Simon Pepper

I ran a test on this target using 1600mm pro and redcat 300s, 600s and 1000s and the best SNR was 600s. This was on the 21st of Nov 2021 no idea on the moon phase at this point but you could roll back the date on Stelarium and see. I would probably stick to 300s or even less with the moon being full maybe 180? It depends on your filter as well I wouldnt bother with Oiii at all stick with Ha the smaller the pass the better. Good luck!

@vlaiv you star ⭐️ thanks for this clear simple and precise!

I initially added this to Imaging planets section but wondering if that was for actual images now so adding here in case anyone can assist. Thanks Hi all, Couple of newbie planetary/lunar questions coming up here. Barlows how do I know which type to get? 1.25 inch or 2 inch? How do they fit in the OTA imaging train is a diagonal required? If using FF I assume you remove it? Mono or colour? I shoot mono for DSO, but not sure how this compares to solar system stuff? ASI 174mm seems to be the best shout according to other forums is there an equivalent OSC that's a good shout? Thanks

Hi all, Couple of newbie planetary/lunar questions coming up here. Barlows how do I know which type to get? 1.25 inch or 2 inch? How do they fit in the OTA imaging train is a diagonal required? If using FF I assume you remove it? Mono or colour? I shoot mono for DSO, but not sure how this compares to solar system stuff? ASI 174mm seems to be the best shout according to other forums is there an equivalent OSC that's a good shout? Thanks

You can still see it with bins or telescope. It with naked eye unless bortle 1/2 I hear.

Here is my first submission here. I have only ever shot the moon a handful of times before and I don't have the ideal equipment. This was using ES127 on video mode I think it was 360p and two minutes using the best 20% of frames. Camera was 1600mm with a Ha filter (not ideal) Processed in AutoStakkert. Imaged captured last night I think the moon was about 73%. Not sure on my lunar mapping, but I believe this is the Sea of Nectar with the Sea of Tranquillity of to the bottom left. Thanks

Welcome I am too in the South East eager to know @carastro bortle campsite in East Sussex is?

The SW is a doublet, shsrpstar is a triplet, but the Redcat has four elements plus a flat field I can’t speak from experience but you may need flatteners for the others too. I would rule out the SW because it’s a doublet it won’t refract all the colours the same so you may see some artefacts. I can’t comment on the sharpstar either but I have a Redcat and it’s the best image quality scope I have by far. Being widefield as well it’s very forgiving for a newcomer to AP. I am sure others on here can provide some additional yeys or neys though. You should check https://astronomy.tools/calculators/ccd_suitability as well cause as above it can depend on your camera and pixel sizes too. You want to avoid over sampling.

Did you stack the stars or the comet? Shawn Nielson over on Visible Dark has a tutorial on YT check that out. I had the same issue though as I was shooting mono when stacking the comet that had moved so when combining RGB it was an utter mess. When removing the stars it left RGB streaks you have to play with pixel rejection. It’s not easy, but check out the above it may help

When you search are you including the ZTF? If so don’t.

Yes go to the configuration window, select plug in tab, solar system editor, click configure, select solar system tab, import orbital elements in MPC format, change to comets then run the search or search by C/2022 E3. Then add object then just search for it using the search window

I was finishing up a project on the Shark Nebula last night and as it dipped low behind my tree at 23:00 I packed the scope away and went to bed. I then realised what I was doing a new moon, clear night, a comet and I remembered I have a ZWO AAP and importantly plan mode! So I got back out of bed, pulled out all the gear and polar aligned again. I checked the Sky Guide app to see where it would be and it looked like 1am to 5:30 looked high, so I set the plan to start at 1am. Goto, cooling, guiding all done by that little red box. Funnily enough after getting back into bed again the anticipation of whether my plan was going to work or not meant I didnt sleep very well. I checked my phone at 1am and I could see the camera cooling and I checked again around 2am to see an image roll in. Needless to say it worked an absolute treat and I managed to capture an hour of each RGB channel and some L in case I want to use that too. I have not processed the data yet but I am hopeful I can finally tick a decent processed comet image off my list as Leonard was a fail. I went back to sleep again only to wake again at 4am my body telling me to wake up and check the capture was still going as planned and it was. It was at this time I decided I am going to get up and become a visual astronomer too after all its not the same laying in bed as laying under the stars and comets dont come around often. So I got my Optricon 10x50m bins out and used where the scope was pointing as referenced and looked up. I think I would have struggled to find it without the aid of the scope direction, but I did manage and it was great to see it directly without all the fancy sensors. As I am more of a photographer astronomer opposed to a visual one (need to change this) I am unsure what magnitude I would place it at, but it was a little more than a smudge still not visible to the naked eye. Looks like Orion nebular is 4 I would say the comet was maybe a 6... After my capture was complete and my arms tired and shivering from holding the bins up for so long I decide to call it a night at 5am (I make it sound like I was out all night ), but I did shoot a quick 300s L image just to see what detail was there. I share this here a simple stretch from the AAP and then I used the screen shot function on my phone no editing just raw from phone. May the cold clear nights continue and I hope this keeps getting brighter and brighter. Thanks for reading Simon.

Can never have too many Pleiades images! Here is my take on M45. I imaged this last night 18/01 and processed it today. Stacked and processed in PI this time I didn't bother with any star reduction or blurxterminator. Some times less is more.... Shot on Redcat51 mounted on HEQ5 using ZWO 1600mm pro and Baader filters. Just One hour thirty per RGB filter. I have also stopped shooting luminance as when I add to an image it only makes things worse (user error). I find just adding more time on RGB offsets the benefits.

Well done all three great images here 👍

Hi scotty jus to confirm do you have any vignette with the 1.25 and the 294? I am thinking about getting the same… THANKS

I have never been concerned about theft I run my rig in my back garden unattended and even my side gate is see through and unlocked to my knowledge no one has ever come round the back. I think in this day an age with the rise in better cameras it’s putting these idiots off. Having said all that though I touch wood! I think what the group have said are great shouts. The ring system you can setup to notify your phone on motion the night vision is great if you are worried I would definitely use one of them I think there about £85 off Amazon for a wireless one. Works wonders when meridian flipping too and you don’t need to get out of bed… I mean worst case scenario I would just claim off my house insurance and get myself brand new stuff.

Couldn’t agree more some great images in the thread well done all.

Agreed seems pointless just causes more issues when trying to get the software to work on all pieces of hardware they just need to look at Apple here… My AAP with Wi-Fi extender works a treat still don’t need a plus or one half the size. What I do need is a rotator!

Thanks @Elp so I can expect to see sun spots as per your white light first example, but I can also add a colour hue in post to provide some broadband looking final result? That second image of the Ha scope is incredible. I remember a year ago or so I went over a gentleman’s house on here he was selling an 14 inch SCT and unbelievably lived basically the road over he had a Ha scope setup and let me have a look through it needless to say I have never seen the sun like that before or since so at some point I will save my pennies as it looked amazing prominences dancing in the solar wind

Hi all I am looking to try some solar with my usual night equipment but want to understand better what’s possible. I am not sure I want to spend 1000s on a dedicated Ha scope or chromosphere yet, but I am not actually sure what is possible with the equipment I have…. I have an ES127 a WO Redcat. I am planning on buying the solar film from FLO to go over the objectives and also the baader continuum filter both listed below. https://www.firstlightoptics.com/solar-filters/astrozap-baader-solar-filter.html https://www.firstlightoptics.com/solar-filters/baader_2961580.html i also have a mono camera (1600) so how does that work with with this filter? Do I need to shoot RGB and then add the continuum filter? Will I get any colour at all? I assume a dedicated planetary camera would be better than the 1600mm so I am open to suggestions too, but if anyone knows what I can expect here I will be much obliged. obviously with solar one has to be very careful I will be ensure to remove the guidescope as I will be imaging any other advisories you have will be noted with care. Thanks Simon

Welcome to SGL. I know Tonbridge well it’s where the outlaws live just a short hop up the road!

Here is my first entry into this one. I think just stars is actually harder than it sounds especially without the star diffraction spikes which I think provide some interesting characteristics to the larger stars. I may even try the fishing line trick to see if I can create some artificial spikes on my next outing. Adding them in post always looks cheap and nasty! This is the White Rose Cluster NGC7789 in Cassiopeia I shot LRGB, however as per my poor processing skills combining L to RGB I recycle binned the Lum and just used the RGB. A little over 4 hours total of RGB all 60s subs as this was shot on the 10/10/22 during the full moon. Scope was WO Redcat and 1600mm Pro.

This is a little worrying as I am planning on doing exactly the same my Rowan modded HEQ5 has been amazing since doing that I have seen it at .27 total but usually .4/.5. Is the mount brand new? Now don’t quote me on this but it was my thinking if one line was higher than the other that can be a sign that PA is slightly off, but the issue with guiding can be so many things as we know, focus, seeing, PA, balance list goes on. I am sure this just you getting a feel for the mount and you will nail it on the next outing!

Here is another one from me and my take on Barnard 150 The Seahorse. I imaged this on the 29th September from dusk till dawn! I managed just over 8 hours of Ha and LRGB combined, however I have not been able to add the Ha data in without making a mess of things, so this is just 7 hours of LRGB. I used the William Optics Redcat, ZWO 1600 mm pro and Baader filters. I framed this to include Fireworks Galaxy, The wispy edge of the Flying Bat Nebula and squeezed in NGC6939 open cluster.