Nigella Bryant

Thanks Davey-T. I've some disk and prom avi I'd like to process so I'll have a go.

Yeah, everyone, I thought I'd overcooked it too. Just practising, lol. Appreciate your help. Still finding it hard to layer disk with prom image in photoshop, also, yeah, I need to take flats in future too. Didn't do that.

Hi all, just thought I'd play around with Imppg solar imaging software to see if it makes any difference to my images. Attached is from an avi file taken during the summer months with my single stack lunt 60mm

Hi all, several night's ago I switched on my Neq6 Pro mount, I've got a longer cable attached to the hand control. It wouldn't connect at all so went back to the original cable and worked fine but mount went to first alignment star with at the end a grinding sound and lost momentum. After this all was OK. A few days later I turned on everything and just to explore any possibilities added the longer cable. Everything worked fine and has done since. Weired.

There's an open night, telescope surgery, I assume there will be lots of different telescopes there for you to get an idea about and ask questions. It's on Friday 22nd November at 7.30pm if memory serves. The Bristol Astronomical Society, Friday meetings will be held at Bristol Photographic Society (BPS), Unit 13, Montpelier Central, Station Road, Montpelier, BS6 5EE.

Hi, it does seem undersampled. I use the lunt 60mm but the zwo asi120mm. I also use a 0.5 reducer for full disk. I follow similar process, autostakker3, 25% stack, photoshop to add false colour. I use a 3x Barlow for closer images. ISS caught using the above. I'm new too to using the lunt, unfortunately there's not much going on. I've also added an electric focuser which really helps in focusing.

I have quite a few spiders living in my observatory, large one's and sometimes they drop on me, had one once fall down the back of my neck, did I jump up and fling it off. Also my cat's will suddenly jump through the shutter opening and foxes stroll by, bat's fly over, usual UK things. Sometimes my heart does miss a beat and the adrenalin rises. I do take my phone with me and I lock myself in, lol. Astronomy is a lonely thing, lol.

Welcome, enjoy the forum, plenty of helpful people here.

I use a 12inch f4 00uk Newtonian, but I've changed the focuser to a moonlight. It's is the best telescope I've ever had and I've had 8,10 and 12 inch meade scts. You won't be disappointed. My moonlight focuser is for Astro imaging and is low profile however. I do need a 2inch extension tube for eyepieces to come to focus. I have done other mods, flocked inside the tube, fitted a temperature sensor inside with outside read out and variable USB fan to primary mirror and of course the low profile moonlight focuser with Skywatcher electric focus and hitech Astro computer control of the focuser. All done bit by bit so no large outlay apart from the scope.

Welcome to the forum, looks like you're off to a good start.

Thanks for your take on it, much appreciated.

I thought there'd be no issues apart from brightness. Do you know of any specific posts? Do I just Google "solar chat forum?" many thanks.

Hi all, just wondering if you can use a quark chromosphere filter with a single stack lunt solar scope for lower angstrum observations. Thanks for reading.

Welcome and enjoy the forum and easing back into astronomy, the skies the limit.

Doing well Ben.

My only take on what you've said is an SCT would be f10 and a Mak f15. These are narrow field of view instruments and usually planetary scopes so that would fit your planetary imaging needs, that said a reducer would give a wider field of view but nothing that would be considered widefield. A focal/field flatter for your ed80 would give a wider field. I'd also go for a modded dslr.

I use curves in photoshop cs. Free photoshop app can be used and under that the light information can be increased by altering the exposure value, highlight and white balance. You'll also need to change the black background as you increase the light information. Processing actually takes longer than taking the subs in the first place. Main thing is, you enjoy getting the most out of your sub's and that final processed image.

Added a stretched image of yours plus an image of M64 taken at ISO 1600, 12inch f4 Newtonian and Canon 1000d modded camera, 20x30sec subs.

I'd up the Iso to 800/1600 to start with. Looks in focus, I wouldn't go buying another camera yet, get used to the one you have. Modded camera's don't make much difference on galaxies only ha nebulae. Is the image one raw sub or the stacked?

If it's cloudy this time I may be here for the next one, I'd be 73,lol. It'll also give me time to save up for that 6inch lunt, I wish, lol.

I must say I've never had anything lost or damaged that I'd bought or sold but there's always a first time. I don't normally read the fine print, usually just ask for insurance up to the price of anything I'm sending and thought no more about it. Thought I was always covered but guess I wasn't and fortunately been OK so far. Makes me think now who I should trust, particularly with expensive items.

I came across this post on astro adds and is quite worrying if people buy high end valued items like done in the past and will do in the future. Thought's anyone. Hope this doesn't go against any posting rules. WARNING! For people using PARCELFORCE INSURANCE to COVER items sold on Astro buy sell. It’s come to my attention that when using Parcel force to send items sold on Astro buy sell. When they do lose your item the insurance dose not cover your item. After a ridiculously drawn out claims process they have informed me that the PayPal payment is not ample proof of the items value. And need an invoice or eBay item number etc etc for proof of value. It seems to me that royal mail and it’s subsidiaries have really gone to pot in recent years since it has been privatised. I have used DPD on several occasions now with perfect results. Even when my atik camera went missing. They assigned someone to track it down and find it. I hope this is seen as a service and good piece of advice to Astro buy sell users and not taken down. Thanks for reading.

I'm away at the moment but glad the thread is being useful to other's. It'll take me time to filter through all the advice given here so far but thanks all, keep it up.

I got Venus back in 2004 so looking forward to seeing Mercury, if it's clear of course from the uk.

Thanks Robin, you're a star.