alacant

If you've a modern DSLR, I think darks are a waste of time. If you've an older DSLR, then dark frames maybe the only way to correct banding. We've an eos450d which falls into the latter category. We have master darks corresponding to the common light frame exposures we use. They are all taken around 20°. Using dark optimization (we use iris/siril) with the master bias subtracted dark frame applied to each of the light frames before stacking effectively removes the banding; forget about matching temperature. Just our €0.02 'works for us' take on it:) Cheers and clear skies.

Trying to simplify the options, Remove this cable. I'm assuming pc direct didn't work so... Send a photo of the entire cabling you have. This should clearly show the the cables to the mount, the handset and the computer. Cheers.

OK. Try PC Direct and remove the autoguider cable.

Hi Have you set the hand controller to PC Direct? Otherwise... How is the mount connected? Send a photo so we can see what is connected to where. Cheers

Start menu -> eqascom -> toolbox. Then hit 'Ascom Connect'. It looks like this: https://images.app.goo.gl/iwyWfz3eG2qxGt8M9

Have you started eqascom? It must be started before you try to connect to phd2 BUT you must select eqascom eq5/eq6 as the mount, not Skywatcher.

Yes, eqascom. See here. HTH

Yes. You'll need the spare cable (SC) that came with the hand controller which is usually used when updating the firmware in the handset. Cabling Mount to handset as normal. SC into handset SC other end to RS232 RS232 to USB on computer But I'd still recommend the eqdir cable. If you need further help, please send photos of your setup, otherwise we're guessing. HTH

I find they are essential. They take only a short time to produce and once you have them, you can use them over and over. You can however safely dispense with dark frames -for my eos they introduce more noise- by taking only bias and flat frames but dithering between light frames. Most modern stacking software will produce cleaner results with DSLR data this way. Of course YMMV but HTH anyway.

Hi Are you sure it's an ethernet cable? It maybe a st4 cable to connect your guide camera to the mount. Do you have the correct cables to join the handset to the computer? If you wish to retain the handset, you'll need a USB to serial cable to complete the connection. Or -better- lose the handset and connect the mount directly to the computer using an eqdir cable. You'll also need eqascom on top of Ascom. Maybe some photos of what you have may help us to get you started. Cheers

Hi In Color - Levels. Take the stack and move the centre slider left a little. Click OK. Now open levels again and repeat. Keep going until it gets too noisy and then back off a little. Now bring the left slider toward the centre to adjust the black level, but without it hitting the data. The Gimp also has an excellent noise reduction routine; Filters - Enhance - Noise Reduction, and colour balance; Colors - Color Balance. Or, if you're feeling brave; Colors - Curves. There's loadsa other stuff you can do in The Gimp too. Experiment! HTH

Hi. yes, no problem. You just need one of these adaptors. HTH

Hi If 135 is you first choice, I can recommend the excellent and sensibly priced Takumar, e.g. this one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/N-MINT-PENTAX-SUPER-TAKUMAR-135mm-F-3-5-GENUINE-HOOD-FILTER-M42-SCREW-MOUNT-/153685441110 Example: HTH

Yeah, there's loadsa detail. Well done:) To be able to see it better, just go easy with the sliders: HTH

Hi Lovely shot but there's probably quite a bit more detail to be had. Cheers.

+1. The main issue with the EKOS internal guider -as with st4- is that you have to calibrate for each new sky position and after a meridian flip: more to go wrong. I use EKOS with an indi connection to the mount and PHD2 to guide; calibrate once and forget about it. Or try both. In EKOS it's easy to setup two profiles. One for internal guiding and one for PHD2. HTH

Hi. I prefer just the image. Cheers

@happy-kat @MarsG76 Hi See here.The OP is on mac. Cheers

Hi gphoto2 will do it: http://www.gphoto.org/ method here: https://brewinstall.org/Install-gphoto2-on-Mac-with-Brew/ or anyone running indi at your local Astro club. HTH

Hi everyone Did 2 hours on this, but nada. Added another 2 and detail is starting to show. Gave up last year at 6 hours and diminishing returns. I concluded then that I'd reached the limit of what a dslr could do. Another 2 hours? I wonder... Anyway, thanks for looking and do post your dslr images of the same. It would be great to compare. Along with colour, I find this dark sort of stuff the most difficult, so all tricks and tips most gratefully received. 700d ISO800

Hi everyone There's stuff everywhere. It's hard to know what is the blackest bit. Love the bright stars, the nebula and tadpoles less. Not sure of the colour. This is what was thrown up after passing through colour calibration against a plate solve in siril. I think the stars are ok but the nebula is too orange. But hey-ho, it seems anything goes for colour these days... Thanks for looking and any comments most gratefully received. 700d, 2-1/2 hours

4cm. Any decent DIY store will carry them. 15mm will not reach. HTH

Hi Yes. Confirmed: M4. You can also make adjustment (a lot!) easier by fitting thumb nuts. Cheers and HTH.

Unfortunately not. I no longer have use of the good one. The best I could do would be a shot of 405 with our existing version; that may throw up some differences. Ours was around €30 a few years ago (when AliExpress didn't know how much they could charge for coma correctors?) Now look! Maybe the new batches are better. Dunno. Getting and paying...

Hi No. Try with and without? Best without if you can otherwise you get strange looking star colours. ~30 HTH