teoria_del_big_bang

30 minutes ago, trailer said:

Stellarmate has a dedicated app as well. I haven't used any of the options mentioned but maybe the app gives you a bit more flexibility than going in via VNC for instance?

Yes I have had a go with the ap and I think it is very good. Only issue I have is that I struggle seeing things on my 17" screen laptop and just impossible on my phone, but that is an age thing and probably on out of date glasses prescription 🙂 

But despite not using the app I have stuck with stellarmate and for £50 I think is value for money. Yes you can load just about everything it has yourself for free but to save the hassle it isn't a big price to pay. But AstroBerry is probably exactly the same, although there were a couple of things that were just a bit more tricky to setup, and I never could get it to think I wan't in Poland, but that again is probably me not the software, so still not really much to choose between them except AB is free 🙂 

Steve

9 hours ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

The promised clear skies didn't fully materialise, but as I had set up the APM 80 mm F/6 with TRF-2008 0.8x reducer, Optolong L-eXtreme filter and Canon EOS 550D (modded), I might as well give it a go. Only manage 1 h of data between scudding starnds of hazy clouds, but I am not unhappy with the result.

Funny isn't it how most  imagers are never totally happy with their images (myself included).
Considering the conditions most of us have to contend with just to get a few hours of useable data it really is a miracle we actually can image anything but the brightest DSO's but this site alone puts up spectacular images every day.

I think that is a great image, even better when brightened up slightly. For 1 hour of data in not ideal conditions it is actually incredible  so not surprised you are "not unhappy with it" 🙂 

Steve  

Managed to get some data for the first time since early September on clear night last week.
Unfortunately all did not go well and ended up discarding over half the images so ended up with the following:

Ha   8 x 6 min 
OIII 6 x 6 min
SII   6 x 6 min

Steve

Just now, ollypenrice said:

😄 Discount for rear wheel drive...

🤣lly

I will remember that, just hope travel is back on soon otherwise it will be  all electric 🙂 

1 minute ago, Craney said:

Salma Hayek might need to vacate the passenger seat to get the full set of AstroDon's, Chromas and Baaders in ......  

Blimey those AstroDon's must be good

1 minute ago, Craney said:

I do not know Ollie, but he sounds like he likes a 'proper' car and can get the most out of it.

One day, fingers crossed.... I'll book a month at his place and turn up in one of these.....

Oh I see.
I take it you will not be taking your own gear with you then otherwise you are going to have to get one hell of a "grab and go" to fit it all in that.

But turning up in  that would be something 🙂 

Steve

All printed - final version (V03) and I think you will be happy, so long as cables fit okay - but if not that is easily fixed with a slight redesign and reprint.

No screws and all sections seem to clip together securely.

And only weights 80g .

Message me your full name & address and I will get it off Monday. 

Steve

9 minutes ago, Craney said:

......just take a little time to think about the choice of hire car....

Is this advice from experience - not totally sure what you mean 😕

1 minute ago, kirkster501 said:

Seriously mate, you'll get a lot more benefit learning from Ollie than you will buying the filters.

Oh I realized that a while ago 🙂 

Wow, thata an incredible stretch but very effective and agree with you entirely about the resulting image.

Steve

Just wondered what someone with more experience thinks about these flats. These are just auto stretched in PI.

A lot of the round blobs seem to line up on all images so I assume are dust bunnies ir some form of contamination on either camera or one of the lenses but what causes the really dark arc to the right on the OIII flat. I think there is something similar but feinter on the Ha but cant really see it on the SII.

Steve

2 minutes ago, Laurin Dave said:

For further comparison here is another Rosette shot last Saturday night from Bortle4/5 in the UK and with the Moons at 76% and near the Hyades..    20x 1200s , Astrodon 5nm, Esprit100, SX46 (Kaf16200 ccd) Mesu...    luckily the Rosette is bright.

Somewhat lower SNR than Olly's but still pretty good..  If the Baader really is 4.5nm then it ought to be pretty close to the Astrodons..  With your Oiii and Sii filters if you do get halos there are processing methods to mitigate them including of course StarNet., there are plenty of excellent SHO images around that weren't taken with Astrodons or Chromas.   Also you might find, like I have that you much prefer imaging in "natural colour" ..  

Dave

 

 

Nice 🙂 

Similar LP to my patio probably and funnily  enough it seems to be a quirk in my part of the UK that clear nights only happen when moon is more than 70% so that should be achievable for me.

To be honest I have had very little use out of my LRGB filters so far due to the moon always being so bright on the clear nights (I wasn't joking 🙂 ) but would like to get more use out of them.

Steve

2 hours ago, Jason B said:

I'm going to stop looking at this section of the astro lounge because I'm starting to get really jealous of other members' gear 🤣

Ha Ha 🙂

Yes I did that a long while ago, just happened to see your comment on the latest posts on the main forum page and it made me chuckle otherwise I try not to look 🙂 
I used to look and ended up costing me a fortune and then somebody always buys something better just as you receive something, I just wish I did not have such a materialistic nature.

Steve

3 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Here's a link to 24x15 minutes of Ha from a  rear wheel drive Astrodon 3nm filter, Atik 11000 and Tak FSQ106N, all Mesu 200 mounted. See what you think.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3pdjgw6il2dqihm/Ha3NM 24X15.tif?dl=0

Olly

Now I am just jealous. 

Just fantastic, what can I say.

But, how much of the success of that Ha image is down to filters, and how much to scope, camera, viewing conditions & dark skies ?
I imagine the filters do play a big part but the biggest plus must be the dark skies and lack of LP (in my novice mind anyway) and as @vlaiv says the 3nm filter coupled with lack of LP is what pulls all that detail out.

Much of that I am not going to get from my patio and having to travel more on clear nights I know is probably the best upgrade I can have, we do have some relatively good dark skies in the Dales so I need to use them, and then maybe the difference between the Baader 4.5nm and Astrodon 3nm is still there but not so obvious. 
And my aims are continual improvement of the final image, so there are lots of other stuff I can do to achieve that before paying a few K for new filters and also still a lot to learn on the processing side yet as well.

The better filters may come one day, not sure but I think this thread has made me realize I need to use what I have for now and get the best out of them I can.

On the bright side if AP was easy then I probably would have got bored by now and given up 🙂 

Steve 

14 hours ago, Xsubmariner said:

Having the camera secured to the FW will not be a problem for me as I have rotators fitted to most of my imaging equipment, though I can see it not being ideal for everyone.

What rotators are you using out of interest ?

Steve

10 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

I also couldn’t believe the size of the 2600MC when i opened the box last week. My only experience of ZWO was a 120 and a 290 🤣🤣

9 hours ago, Xsubmariner said:

Yes it is, as the pictures show the QHY camera and FW are substantially larger than the ZWO equipment.

Those bolt on spacers look pretty hefty as well .

Oh I can see an upgrade to a FeatherTouch focuser coming here 🙂

That filter wheel also looks a lot bigger than my current SX 7X 36mm. But I think it only supposed to be 691g, looks can be deceptive.

ZWO ASI1600MM      410g                 QHY2600M   812g                   +422g
SX  Filter Wheel          700g             QHY Filter Wheel   691g              -9g
Spacers           approx 80g         Bolt on Spacers ?    Guess 200g        +120

So around an extra 550g, actually not that bad if some of my guesses are correct. I find it har to believe its not more than that.

Steve

22 minutes ago, Sp@ce_d said:

kids will waste it.. ( sort of joking) 😄

Or maybe not Ha Ha.
I certainly agree with the life's too short and can't take it with you. But my filters are in the 3.5Nm to 4.5 Nm range so I will see how I get on with them and  the obsy is probably a better thing to spend the money towards and is what I intend to do.
Only thing stopping me making a start is that we are probably going to downsize in next year or two and dontt really want to spend 2 years getting the obsy just right to then move and pack it all up, or that was my reasoning but there again the 2 years could turn into 3, or 4 and who knows ?

Steve

Wow is that the 1600 next to it in the first pic ?   It looks tiny next to the new camera and filter wheel.

I have the same FW coming soon I hope.
It would be nice to see the camera and FW mounted on the scope.

Thanks for the update 🙂 

Steve

19 minutes ago, Sp@ce_d said:

anyway here's a single sub from NGC2174 (Monkey).. (the best of 3 hours of OIII subs so far trying on this target for 2 months!!) from the QSI on an Esprit 150 with FR .77 and Astrodon 3nm OIII so you can compare.. all I've done is a STF (stretch) in Pixinsight.  

Edit: its a 900s Sub BTW

Nice sub and compared to mine it miles ahead,.

But real hard to do any real comparison when LP will be different, sky conditions may not compare, it was a bit hazy with around 60% moon with mine and mine was 300S.

Yours is really more like what I would like to get from the OIII and clear skies permitting if the target is still in my line of sight then I could try a longer sub hopefully on a better conditions and then see how it compares.

Steve

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

So, for those who've tried them, what are the new, tighter, Baaders like? The million dollar question.

My word Olly like a genie mention your name and you appear 🙂 

I  have the Badder so called Ultra NB (Ha 3.5Nm, OIII & SII 4.5 Nm) in 36mm and went for these as the price was not astronomical and had read about the persistent halos with the standard O!!! and Baader did promise that would not be an issue with the new range.
I was very luck and managed to get the Ha and OIII from Ian King when they were as rare as rocking horse poo, it then took me until back end of last year to get the SII.

But the reason for asking these questions is as these are the only decent filters I have had in my short 3 years in AP I just don't know how good or how bad they are and have not used them enough to really see the results myself.

But I haven't really noticed any major issues with halos but there again maybe not been near any very bright stars.. Not sure if it helps but a couple of crops from single 300S raw frames of Monkeys Head below.

                                                                                OIII                                                                                                                                                                                          Ha

Steve

No problem,

I like to help people on the forum and quite honestly I like a challenge and the design side of it. I find it quite relaxing on the cloud filled evenings.

So its not really a hassle for me and I can never design something that is of no use to anybody so on the odd occasions these sort of requests appear I quite like doing it.

Might be different when the clouds clear mind ha ha 🙂 

Steve

9 minutes ago, kirkster501 said:

If Astrodon = 95/100 then Baader = 90/100.

The Astrodon 3nm Ha is a superb filter.  If you absolutely must have that one then go for it.  However, the Baader at a quarter of the cost is 80% as good.  You have to ask yourself, in our skies, with the use that they'll get, seriously, it isn't worth it. Save that £3000 or spend it elsewhere.  The difference the Astrodons will make is infinitesimal.  Sure, if you are like Sara in southern Spain or Ollie in France where the weather is so very much better and they will get used 3 or 4 times per week then it may be worth it because you'd get so much more from the investment. 

I wish I hadn't bothered with my Astrodons with the use they are getting, a complete waste of money in the UK. That's what I meant when I said in my "experienced opinion" above.

Makes sense and many thanks for the advice, which until those lottery numbers come u I will heed 🙂 

I know its great to get a new bit of astro kit but to be honest I am not sure I really need anything for a while now (oh I would like but I don't need it) so the money will probably not even go on astro gear, as such, but possibly a holiday when we can do so and get to some dark skies with my scope.
Maybe even get out to Ollies place which I promised myself I would do one day.

Steve

4 minutes ago, Xiga said:

Someone over on CN has got their QHY 268M. It seems it weighs less than expected, 812 grams, and is 107mm long. 

So good news that it's almost 200 grams lighter than expected 😃

That's good, so 112g heavier than ZWO and 10mm longer, I can definitely live with that, but full marks to ZWO still getting it down to 700g.

Steve

Pretty  much there, last of the test prints done a couple of very small tweaks to design and will print yours tomorrow.

I am really pleased with it, both bottom and top sections clip to the middle plate really well and are secure so one of the teaks is to remove the screws alltogether.

All sections clip together really easily, it takes a bit more faffing about to get them apart but I guess that how it has to be for them to be secure but not too difficult to get them apart.

                                     Design                                                                                                                                                      Print

Steve

2 minutes ago, DaveS said:

With so many of us ordering new cameras, when do you think we'll get the next clear night

This year?

Next Year?

Sometime??!!

Never ???!!!

Makes you wonder, mind you weather we have been having up here for I don't know how long some people much have bought the entire stock from FLO about September last year.

Steve