Jump to content

Narrowband

almcl

Members
  • Posts

    1,133
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by almcl

  1. Sorry to say, with failing memory, I am not quite sure. I did stop using the (rechargeable) batteries in favour of this Maplin switchable power supply, but also switched to using an Astroeq to guide, replacing the brass cogs with belt drives. The worldwide plug was a complete disaster but once this was replaced with a proper 13 amp plug, it proved OK. In its 13.5 volt mode I am still using it with my relatively newly acquired AZ EQ6.
  2. From the album: My quest for DSOs

    There's something about the Virgo cluster, visually or in images, that I find captivating. There are 15 galaxies (at least) in this image. 21 x 80 sec lights, 30 flats, 30 bias, ISO 1600 Canon 700d, CLS CCD filter, SW Coma corrector SW 200P on EQ5 16 April 2016
  3. Pacman Nebula NGC 281 Cocoon Nebula IC5146 Cone Nebula NGC2264 Iris Nebula NGC7023
  4. almcl

    Sadir region

    From the album: My quest for DSOs

    Sadir region, IC1318, with the Crescent nebula (NGC 6888), NGC 6910, the Cooling Tower (NGC 6913) and several others. Canon 700d with 200mm EF 2.8 lens stopped to f4.5 mounted on an EQ5 mount. 24 x 60 sec lights 30 flats 30 bias
  5. Not sure if your Celestron mount is the same as my EQ5, but on mine there's a plastic plug on the under side where the bubble level sits which I think can be removed. It might be possible to shim or otherwise alter the bubble level's position and get things back on an even keel.
  6. From the album: My quest for DSOs

    NGC 6946, the Fireworks galaxy 11 Dec 2015 lights 11 x 120 secs 15 x 180 secs 4 x 240 sec 1 x 300 secs 30 flats 25 bias
  7. Grant

    Apologies for an out-of-the-blue contact but I've managed to get my attachments and albums in a bit of a mess.  Can't find a way to remove an image (my first go at the Leo triplet deserves deleting) and also have a couple of 'attachment' images which aren't actually attached to anything which could also be removed.

    Any hints or tips as to how to do this would be most welcome!

    Al 

  8. almcl

    Leo triplet 2016

    From the album: My quest for DSOs

    28 March 2016 17 x 180 sec ISO 1600 4 x 300 sec ISO 1600 30 flats 30 bias
  9. From the album: My quest for DSOs

    4 x 240 secs lights 20 flats 20 bias ISO 1600 Not one of my better guiding nights, hence the limited number of subs.
  10. almcl

    NGC 1909 Witches head

    Second outing for the Canon 200mm EF lens 17 x 90 sec lights 20 flats 20 bias As others have mentioned processing this target is quite challenging, framing is also a little more of an issue as very little nebulosity is visible on the individual subs.
  11. almcl

    NGC 1909 Witches head

    From the album: My quest for DSOs

    Second outing for the Canon 200mm EF lens 17 x 90 sec lights 20 flats 20 bias As others have mentioned, processing this target is quite challenging. Framing is also a little more of an issue as very little nebulosity is visible on the individual subs.
  12. almcl

    Orion widefield

    From the album: My quest for DSOs

    First light on a Cannon 200 mm EF 2.8 II lens mounted on EQ5 Amazed at what it achieved 'out of the box' 11 Feb 2016 11 x 90 secs ISO 1600 20 flats 20 bias
  13. almcl

    M42 Orion nebula

    From the album: My quest for DSOs

    An improvement on last year's effort. 27 Jan 2016 6 x 90 sec + 20 x 10 sec lights ISO 1600 20 flats 20 bias
  14. From the album: My quest for DSOs

    32 lights 100 secs at iso 1600, 20 flats, 20 bias frames. 15 Feb 2016.
  15. Thanks, Peter. That was my first thought, too. I should have mentioned that it does this with both the battery pack and the mains adapter (2.5 amp 6 volt stabilised) and as the instructions indicate 400ma is all that is necessary, I wonder if this could be a 'feature'? If it is, I can't find any mention of it.
  16. Well, the new handset arrived (once I finally managed to prise it from dhl's clutches). It's certainly different - buttons for sidereal, lunar and solar rates, swap buttons and an ST4 port. Tried it out and it seems to work well on lunar and stars but haven't had a chance to check its guiding capability yet. In the meantime though, can someone put my mind at rest on what may be a non-issue? The activity led in the centre of the movement buttons is generally on red but, while its tracking, appears to flash green very briefly at regular intervals. Is this supposed to happen? It didn't on the previous one.
  17. Thanks, Jonn. I will confess, I did damage the power socket a while back and had to replace it and certainly the first time I noticed it playing up there had been a short sharp shower (the handset sat on the desk over Xmas to dry out as a result ) but perhaps a more thorough clean with electrical solvent cleaner is worth a punt.
  18. It seems I might have become a victim of the EQ5 handset failure issue. After months of blameless tracking/guiding, my add-on RA and DEC motor controller (with the Steppenwolf described ST4 port mod) (looks like this http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-skywatcher-dual-axis-motor-drive-for-eq5-mount.htm ) has started doing odd things. Sometimes it sticks on in RA, with the activity led stuck on red and the stars trailing rapidly across the image. At others the led goes out altogether (both with the battery pack and the stabilised 6v mains adapter). Have been unable to replicate the symptoms on the bench (and not entirely sure what to do if I could, armed only with a cheap multimeter). So it might be replacement time (haven’t quite persuaded myself I am worth a Mesu 200 or even an EQ6). The original black handsets don’t appear to be available separately (and given the posts elsewhere on multiple failures might not be good idea anyway) but there appears to be an upgraded version with a red front panel: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/sky-watcher-enhanced-dual-axis-handset-upgrade-for-eq-5-mounts.html which, although costing almost as much as the original upgrade, does have some advantages. Has anyone who has gone this route got a good or bad experience to share? In particular, has it proved more durable than the original (black) version?
  19. almcl

    M16 Eagle Nebula

    From the album: My quest for DSOs

    The Eagle nebula. A very short (20 second) series of 25 exposures at ISO 3200, 20 flats and 20 bias frames . Difficult to image this far north as it never gets very far above the horizon.
  20. almcl

    Crescent nebula

    From the album: My quest for DSOs

    The Crescent nebula (NGC 6888) 7 x 120 sec lights, 20 flats 20 bias.
  21. almcl

    KIC 8462852

    From the album: My quest for DSOs

    Not the most exciting image, granted, but the marked star, KIC 8462852, also known as Tabby's star, has a unique pattern of dimming and this led to speculation about "Alien megastructures". 11 x 90 sec lights, 20 flats, 20 bias, ISO 1600

    © amcl

  22. From the album: My quest for DSOs

    8 x 180 sec and 1 x 300 sec lights, 20 bias, 20 flats. Skywatcher 200P, Canon 700D (astro modded) and CLS clip filter.
  23. almcl

    Western Veil

    From the album: My quest for DSOs

    Western Veil nebula. SW 200P, Canon 700D. 6 x 180 sec lights, 20 flats 20 bias.
  24. almcl

    Veil

    From the album: My quest for DSOs

    East and West Veil plus a bit of Pickering's triangle. This time taken with a Skywatcher ST80 and Canon 700D. 12 x 180 sec and 1 x 300 sec lights, 20 flats, 20 bias.
  25. almcl

    Easterm Veil

    From the album: My quest for DSOs

    Eastern Veil nebula (NGC 6992), 6 x 180 secs, 5 x 240 secs, ISO 1600, 20 flats 20 bias.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.