alacant

Hi Have you updated the camera's firmware? I've a copy here: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1eXBCN06Uz6pGdf-TDd_8ETVW5QRw9zSO EDIT; don't forget to set the camera to 8 bit in PHD2.

@vlaiv Thanks for the details. JTOL. One thing I'm not sure about is the 'natural' dither you mention (caused by poor guiding and/or tracking?). IIRC, For dither and the sigma thingy to be effective, the imaging camera should be moved several pixels between frames, not constantly during them. If the latter, the results are gonna look awful. If not, then the camera hadn't drifted far enough. Cheers

LOL Maybe! Stay with it. It's the single most powerful gradient handler I've tried; no jumping through hoops with old mathematical algorithms required;)

Every other frame should be fine. Only when we go 5min plus do we dither ever frame. If you're at 1 minute, then every three naybe. The benefits it gives far outweigh the short time it takes to settle after dither. You seem to need around 16 dithered frames for the clip to click in so a minimum of 30 plus frames if you're dithering every other. HTH.

IIRC, the mask will give you the dominant colour. If blue is in focus, red and green are out and vica versa. Do I notice green star halos? (I'm certainly not the one to ask about colour!) I remember looking at a bright star and re-focusing until the blue fringe JUST disappeared; no mask.

Hi. Lack of blue chromatic aberration suggests you focused on the blue, making all the stars bigger. HTH EDIT: look at the fwhm values. I can't remember what we got with ours, but this would suggest poor focus. Maybe a current ed user can confirm?

Hi Yes, it has. If you were in focus the central stars would be smaller and the edge aberration reduced, probably to the point of being acceptable. Cheers

OK. You missed focus a bit, so any aberration will be magnified as you move from the centre. Otherwise, I'm out of ideas. Nail the focus and it will look better. Good luck anyway and stay safe.

The same t-ring?

Hi The flattener needs to be closer to the sensor. Make sure there is nothing preventing mating surfaces meet, there are no spacers fitted and no crossed threads. This should also cure the slight tilt. Usually simply dismantling, cleaning and reassembling fixes stuff like this. If not, try another t ring. Make sure it's on the 9mm side of 10 and that the threaded section is held firmly and squarely to the bayonet ring. HTH

Hi If you want to test PHD2 in daylight, you'll need gain zero and a very short exposure time or a very dark room or most of your guide telescope aperture covered. Before you change anything, my guess is that once you get under the stars, it will work fine. 2s @gain 48 would be a good starting point. HTH and good luck tonight.

Hi You can process 32 bit in gimp [1] but I'm not sure why you'd want to do that. Make big paper prints maybe? The best way to import into gimp for post calibration is to save your stack as 32 (or preferably 16) bit tiff without compression. Colour balance is the single most difficult -for me at least- part of post processing, so stick at it; do the colour last of all. Perhaps use the CMYK colour balance module before resorting to curves? But hey, don't sweat. What used to have to be e.g. red, can now be the once forbidden green. Or violet. Or whatever you choose. Fashion. Good luck and HTH. [1] Works for the Linux version. I haven't tested any other platform.

Hi. Try: https://adgsoftware.com/ansvr/

Hi If you are certain that you have the astrometry libraries downloaded, then there's no need but for either, ansvr is required. It Is either not installed, not running or is quarantined. Fix that first. Otherwise, look here: https://aptforum.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=618 HTH

Hi Use dark optimisation when calibrating or, better, lose the dark frames altogether and dither between light frames. Then stack with the sigma clip algorithm. HTH

Non flanged is best; there's an auto/manual setting on the lens anyway. Squashing a pin against a flange just gives another variable. We have enough of those in astrohotography already;)

Hi. The best infinity focus with a m42 to eos adaptor (on my 55, 135 and 200 at least) is just before the infinity stop. Physical infinity will give only blue and green in focus; turn the focus until infinity then back off until the red fringe just disappears. They're easily adjusted if you want 'astro infinity' or just a little more beyond physical infinity to play with. Being designed for full frame, all the Takumars are good corner to corner over APS-c and very sharp, especially when stopped down a little. HTH

Hi Either: The guide log is empty so difficult to help. From the little trace we can see, I'd say the polar alignment may need attention. Or: +1. Look at the images, not the numbers! Unless the stars are so fat you can't bear it... Equally, stay safe. Cheers

Hi Interesting point about this is that it's difficult to know where you're looking because when there's no moon or light pollution, you can't see constellation outlines. If you can, that means there's haze and the magnitude will be cut below 7. Nice problem to have:) Cheers, clear skies and keep safe.

https://www.preciseparts.com/ppmain/index.html Or simply replace the focuser. This would probably be easier and cheaper: https://es.aliexpress.com/item/32955763408.html HTH

https://agenaastro.com/blue-fireball-360-camera-angle-adjuster-rotator-with-m54-male-female-thread-r-03.html Dunno. Probably cheaper to get one made...

Yeah, it's populsr and works ok if you can get the spacing right. I found it gave astigmatic edges over DSLR sensors. The GPU (or SW aplanatic) are double the outlay but are capable of giving corner to corner without having to jump through hoops. If not, it's a simple job to move the mirrors closer. HTH

Hi. I think this is it: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astro-essentials-compression-ring-adapter-for-sky-watcher-refractors-m56.html In any case, measure the diameter of the thread. If it's 56mm, then that's the one. If it isn't then you know what you're looking for... HTH.

Hi. Could you post a photo? There's gotta be an adaptor methinks...

Hi Assuming you have a 2" focuser, you could use all but reducing coma correctors. The Baader Mk3, the GPU or the GSO will work fine, indeed the latter can be used as a cure when you haven't enough inward focuser travel. The commonly used sw 0.9 cc will not come to focus unless you move the mirrors closer to each other. HTH