iapa

Cost, tantalum is very expensive. Availability, they weren't available until the '80s

I also have the ES portable observatory, but that's not been set up yet as the setup area isn't suitable right now.

I am very pleased with the TeleGizmos, have two just now, and looking to get more.

I had a look at my dark flats and flats - from desperation, the histogram means are very close to the light means. im going to try to get another set at shorter exposure and see. also checked darks and they are the same. camera gain was 120 in all cases - why? May be from a different camera ( there was a 18c-Pro connected before, and I may have forgotten to check that)

@Pompey Monkey thanks for that, another for my arsenal.

For the time being, as my “light bucket” I’ll stick to the 10” Quattro CF - pier mounted of course

true been a long night

It just gets a better calculation for the dark current. Will then run without for comparisons

Forgot to add an ASI183MC-Pro, the only sign of pre-owner ship was a scratch <1mm in length that too a very long time to find. Most used camera this year.

Of the "better" OTAs, the ESPRIT ED80, Quattro 10CF and 8" SCT were all pre-owned. Today the only issue has been the paint on the inside of the SCT flaking, I've had this for at lest 5 years, unsure as to previous ownership. Considering the time kept out doors under a 365 cover is understandable. The "lessers" 2nd hand OTAs include a gifted Tasco refractor, 114 & 127 Newtonians both of which are Jones-Bird design, unsuited for imaging (which I was totally unaware of at the time). Also have an AVX I bought recently which is in much better condition than mine despite being the same age

I did try to bring back on topic with image of my !Dobsonian

The Master Flats where taken with ASIAir Pro set yo AUTO for flats. I pulled the Dark-Flats exposure from he file name o the Flats. When I check the flat exposure from FITS header it was 1.27999971Sec, Dark Flats are 1.29999899; approx 20mSec difference. Hope that's not going to make a difference Re MAster-Dark, I'd just removed DARKs in case there was an issue with them.

Thanks I did enable CFA in the script, will check parameters.

I'll retry without BIAS

Like these cute, sweet innocent things? friendly faces keeping my Pegasus kit safe. and this one is securing my tablet and keeping in scope, one of my NOT Dobsonians

4 refractors, , 114, 2x127, 250 Newtonians, 8" SCT, RASA, RC & Newt. NO Dobsonians. Acquired over many years with a view to seelling older kit, and not getting round to it

OSC data 60s exposures unguided 150 x 1.3S flats, 300 x 1.3S dark flats, 80 x 60S dark 100 x 1mS bias PreProcessing WBPP subframes selected imageintegration Hardware ASI294MC-Pro ASIAir Pro Esprit ED80 Field flatener AVX integration.tifintegration.fitPreprocessing masterFlat_BIN-1_4144x2822_FILTER-NoFilter_CFA.xisf masterDark_BIN-1_4144x2822_EXPOSURE-60.00s.xisf masterDark_BIN-1_4144x2822_EXPOSURE-1.30s.xisf masterBias_BIN-1_4144x2822.xisf

Very useful, thanks Steve @steviedvd

May be why, ultimately, the EQUINOX was discontinued years ago. Shame, as part from that it was, and remains, a good OTA now it has rings But that's the reason I am now concerned about the ESPRIT. Hoping someone has removed the foot - and can tell me how, for simplicity, and I am useless with my hands.

Don't know about the Esprit, but the Equinox threaded into the tube with no reinforcement. Reluctant to start taking things apart just now - only started using this last week o so

Has anyone replaced the foot on the ESPRIT ED80 APO? Issue: there was a similar foot on my EQUINOX ED80, the screws torethrough the body I can think of three options a replacement with a longer integrated dovetail attach a longer dove tail remove the foot and attach rings and a long dove tail open to alternatives To my mind, 1 & 2 are potentially subject to the noted issue.

I was more moaning about the fact all my darks are at -20˚C

It's 294 & 183 sensors I have, with a recent set of -20˚C darks and bias for all the cameras. The main things is is that it's hot in Central Belt overnight - and I have three nights marked as being clear with potential for 15hrs hours imaging time. Ach well, once I got the images I'll stick the cameras int he fridge