Susaron

C/2017 Panstars K2 the same night that M22. One 300s sub with the SW130PDS and QHY168C.

Cheers

Last try before summer break, here in Spain M22 is a little bit low but I gave it a try. 12 subs of 300s with the QHY168C Gain 10, Offset 50. Barely processed with Pix.

Cheers.

Mario.

Well last weekend I took again my 130PDS Moonlite tuned to the skies in La Mancha (Spain). Here the result around the Leo Triplet.

3.5h with the QHY168C Gain 10, Offset 50, Temp : -10ºC

Cheers.

It is been ages since I posted something here. Just an urban picture from comet Leonard with M3. 15 x 10s s at ISO 12600 with the Nikon 5600 attached to the SW130PDS.

Here you have a complete image taken last Saturday with the ED72 + QHY168C + TS x0.79 + Optolong L-eNhance filter + AZEQ5 set up from La Mancha fields in Spain.

36x300s subs + calibration frames processed with Pix.

Cheers.

Mario.

The insulation for the tripod legs is usefull when you tidy up with -5 degrees and you don't want to frost your hands.

The camping mat around the scope keeps the scope at temperatures above zero C, so dew and frost take longer time to develop. Also it keeps focusing stable along the night.

Cheers

11 hours ago, aatdalton said:

Hi all! I'm excited to be joining you in a couple weeks as I've got a 130PDS on order (to Alaska!). 

I was wondering what options people have used most successfully to mount a guidescope? I'll have a coma corrector and DSLR hanging off the front end so I assume I don't want to use the built in finder bracket. Scope is going to be a 50mm with helical focuser and ASI120MC-S.

Thanks! I'm excited to get working with this awesome setup. 

Looking forward to see your photographs.

To mount the guide scope I do use a steel plate from a housestore. Then a 3d printed bracket to hold the guidescope.

9 hours ago, lnlarxg said:

Hi, which camera did you use to take this? I didn’t have any success on the Markarian chain using my Canon 550d modded and 60s exposures on the 130pds

Didn’t manage to capture any useful luminance data from these galaxies

Since one and a half year ago, I do use the QHY168C, moving from dslr to a dedicated camera boost your productivity.

I would recommend you either the ASI1600mm or the qhy163m ( both 4/3'' sensors). For color the Asi071 or qhy168c, these in aps-c format.

Cheers.

Mario

56 minutes ago, rotatux said:

Not such a frequent subject. Pluging into the zoomed image to see the details in M106 is a delight.

Also zooming there are lots of small galaxies.

There we go with another SW130PDS shoot.

3h 10min in 5min subs of M106 and her neighbours from La Mancha fields. Taken last Saturday. QHY168C + SW130PDS + MPCC + AZEQ5 + Optolong L-Pro

Cheers.

Mario.

10 hours ago, Adam J said:

Nice detail in the galaxies, just a shame about the background, have you used flats? Or is this just a moon related issue?

The flats I did created a red background, and the color correction given by pix was almost brown. So I processed without flats.

Markarian Chain with reviewed color correction.

4 hours ago, mAnKiNd said:

After almost two long years of wanting this scope, having backordered one which never showed up two summers ago and much time spent reading through this magnificent thread...I finally got me a 130PDS!

Gratitude to all the people who have contributed to this topic and kind thanks to FLO for sending me one to New York, as SW doesn't offer this line here in the states.

First light details here:

https://www.astrobin.com/404973/

Clear Skies and wishes to you all for the best

Minos

Wellcome to the community. 

We had clear skies last Saturday in Spain, so there was the time to shoot something.

Markarian Chain 34x300s subs, taken with the SW130PDS (Moonlite Focuser)+ AZEQ5 + QHY168C + Optolong L-Pro + Lots of DIY things.

Cheers

Mario.

It´s been a long time since I did my last picture with the Sw130PDS. I switched temporarely to the ED72 for Winter big nebula season. Also the pinch problems and astigmatism put the SW130PDS aside. I did a huge overhaul to the scope, fitting finally an Arduino controlled focuser (that one from Bob Brown), and also I checked the position of the secondary.

Last Saturday though there were high clouds around Madrid, there was a cloudless window of 2hrs, so I tried something.

40x60s subs + darks + bias, SW130PDS+AZEQ5+QHY168C+Optolong L-Pro+ countless gadgets fitted around the scope.

M3 globular cluster.

1 hour ago, Uranium235 said:

Just a quick 2 hour pop at M51, no proper calibration though so its a bit on the rough side. Also had a bit of flex somewhere, but I will track that down and eliminate it.

(taken with the ASI178MM cool)

I would like to see this with color anytime

For galaxy hunting with the 130PDS I am waiting for the QHY550M cooled, but it seems to be QHY dedicates more time to make big sensors than to this small camera. ☹️

Another one from.the same night, 17x300s subs. 

3 hours ago, Shelster1973 said:

Any more info on that pic susaron? Camera, subs etc?

is an amazing image and wish I could capture something half as decent and would be a happy camper

Hdr with 20x5s subs + 20x180s subs, calibrated, taken with the QHY168c Gain 10, offset 30, temp -10C. Idas lps d1 filter.

Taken with the ED72

It is camping mat, for the frosty nights.

Maybe the administrator should move this thread to other Imaging section.

Here another picture taken with the ED72, this time I used the IDAS D1 filter coupled to the QHY168C. 34x300s subs under bortle 6-7 skies.

Best Regards.

Mario.

That x shape stars is astigmatism. The same thing I suffered. Check the distance to the coma corrector and also relief a little bit the clips on the main mirror cell as they are hardly tighten and can create stress on the mirror.

My focus point with the ts is approximately the same than.in knobby's picture