teoria_del_big_bang

I am nowhere near experienced enough to give the best advice but when you zoom in it is a bit of an odd one. The stars are not the normal shape I would associate with back focus issues or even tilt. To my aging eyes the dimmer stars look pretty round but all the brighter starts are kind of teardrop shape pointing towards the  bottom of the image, as if it was something momentary that happened during the exposure rather than something permanently wrong.

What exposure was this ?

Were all exposures the same ?

I would certainly follow your own advice and try again with better guiding and make sure things are tight as they should be.

As I say I am still learning so take this with a pinch of salt but I am following the thread so please reply if you make improvements the next clear night.

But star shapes aside that is a great image really 🙂 so not all bad.

Steve

I would not disagree with any of the statements above. I think that @Fruitbat was testing the water to see for reactions, which he has had.

Personally, I would suggest they put it up for sale at the price they want for it, or think it will bring, but ensure the location is also on the listing an if somebody wants it they will enter into negotiation via PM.

As said if the OP only wants to sell to the US market then there are probably better sites but nothing to lose as we have many US members on SGL too.

Steve

Wow, I could look at this for hours and not get bored or any less in awe at what is out there 🙂 , Thanks for the link.

Steve

Also received my long awaited books from the US this week. 

A good book and a good cup of coffee could I want for more ?

YESSSS! - Clear skies

Steve

10 hours ago, Paul M said:

Nice!

The MD got me a big froth and grind coffee machine for my B.Day 3 weeks ago. DeLonghi but not that model.

Nearly worn out already!

Ah, this one: https://www.johnlewis.com/de'longhi-esam2200-venezia-bean-to-cup-coffee-machine-silver/p3655047?sku=237565553&s_ppc=2dx92700055381546410&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=CjwKCAjw_sn8BRBrEiwAnUGJDgxColya4GEhRqfm15kz23tmAQyOHXsbzgL1TeD3Gxly0cYFsqUJ2hoCAbwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Nice, I think the coffee they make is so much better than the pods I used to use (and saves all that aluminium to recycle). Personally I would have gone for a smaller model as takes up so much room as I like to froth my own milk if having a milky coffee (mostly drink black though) but wife wanted one she could just press Latte, or cappuccino or whatever and it made it for her.

Steve 

Can't say I have 🙂 

But ......... I have had nights when everything goes wrong but I persevere to get it right, but it doesn't and I end up wishing I had just packed up and got some sleep.

As it has been said we have all been there, more than once. 

Only thing to take from it is that the next time things do go right is it a great feeling and makes it all seem worthwhile, those nights get forgotten.

Steve

Not strictly Astro related but will at least keep me awake when those long dark CLEAR nights come (they will come won't they ? )

Steve 

9 minutes ago, LukeSkywatcher said:

Scope(s)?. Where are they hiding. I only see one.

LOL

Maybe they are like Russian Dolls  🤣

Steve

Hi, Welcome to SGL, I hope the skies re kinder to you than for myself at the moment.  Ask any questions nobody judges on SGL and no question is considered silly.

Steve

Yes I think Lithium is the way to go. If imaging it's the Rpi and cooler that takes most of the current from my reckonings. Not sure what the cooling for the ASI 1600 camera takes, it suggest a 5A supply but assume that is a bit more than what it does take.

Steve

Just now, Bobby1970 said:

How many amps does your set up pull in total?

I can have a look tomorrow at Tue paperwork  as it's in the garage. Comes with a nice case too. 

Its okay I have seen it now in the title says 22000 mAhrs so 22 A/hrs. 

I need to check what my setup pulls but if I don't so too much slewing of mount I would guess about 5A, so I would get around 4 hours. So not bad for that price. Might need 2 of them though 🙂 

Steve

1 hour ago, Bobby1970 said:

I've just got one of these:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WG1JVYJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Z51FFb7EP7YY3

Not used it yet but seems well built and 22amps should be more than enough, hopefully. 

I cannot find any reference on the Amazon listing to Ampere/hours is there anything in the documentation you got with it, so I have no way of working out how long it would last on my setup. 

EDIT: Forget it I can see it now in the title 22A/hrs

Steve

Thanks for the info. It is good to hear that sales are still good and hope that continues, the supply glitch was inevitable with the current situation.

I guess for those who have had to work from home (or those  who are unfortunately furloughed - or worse sadly) a nights imaging or observing may be easier as you can get an extra half hour or so in bed with not having to travel (or even dressed if that way inclined 😮 ), also more time maybe sat in front of laptop browsing and the temptation to press the buy button is just too great, who knows. It is just a pity that the weather has not been so great (up north anyway) and the skies have not have been so clear.

Anyway great to hear how you are doing your best to obtain stock of the now rarer items.

Steve

I agree, I would definitely return for a complete replacement and not repair.

Steve

Most of the crystals are white only a small amount are yellow that turn green. One of my complaints to the sellers was that not enough colored crystals were  in them. Even in double wrapped bags the desiccant will absorb moisture if left in there long enough so suspect they are old stock anyway. I still think you have done right to get the refund as there is nothing worse than being worried about your gear, peace of mind is worth that bit extra. If you need some desperately I can dry some out and send then to you if you PM me (I have others different to the ones you got as well 🙂 )

Steve

I have used the same from Amazon but to keep plastic filament for 3D printer dry so not as critical. For sure the crystals in both pictures look saturated or near saturated. When dry they do noticeably change colour to bright yellow not the green in those pictures. But as you say your equipment is expensive so better to be sure.

Steve

1 hour ago, endlessky said:

The Whisky sure was a necessity. I like Scotch, especially those with a smoky taste. The beer was also very good, if you like sour beers. If you haven't ever tried one, definitely worth the experience. I'd suggest to start with the fruity ones, since the plain ones tend to be very sour and tart, and if you don't expect it, they could ruin the experience.

Can't say I have tried the sour beers, I do like a lot of Belgium beers including the fruity ones so I will look out for the sour one and give it a go, no harm in trying it 🙂 

Steve

Some very nice gear there I hope some clear skies are not far away.

Thanks for comprehensive write up and pictures and for sharing 🙂 

I am pretty sure the scotch is an essential item of equipment, it sure helps n the UK on the long cold winter nights.

Steve

That is one cracking image - absolutely stunning.

Steve

I could not say for definite but a quick tot up would be something like:

Mount - 0.35A tracking and around 1.5 A when slewing to target so say 0.5A average.

I cannot find details of Air Pro but essentially it is an Rpi 3 I think so we are looking at around 1.5A 

cameras around 0.5A for both (again a bit of a guess)

So all in all you are looking at 2.5 to 3 A and suggest you think more of 3A and possibly a bit more (are you running any dew heaters bands ?)

So for an 8 hour session you are looking at a 12 or 13.8V supply capable of supplying around 300W Hrs to be safe.

I think that is correct but it is just my quick totup so apologize if not totally correct 🙂 

Steve

1 hour ago, kirkster501 said:

Highly unlikely *they* will commercialise it.  Define "they"...?  "They" are all the people (including myself  as I have been looking at the software repositories) who are/will making changes and adding features to NINA, not just Iseborn who is the leader and merges all the contributions and repos into the release schedule.  NINA is community software so it is not "owned" in the way you think.  I never knew there was this NINA thing until recently, and as a person who has developed SW myself never knew there was such a community model for astro imaging acquisition software.  I think SGPs days are numbered now I have seen how good NINA is and how easy it is to use.

Linux has worked in this way for decades and is what makes it so successful.  True, there are paid for versions of Linux such as Redhat.  However, that is only for the support side because you would not want to run your billion dollar business on software where you had to rely on support on a forum.  Centos is the identical and community support version of Redhat.    The parallel is that NINA will probably never bee a charged for, commercial product, analogous to Linux.

Cheers, very good information to know 🙂 

Steve

3 minutes ago, Skipper Billy said:

I have no problem paying for something that does what I need it to do and works properly.

Absolutely, couldn't agree more, 

Sounds good I will be trying this out very soon. 

I think that if this does take off (I know it is not exactly new and has been around a while but is one of the newest players I think) then it may ell not be free anymore, but that is fair enough, I have no issues with paying for good software, with good support heavens know we pay enough for our equipment, I just hope they don't go like SGP and keep it to a one off payment , that is fair (with maybe a very modest upgrade charge). 

Steve

6 minutes ago, Rustang said:

Keep coming back to this!, stunning mate 👍

I am not surprised they are stunning images.  

I have started keeping some images that I consider a standard to aim for and if you have no objections Adam I would like to take a screen shot of one of these and maybe one day I will get a an image half as good as these.

Well done they are great images (all of them) 🙂 

Steve

Great write up and may well prompt me to give this a go.

I started off with APT which I thought was a great bit of software that never let me down and never crashed.

Over the short summer nights I have been trying to get to grips with  EKOS and KStarts, tried it both on a powerful CPU running Ubuntu and the latest RPi 4. To be honest I love the EKOS side of it and how it is laid out but hate the planetarium in KStars.  The programs seemed to work flawlessly on the powerful CPU but on the cheaper option of the Rpi did crash or freeze quite a lot but I think always in the setting up stage and never seemed to fail in the night when actually imaging and running the sequences.

Overall I did find some aspects of thee programs I loved and now very reluctant to let go but would now like to give NINA a go and see where I want to go before the clearer nights come (They will come --- won't they ???)

I know I can download the program to find the answer to these questions (and I will now) but thought I would ask anyway, 

1. Does NINA have a the ability to set a link to a previous image that it will use in the platesolve to make sure you are in exact same framing as a previous session ?

2. What Planetarium software works with it ?

I will go and download it now 🙂

Steve