Space Oddities

Thanks a lot   I'm pretty happy with my progress, just wish I had my own garden... But that's something that hopefully will come later in life, so you make do with what you have  

7 hours ago, MartinHiggins said:

Hi All,

Thanks Pierre for making this file available, your image of M31 looks really good.

I downloaded SharpCap 3.2 pro recently but due to back problems and clouds I've not been able to do any imaging. I've been playing about with SharpCap with the camera pointing around a room to get an idea of the controls.

 I've downloaded the file, transfered it to SharpCap captures file, in SharpCap I've clicked on  Cameras>Folder monitor camera, The camera controls dialogue on the right opens and I can see a source file and browse files box showing the M31 file in png and tif but I can't get further than this. Any advice would be very welcome.

Cheers

Thanks a lot! I'm not sure why that happens, to be honest I don't know SharpCap very much.

Perhaps this will be interesting for you. Deep Sky West observatory, in the US, provides free data that you can play with: https://www.deepskywest.com/free-downloads-v2

It's very clean data and easy to work with, most likely a much better option than my stack  

4 hours ago, wimvb said:

I downloaded your data, and it seems to me that the image is already stretched. Unfortunately that makes it a lot harder to do anything more with it. Can you post the unstretched image from your stacking program. Ie do not apply the stretching that DSS suggests.

Sorry for that! I restacked everything, I hope this is going to work this time   

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mzk40Wz_BywO5sizmKNBy_S24EnXxHJ5/view?usp=sharing

Great images!  

Perhaps it would help if you show us your imaging train?

31 minutes ago, AKB said:

I was with you, there, until I realised that all the drag-and-drop rubbish that you get fed with the online tutorials is totally unnecessary.  Most processes simply apply to the front most window (which is almost always what you want) by just pressing the ‘square’ button, instead of dragging and dropping the triangle every time.

Thanks! I'll give it a try, but that makes sense  Also I'm a keyboard guy, I need to learn the shortcuts, rather than these tiny buttons...

50 minutes ago, geeklee said:

It looks great already Pierre!  Look forward to seeing some colour when you get more clear skies!

Thanks a lot Lee! To be fair, I also used Photoshop to polish it and make it pop, I don't know everything PixInsight can do yet. But good old Photoshop always has my back  

Does anyone know if Baader manufactures a 31mm unmounted version of their OIII 8.5nm filter?

The only filter I could find in this class and size is the Ha 7nm, but for some reasons, if I want a 31mm OIII filter, that size isn't available. Same with SII. There seems to be only the ultra-narrowband and the f/2 highspeed versions available in this size 🤔

I tried a few retailers, and couldn't find it either...

Thanks  

Thanks Luke!  

Hello everyone  

I'm slowly learning PixInsight, but it's quite a complex software, and I think it will take me months, if not years, to feel more comfortable. I don't find the UI particularly intuitive, to be honest, but I'll probably get used to it.

However my first tests are encouraging! I've gathered some tutorials and bought a book to help me, so right now I'm mostly doing what smarter people tell me to do   But I think it would also help me to see what more experienced users could achieve with the very same dataset. That would set some kind of goal, I suppose!

Here is my first try! It's 28 x 180s luminance from a Bortle 3/4 zone, taken with the ASI1600MM-Pro & ZWO's UV/IR block filter. I stacked and calibrated in DSS (darks, bias, no flat). Sadly, clouds thwarted my plans to make this a colorful picture...  

You can download the TIFF file out of DSS here (~60 MB): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mzk40Wz_BywO5sizmKNBy_S24EnXxHJ5/view?usp=sharing

Have fun, and please let me know what you think of the data I acquired, it really helps! I already noticed some halos and distorted stars in the corners. I wonder if my UV/IR filter isn't upside down somehow, or if it's just because they're entry level...

Thanks!

Pierre

Yes, it works well!

At 135mm, it's anyway very difficult to find a camera with matching pixel size... Does it really matter anyway, at such short focal lengths? 

Looks like a nice 3D printed solution! I found it on the supplier's website, it's a bit cheaper (but in German): https://www.wega-telescopes.de/shop/Rohrschellen-passend-für-Samyang-135mm-F2-Objektiv-inkl-Sucherbasis-3D-Druck-p258368766

Another cheaper option is this one: https://shop.astrojolo.com/product/rings-for-samyang-135-f-2-lens/

I tried a few mounting options, but eventually settled with the William Optics mounting ring, that FLO sells separately for users who want to upgrade theirs (the V1 was different). It happens to perfectly fit the Samyang 135mm, I really like mine! It's also cheaper than the 3D printed ones. I added a 3D printed focus aid, the M48 mod sold by FLO -much better than the Canon connection!), and found a 360° rotator from TS-Optics that can host a 2" filter inside. Rotating the camera is much easier now, without touching the lens.

Sadly the ring and the M48 mod are out of stock now  

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/william-optics/william-optics-redcat-spacecat-single-mounting-ring-black.html

True... At least storage gets faster and cheaper every day! I bought recently a small external drive of 4TB for less than 100€. Not the fastest disk around, but for archiving my old subs, it does the job well!

Holy molly! Yes, I guess 47 MP is out of reach... Also I read that each file is 90+ MB...

Superb image Wim!  

Have you seen that ZWO released a firmware update yesterday? This allows you to unlock binning 1x1, 47 MP resolution and 2.3µm pixels. The ASI294MM was actually "locked" in bin 2x2, to match the resolution of the ASI294MC, but in reality the sensor is a 47 MP one. That seems like a nice option for short focal lengths lenses/scopes!

Yes it is! All the credit to David from Cloudy Nights, who got the idea and was very helpful  

1 hour ago, Newforestgimp said:

Intrigued by the photo of your setup, what is the device that seems to be off the side of the focuser area ? I can’t quite make it out.

andy

That's probably the off-axis guider  There's no 10:1 focuser like on normal scopes, it has an helical focusing mechanism (like a lens)

On 05/11/2020 at 22:12, UKRoman said:

I have several mounts and scopes, but for visual use my Skywatcher EVO Star 80ED sat on the AZ-GTi is without doubt the one that gets the most use. It’s so easy to set up and can be up and running in minutes. I have recently tried it in EQ mode using a Redcat and the ASIAIR Pro, but that wasn’t particularly successful. I struggled to get it polar aligned and even when I did the guiding was terrible. That said the recent firmware update to the ASIAIR has apparently introduced a few guiding issues in certain circumstances, so I’ll have another go when they’re sorted. But for visual use with a small refractor in AZ mode,  I love it.

Hi Roman,

Regarding guiding, I find that deactivating the DEC guiding in the ASIAIR/PHD2 really helps. Guiding the RA axis only is really enough, at least for my setup, and works really well (I did 5+ minutes exposures without any trailing). The DEC guiding graphs for the AZ-GTi were always going crazy for some reason... I'm not sure the new firmware solves that problem, and to be honest I'm a bit afraid to update the mount and end up having more issues. The workaround I'm using works just fine for me!

Hope that helps!

I'm a happy AZ-GTi user. It's a worthy upgrade over traditional "trackers" if you want the Go-To functionality, while keeping a lightweight package similar to a StarAdventurer or SkyGuider.

It also works very well in Alt-Az mode (i.e. non equatorial), which is very convenient if you want to do planetary imaging or observing with small scopes as well. I'm using it with a small 4" Maksutov, and everything fits in a backpack. That's great for sharing our passion with some friends or family, without bringing a truck full of gear!

The only thing to bear in mind is that the AZ-GTi is designed to be an Alt-Az mount, and nothing else. Everything on top (the equatorial mod, auto guiding, etc.) is a bonus, courtesy of Sky-Watcher, and is more in the realm of experimentation. This mount has its quirks, and a lot of users end up frustrated because of them. But again, this mount was only designed for Alt-Az mode, and given its price point, we can't ask too much of it!

This being said, mine has been working flawlessly, but it took some time to figure everything out and find the right accessories to solve the little problems I encountered. I think this mount unlocks its full potential when paired with a device like the ASIAIR, that brings easy polar alignment, plate solving, autoguiding, automated imaging sequences, etc. It's really the perfect companion for the AZ-GTi in my opinion, if you want ultimate portability but with advanced functionalities.

Useful upgrades I would recommend if you have the budget:

• A counter weight is very recommended, for any setup > 1kg. I think the one from the EQ1 is compatible.
• The saddle from ADM, it's much better than the default one and doesn't drill holes in your dovetail bars...
• The EQDIR USB cable, it really makes everything easier. You can control the mount via Wi-Fi, but a direct connection is always easier!
• The polar wedges from Sky-Watcher and iOptron work well, but the one from William Optics is just so much better. Pricey, but worth it!

There's a group of AZ-GTi users on Facebook, if you're looking for tips: https://www.facebook.com/groups/402745617192175

Here are a few pics I took with the setup below (William Optics RedCat 51, ZWO ASI1600MM or Fujifilm X-T3)   Exposures were between 180s for M31 and 600s for nebulae, guided in RA only with the ASIAIR.

The adapter is back in stock  Thanks FLO!

Well, I have an APS-C DSLR already as well as an ASI1600MM. What I'm looking for is a very portable solution, that's convenient to use when I'm travelling. I'm ready to give up some image quality by going to an OSC, if I don't have to drag along a filterwheel, filters, and an autofocuser... or having to refocus in the middle of the night.

I was thinking an ASI183MC or ASI533MC, paired with an Optolong L-eNhance or L-eXtreme, would make a nice and tiny setup for chasing emission nebulae   It would sit nicely between a more serious mono camera, and a non-modded, non-cooled APS-C DSLR.

FOV seems similar on both, and though the smaller pixels and higher resolution of the 183 are attractive, the lack of amp glow, the full well and dynamic range of the newer 533 are nice to have as well.

Also, for broadband targets, I'm considering the Baader semi APO filter (basically a 'Fringe Killer' and a 'Moon & Skyglow' combined into one filter). It's been designed to reduce colored halos on achromatic refactors, and someone over at Cloudy Nights said it does a good job with the Askar 180   Post-processing should be able to further remove any CA left, as you can see on this picture, posted on CN: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10FEAZ0oeofu78N3nq80zudUO51_L7V0q/view

What do you think?

I've been using step down rings as well, keep in mind this will create some vignetting. I've been using an aperture of 49mm (f/2.8) for the Samyang, but I've seen some people recommending ~37mm (f/3.6). 

From what I've read, I think the sweet spot for this lens is around f/3.2. Less, and you give up some sharpness. More, and you give up some light. I guess it depends where you want to place the threshold, I personally thought it's a shame to waste the light gathering ability of this lens for rounder stars, which is why I went with 49mm (also because with another 49-48 ring, I can screw in filters).

Anyway, you should get good results anywhere within this 37-49mm range   And given how cheap step down rings are, why not try a couple and see what works best for you? 

Joe,

FYI TS in Germany has a C5 in stock  

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p10945_Celestron-C5-XLT-Spektiv---125-1250-mm-SC-Teleskop.html

They also appear to have the Mak 127, but bundled with a mount. Perhaps they would consider selling you the scope only, if you go for the Mak!

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/advanced_search_result.php?XTCsid=p0uvdgptlv5cqimjf6q1cr3no5&keywords=skymax+127&suchdas=OK

Hope that helps!

I received my copy of this little scope. I haven't been able to use it so far, the weather has been horrible here in Bavaria.

I noticed the mounting screws are made of metal, without a plastic washer at the end, which leaves marks on the scope. Not cool...

So I found this cheap carbon fiber sticker they sell for cars, and covered the main tube with it to protect against marks. It's pretty nice! However, the sticker adds a fraction of a millimetre to the tube's diameter, so it doesn't slide as smoothly inside the rings. 

Later on I found some old plastic screws that happen to be the same size as the original metal ones. Paired with the carbon fiber sticker, they won't damage the aluminium elements, and still provide a secure attachment  

For mounting, I'm using this cheap Mengs Arca Swiss plate, to which I added a finder shoe for the guide scope.

Now I'm wondering if it makes sense to mount a mono cam to this little scope. An OSC paird with an Optolong L-eNhance or similar, would perhaps be a better companion to this portable scope.
 

8 hours ago, Highburymark said:

Deal sounds very dodgy. 
 

But onto the translation.

We often get it’s and its wrong ourselves in English. 
Even twice in this thread. 

Pedants’ corner I know. 

But it’s = only used as a shortened version of it is. Never as a possessive.
Otherwise, use singular possessive = its.

Even the spell checker wants to change it to the wrong version, so I know it’s a tough battle.

Oh we have the same problem in French, and I believe it's even worse... So many words sound the same, but are written differently. Like the "ces", "ses", "c'est", "sais" or "sait". More and more people use the wrong ones, especially young folks... 

I always pity foreigners learning French, it looks very difficult. I'm so happy I never had to learn it as a 2nd language...

Coincidence? I just received a mail telling me I won 1 million euros...