' submenu have set hot pixels kappa to 2 and cold pixels to 50% simply following Sara's video. Have made sure 'bad pixel map' is checked and pressed calibrate again but nothing happens! I notice on Sara's probably older version of APP she checked calibrate at the end of the BPM submenu whilst this option isn't on my version so have clicked on calibrate at the top of the screen - am not sure this is relevant but can't for the life of me see what's going wrong. It's really frustrating when you think it's something obvious that you can't see - grrrrrrr! Annie

Only just seen your reply Wim - apologies. Will try increasing the rejected fraction and maybe even Pixinsight one day!! Thanks Annie

I've used the Lacerta MGEN for 4 years now without any problems at all. I started using it with HEQ5, various DSLR's and a TS Imaging Star 71. For the last 12 months it has been used with my observatory set up on NEQ6, Takahashi 106ed and mono Atik 460 ex. Am not particularly tech minded so all I can say is that it has enabled me to keep things simple (as far as is possible with deep sky imaging), have good guiding up to the 20 min exposures I have done and I've rarely not been able to find a guide star. As far as I can tell the guiding has always been excellent. Annie

Yes I will try that. Until now I've been reluctant to try different methods in general with my imaging. I usually find something that works (eventually!!) and stick to it but have a bit more confidence now to try different things. Thanks Annie

Thanks Bob - I'll have another look at my subs and check my DSS settings. I use Per Channel Background Calibration and Kappa Sigma but will double check tomorrow and then try and post my subs - I may have difficulty with that as we have a pathetic broadband speed which means Dropbox won't work. I will try as I would appreciate the help. Cheers Annie

Thanks Paul - I am tempted to at least try PI. Like you I try to do lots of subs and so am usually happy deleting just one or two. Recently the weather has not been up to lots of subs. I managed just 17x600sec LRGB on the Whirlpool Galaxy a short while ago and 12 had aircraft trails - ah well! Annie

Thanks bobro - I always use Kappa Sigma but it doesn't seem to have made much difference on this occasion - perhaps Andrew's suggestion is the only remaining option! 😏

My last attempt at imaging was dominated by aircraft trails more than usual even though I was only using 300sec exposures. I know that they are a fact of life have read somewhere that aircraft trails can be minimised by setting 'careful pixel rejection' . I use DSS for stacking - can this be done in DSS or is it time to look for a slightly more sophisiticated stacking software. I know Pixinsight is not something I would cope with and wondered if APP would be a natural progression for me? Annie