Spaced Out

OK, no replies ! Here's an update then. I've dibbled on with this and started using AllSkEye software to take some more test shots to try and find the best settings before running it for real. I've used a hot pixel map in the software too and I have discovered that those red dots in my first image are actually stars. It was cloudy last night but another test shot revealed no hot pixels where there was cloud, but the small areas of clear sky has the same stars including some orange looking ones ! I have also improved the focus to get tighter stars, I did this by focusing in the daytime on a house chimney over 30m away, seemed to do the trick. Next job is to see if I can improve the white balance a bit and then learn more about the AllSkEye software which looks really useful. 👍

Hi All I’ve just bought some gubbins to make a DIY all sky cam, hoping to knock something up this week. I’ve got a ZWO ASI 224 MC for this little project and I used it for the first time tonight just to test it out. I’ve only really used DSLRs before and never used sharpcap either so not a clue what I was doing with it all tbh ! Anyway, this is my first test image from my back garden. Thin cloud, perhaps focus isn’t perfect but I was happy that I got some stars and even a bit of Milky Way in there. I do have 2 questions..... 1 - I was quite shocked at what appears to be LOTS of hot pixels (red and blue dots). I assume these are hot pixels I am seeing here and not bright stars ? The colours seem too bright but I can only see one red dot in the dark corners of the image ? If they are hot pixels, is this normal for this sort of camera ? It was a 30 second exposure with gain set to around 320. 2 – What is the best way to achieve perfect focus ? I am using the Arecont 1.55mm lens which is really fiddly (it shifts when you lock the focus), especially outside in the dark with cold fingers ! I am just wondering whether it’s worth trying to set up the focus in the daytime which should be easier, and if anyone knows the infinity focus distance for this particular lens ? Thanks for any advice you can offer !

Ok, I thought I’d post a little update here just in case it is helpful to anyone. As suggested by Waldemar above I bought some boot warmers/dryers. https://www.amazon.co.uk/PYapron-Heatable-Electric-Sterilizetion-19-5X6-5X4-5cm/dp/B08254M8FN/ref=sr_1_17?keywords=shoe%2Bdryer%2Belectric%2Bgreen&qid=1578930095&sr=8-17&th=1 I have placed these by the mount under a breathable waterproof cover. I put a Velcro strap around the cover below the mount to stop it blowing away, this is loosely tied to allow some airflow. A sensor at the mount tells me the boot warmers raise the temperature under the cover to around 4°C above ambient and the humidity under the there is 15% less than the ambient humidity. After a couple of weeks monitoring day and night this has remained pretty constant. I have checked under there a few times on mornings when everything is dripping wet and the mount is dry so I think this approach is working for me. 👍

Thanks for this reply, good to know that USB2 works OK for all sky stuff with these cams. 👍

That's great info, thank you !

Hi All I am in the process of planning a simple DIY all sky camera and I have 2 questions. 1 - I was going to use the tried and tested ZWO ASI120MC but I am wondering if there is any merit in spending a little more for the ZWO ASI224MC ? Is the image quality any better ? 2 - I am going to use an old laptop to run this setup, it only has USB2 ports, will this be a problem with these newer USB3 cameras ? Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

This might help re star shape/spacing.

I'm using these to fine tune the spacing, and for larger threads I just snip them with a pair of scissors and stretch them to fit around, it leaves a gap but still does the job of spacing OK. They have a good range of thickness to help fine tune things. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-t2-delrin-spacer-ring-set.html

I'm just learning about calibration frames at the moment too. Never bothered with them before, too lazy and when I did try them a couple of times it never worked very well. Anyway I've decided it's time to try again and see if I can learn to use them properly this time. Youtube has a few tutorials when it comes to astrophotography processing in photoshop, I learnt a few basic bits from there, worth having a browse. There are also some photoshop actions you can buy for about £15 or so.... I guess they’re a reasonable short cut. https://www.prodigitalsoftware.com/AstronomyToolsActions.html

That's a fantastic pic ! I'd be proper chuffed with that as my first image with new gear. I'm a novice but learning about this stuff is all part of the fun (and occasionally frustration too !). I'm sure you’ll learn a few little photoshop tricks over time but tbh I think you've done a really good job with this already !

Hi All I have a Skywatcher 200PDS telescope (+ the 130PDS) and I would like to try some lunar imaging with a DSLR. I’ve read that Tele Vue Powermates are popular for this purpose and I’m wondering if it is worth investing in one ? Would it get me in that much closer ? At the moment I can’t even get the moon to fill the frame, I’d like to get some closer shots of craters if possible, is that unrealistic with my gear ? If it is possible then which magnification would be the most useful to get ? Thanks

I had the sports version for wildlife but got rid of it. One of the things that really bugged me was zoom movement/lens creep you are talking about. Maybe I got a duff one but I found the little switch to lock the zoom wasn't great and would often release itself. Granted moving around and shooting wildlife is different to chucking it onto a mount but maybe just worth keeping an eye on that little switch. Never used mine for astro but got some nice wildlife shots with it, no worries about image quality so would be interested to hear how you get on. Here’s my moon effort with an old Sigma 500mm prime that I replaced the 150-600mm with. https://www.flickr.com/photos/132427272@N04/40094671413/in/album-72157662674834313/

Hi again OK a little update on this one. I spent last night faffing with spacers, to get things better. Time was limited due to cloud rolling in. The test shot below was about the best I could get it to. It’s an improvement but it still has ‘eggy’ stars in places. I am struggling to interpret this. The even ‘comet like’ coma in all 4 corners has changed and now these “eggy” stars seem less evenly placed. I did find this post useful to understanding CC/FF spacing.... https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/271361-star-elongation-and-reducer-spacing-what-does-it-mean/ So.... I am now thinking either I have spaced too far, or there is focuser tilt involved ? It is a heavy imaging train hanging off a standard Skywatcher focuser. I’m just guessing tho so I’d value a more experienced opinion please ! Maybe I am just expecting too much from the Baader MPCC ?

Thanks for your replies, I will persevere with the spacers and see if I can improve things. Trouble with the spacers is (depending on where I put them) they always mess up where the OAG prism sits compared to the sensor. At the moment I have them all squared up nicely but still have some coma. With regard to uneven illumination, never has this issue with the DSLR, just had an even circle of vignetting all around. With this camera it is definitely worse on the right hand side of frames ?

Hi All I’ve just taken delivery of my first ever dedicated astro camera, ZWO ASI 1600 PRO. It’s very exciting, only ever dabbled about with a DSLR before, I’m a beginner really, so I feel like I’ve plunged into the deep end now ! Lots to learn here. Anyway spent the other night testing it out for the first time, trying to set it up and get things spaced correctly. I am using ZWO filter wheel, ZWO OAG and Baader MK3 CC on a Skywatcher 130 PDS. After lots of fiddling and a couple of fine spacers I’ve got somewhere with it but still have ‘eggy stars’ around the corners. Attached is a test shot. I did a quick collimation of the scope and I thought it looked ok, so I did a star test (pics attached), one side of focus seems not bad, the other side seems a little out maybe ? So..... I am wondering if the eggy stars could just be imperfect collimation ? Or Are the eggy stars still coma/incorrect spacing and if so any idea which way I need to go ? Should I add or remove spacers ? I’ve also noticed when a test image is stretched there seems to be some uneven vignetting, more darkness on the right hand side of the images. That’s probably another issue for another day or perhaps it could be collimation related too ? Any help would be welcome at this stage, lots to learn with this new camera but if I can get past these setting up issues I might actually get to use the thing ! Thanks Gary

Thanks everyone for your replies, I went with the Lacerta Flatfield box 👍

I think if it is well sealed then a mini dehumidifier might work, but don't quote me ! You might want to read this.... sealing and dehumidifiers are mentioned. https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/476665-dew-and-leaving-mounts-outside/

Thanks for this, you've definitely confirmed what I've read elsewhere about the aurora panels good performance but also the dodgy wiring. I am really not keen on the flimsy wiring tbh so I have turned my attention towards the Lacerta flatfield box. Done some more digging but I could only find one person talking about using this product, it sounded positive tho. So my question is....... Does anyone here use the Lacerta flatfield box ? If so, how is it ? I'm very close to pressing the "buy it" button but some positive reviews at this stage would help me !

I'm guessing if moisture is in the air then it can condense on cold surfaces and so a little heat/airflow is the answer to stop the condensation ? Trouble is I don't know much about this or how much heat is required, when I put the dew strap under my cover it made very little difference to the temp or humidity readings on my monitors. I think I'm going to try these boot warmers/dryers now but try to find some with a higher wattage. I also wipe acf-50 spray on all the external surfaces and electrical connections now, I read a review on a motorbike website that compared it with WD40 for corrosion prevention and acf-50 seemed to come out on top. Apparently it's designed for boats, aircraft and electronics so I hope it'll protect the pier and mount a bit. https://www.gtamotorcycle.com/xf/threads/my-year-long-acf-50-vs-wd40-vs-naked-rust-inhibitor-test.178115/

Does the TG have some sort of drawstring at the bottom ? Perhaps you could use a couple of anchor points ? A bit like a tent with tent pegs to keep it pulled down but open a bit for airflow. Tbh I just throw my cover over the pier and if its windy I loosely tie round it with a long velcro strap. This works OK because I have a couple of large electrics boxes attached to either side of the pier tube so I strap it loosely around those and still have a little space free for airflow inbetween the boxes. During calmer weather I just remove the velcro strap for better airflow. I still got condensation when I was away for 2 months, but the strap was left on and I was unable to air it regularly. Defo looking at some of these boot warmers now !

So do you think something like this might work to help prevent condensation with the bottom of the cover kept loose ? 8W in total by the looks of it. Not sure how many W my dew strap is. https://www.amazon.co.uk/544-96-40-01-Husqvarna-Dryer/dp/B009X7T296/ref=sr_1_14?adgrpid=51982905006&gclid=CjwKCAiA58fvBRAzEiwAQW-hzffhmWy6Q4zCZ9NAUHGaiv7KqFfHcgzJvR02o5HC7DxZEjjy66jMLhoCEx8QAvD_BwE&hvadid=259088779880&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1006469&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=5962782815298881069&hvtargid=aud-615477028318%3Akwd-300906308300&hydadcr=13277_1748133&keywords=ski+boot+heater&qid=1576145930&sr=8-14

I've seen on cloudy nights quite a few people in the USA suggesting covering the mount in a plastic bag, sealing it tight with silicia gel type dessicants inside then covering with a weatherproof cover, like this. https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/531555-will-a-telegizmos-or-similar-cover-protect-in-damp-conditions/ Didn't seem to work very well for me tho. I'm thinking keep the bottom open for circulation, I'm liking the boot warmer/towel idea too 👍

This is what I was thinking of ! Should have remembered because I was considering buying one and asking the same questions.... DOH !

I’m very interested in this topic too ! This summer I built a pier in the garden and I now have my HEQ5 sat on it covered in a ‘breathable’ cover. I always kept the cover fairly loose at the bottom, I thought that should help to encourage airflow, I also aired it occasionally on reasonable days too. It seemed ok. Just recently I had to stay away from home unexpectedly for a couple of months, when I returned and checked under the cover the mount was dripping with condensation ! This freaked me out a bit so I put a humidity detector under there, readings were the same inside and out . Next I ran an old dew strap under there, the temp rose by about 1 degree but it didn’t affect the humidity reading at all. Next I kept the strap running, put a silica gel colour changing type dehumidifier under there and sealed it up as air tight as I could with another cover before throwing the original cover over too, the temperature rose by a degree or two and the humidity dropped by just 2%. So what does all this tell me ? I have absolutely no idea because I don't really understand condensation !! For now I am thinking I will just do as before, use a breathable cover left open at the bottom for airflow and give it regular airing, I’ve also taken to regular wipes over the mount and electrical sockets with ACF-50. I could leave the dew strap running too but not sure what benefit that brings, would just 1 degree C make any difference to condensation forming ? PS - I'm sure I also read somewhere that the TG covers are breathable ?

Hi all I am looking at some options for creating flat frames, I know you can make DIY stuff but I need an easy life so I’ve just decided to buy something designed for the purpose. I have spent some time looking at options, the two products I am considering are.... https://www.gerdneumann.net/english/astrofotografie-parts-astrophotography/aurora-flatfield-panels/uebersicht-aurora-flatfield-panels-overview/aurora-flatfield-leuchtfolie-d220mm-mit-12v-inverter.html & https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p11096_Lacerta-LED-Flatfield-Box-with-240-mm-usable-Diameter---with-Dimmer.html I’ve been looking for user reviews of these two products online. What I’ve read so far suggests the aurora panels are good in terms of producing the image but they have rubbish flimsy wiring that fails a lot. That doesn’t appeal to me tbh. The lacerta panel is a bit of a mystery, I’ve not been able to find very much from actual users of the product. So my question is....... Does anyone own either of these products and would they like to comment on their experience using them (particularly the Lacerta panel). Thanks in advance for any info/advice you can offer.