CCD-Freak

I also reprocessed the NGC253 and NGC7293 images to bring out more detail and clean up the noise a bit. If the weather will ever clear I plan to do a more careful job with the ASI482MC and this time I will get Flats too.

I forgot to process this image I took of M1 Crab Nebula back in October. This is another image taken with my ASI482MC non cooled planet cam. 60 x 60" with a UV-IR filter AT6RC at F7 GEM45 mount Dithered every 3rd image Captured and processed with Astroart 8 I am still a bit amazed at what the ASI482MC can do. (^8

Not here 8^( ......light snow and 8°F at the moment. I have some new kit I want to play with so I am being tortured. 8^P

I have a TAL-2 mount shown here with a 5" Photon refractor and I have the rare Vega 12v drive control.

Back in the 60s I bought the book "The Search for Planet X" at the school book fair when I was in the 5th grade. It covers how Clyde Tombaugh searched for and found Pluto and it made a huge impression on me and helped spur my interest in amateur astronomy. I missed the opportunity to have Clyde sign it at the Texas Star Party because I forgot to take the book. )^8 I did get his autograph but not on the book. I recently found another copy in a used book store so now have two.

I need to see if I can find a copy. I have never read it but it is on my reading list. A friend of mine has a signed copy. 8^) I do have a book signed by Sir Patrick Moore and Heather Couper.

Looking forward to seeing your image. I recently picked up one of those 12" F4 OTAs but have not had much clear sky to test it.

I think the stars do add so much to the image of a DSO. NGC7129

I reprocessed my NGC253 data that I took with an ASI482MC "non cooled planet cam" through an AT6RC with an AP67 reducer riding on a GEM45 mount. 120 x 2 minutes Gain 150 dithered every 3rd sub. Captured and processed with Astroart 8 with a touch up in Topaz Denoise I am still a bit amazed at what I was able to capture with the ASI482MC

I cracked the Crab way back in 1999 when I was testing the CB245 camera that I had just finished building. (^8 This is the full size image 242 x 378 91 Kilo Pixels !!!!!

I cracked it a few weeks ago as I was testing an imaging setup from my Bortle 6 back yard. 50 x 3 minutes (2.5 hours total) AT6RC with a ASI533MCp riding on a GEM45 mount.

The ASI-533MCp is a winner. It has the same size pixels and no amp glow of it's ASI-2600MCp big brother. I have been extremely happy with mine.

WOW !!!! What a beast !!!!! I would also like to know more about the OTA sitting on top of it. ?!?!?!?!? I assume that it is a strain wave drive mount. I also assume it will be $$$$ !! 8^P

I will pass this on to Sheldon. I think he has moved on to a different mount but he may still want to get the Vixen mount to work. Thanks

Welcome to SGL from a fellow Texan way up north of DFW. I so like your phrase "eyes glaze like a donut" (^8 It does really capture most people when I start talking about astro-imaging and telescope equipment. I live under Bortle 6 skies but I have my SRO dark site out near Paducah, TX that has Bortle 1-2 skies so I feel lucky to have "my own little dark corner of the universe".

I think the ASI715MC might make a good guide camera with short FL guide scopes.

Welcome to SGL. Where are you in western NC ???? I have some relatives that live near Bakersville, NC

I went with a Todmorden pier and have not regretted it. It was easy to construct in one afternoon and very stable. The freeze line in my area is around 10" to 15" so my footing goes down about 24". The hardest part of the project was digging the hole in the hard west Texas soil. I painted the pier in white acrylic paint. I have plans for several more Todmorden piers around my dark site.

Not bad for so little exposure time. What camera and scope?

That area is semi arid and can have nice skies if you can get away from the El Paso light pollution. My imaging buddies in Las Cruces, NM like to go to a Rusty's RV Ranch or City of Rocks State Park. I don't know how far you are willing to drive but Bortle 1 or 2 skies might make it worth it. I have made several trips to Rusty's and it is over 900 miles each way. I now typically go to my Star Ranch Obs site (SRO) in west Texas since it is closer at 200 miles. I can check with the Las Cruces guy to see what other sites they use. Rusty's RV Ranch...."We are here"

Here is the first processing of an image from the trip to SRO. IC1318 60 x 3 minutes ASI533MM with Baader 7nm Ha filter Gain 100 -5C Dithered every 3rd sub SS15028HNT on Gem45 mount Guider ASI290MM / Meade 277 Captured and processed with Astroart 8 I am still tweaking and will probably have new versions soon. Now I need to capture some O & S or some RGB to go with it even though I am quite fond of black and white Ha images.

I totally agree that cooled cameras are better. I just wanted to make the point that good images can be captured using low cost cameras and good technique. The new cameras are so much quieter than the cooled CCD camera I built back in the late 90s not to mention smaller size and lower weight as well as lower cost. (^8 CB245 Project

Here is another image of NGC7293 made with the same setup.

Great movie and the back story is even better. Those women deserve way more credit than they have received so far.

Here is the Sharpstar 150mm F2.8 hyper Newt on a GEM45 mount and a screen grab of Astroart 8 during part of the imaging run.