AstroNebulee

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Thank you Paul, was a complete fluke to get that in shot and if I took more time and framed it better could of got more of Hyades in there, but as I say it was just a quick sub before going back to my target exercise of imaging Orion, clear skies

Hi My star adventurer 2i hasn't arrived yet but but I've been researching the setup and polar alignment in preparation for when it arrives and this link may be of help to you hopefully, clear skies. https://nightskypix.com/skywatcher-star-adventurer-pro-setup-and-user-guide/#:~:text=To align the Star Adventurer,Adventurer to the celestial pole.

Just a very quick single sub I took tonight with my Canon 450d and younogo 50mm prime lens 1600iso 30 secs 3.5f, only took this one as I was setting up my dslr to image Orion and I caught this out the corner of my eye whilst framing Orion. Not the best ever but I'm happy with it for a quick point and shoot. Unprocessed. EDIT...I've added a cropped version of this image and makes it look much better, will get the framing right next time, was going to try tonight but the cloud has decided to stay unfortunately. Clear skies

At last I've learned something that sunk in, phew 😅,

Hi Rob I'm new to all this to and waiting on delivery of my star adventurer late March. Its worth just playing around with the iso 800 maybe better at 2.8f. If you can look at the histogram on your dslr the peak should be around 1/4 to a third way along to the right is best if I recall rightly, but could be wrong. I know the higher iso the more noise generated. Maybe try iso 1600 at 3.5f. Look forward to the results, I'm hopefully clear skies tonight and will be trying Orion again. Last night I was using my Canon 450d on lx2 mini track 50mm prime lens iso 1600 3.5f 1 min subs and my sky appeared bright but the histogram was 1/4 to 1/3 along, so tonight I'm trying iso 800 at 3.5f 1 min sub to note the difference. Clear skies

My dslr set up in my flats communal area earlier this evening before the moon rose. Trying a new settings procedure with my Omegon lx2 mini track & Canon 450d unmodded, took 28 subs at 1600 iso 3.5f 1min before the moon started to wash out the sky and make the subs to bright but achieved a good histogram about 1/4 to the right. So hopefully with the moon rising later moro and hopefully clear skies I'll try more subs again at these settings or 800iso. Took the binos out with me whilst the dslr was clicking away, saw pleiades, beehive cluster, M35 with averted vision and think a hint of M31 with very averted vision. Edit 1.3.21 including tonight's set up inspired by @knobbyimage of his astro set up, I've managed to get about 50 mins of data on Orion tonight with the same set up as last night just more subs this time, before the moon popped up, will process them moro when I'm thinking we are due to have cloud here, plus my online grocery shop is coming. Clear skies

Thank you for the fantastic report, you certainly made good use of the clear skies over these nights. You've claimed some fantastic doubles there and M13 to boot. Makes it all worthwhile, I imaged a few doubles on Friday night, hoping to process them later, going out with the scope and camera this evening before the moon rises to see what I can image. Then Monday night if it stays clear as moon doesn't rise until 8.30pm ish. Clear skies.

Here are a couple of lunar images taken this week 22, 25 & 26th February 2021 with my skymax 127 az gti and Canon 450d dslr, 40 images processed in pipp, as3, registax 6 and ps. Clear skies

Thanks @Pixies @Orangesmartie @SuburbanMak, that's a good to know and I'll certainly be looking for that one tonight, with the help of the canis major constellation image if the skies stay clear. The image you posted is a great one, as I said I find the contrasting doubles fun to find and make good images. I hope you enjoy taking the heavier gear out tonight and enjoy clear skies where you are.

Lovely report, I've just started looking at doubles thanks to @SuburbanMakand love looking at the contrasting coloured ones and getting a quick snap of them with my dslr. I'm going to ask as stupid question here but which star is the winter alberio. I love Iota cancera, clear skies.

Thank you for your advice, it's for my Canon 450d and 18-55 kit lens, so now will look at a slightly higher budget for something as don't want to be carting round the suitcases with a whacking great tripod. I'll do some more research, thank you

Yes I know what you mean, I started of with a couple of doubles but now seeing triples and quads now, my list expanded very quickly. Thank you for your comments on the Uranus image I was chuffed to image it, clear skies hopefully.

Jumping on the bandwagon here, I'm glad you brought this subject up @SuburbanMak I have a Skymax 127 az gti and it's great to know some doubles and multi stars are visable during the near full moon. I've been imaging the Moon throughout the last couple of weeks and snagged a glimpse of Iota Cancri after a little observing session the other night and was blown away by it. Thank you to all the suggestions here I've more to observe and possibly a few images in the offing, Clear skies

Hi. Hopefully we are going to Lanzarote in November all being well and I'm researching for small mini tripods to fit my dslr onto, so I can take some nice wide field astro photos whilst away, it needs go in my suitcase and don't want it to take up to much room. I've seen a manfrotto one with a ball head that locks for £20,im not looking to spend over £20 really. Any advice if anyone has used a mini tripod before on holidays. Thank you

Are they less noisy because of lower exposure time and iso. I take from 30-1min or more exposures with mine, depending on the focal length of the lens and take a series of darks flats and bias, to help with reducing the noise in post processing.

My set up in action tonight in the communal area behind my flat where I set up normally. My Skymax 127 az gti for some lunar imaging, still waiting for my black box for the laptop dew sheild so trying to get the imaging in before the dew sets in. The tripod is at its lowest position tonight as it is quite windy at times here and gives less vibration this way, I normally have it full extension when no wind.

I've just come in from a quick imaging and observing session from the communal area behind my flat. It has been beautifully sunny, clear and no wind all day, until I got home from work, when it decided to cloud over with high and intermittent mid level cloud. I thought typical that, but it must of been great for our solar imagers though, so I hope they enjoyed a good long imaging session as they've been few and far between. I looked out the window and watched the bands of cloud forming southwards, with the winds picking up and thought to myself shall I even bother to set up. In the end I did set up my skymax 127 az gti and whilst it cooled I connected my zwo camera, fired up the laptop ready for imaging the moon. The wind was buffeting at times but I did manage a bit of imaging. With the zwo asi120mc-s in prime focus I toured (excuse my spellings) sinus Iridum with the jeweled pan handle just past its best, then down to coppernicus, reinhold and lansberg, the carpathian mountains, onto mare humorun, gassendi was just showing its Eastern ridge and the central peak glimmering a touch, to bullialdus, then down to the southern highlands with tyco, Clavius, longomontanus and maginus. The southern highlands never fail to impress me. Then I set up my dslr to take full disc images as the cloud buiokt up even more. So I though let's try a bit of visual with my hyperflex zoom 7.2-21.5mm on some easy doubles, I viewed castor, mintaka. Then iota Cancri which I've never seen before and looked beautiful with the orange and blue coloured double such a contrasting pair. Sorry if this is along winded report especially on the moon which isn't everyone's friend but I've enjoyed imaging the Moon and ticking off the Lunar 200 whilst I can't image deep sky. I hope others have enjoyed their sessions tonight if clear skies appeared and the solar imagers during the day.

I had no issues when I updated my firmware via wireless, to the right hand eq mod version with my laptop and the 2 pieces of software from the skywatcher website

Prepare to be bored, there's many lunar images here. I got a tad over excited here. They were taken with my Skymax 127 az gti and zwo asi120mc-s and the full disc with my Canon 450d, processed in as3, rs6 and ps, the ones used with my x2 Barlow came out in colour (or a strange hue of green) for some reason so will look into that next time. Will have to process in b/w next time. Anyway enjoy and prepare yourselves.. 🙄😬

I'm liking the look of those tasty nibbles on the corner of your desk 😊

That's if you get it delivered to somebody, I'm still waiting for a very basic starter scope I ordered in April last year (I can laugh about it now but wasn't at the time) wouldn't use hermes again.

That's a lovely image of Orion there, you've got the flame and Horsehead nebula in there. Keep going your doing great 👍

Always happy when new equipment gets delivered 😊

Courtesy of Adam at RVO and the DHL driver, my new lighter 6x30 sw finderscope for my skymax 127 az gti, a better weight balance for my set up now and still a lovely view through the fs, well happy.