Clarkey

1 hour ago, scitmon said:

It's time to make a flat panel and I'm looking for recommendations

I have done exactly the same as Alex - tablet for 80mm, LED light-pad for the 200mm. As above I have had to add a few sheets A4 or a T-shirt to get he brightness down. Works a treat.

Just to add, for consistency and to make it a bit quicker I have set the brightest n stars to 50. This will avoid measuring hot pixels or noise.

It will depends on the focuser and the scope but start with a largish step size (mine are 50 - 100) and also consider starting with a larger offset of maybe 6 steps. Once you get a better idea of the curve you should be able to see a clear pattern and fine tune it. If you have backlash in the focuser you may need to compensate for this.

2 hours ago, ParallaxPete said:

My first image since April time, the weather up in the north east of Scotland has been truly awful.

I share your pain. Not been much better here.

That's a great improvement. Well done👍

That looks pretty good given the very limited integration time.👍

I have the Stella RC8 and I have been really pleased with it. For the money I think it is excellent. I have changed the focuser to a SteelTrack which certainly helps for AP. The standard focuser would probably be OK for planetary imaging but if you are planning to add an auto focuser the slight slippage is a problem.

With regards to collimation it was a concern of mine too. However, during the summer I did re-collimate and it is now much better. I used a combination of the TSRCKOLLI (Reego) and the DSI method. Once you get it 'sorted' in terms of methodology it is not too bad. Fortunately, once set it does not really move. Of all my scopes this is the one definite 'keeper'. I particularly like the fact that I do not have to mess about getting perfect spacing with flatteners or coma correctors.

For planets I would probably go for the CC, but the higher F ratio would be more of a problem for DSO's.

Here are a couple of images I took with it. These were actually done with an ST80 guidescope - but I now have an OAG. I am a novice at AP - only my second season - so these could be better. Also, I now use OAG and have better collimation.

Just to add to the comments above, for £2000 you can certainly get a reasonable set up especially if you are willing to look at used. (Also, if you buy used you will probably get most of your money back if you sell on). There are some decent doublets on Astro Buy and Sell now. I started out with a SW Evostar ED80, HEQ5 and DSLR which is a good combination. I would also add to what has been said above - if you have aspirations to do AP then the mount is the critical piece of kit. I would suggest an HEQ5 or equivalent is probably the minimum for reliable accurate tracking. Yes you can go lighter / cheaper but you are then likely to be fighting the mount as well as everything else. AP is hard enough when you are starting out without adding to the frustrations. Also, if you look at upgrade the HEQ5 has a reasonable capacity.

For the camera I would personally look at Canon. Not because I have any issue with other makes, but it seems that most software and control seems to be designed largely for Canon and other makes can be more problematic to get drivers etc. Also, there are large numbers of used, modified Canon's for sale for less than £200.

Just bare in mind that AP is a money pit. As well as the camera / scope / mount you will need various other kit such as cables, connectors, flatteners, filters etc. So leave some money in your budget for these. In bortle 8 a light pollution filter may be quite high up on your shopping list.

7 hours ago, Enigma_RL said:

How would I be able to get my focus close during daytime?

Just set you camera on a very short exposure loop at focus on something as far away as you can. It does not have to perfect, but at least you will be close when you set up for imaging. You should be able to do this for the guide camera and main imaging camera. 

Thinking about the telescope connection, have you gone into the EQAscom toolbox and registered the mount and set it up using the 'Ascom connect' and 'Driver set up'? You might need to search for the COM port to connect the mount. If the scope is not found you sometimes have to disconnect and reconnect the USB cable.

On 25/10/2021 at 19:55, StarWomble said:

short dark haired evil bird...

Nah. It's the wife! 😂

Nice battery box. I am current using a 100 Ah AGM which is a beast. I might look at a lithium upgrade using the same box. Mine is old fashioned ply.

I can't help with your specific queries but my main piece of advice would be to get the whole system connected and running during the day. It is much easier to sit indoors and sort out most of the issues. In many cases you can use simulators to check it is working. For focusing just get it right or at least very close during the day also.

FWIW I spent a few hours yesterday trying to connect my mount to a new computer. Same software, same kit, same drivers - but it would not connect. Eventually after much faffing and internet research I got it sorted. If this had been during imaging time I would have just given up!

These sorts of issues are not unusual in AP. Persevere and you will get there. Once you get your first decent image the previous nightmares will be forgotten.

Good luck.

1 hour ago, AbsolutelyN said:

Perhaps I'd have been better saving for the TS 150 f/4 and that corrector

Be ready to change the focuser too. I have just got the TS f4 Photon and then had to spend another £500 on a new focuser and Aplanatic CC as the Baader MPCC was not good enough. (Claimed to be OK at F4, but I could not get it to work).

What about the new StellaMira ED90 with reducer? Looks pretty good on paper.

Having said this, if you have rejected the FSQ85, the bar looks pretty high.

11 hours ago, Jokehoba said:

DSS Live is fun and exciting

I normally go to bed! 😀

Currently I am trying to get my head round PI with the trial license. 🤪🤯

Just try and see....

I purchased the SW Aplanatic and I assumed it was 55mm and set my rig to this - even though it is a 600mm FL (I have not checked what the images plate solve to though). It gave good results but I have actually had to increase by about 0.25mm to get 'perfect' results. At 53mm my stars would be pretty poor.

1 hour ago, Concordia000 said:

With my Astro gear strapped to my back

Bike trailer?😁

I have a different problem. Easy access to dark sites but an absence of visible sky due to cloud and rain!

7 hours ago, rickwayne said:

what features are in StarTools or Affinity that APP lacks?

I think the main thing for both is a good denoise algorithm - I use Astroflat pro in Affinity. Also, I find Startools particularly good for galaxy imaging and getting the detail out, in particular the deconvolution module. Affinity is just a different option to PS, but it does give you the option of masking and the benefits that can bring. Now it has some AP specific processes, it can technically do everything from stacking forwards.

Don't get me wrong, despite the annual cost I will not be getting rid of APP, but I will still be finishing images with Affinity. Startools is more of a complete processing system which I find excellent for getting relatively rapid results, but that too has some shortfalls. Bottom line is that to me there is no 'perfect' processing software* and I will always use a combination. However, any one of the above mentioned packages will give good results.

*If I ever get my head round PI I might be able to say otherwise.

What is the power output for the USB? Many of the powered hubs still only give a limited power output and it may not be enough for the focuser. I have some USB powered dew heaters but these need either a separate high power USB charger or a fast charge port on a data hub. Maybe it is just drawing too much current?

23 hours ago, Daf1983 said:

Might have a look at astro pixel processor

APP is great for stacking, gradient removal and colour balance. However, I think it still needs to be used in conjunction with something else as it does lack certain features. Currently I stack with APP then use either Startools or Affinity photo or a bit of both.

I am currently trying Pixinsight, but clearly my science and engineering background is not match for its complexity. As has often been said it is a steep learning curve but I was unaware of the need for a rope and belay🤣. 

7 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

With 190 subs from an inherently low noise camera I don't see dithering being very significant. Its importance is proportional to noise so, for a guess, I'd say you probably wouldn't notice much difference. Anyway, running unguided you'll be getting a bit of natural dither anyway.

I am looking at the image on a small laptop with a rubbish screen, but it looked to me that there was a fair amount of 'walking noise' running vertically. It might just be how it looks on my screen though.

That is a great image for the short integration time and no calibration or dithering. Just think how good it would be with guiding and calibration frames!! You have a great set up with the Esprit and 2600mc and adding guiding would be a small step but make a HUGE difference. At 800mm FL you could simply adapt the SW finderscope at minimal cost.

Looking at this really does push me towards ONC imaging. I have too many unfinished LRGB images!

I went down the mono route about 18 months ago based on the theory that mono would give better and faster results. I think this is probably right providing you can finish you imaging sequences before the clouds roll over. Many times I have got some channels completed but missed others and end up with 'half' an image. I am seriously considering going over to (or at least adding) OSC for this reason. In the event of a full night of imaging as planned I think the mono definitely has the edge. However, this seems to be such a rarity that at least if I set a OSC sequence to run for the night I will at least get something to show for it. Having seen some of the images from OSC camera's with only a few hours integration it does seem to be a practical proposition.

I have just got an F4 imaging scope to try and improve my data capture rate. Lets hope this helps over the F6.3 I was working with. (Having bought the scope I then needed a new coma corrector and focuser so I probably should have just got the OSC camera for the same cost!!)

Maybe I just need an F2 RASA and a new house in the middle of the Atacama🤣

It would be useful to know exactly what your set up is to make a better judgement.  From the pictures it looks like you might be marginally too far away. I have used the ZWO set up and I have generally found it pretty close and not really needed to do much more. However, in both cases where it needed alteration mine was a fraction too close and was resolved with some spacers.

I think if it is an M48 T ring it will screw in directly. If not TS sell one.

43 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

Astrophotography is expensive.

You forgot "very".😁