Altocumulus

Interesting days ahead !

Is it me, or is the image a tad under-exposed?

Nice.

Ah - so you'll be moving into Duncton Wood!

Hold onto your wallet.....

Nowt wrong with that gem John.

Give yourself a pat on the back.

Good to see your work. Welcome, but don't fall down the rabbit holes astrophotography invariably digs for us.

I've had my Quark-Chromo for just over a year. There's be few really good opportunities to use it - and when I did I had my setting on zero - that is directly opposite from the light.

The last two days have given real opportunity to look at what each of the settings gave in terms of the best band.

Using a Starwave 102 f11 scope on my NEQ6-R, Pegasus focuser and Player One ApolloM-Max I tested the Quark.

These are the results, from yesterday, Tuesday - which fed on from those on Monday.

Given Tuesday showed more cirrus, than Monday (which was a full blue sky day) - I opted to start with odd settings.

On the charts +5 is equivalent to 1 o'clock (where 12 is the light). Flats were a single set of frames based on the +5. Processed in AS3 and stack results only.

By the end of the morning cloud was beginning to bubble up and the above suggested it pointless to look at the - settings. So I looked again at the +, but this time all the individuals had their own flat attached - either by de-focus, cling film or plastic bag. Processed in AS3 and stacked results only.

Final images show +5 & +4, stacked in AS3, processed further in imppg & Affinity Photo 2. Natural & inverted (using imppg inv button).

If there's anything I've taken from this, flats are pertinent to the image chain - any changes need their own flat (I generally abided by this anyway) and settings on the Quark need to be tested, you can easily see that the zero position is far from optimal.

Thanks for looking.....

I didn't even try - too much cloud hanging around. Nice shot!

Seeing poor.

Production using Astrosurface.

William Optics 102GT masked to 70mm for f10. Teleview 2.5 for the closeups.

Lunt CaK module (diag).

Chuckles. Aye, it takes a bit of getting used to.

That looks GOOD Andy.

I too need to work on my processing skills! Not had enough cloudless/rainless opportunities to capture many sun piccies.

Have you tried using Astrosurface - most of what you need in one package....

Nicely done.

I'm still in two minds about it. Recent solar images haven't turned out as well as the usual ways.

Wouldn't mind seeing a button to quickly colour Solar images....😁

Absolutely stunning. 

Sadly cloud obscures our view.

And you've got the bridge across the spot. Solarchat had an animation of activity across it.

I chose a ZWO EAF.

Less pricey than the Pegasus.

Runs on 5V, so USB to PC or Cool Cam - one less power hub to worry on.

Does the trick and tests out OK through Sharpcap.

Know what you mean. I've had just 2 days with enough sun since start of April. I'm getting rusty, too, on process!

.

I'd blame something, but too many things to consider which something!

I have a simple solution, just tested manually.

An 1/2 inch extension tube with sct m/f thread.

Quick test on solar just now. Not perfect focus, as slewing was manual at the time, but enough to show a motorised focuser will work, connected to the OVL Crayford. ( It works on my Skymax.)

At 1/2 inch there's a prevention on extending the mirror screw fully outwards, but as the Mak focuses about half way in it shouldn't affect operation.

Now to source a focuser. Probably pegasus. 

Absolutely gorgeous detail...

OK - gotten them through your Flickr link..... Wow.

Hi,

I can't open any of these, I'm getting Flickr: "Page not found" errors

59 minutes ago, maw lod qan said:

Excellent! Seeing the Earth next to the largest is a little scary!

Only a little!

That's some capture! Well done.

Yes.

Great image plus the detailed description. Thanks.

As seen from NE Scotland last night - timelapse from two cams, vertical and horizontal.

Both use ASI 178MC cams running under AllSkEye software.

On the overhead, North is top and East is left... Site's a Bortle 4 - Aberdeen lights at the bottom.

Youtube link

19 minutes ago, alex_stars said:

Hi,

are you still thinking about using your Mak with a remote focuser. I also have a OMC-140 deluxe and currently work on understanding its mechanics in detail.

One suggestion I would have would be to open it up from the back and remove the micrometer screw. Then you could replace that with a fixed screw to hold the primary in place and mount your OVL Dual Speed 2" Crayford Focuser to use with no obstruction.

Just a quick question. Why do you want to do that? Is your primary mirror focuser broken or does it have some mirror jump/flip when you focus?

Cheers,

Alex

Hi Alex,

Why? Because I remote view from indoors. This would require some motorised focus unit attached.

My OVL focuser is of the correct fitting, but the position of the micrometer screw prevents it being put in place. Your suggestion of replacing the said screw with an alternative is, certainly, possible.

Geoff