RolandKol

1 hour ago, TheCounter said:

Finally, my custom Monorail base mount arrived. I designed this with a CAD program and a friend cut it out of a aluminum block. It fits even better than the original Skywatcher base!

Can't wait to do some testing.

On the image you can see the new base at the bottom, with the TS Monorail focuser on top. I also added a motorized focuser. Plugged inside the focuser tube is a TS Superflat GPU coma corrector with exactly 53mm spacing, a IR/UV cut filter and on the top is a "Visual Back T2 to 1.25"" adapter for using the collimation tools with the GPU installed.

Looks solid!

I hope to see some NonCroped test results

And I am Very curious, - what are these 4 bolts for?

Never had this scope...

But my SW 130PDS had exactly the same egg shaped stars/coma while imaging without a coma corrector...

However, your scope manufacturer states it should be coma free...

Not sure, and do not know  what collimation steps your already done, - maybe it could cause it, but I doubt it would for F8 system.

Not sure if it will help

But after I have "circumcised" mine, - I used a black permanent marker to darken the place of the "injury"... And never had a problem... So cannot confirm...

But Aluminum is very reflective.... it must be it.

5 hours ago, cuivenion said:

Cheers, might try something like that myself. I'm guessing the tube does have to be orthagonal, I wonder if I can use the tilt adjusters on the focuser to counteract the tilt caused by strong tensioning.

You probably could... 

If you would adjust the focuser's base plate angle accordingly, - to keep drawtube at 90 degree angle.

But l would not advise to go this way, unless you are experienced in collimation of the secondary mirror alongside with missplaced focuser...

1 hour ago, cuivenion said:

Hi, when using the focuser with a heavier camera on my 130pds I've noticed that I have to really twist hard to get the locking screw to stop the focuser from slipping, but this introduced tilt. I've tried tensioning the focuser to the point where the locking screw isn't needed (really tight) but that pushes the focuser tube so that it's no longer orthagonal.

If I tension the focuser in this way can I just recollimate to account for the the focuser tube no longer being orthagonal?

I've read a couple of guides but they only really tell you what the various screws do and not really any of the finer points on setting up a focuser.

I had the similar problem...

Unfortunately, - not much advise from my side, as focusers on 130PDS are probably not the best quality (but for such a price!)...

To solve the issue, I tensioned it a bit more than it was out of the box (to get rid of any possible tilt after meridian flip) and attached DIY autofocuser which holds cam+EFW in place and prevents possible slippage. .

I wonder how would "Elon Musk" look like on such a cam?
 

Hi again once more time...
While playing around with the drawtube cap and Dark subs during a daytime I have diagnosed one disturbing hole in the scope...

I wonder if everyone has it in the same place.... I flocked mine and I afraid I placed primary incorrectly.

And usual temp solution which I don't like....

Hi guys,

Just a funny toy or idea on how to make Dark subs even darker

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4349721

1 hour ago, oymd said:

Thanks for your reply

Well, I have a mobile setup, so every time I setup, I thread the reducer and camera on, so the Camera orientation is different every time.

Also, Since I setup in the garden every time, the mount may slew to 63 on one side and on another night might do it from the other side.

In that case, it is most likely the best you can get...

of course, if you would load up raw files to any kind of viewer and visually compare the first and the last image of each group, - you would be sure what has happened with the orientation.

Sorry, but I have checked this post on the PC just now...  Not sure if you were concerned about the frame...
I would be more concerned about that pattern you've got...

I never had/seen it before....
But it doesn't look like the error of the grouping... 
Maybe the cause of the Panel used for Flats... Or some other settings on DSS  
Sorry, Apollo13, I am not useful here

The problem,

I image from under the trees....

They always add few tens of gigabits extra....

One leaf even looked like a slime... 

I was lucky!!! No Primary Mirror surgery were needed

I found a new method to download the huge amount of subs just in a few seconds!!!

I have a slight feeling, l am not the first one who been entertaining neighborhood in such a manner

9 hours ago, oymd said:

Ok...Houston, we've had a problem.

I opened the stacked file in PI, and after I stretched it, there is something wrong. I never saw this before?

Apollo13... We need more data...

Can you please check if both groups  been pictured at the same camera orientation?

I am sad to see it... Not sure what to advice...

29 minutes ago, Dan13 said:

I'll will have a play arround and see what works best for me and my mount. After seeing all the info here I'm wandering if keeping it how it was may just do the trick but will def try the exposure time change and see what that brings.

And do not forget to test how your guiding performs after the Meridian Flip.. Especially if you balanced it East Heavy and you do not adjust weights after the flip.
In my case, (it does not mean it will happen to you also), East Heavy was not an option... Yes, it had quite a better guiding results on the East side, but not on the West...
So I stayed with a completely balanced setup with a bit worse, but constant guiding results (around 0.7 - 0.8 Total RMRS) on Both sides of the Meridian, but without any manual adjustments, - means, I can sleep.

Before you push the guiding to the limits, - you should know values which are enough for your imaging.
Thanks to @vlaiv who has explained it to me few years ago, however I am not so bright and do not remember all of the maths
But as per your set up, - I am almost sure, even with 1 Total RMS error, - you will not notice much difference (or no difference at all) at the final image if you will compare it with 0.7 guiding.
(especially with a shorter subs, - somewhere below 3min)

34 minutes ago, oymd said:

Main Group:

Darks

Group 1:

Older Ls, Fs & DFs

Group 2:

Newer Ls, Fs & DFs

Many thanks

Looks like as doctor prescribed

All good, Click Next!

P.S.

You can also choose the "best" Light sub you want the rest of the subs to be aligned to, if not, DSS will decide for you.

In my case with NEQ6 + 130PDS, guiding via EvoGuide +Asi120MM Mini

If I increase subs to 2-3s, I get results above 1.2 Total RMS...

1s produces around 0.7 - 0.8 Total RMS, which is enough for me, plus, calibration and PHD graph settling gets faster on 1s

Not everything works nice and as prescribed....

39 minutes ago, cuivenion said:

Cheers Roland I'm cooling with a peltier:

The sensor was stable at -5c. The image is still noisy because I was using high gain 30s subs and you generally need a lot more subs using that method. Unfortunately it was quite windy as well so longer exposures were out. Hopefully I'll get better results in calmer weather.

Mate!
Your cooling system is much more impresive than the image of M51!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow

38 minutes ago, cuivenion said:

Did an M51 with my 130pds last night. I was testing out my new cooling sytem for my ASI224. The near full moon has washed it out quite a lot but I'm still quite happy with it for 2 hours exposure.

Very nice result with such a cam

I think to test mine on DSO also, but afraid to invest time in Bortle 8-9 skies....

Have you cooled it with cooler only? Or with peltier also?

6 hours ago, wimvb said:

Great narrative and image. Unfortunately you can't dodge LP photons, the stream in along with target photons, and after dbe/abe, you're left with their associated noise.

A diy cloud sensor isn't too difficult.

Thanks,

Anyway, l have a feeling, it can be done better

Manual stacking is probably the way to go with a proper sub rejection formula.

I hoe to find a free evening for that.

As per cloud sensor, - unfortunately l am not bright enough to create one myself from scratch... And l cannot yet find any drafts online to reproduce... 

Did my best...

Anyway still very noisy.....

I don't think I can do any better....

(all initial images used.... no time to sort best of the best for the next stack)...

Hi guys,

I tried to enjoy the Moonless skies last week, "Mein Kampf" is described in the link below

Would be glad if someone would advise on how to improve....
Increase gain, or reduce to 0?

I am almost sure, any way I choose, LRGB will be noisy... very noisy...

Maybe someone has a good link to RGB noise reduction tutorial on Pixinsight?

On 28/04/2020 at 19:34, CCD Imager said:

Many moons ago (around 20), I lived in Dulwich, so can sympathise with you. You best bet is to concentrate on narrowband imaging of nebulae, of which there are many many targets. There are some bright objects like open star clusters and globular clusters that are worthwile imaging. Then secondly, if you can, take you kit out of London to a much darker sky and image broadband objects.

As long as you are enjoying your hobby, then it doesnt matter how much light pollution you have and I think you have done very well with the above image from near central London.

Adrian

Thanks Adrian,

And you are correct, - I do mostly go NB way, but in the current period of the year, all possible Nebulas are heavily guarded by my back-garden trees

Plus, At LAST, I had some clear and Moonless skies, - so it was worth a try  

I am almost sure, - I will manage to improve this image by selecting better subs to stack, plus... I still suffer from the "two left hands" syndrome in the pixinsight area....

Semi-quick result from all that mess I have got...

Extremely  noisy....

This is RolandKol Dairy:

G channel was finished at 18:43

Next day on 28/04/2020: 

L  @04:51 

B @13:27

Totals

2010 subs split into:

L30s x 68 = 34min (hmmm should be around 1 hour... clouds... I hate clouds)

L15s x 570 = 142.5min

R30s x 461 = 230min

G30s x 368 = 184min

B30s x 543 = 271.5 min

All in all, - 862min or 14.37 hours

Stacking took 26 hours.... Lets see what it brings.....

Will not repeat that ever again for sure 

(However, - maybe I should stack 20% best of the best, they probably have less high-level clouds??? and compare??? hmm... But how to choose them?  OK, - not now... someday... PC needs some rest...)

This is RolandKol Dairy:
15:27 The first one, R channel, not yet integrated....
(I was way too optimistic thinking 5 hours will be enough....)

15:34 R channel Finished... (goodness)

This is RolandKol Dairy:

11:46 PixInsight got frozen...

Decided to wait and see if it will get back to work....

12:00 PixInsight alive and back in action!  
it was close!

Current process, - "Integration of R channel". Soon I will have 1 file to compare with the previous one.