calli

Calli is fine too ? There are some Scripts to stack/align in Gimp but I never used them: Astro Gimp Scripts Here is a video what (very short and no narration) you normally do with GIMP: My crappy tutorial (21 likes 21 dislikes, what do they expect? Hubble image?) And my imgaes are in my signature! Carsten

You must differenciate between stacking and finishing the image. I use DeepSkyStacker (DSS) or Autostackert! and then use GIMP to do the final work on the image (like stretching, cropping etc.) There are some Scripts to stack/align in Gimp but I never used them: https://plus.google.com/communities/102384992102949166364 Here is a video what (very short and no narration) you normally do with GIMP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTR-kuIrGd0 BTW: All my images are postprocessed in GIMP (Version 2.9.x or now 2.10) which has 32bit color depth. And for the topic here done with a Alt/Az mount :) https://goo.gl/photos/fN794VnbNKKwXzdv7 Cheers! Carsten

Different explanation: (maybe I am totally wrong) Point the scope on a big grey card which is emits 100photos per square meter and second. We choose the spacers so that the image will cover our complete sensor (also square) 1 second exposure. Without FR we get a FOV which covers 1 m² == 100 photons. FR 0,5x we now get a FOV od 2x2 m² == 400 photons on the same sensor area! Not sure what this will mean in practice or for "point" lights of stars. And of course if the object will fill the FOV without FR we will not gain anything when we crop our FR image later to one m²... So IMHO it is "faster" but we compare apples with pairs because we basically don't take the same picture... But then imagine taking a 2x2 mosaic without FR, sould be the same image as with FR (when it is perfect and does not swallow any photons). Carsten

Notice how "3D" the zoom effect looks :-) Carsten

Long time no post in this thread from me. I am still using my NexStarSLT Alt/Az Goto Mount but in August I got the chance to do a vacation in south germany and experienced dark skies which are not possible here in the german captial Berlin. So I like to throw in some images here. The M27 is done with my Mak127 and the Nikon D5100. Approx 75 subs at 15s, darks, stacked in DSS, finalizied GIMP 2.9.x. The sky was nice that evening but not as brilliant as for the M31 image. The Andromeda Glx M31 was taken with my Nikon D5100 and a Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm Zoom, 210mm @ f5.6. 17 minutes accumulated light from 20s subs, and darks, stacked in DSS, finalizied GIMP 2.9.x also. The image is only slightly cropped so you can see that my Series 1 lens has a problem in the top left corner... Maybe the plastic D5100 body is not made for such a 1kg heavy old style lens... Andromeda was my first try in that DSO, so I have no comparison. But hell comparing the M27 with my older attempts shows how much a good sky gives you. Of course I think I am now better in image work but.... You can see yourself and see some of my enhancement at my Google photos folder: https://goo.gl/photos/fN794VnbNKKwXzdv7 The today first 11 images are done at the dark spot in bavaria in August. Look at the description, for e.g. M81 and M101 I could only do some handfull images so there is many room for improvement. But you can't do a vacation with your familiy as astro-vampire ;-) Cheers, Carsten

Yea, thought about it myself. HOWEVER. ;-) In my opinion it makes no sense. Alt/Az Mounts are often not made for imaging and so you will run into the next roadblock when the resolution/stability fails for exposures which needs a de-rotator. Of course many big a** mounts in obs are Alt/Az but we are talking hobbyist level here. But yes interesting. Carsten

I personally would stay away from WLAN. It may work for your place with Routers etc. But as soon as you need to span a network "in the wild" it gets complicated. BT made for point 2 point connections works much more reliable in such environment. My 2 cents Carsten

Yes, it is the build in of my laptop. Yes it works as COM port. I think it is just a matter of the driver (or so). BT can work as network (e.g. for sharing a internet connection from a mobile) or serial. This is just a matter of the choosen profile: https://developer.bluetooth.org/TechnologyOverview/Pages/Profiles.aspx Maybe you can just add a COM port to your Dongle. My BT is under network adapters (as PAN and RFCOMM) and COM/LPT. Carsten

I only can encourage you to test it. It works like a charm here from Android or PC. And NO silly "change the port chamge the COM" game anymore. BTW: There is a tool which lets you FIX the COM Port to a specific adapter. Plug in your USB2Ser adapter in any port and it will still get the same COM! Look here: http://www.uwe-sieber.de/comportman.html Cheers, Carsten

Just need to come back to this: YES my visual back was just stuck and came loose in the middle of a iSS solar transit session... I fixed it with two cable tie zips. Just for now. And it stays now that way since... months.... :-) Carsten

This thread was meant to heads up us Alt-Azis ;-) Now it frustrates me more and more... Thats too good! SCNR. Carsten

@SteveNickolls Aeee, thats nice. I could not found what mount you use? Carsten

Yes, I feel a bit guilty with my modifications. However: Just using bluetooth will be completely transparent and works with the 100% original sketch and Ascom Drivers. I think the motor in the image is a bipolar (4 wires) one but the ones used here are more the unipolar ones (5 wires) and I think bipolar ones will probably not work with the original sketch. I had the problem the other way around not getting the 5V motor to work with AStepper Library. Carsten

I predict a time in not far future where Encoder based altaz mounts are so cheap and equipped with single photon catching cams doing autostacking will just outperform any Amateur eq Mount. The signs are there. ? Olly i don't mind your opinion but please(!) don't try to separate a community of hobbyist trying to have fun with such sayings. All photos from the stars are AP no matter how done. Carsten

Oh come in. Its like saying only formula 1 is a real race. With a bike you can also be a good racer. Its a hobby. I would say all the eq mounts are wrong equip. A space telescope is THE right equipment. ?:-) Carsten

I might be interested in having a INDI driver for this fine project. I know orly_andico did it the way to implement the moonlight protocol. I am not sure if I want to go this way. So far I am happy with daves code and my inclusions for my dew heater. So there are two(?) options: Make a Indi plugin(?)/driver for the AAFM2 or hack the arduino code to be moonlite compatible. Opinions? Cheers, Carsten

Uploaded the design and STL files to thingyverse: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1354009 Have fun, Carsten

Thanks, the central part is tight (its one part, maybe you have a loose grip ring?) and the main plate holds good. Will see if it works out in real life. Carsten

So! I switched over to gears. Heringbone gears, wich don't introduce axial forces and have a smooth run because eve at low teeth numbers they have a good contact face. Also they are quite easy to print as the little angle from print layer to printlayer tends to hide little imperfections from the filament or printer, as tradeoff the print is harder to clean. Normally I don't care much for color as long it is black, but my heavy modified velemann broke down during print and for my NEO I had only limited amounts of black filament, so.... Well at least you notice the end of the scope at night quite easy, kids don't touch the gears! ;-) Cheers, Carsten

Great! I just printed some gears. That will introduce more backlash. Carsten

Nice one. I like the look much more than the color full ones (my own included) this gives a good idea how it looks visually. But if you look close you See nice Details in the nebulae. Carsten

https://goo.gl/photos/fN794VnbNKKwXzdv7 My signature was lost ;-) Carsten

Hi. Try regim which is Java and also for mac. http://www.andreasroerig.de/regim/regim.htm Carsten. Some images with my alt\azm mounted mak127 in my SIG.

After pressing Connect you should See A list of devices including your BT module. You choose then the module. I am not 100% sure my APP will work with the original sketch but i guess so. You have to have the same baud rate at the arduino and the BT module. Right now an including this week i cant check because i have no acces to my PC. Carsten

Just read these few 30+ pages here ;-) Carsten