Peco4321

Sombrero galaxy Not quite sure this is worthy of posting but this was a tricky thing for me to find so quite pleased all the same, and I didn't have long before trees and house roofs spoilt the fun. Only about 12 x 30 sec ISO 800 plus bias.

Thanks, so I just need to increase shutter speed up to what sort of level then please?

Yes it does make sense thanks @bobro, I will have another go. I seem to get flats with a darkish band at the top then quite bright white. I usually leave the camera connected once packed up after a session and go back the next day some time so focus is the same etc and I put it in AV mode and take about 20 images pointing up at a bright sky but not at the sun (as it's always bloody clear in the day) with a white pillow case over the scope. I will persevere, also, I'll post a flat on here sometime for advise as well.

Great session last night, getting better at polar alignment all the time, and picking up some processing tips. These are my best yet of each target, M3 and the Leo Triplet. I can get about 45-60 sec exposure but my intervelometer only does 30 or bulb, so these are all 30 sec as I couldn't be bothered to stand and click all night. All at ISO 1600, no darks or flats as I really struggle with flats. I also renamed the master bias frame to re-use as a master dark, as I think that was mention a few pages ago. Anyway, here you go, again cc appreciated.

Have you tried: http://nova.astrometry.net/

Had a great night on Saturday finding 3 new objects for me, M3, M53 and The Blackeye Galaxy. I managed to image all 3 to varying degrees of success, my focus was out on both global clusters unfortunately so stacking produced pretty rubbish results although a single sub of 30 seconds with a passing satellite is quite pleasing. Blackeye galaxy was a bit better so here's 20 x 30 secs ISO 800, 10 x bias stackedypp in DSS and stretched a bit in GIMP. One of these days I'll get data over an hour!!

That's an amazing picture, simply breathtaking. What camera are you using.

School boy error last night on the Leo Triplet, I forgot to change to RAW!! Looks like I had polar alignment quite good as well looking at the middle star. Anyway, stacked 20 lights, 30 sec ISO 800, darks and bias, no flats.

And another one from last night, M92, again, only about 5 mins of lights.

Went to a dark site last night, my sisters house, I was mainly getting shots of her house with the stars in the background as I have been promising her it for a while now, but before packing up, I got my scope set up as I noticed Vega was out therefore the Ring Nubula, and also Hercules. I got the Ring Nebula last year and M13, but since then I have motors and the improvement is great (to me anyway!). Only about 5 mins of 30 sec exposures on each, ISO 800, as it was getting late, I will be back for more soon, dark sites with wide open horizons are amazing. Added darks, bias and flats for once! Stacked in DSS and stretched a bit in GIMP.

These are cracking images @Stub Mandrel.

Doh!

Well this sort of belongs on this thread, 40x 20 sec ISO 3200 darks and bias but no lights, stretched and tinkered with mainly to so show all 3 objects, 2 of which are DSO's.

Sorry, should have said. Skywatcher 150p, canon 1100d at prime focus.

Here's my latest attempt at the Whirlpool galaxy last night, it was a bit windy and clouds kept rolling in, but I must have had polar alignment and focus really good as I managed 60sec subs and one at 75 sec, ISO 1600, in total only 6 images as it was late, but really pleased with a bit of care I can get this length sub. Stacked with bias frames, no darks or lights in DSS and processed a bit in GIMP.

That's great, thanks for your efforts. Cloudy nights will give me plenty of time to improve processing, but it's great to see what's possible.

My first ever capture of M101 Pinwheel Galaxy 35 x 25 sec ISO 1600, 11 x Darks, 20 x Flats, 20 x Bias, stacked as ever in DSS and stretched in GIMP, obviously need to get more time on this, but it was windy and cold, was a bit of a last minute session as the neighbours had bright lights on till late and I didn't quite have my mind on it, had lost my mojo for the night I think!! Anyway, here you go, any pointers appreciated.

New object for me last night under a brightening sky due to the moon, The Eskimo Nebula in Gemini, NGC2392, 85x25 sec, varying between ISO 400 and 800, 30x bias no darks or flats, skywatcher 150p on eq3-2 enhanced dual motors, canon 1100d. 2nd pic zoomed in and inverted.

If your set up is the same as mine, 150p, you will get focus. I attach Canon 1100d at prime focus with canon t ring, focus all the way in to 1 fingers width, and that's about focused. Pick a bright star in live mode to refine the focus, even better with a Bahtinov mask.

All my efforts are with no modifications at all except tightening the collimation screws most of the way in, read that tip on SGL somewhere. I have about 1 fingers width left at the focus tube which I always use as a rough guide when setting up. I did recently purchase a Bahtinov mask and that does help, well worth the £12ish.

Me too.

Welcome aboard.

Thanks, will try messing later to see if I can match your efforts. Cheers.

So I added some flats, 30 to be precise, and not sure if much different, please jump in if you think I can do anything else. I do love this picture anyway, I think this thread, amongst all the great advise, really shows our love of what we can achieve with our modest set ups. Whilst messing with processing (it is clear outside but I was out last night till gone 02:00!!), I also noticed a load of other galaxies thrown in for free, I have checked these and on the 2nd image, from the left they are, NGC5229, IC4278, IC4263 and NGC5169.

So I've been out this afternoon and with the camera on the scope pointing at a cloudy sky, set to AV, I took 30 frames. Is that all I need? Sorry for ignorance flats are new to me. Can I just keep these for use every time?