TerryMcK

Here's mine processed entirely with PixInsight.

Ran GraXpert on all three raw images but found it wasn't needed. You have good skies at the observatory.

Repaired the stars in the top right and other extremities using BlurXTerminator with AI4 - not sure what is going on there but might be a spacing issue?

Then the rest was done with normal PI processes. I processed the data as SHO.

I did run SPCC on the stars extraction pic before recombining with a starless pic to get a reasonable "normal" coloured stars in the image. Although what is normal in a narrowband image is one for debate 😊

Run an ethernet cable to it from indoor switch/router then RDP to it from your computer indoors. Essentially remoting into your outdoor PC from indoors. No outside monitor needed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_Desktop_Protocol

Try shooting shorter subs. That way the sensor will not become oversaturated. It will still pick up the wispy stuff and when stacked the image will be great and you will see Alnitak’s companion star. If I remember correctly I shot 120 second subs in Ha and S2 on this one below. There were a lot of subs and it takes some time to stack but I ended up with a good image not dominated by the star.

Most bright objects can be done this way and modern CMOS sensors work well with this method.

It puts preload on the thrust bearing. Slackening the nut slightly will reduce the preload and let the mount turn easier. Although winding off the nut too much can result in too much clearance. Knocking or clonking being heard when the mount is turned.

Also as others have said concentrate on making your cable management better. The rig is very liable to cable snags the way you have it at the moment.

ZWO ASI174MM is what I use with both the Altair Astro wedge and Daystar Scout 60SSDS. Paired up with Sharpcap you can’t go wrong. Pricey but worth it. You can use region of interest settings of the camera within Sharpcap to get really high speed video captures in ser format. Process the video in free software Autostakkert and transfer the stacked image into your favourite image processing software.

As previous poster said a solar continuum filter in the nosepiece of the camera works wonders too.

Have a watch of this Stargazine video featuring Gary Palmer to learn how he processes solar images.

+1 for Ekos/Kstars for me too. Been very stable for a couple of years now.

I have the EQM35 Pro as well as a HEQ5 Pro and use the former solely for my Redcat51.  It is a nice lightweight-ish mount and I can recommend it for portable use.

If the Sky-Watcher Goto Star Adventurer GTi had been available last year 2022 (it was as rare as rocking horse waste matter back then) then I might have bought that instead. Although that only has a capacity of 5kg it might be close to the limit for the Redcat 51 when all its ancillary components are mounted on it. As a rule of thumb imaging capacity is roughly 2/3rds or even less of a mounts rated capacity unless the manufacturer states differently. I measured the mass of my Redcat with camera, filter wheel, focuser, mini guide scope and camera at around 3.4 kg. The EQM35 which has a capacity of 7kg in that case is much better suited. But I still may have considered the GTI.

However if you are using a DSLR, Mirrorless or even a dedicated cooled camera along with a lens like a Samyang 135 F2 then the GTi is a much better proposition for lightweight portable goto rig. Combine the mount with a carbon fibre tripod and you are on a winner.

Other alternatives are the similarly priced iOptron SkyHunter AZ Goto Mount Package with Tripod and Extension Pier - again 5kg capacity with a carbon fibre tripod for an even lighter rig. I am tempted by the iOptron.

My Scout is setup at one end of a Primaluce side by side. At the other end is my William Optics ZS73 with an Altair Astro Herschel wedge. As the mounts are parallel when I see the sun in the "sun aiming spot" in the wedge I find that the sun is near enough centre of the Scout's bullet finder.

It’s an apo too so should be interesting.

Just a footnote. Have a look at the astronomy.tools website (also a FLO offering) and goto the CCD Suitability Calculator http://astronomy.tools/calculators/ccd_suitability . Input the scope you are looking at and the camera you want. The SW130PDS and the ASI183MCPro comes out in the green sector which means it is well a suited combo.

Whereas the 150PDS comes out slightly over sampled but that can be compensated for by using a x0.8 reducer.

I use a ASI183MM PRO on my Redcat51 and a ASI183MC PRO on my WOZS73 with a x0.8 reducer which brings it close to the ZS61 native focal length. Absolutely no probs at all with either combination. I’ve even used it on my longer focus WOZS103 again with a x0.8 reducer with no problems. I have a 294MM PRO and it is more suited to the 103 when binned 2x2. Although it will also go on the shorter focal length scopes when binning at 1x1. To be clear the 294MM is totally different sensor (IMX 492) to the 294MC [IMX 294) though despite sharing the same names. Maybe the ASI294MM pro should really be named the ASI492MM.

The 294MC doesn’t have the magic unlocking which the MM has that changes the binned 2x2 4.63 micron compound pixels into individually addressable 1x1 2.3 micron pixels. The MC just has 4.63 micron individual pixels.

A difficult decision I know when budgeting for a dedicated astro camera but I would go for the 183MC for now and try it out on the 130PDS. It might surprise you. Just be aware that it has amp glow but that is easily solved with calibration frames. Keep the gain at unity and the offset at 8.

I don’t have a separate IR/UV filter on my ASI183MC and get good results. The AR glass is anti reflection coating designed to minimize any internal reflections. Not sure why you would need an IR/UV filter but they are cheap enough.

I use a IDASD2 filter in the imaging train and that cuts out LED lights that we are plagued with and also sodium, mercury and I guess it has cut for IR/UV too all in one 48mm filter.

I have 2 ASI183PROs both cooled colour and mono. Yes there is amp glow but no worse than any other camera and it can be completely removed with calibration frames. I’m not sure why anybody would have told you to avoid the camera. Only consider the Pro version as they are temperature controlled and are ideal for DSO work.

I watch your channel and find it inspirational Glenn. Keep up the good work and top drawer video content.

On 26/12/2021 at 11:29, dazzystar said:

Hi All,

I'm a complete idiot when it comes to coding and have next to no knowledge on the subject so please excuse the question if it is a ridiculous one to ask but I'm trying to build the BullsEye DIY focuser project that Kari Brown has developed but there is only an INDI driver available and I want to use NINA on a mini PC. Can anyone convert the driver?

Cheers

Daz

Have you asked Kari who is a member of this forum? He may be able to help.

On 12/09/2021 at 10:29, Pixies said:

For me it was this in 1974 (I was 7)

 

 

 

Me too. I was dragged out of bed by my parents to watch the moon landings in 1969 and can still remember it well.

Probably sell all my gear and take up microscopy or golf instead. :‑J

That camera is not really a suitable mate for the RedCat. The ASI183MC Pro is a good option for that and works well. I can vouch for it as I pair either the OSC version or the mono version to the RedCat with great success. You don't need any additional spacers with the 183MC as they are already supplied. The RedCat will take 2" filters directly inside. I use the IDAS D2 which blocks out LED as well as tungsten, sodium and mercury emissions. It is great for RGB work with the RedCat.

The 294MC is a planetary camera and is not intended for DSOs. It has a very small sensor which works well on planets through a long focus telescope not a wide field scope like the RC.

2 minutes ago, johninderby said:

The 200P comes with a rather poor sort of black thin paint on the inside. Definately not flocked.To my knowledge SW has never flocked their newts / dobs.

Interesting. Mine is definitely a flocked finish rather than smooth. However the amount of light pollution around here makes visual redundant anyway.

5 minutes ago, Spile said:

It was a recommended "upgrade" by FLO as well as a number of users to cut down internal reflections. As I plan to clean my mirrors, I thought it made sense to carry out the procedure.

It makes sense to do it while you have the mirrors out in that case. Good luck.

I used to work for a well known British photographic film/paper manufacturer originally in Essex then moved to Cheshire in the 1980s. When you went into the coating machine, which was and still is in a building about 150m long 6 storeys high, when film was being coated it was pitch dark. Now that was a dark sky site! No stars of course but you can't have everything 😄

My 200P is already a flocked matt black (probably sprayed on) on the inside from the factory. I've had it about 10 years now. Maybe later versions are not already flocked but still painted matt black?

Anyway I'm not sure the best way to do this but it may be easier applying it in a couple of strips lengthways providing you can reach far enough to press down onto the adhesive. You would have to remove everything mirrors and fittings.

I'm intrigued as to why you are doing it. Are you getting internal reflections? 

I've always used a gain of 111 for every type of DSO (galaxies and nebula) on both of my ASI183s as that is the default setting in the ASI Windows driver/capture software out of the box. I use INDI drivers now as I use a Linux based system to capture still using a gain of G111.

It's true the ZWO website does quote 120 in the graphs but for some odd reason the software differs. Anyway somewhere in that area will work fine. You will still get some amp glow, slightly more than 53,  but that can be calibrated out completely with equal matching darks shot at the same gain, temperature and duration as the lights.

Try your global preferences set Parallel Processing and Threads like below:

Beware though during integration or any other processor intensive process your PC will seem to lock up. It isn't - it is just doing stuff and once complete the PC will be responsive again.

Also PI works tons better with a SSD disk rather than a mechanical magnetic hard disk. If your laptop has space for 2 SSD drives then have one for the OS drive as normal and the other as a temp drive for use with PI swap storage as below. If not then you can use the existing SSD. 

Laptops don't have particularly fast display adaptors so you probably won't be able to make use of a GPU. However if you can increase the amount of RAM that would give performance improvements too. 8GB isn't a lot nowadays.

Hope this helps

No issue seen here with TIFF files saved from APP using sRGB v2.1 or sRGB v4.0 (in 8bit, 16bit or floating 32bit) or any other application then loaded straight into Photoshop 2022 . 😕