gorann

Thanks Stuart! I will download NINA. What gain & offset settings do you recommend? With my ASI2600 I always use gain 100 (where HCG is engaged) and offset 30, so I would like something corresponding to that.

Hi all, I am lazy so instead of reading this whole thread, I just wonder if some of you could tell me what software you are using to run your Touptek/Risingcam/Omegon 571 cameras. Tonight I started using my Omegon veTec571 (color) and thought I could run it with SharpCap, but it did not recognize it and after reading up slightly it seems that it can just run it as an ASCOM camera with limited success (https://forums.sharpcap.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=5751). So right now I use the Omegon software than does not even let me set an offset. Interestingly, when I turned on the cooler it went down to -16°C even if I had set it to -10°C, but then slowly got up to -10°C. A bit odd. With my ASI2600MC and QHY268M software is not a problem.

Hi Carole, I also imagined a similar figure in my 2020 image but then it looked more like a puppy than a lion to me🙂

Thanks Steve! The latest versions of star removal filters are really quite good and for faint nebulae I really feel it is the way to go, and for nebulae that are drowned by the star field (like the Veil). Olly recently started this thread where @Xiga comes with some good advice and pointers. Cheers, Göran

Like @ollypenrice and probably others I have started to reprocess "old" data using the starless approach (i.e StarXTerminator and/or StarNet2). This is nearly 7 hours of RASA8 data from September 2020 taken with my ASI1600MM and Baader Ha and Oiii filters. This nebula is often called the Lion Nebula, not really sure why. Maybe someone can tell me? I post the new version followed by the 2020 version. As you see I also decided to rotate the image and tweak the colours. Comments most welcome, even if you tell me that you prefer the old version😁 Cheers, Göran 2022 version 2020 version

Very nice Olly, but as you say the outer glow looks slightly artificial. It ends very abruptly. I had a look at other RASA images on Astrobin and there is a tendency for that glow to have a relatively defined outer edge, at least more so than M31, but your edge appear to be at the sharper en of the spectrum. Here is one to compare with using identical equipment: https://www.astrobin.com/1bvta1/ You can just search on Astrobin for M31 and then on the menu to the left write RASA : https://www.astrobin.com/search/?q=m33&subject=&telescope=rasa&camera=&date_published_min=2011-11-09&date_published_max=2022-10-11&sort=

Getting the dual-RASA rig ready, but not for tonight, but tomorrow night is promised to be clear.

A lot of dust there Olly! As Ciaran suggested you can also download the Star XTerminator Unscreen action from RC-astro, it will do the same thing (giving you a starless image and a star image to blend in) so a bit simpler than the manual method. Download it here https://www.rc-astro.com/StarXTerminator/UnscreenStars.atn.zip

Thanks Steve!, Yes I think so. It is not easy to find good images to compare to (searching Veil on Astrobin gives 221 pages), but I found this one that shows a lot of Ha around (especially after I downloaded that image and stretched it): https://www.astrobin.com/full/qt8ypd/B/

Thanks a lot Simmo!!

Thanks so very very much Ian, you are much too kind!

Thanks Carole, much appreciated!

Thanks Alan! Yes, I wondered how well it would pick up the Oiii under a full moon, and it did it quite well, but then this is very bright Oiii - I would not try to image the Spaghetti nebula under a full moon.

Finally a clear night on Saturday but the moon was of course as full as it can be. So I decided to aim my dual-RASA rig at something bright with a lot of Ha and Oiii that could be picked up by NBZ filters. So not that much to chose from. On the other hand I have not imaged the Veil since my first year in Astrophotography (2015). My plan is to get the other half, containing the Eastern Veil when it hopefully clears on Tuesday. I caught totally 229 x 3 min, so 11.5 hours, before it went down behind the obsy wall. Cameras were ASI2600MC as usual. Processed in PI and PS, using starless processing of the nebulosity (Star XTerminator) of course. I had surprisingly little gradient problems, and nothing that Gradient XTerminator could not handle quite well. Please zoom in, I think the data can support it. Cheers, Göran

Lovely golden dust Olly and quite dramatic, I like it a lot, not the least the panorama view! Göran

That is great Steve! With some careful processing you can probably subdue the core of the main galaxy to get some details out. But if I was you I wait until the moon is gone for more data on galaxies. Now is the time for NB filters.

Not a bad choice. In one of my three obsies I have a 14" Meade SCT (so 3.5 meters focal length ) weighing 40 kg with all the stuff sitting on an old (2016) EQ8 and on nights with good seeing I get around 0.4"/pixel. Even if you are not as lucky with your specimen guiding will certainly be good enough for your RASA11. Good luck with both the scope and mount!

I got inspired by @ollypenrice using starless processing on old data So I also had a go at my Ghost data from 2018 acquired with my Esprit 150 and ASI071 (OSC), Totally 5 hours. Cheers, Göran Here is first the old processing (apparently good enough for a Top Pick in Astrobin at the time). And here is the new version using StarXTerminator (using the new Star XTerminator Unscreen Action in PS that gives a separate star layer that can later be blended in). Made quite a difference and I feel for the best.

But it sounded like you tried to talk Alan into being one of the beta testers😉

I like the artistic floor! Just do not electrocute yourself! Transforming that green house in the background to an obsy looks like a sturdier and safer option.

I agree, from what I have read that company has for years promised to deliver friction mounts and presented imaginary images looking very much like Mesu mounts, but without delivering any, so better wait. There are threads about it. Hopefully they finally made it but I would wait for someone else to buy one and use it for a while.

One ore thing. I have never seen a dust bunny in any of my RASA 8 images. I do try to keep everything clean but I think it mainly has to do with the acute light cone of the f/2 system that takes all bunnies well out of focus unless they are on the sensor, Vignetting is also minimal, so I never use flats (just a bit of Gradient Exterminator now and then). What is your experience @ollypenrice? I expect that the situation will be similar with the RASA11, especially with its 55 mm imaging circle, so even full frame APS may be without much vignetting.

If the price is good I would be very tempted by the RASA11. Since your third RASA8 also was defect I suspect something has gone wrong with a whole batch of either primary mirrors or corrector plates back there in China. Since you will still be running a wide field scope your EQ6 may be able to handle it as long as you stay around 1" RMS. If not, just put yourself in line for a Mesu😅 PS. I understand that the mirror flip problem was solved by making the v2 of the RASA11

Great image Olly, and yes, we have all a lot of digging to do in our archives and subject them to modern processing - good that we have cloudy nights😁

I assume that in theory you should not have to pay any duties for sending and receiving an item for repair. I expect that Bernard could tell you what kind of papers you need to fill out. If you decide to ship or transport your mount just make sure that nothing can hit or put pressure on the two servo motors - they are quite unprotected and can according to Lucas easily be damaged or even broken off. I think the rest of the mount is quite sturdy. Best is to use the wooden crate that Lucas made for it, or make a wooden crate yourself.