Chefgage

Morning all. I was out last night running a few tests and hoping to get some images. Equipment being used is a heq5 pro ed72 refractor and DSLR with asi120mm mini guidscope. All controlled by an asiair pro. When dithering the mount takes a little while to settle down after the dither has taken place. Is there an option to set a time after the dither takes place for the DSLR to then take the next picture? There is a setting for an interval time but this just puts a delay between the last image being taken and the start of the dithering. My settings are stability 2", settle time 15s, pixels 5. I assume that the settle time is one to use but it takes maybe 30 seconds to settle down. So the next image starts when the guiding has still not gone back to normal. On a 240 second exposure this does not seem to effect the image regards star trails even though the start of the image is being taken while the guiding rms error is still poor. But it would be nice to have the guiding back to normal before the next image is being taken.

I don't know what your first go was like but this is a very nice image.

Just had a look and to achieve focuse I need to pull the camera out by 27mm and have the focuser out by 30mm. But like I said I have a different guide scope (astro essentials 32mm f/4) but the measurements might get you somewhere near.

With regards the iso of 800 that seems to be the sweet spot for my canon 200d. I very rarely change that given my bortle 8 skies.

I have a slightly different guide scope (although 32mm at f/4). I found a YouTube video where the person actually gave the measurements of how far out the camera needs to be and also how far out the focuser needs to be. I did this and was very close to being in focus.

This does sound like a focusing issue. I had the static/fuzzy like image when using my asi120mm mini. But when I got it into focus everything came together. I would suggest trying to get it to focus during the daytime in some distant object and then fine tune it at night. I was surprised how far I had to extend the focuser (different guide scope to you but still). Also sometimes you need the extension tubes that came with the asi120mm mini.

Well mine did too. Still happy I was out there learning to reduce my setup time. Going out shortly to get it all set up again to try again tonight.

Mmmmmm. Well I am sat inside now after getting everything set up, nicely framed, got dithering working (first time trying) and then the clouds rolled in!!! Going to give it another 10 to 20 minutes and then take everything back in.

Sounds good, thanks. Yes that's a good idea to compare results. Bit jealous of your bortle 6 skies, although sometimes clear outside says my skys are bortle 5. They definelty are not unless everyone and the steel works switches the lights off at night

I am planning imaging the Eastern veil nebula. This will be done using a modified DSLR, heq5 pro mount, ed72 refractor. The question being would it be best imaging this in narrowband using an L-Enhance filter so imaging in Ha, Hb and O3. Or image it in RBG using my cls-ccd light pollution filter. The skies are bortle 8. My thoughts are maybe to do it in narrowband and then blend in RGB for better star colours?? Your thoughts?

I am new to pixInsight but I find doing the dynamic background extraction rather than the automatic gives better results. The ADE seems to produce weird gradients around the image (similar to yours). But using DBE subtraction results in a better image.

From the log it mentions dithering. Is this the case and if so have you tried it with the dithering turned off?

When doing your test images what iso are you using?

I don't sort of agree with this. I have bortle 8 skies. My canon is modified. When framing the target I can see the nebula when doing a test 20 second exposure. So it could be other issues with the OP not seeing any nebulosity.

And now I let the asiair do it for me Although doing it sort of manually is more satisfying

In the early days of myself using the star adventurer I used this method. Raise the iso to something like 6400 (although that would depend on your sky conditions). Point the scope at an area of sky where you can see a known sky (naked eye). Take a 10 second exposure. Then compare the stars you see on the image with the picture you see on an app such as skysafari (I recommend this one). You can then match up what you see in your image with what you see in sky safari. It takes some practice but this is what I did to manually find targets to image.

My quick two pence on this is you have stated you would like to keep your DSLR for non-astro work. I had my DSLR modified and while I am very happy with the result in the amount of Ha data I can see I kind of wish I had just waited a bit and saved for a dedicated camera. The reason being there is times I would also like to use my DSLR for non-astro although I suppose I could still do that with a clip in filter.

Very nice image indeed. I remember a long time ago finally seeing this visually. I had spent a good hour star hopping trying to find this using my 200p Newtonian. The excitement when a finally found it!

If you compare it to the cost of all the other gear that generally people buy then I think it's just a small amount of money. As the processing side of things is a very bit part of astrophotography in my opinion then yes it is value for money. I have just bought a filter for about £200.

I would definitely agree with this. I would try and find a method that uses software to polar align effectively for you. An example I use is the asiair pro with does a similar thing as stated above. It first plate solves then moves the scope/camera 60 degrees in RA then plate solves again. This way it knows where Polaris is an also the error in direction between where the scope is pointing and where the mount is pointing. That way it then tells you how to adjust the mount so it is polar aligned. This is good as although the scope/camera is above the mount so you would think that the polar alignment would not be correct as the camera is not pointing through the mount, but the software takes care of this.

Thanks, might take a look at some point. It's ok for now though as I use the asiair to polar align. Saves my knees and back from having to look through the polar scope

That's ok then. Does not cause me a bother I just thought maybe they had put mine together back to front! Also to get the hour clock on the polar scope right the mount need to be like this

Something I have just noticed on my HEQ5 pro. I don't use the polar scope as I use the polar align routine on the ASIAIR pro. But I have just noticed that if the mount is in the home postion with the scope pointing up towards Polaris the polar scope hole is blocked by the declination bar that runs through the mount. This bar has a hole in it so you can see Polaris through the polar scope. But to do this you need the scope to be horizontal as shown in the attached picture. That does not seem right to me?

That is what I was thinking. To get a new moon and clear skies to line up is very rare.

Thanks everyone for the replies.