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Quick trip to Screwfix and I have improved the cable situation a bit...

Here we go, this is a sub timed at 21:16 so, probably started at about 21:06 with guidelog and debuglog. I dont know how to get the calibration info in a file from PHD but this is the calibration: The mount is an NEQ6, I think removing the polemaster camera is a good shout as well, my alignment is pretty good I think and its pier mounted so, pretty solid. Ed. IC1396 Panel 2_LIGHT_2021-10-06_21-06-30_HA_-10.00_600.00s_139_0005.fits PHD2_DebugLog_2021-10-06_201142.txt PHD2_GuideLog_2021-10-06_201142.txt

sometimes you just have to pack it in for the night so I did and when I went out to put the covers back on I had a more detailed look with the lights on, I think the polemaster cable was snagged. fortunately I have 4 days off so I will have time to fully rewire it. More telling is that fact that the first two subs are ok, then it all goes to pot.

This is one of the subs open in APP. I don't get it. this is well polar aligned, its calm, no wind, its tracked and guided and my subs are useless

output from PHD, I am gathering more IC1396 data and where I am its virtually straight up. I am wondering if a cable is getting a slight snag or putting some load on the rig. I have been out for a look and nothing obvious stands out, but I guess it would not have to be obvious to cause an issue. The FITS file coming out looks like this with the disturbance in the stars, just using fits liberator for a quick look. These are 600 second subs as well, would I be better off getting more, shorter subs ? maybe 180 seconds?

You see that's why I ask the dumb questions Thanks Vlaiv

I am setting up an imaging run for tonight as it looks like it will be clear. Currently I have 10 minute subs and I have 5 each for HA O3 S2 and Luminance. Is there a recommended, or even suggested balance between these channels? do I need more of one and less of another? The constant battle with the clouds leads me to think if I can capture more of the right data it would be an improvement! Ed

please let this happen .....

Cheers Stuf 9am this morning I didnt actually know which buttons to push in APP so its really the start of a new chapter.

I rushed the processing as well, I had not been in a position to combine any data in APP until this morning, I will just keep gathering subs as and when the weather allows, this is literally the first combined HA/SII/OIII image I have ever done that's looked halfway good. The subs I did use were not in any way a calculated ratio either, it was just what came out of the camera without any wobble on it. I will keep focused on this for a few more weeks I think. Cheers Ed.

Beyond amazing something for me to aim for. I have been shooting IC1396 and finally managed to get something I was happy with that I just posted, but this is inspirational Ed

Four or so years ago my mother bought my daughter a celestron powerseeker AZ telescope that she promptly ignored, and I played with more than her. From struggling to locate the moon through that scope ( no really! ) to my first proper purchase, an iOptron sky tracker to get my first "point and hope" shots of Andromeda its been a special kind of stressful fun. Last night I pulled together the first image I can look at and think "Yeah, I can do this now", I present the elephants trunk nebula in IC1396 10 minute subs, on mono ZWO1600MM, 70 min HA, 10 min SII 30 min OIII, guided in PHD2, session setup in N.I.N.A, Skywatcher NEQ6, Altair Astro 102ED F7 scope, with a meridian flip to boot processed in APP & a little bit of photoshop Happy is an understatement, but onwards and upwards Ed.

Ok so I am getting started with guided imaging, trying to get all my gear dialled in and get up to speed with N.I.N.A ready for when the nights really start to draw in. I have had some problems with PHD, sorted now hopefully, but this question did pop into my mind the other day./ When you are using a guide scope and PHD does that correct the mount tracking or replace the mount tracking, ie do you rely only on the pulses from PHD or do you run the mounts tracking as well? I feel like this is a dumb question and the answer is that the guiding just improves on the mount and corrects any errors but, I figured I would ask it anyway. be gentle! Ed.

Hey. What is an acceptable FWHM for a guide scope? I am using a 50mm guide with an altair camera and I can get about 5ish. feels like its too high but the scope is not the greatest. Ed.

from your post count I am guessing this is not a focus problem? I have the same sort of symptom with green, but I am very new and I am fairly sure its a focus problem. Ed.

I have been trying to get this working for ages! Never managed it though. Maybe I will have another crack tonight as it looks to be clouding over.

I'm using a SkyWatcher NEQ-6, ZWO ASI 1600MM, ZWO Filterwheel, this package from FLO as it happens, there's a field flattener in there, Pegasus focus cube, Pegasus Powerbox, small 50mm guidescope with an altair camera.

No I'm not as it happens, but I think I bought the scope from the SEKAS webmaster, down Herne Bay kinda area. Ed.

rats. ClearOutside is indeed reporting clouds coming in at about 8. it's changed it's mind since lunch so, there's always hope!

That's looking pretty good, a smidge on the green side maybe. Looks like we are getting another clear night down here and one of the joys of astro is you can keep adding to your data year on year and still stack it together so long as you are using the same gear. Big up the East Kent massive btw Ed.

Thanks for the input. What's "unity" gain ? I am using the ZWO ASIImg software and the gain options are low, middle and high. /edit/ let me just google that for myself shall i found some excellent explanations... The scope is an Altair Astro 102mm ED and the wife would be simply overjoyed to hear that I require a different type of telescope for this work

Morning all Hope anyone else in the south east is enjoying the recent clear nights we seem to have been blessed with. I decided to have a crack at the Elephant Trunk Nebula yesterday and my 10 minute subs are looking like this, through HA filter, does it look a bit too noisy? Its a ZWO 1600MM mono cooled to -10 but I didn't have 10 minute darks in my library so I ran a single frame through APP this morning using 5 minute darks, I am shooting some 10 minute darks right now. So, is this noise or is it nebulosity? The tracking is a bit off as well, something else to be working on Ed

Great Image, Check your PM's. I am curious to know whether we worked together in Helsinki a few years back. Ed.