Rustang

Lovely images 😊 but I personally don't see what the extreme has added even in those conditions, for its cost I feel it hasn't appeared to do anymore than what the L enhance can do. Below-600D and L-enhance

Thanks il look into that. I can view them on the laptop that runs everything but not the computer I use for editing etc.

Ok thanks, I'm new to these settings so never changed the histogram settings etc. So I'm all good!?

Hi guys, I'm starting to do my calibration frames today, I'm using my LED light panel with paper. I'm using APT's Flats aid which is great, I know what ADU I'm aiming for and exposure time but my issue is with the Histogram, it seems to far over to the left, its not close to half way, is this ok or am I missing a setting? Also is there a software to view fits files on my computer!?

Great start, we'll done. I'm on that long road now. I'm currently on my 9th Ha 10 min sub on the Rossett.

Cricky, is there something in the air at the moment, all these issues and frustrations going on. We all must be the most tolerant, patient people to carry on this hobby! 😊

Angler fish! 😂

Thanks Adam, if I manage to get anything worth showing i will definitely share, happy just to call tonight a successful test run if anything though 😊

Test night number two with new kit is going well. Still some issues to sort but all in all a lot more positive. I've managed to fire off my first few 10min exposures in HA and from I can see the stars are nice and round. Seeing doesn't seem great, the moon and very twinkly stars but the guiding is holding in there. I'm going to get an hour of HA just as a test then I might capture the moon for a laugh. Thanks for all the motivation to keep going everyone, we probably all need it from time to time. 👍

That's been really helpful, thank you, I think I can use that stretch process to look at stars with the Bahtinov mask to aid focusing. I looked at some shots from last night in APT, stretched them and I could then see all the diffraction spikes of the stars to show I was in focus so that's really handy, and will help with the darker NB filters, thnaks! 👍

Cheers, I have a folder that I'm constantly adding to, notes, procedures and everything in between. I'm not sure I still fully understand my notes! 😊 every time you awesome lot give some advice, I add it to the folder. Because there is just so much to do and so much involved I have struggled to grasp it all but getting there. Its really easy to miss even the simple stuff. I'm doing my best and I try to figure stuff out in between the panic, but I honestly just get confused when reading up on stuff, one day Il be able to stand on my own to feet a bit more but for now, you kind lot will have to keep putting up with me! 😉

Yeah I did my best to prepare for some wasted nights but ended up still being fed up lol. What do you mean when you say in regards to the target 'easy to find in APT auto stretch' !?

APT and PHD2

Good advice. I had done all the usb connections and software connections during the day which is why it was annoying when it failed again last night, I will look to get a better quality powered external USB hub. Today I have taken the mount down, checked everything is level, balanced the new gear as well as I can and it appears good. I managed to focus ok yesterday but that was only if I had a bright star in view, I slapped on the B mask and took a short exposure and the defraction spikes appeared bang on after a couple of focus adjustments so locked it down. I'm concerned going forward how to check focus on each filter if there's no bright stars in view. I've not looked at where the histogram is in APT? I look at what you said about stretching it.

Yeah that was all entered correctly 👍

I'm just using auto because its worked before ! Il check the settings etc and double check what software it's using to solve 👍

I'm following the same routine as I've done before, object's, chose target and slew, auto plate solve the go to ++ to centre

Thanks, il give that ago! 👍

Thanks Steve, you didn't read wrong, I wasn't clear so changed what I wrote after your commented. I had been opening the clutches to sort balance etc so maybe just one of those things. I'm hopefully out again tonight to will see how it goes.

Fault finding builds up knowledge over time to hopefully fix things yourself but there is just so much in regards to settings, software etc that I still find it overwhelming. It's a great feeling when something works, I feel I can tick that off and move on, but when it comes round and gives you problems on top of new stuff you just feel like banging your head against the wall. People are right that when you get a decent result it feels worth it but it's a slog getting there. Still, onwards and upwards.

Thanks Steve, I wasn't clear as such as to when I say it failed, it solved but the failure was that the target wasn't there! I did some tests on bright stars but they weren't even in frame or in the middle of the frame once solved!!? I hadn't pressed 'reclac' either as I don't think I ever have. All other settings in that box are correct.

To help me understand one of last night's continuous issues, my plate solving in APT has been perfect for a while now. I've moved from a DSLR to a mono cam and filterwheel. My mount did not find the targets correctly last night, and platesolving did not work either, as in it did solve but not on target! I did some tests on some bright stars but they never appeared in frame! So is this a mount issue? Say pola alighment!? Something I'm missing to set in APT!? or somewhere else!? Or like a few recent things, just one of those, worked fine, then didn't randomly but its ok again situations! I'm using a x0.8 reducer that I've used with the DSLR which brings the 600m fl down to 480mm, I've had those settings set in APT as well, that's not going to change with the new camera is it,? I just trying to check everything ! My pola alighment has also never let me down. Thanks guys.

Thanks guys, APT plate solving has been working a treat for a while so that's why I'm annoyed and confused that it wasn't playing ball last night. I've also always managed to get pretty close to target for plate solving so I don't know why that's wasn't working either. Maybe I'm missing a new setting or something. Today is another day, let's try again tonight and see how I get on. There are much bigger things in life to cry about so il shut up and get on with it, I'm just really passionate about the imaging side of things that's all and really don't won't to pack it all in but I'm also not wanting the continuous frustration with equipment failure.

I know I'm not the first, I know I won't be the last but when you have a rubbish night it's just incredibly frustrating, some nights have more reasons to be than others. I guess I just need to vent before I try and sleep. Like many I've dedicated so much time to this hobby, done my best to cope with the rough and the smooth and been really pleased when the results are all worth it, it's what keeps you going. I felt I was coming to the end of what I could with a DSLR so had recently started to look into a dedicated camera. Well out of no where, it happened, I purchased Adam's full QHY mono camera, filter wheel and filters set. Although it happened earlier than planned, the move just felt right. After some stress and learning I became happy in my DSLR bubble, even had my guiding in TOT 0.30's last session, it was all going well but I fancied moving on. I knew that going mono would be some degree of stress and a whole new way of learning. I took most of the day getting the software set up yesterday, the last issue was a bit of trouble with the external USB port, I did my very best to remain calm, I got some help on here and it was sorted. I went to bed thinking, well it was a bit of a faff but actually seemed less stressful than when I set up the guiding software!. I was nervous but excited as the next step would be out under the stars. Well that was tonight and I've just spent 4hrs getting no where but just being fed up. First issue, USB port (Again!) nearly shut everything down and gave up then. Deep breaths, right, it took a while to set everything up so let's just see if I can sort it, googled stuff, tried some things, somehow sorted. From then on it was still just issue after issue but with things that have worked fine before! When I eventually got the guiding working, I wasn't 100% sure I was on target, even after plate solving as there was no nebulosity in a single 10 min HA exposure!? So I stopped guiding, parked then un parked the scope and did some test runs on some bright stars. The mount could not find it the stars correctly or plate solve correctly! Why, you have worked fine before and as far as I can tell you have the correct new camera settings so why!? After that I was done for the night and fed up so packed up. If I'm honest I'm at that stage of asking if its all worth it, I'm not trying to be melodramatic but I think I'm running out of steam and patience with what feels like constant issues with this hobby, maybe I just don't have the mental strength for it as I'm easily stressed and anxious. It's hard to take when you have honestly dedicated so much to it to get probably more hassle than pleasure back. Do I won't to give it up though? No, not really but.....

Ok, we are sorted!! Thanks for the info in regards to online how to's, I started to read a help guide which stated to follow its steps in order, Step number 2 was a simple computer re start, that has sorted the issue and the external USB is now working! Thanks for all your help. Im pleased I dont have to spend out again just yet!!