AstroGS

Having moved all my gear to a remote observatory in Spain, the AM5 serves as a permanent observatory mount since January this year, driving a mono gear: WO RedCat61 + ASI2600MM + 7 EFW + OAG-L/290mm Mini + Flatfield panel + Pegasus APB (approx. 6-7 kgr). Initially, I was concerned if the mount would be able to serve as a permanent obsy mount but, the lack of funds at that time for a "better" one, forced me to use the AM5. And I will happily say that I was lucky to be forced towards that solution.

My experience so far from the AM5 as a permanent Obsy mount is mainly positive but, there are also some some areas that need attention. Let's start with the latter. It requires PA too often (almost once every 4-6 weeks) and although it is a fairly simple process, we use NINA's 3 star alignment, I find myself quite often asking the PixelSkiesAstro team to redo the PA for me - they of course do it happily but, it is still something to keep in mind if you wish to use AM5 as a permanent mount at a remote observatory. 

The park/ home position can be tricky to setup - again, my rig is fairly small and I do park it at its original home position but, if someone wanted to use the AM5 with longer OTA, they might need to re-think this option again. It is not impossible, just tricky.

On the positive side now, the tracking (when PA is spot on) is absolutely A M A Z I N G! Most nights I am getting a guiding between 0.5 - 0.7, with the odd ones being just over 1" and a few as low as 0.3". It seems that the guiding is getting slightly worse as it  gets closer to the zenith but, not sure why - when I am saying worse.... I mean from 0.6" to 0.8".

My SHO frames are 600secs and I am getting round stars almost end-to-end. Here are some screenshots of the PHD2 one the past few weeks.

Tried over 4 nights the Black Eye Galaxy, with my wide field rig and although I kept my expectations low due to resolution, I am happy with the final image albeit it feels over-denoised; I pushed for this effect via PS as it offered a better blend with the background (imo). I also applied 3 rounds of saturation boost on the image, to try and get the colours of the galaxy to pop as much as they could. There is a hint of IFN on the top of the galaxy - I will try and get more data next year.

I processed each RGB channel separately by removing gradient > BXT (correct only) > LinearFit > Channel Combination. Then the combined RGB image went through the usual process: full BXT > Image Solve > SPCC > Statistical Stretch > iHDR > DenoiseXT > Masked galaxy >  curves 1st round of saturation).

Then for each of the 2 Lum images, I used Full BXT > Statistical Stretch > iHDR > DenoiseXT > Masked galaxy > LHE > MMT. First applied the 300 sec image via LRGB and then the 180 sec. 

Then moved to PS and used the Camera Roll tool and saturation tools.

RGB: 55 x 120sec each

Lum180: 110 x 180 sec

Lum300: 20 x 300 sec

Data acquired with my Redcat61 + ASI2600MM + Antlia 3nm filters on an AM5, taken from a remote observatory in Spain, Pixel Skies Astro)

I am still playing around with the data and how to improve my stretching techniques. Taking under consideration that the OIII filter had the issues I was facing at that stage (it was almost unusable) and using the Statistical Stretch + iHDR script, I re-processed the same data and came up with this (cropped)version of the Horsehead nebula.

8 hours ago, Adreneline said:

This is such a challenging object to image and you've done a great job bringing out the surrounding dust whilst maintain the Iris as the star of the show; great star colours too.

I went through exactly the same trials with my recent attempt, endlessly tinkering and playing with Curves and masks to try to get a result I could live with.

As you have asked my personal preference is the second image but I think the black point needs to be pulled back a little.

On my screen the first image has a slight magenta cast.

I hope you don't mind but I removed the magenta and 'lifted' the first image, and darkened the second a tad  

This is all so subjective and at the end of the day it is what looks right to you that matters.

HT is of interest.

 

I like yours better than mine 🙂

What i have concluded is that working on the display of my MacBook Air does not help as, the colours seem to come out completely different when looking at them on a different screen/ monitor. I'm looking to the above images from my work laptop and both your points are accurate (re the magenta and black point). May i please ask on what monitor are you working on and if you have performed any "calibration"?

I am still experimenting with different stretching techniques (this is probably my No1 nemesis) and currently I am trialing a combination of Seti Astro's "Statistical Stretch" and iHDR script in PI (https://pixinsight.com/forum/index.php?threads/new-script-ihdr-advanced-multiscale-hdr-stretching.22915/) that I saw on YT video recently.

I did a quick processing of the same data and I came up with this version - any thoughts/ suggestions which one you might like best?

While I was wondering in Astrobin looking for targets away from the looming moon, I came up with this group which seemed fascinating + it was giving me the opportunity to test the new Chroma OIII filter that I recently bought.

This has approx 30 hrs of data, through 6 sessions earlier in May. I drizzled the data (x2) as , I am currently experimenting with this drizzle and processes everything using PI and PS. I captured also 7.5 hrs of Ha but, it does not seem to be strong enough - it is almost completely absent from the image. For the actual combination I used Adam Block's Image Blend script, which is absolutely fantastic. Still though the blending of the HOO to the LRGB was not as straight forward as I would have thought.

Finally, I pushed the saturation for the LRGB so the galaxy's colours to pop out more but, I did not go to strong on the OIII which still came out too vivid for my like - I might revisit it and tone it down a bit.

OIII: 65 x 600

Ha: 45 x 600

RGB: 50 x 120

Lum: 132 x 180

PS - I am highly impressed by the Chroma 5nm OIII filter. Just from the raw frames, someone can very quickly see the difference with any other OIII filer I ever had. Exceptional!

Tried this target a few times in the past with my OSC camera and always it was a pleasure to work with however, this time I tried for the first time with a mono camera and shot in LRGB, with luminance both at 180secs and 60secs as, the core can be blown up at longer exposures and wanted to have enough data to try out the best.

I ended up using both at the end. I did not over-stretch or over-saturated the images and tried to stay as close to what the data provided - although I did focus a lot on sharpening the image.

Used my RedCat61 + ASI2600MM + Antlia 3nm filters.

• RGB: 45 x 120secs each
• Lum 180secs: 155
• Lum 60secs: 65

Processed with PI using the x2 drizzle and PS.

I always wanted to be able to image NGC6188 (The Fighting Dragons nebula) but, it never rises high enough to be able to acquire adequate data and make justice of it.  After a thorough research, I've managed to find Martin Pugh's website (I hope I do not break any forum rules here) https://www.martinpughastrophotography.space and I bought a 2-panel data set - I think it was about 30 hrs of data.

If I am not mistaken the data was acquired via a Planewave CDK17 + full frame camera (not sure which model) and I would say the quality was excellent (at least in my eyes), although the dataset seem to be from 2019.

Here is my iteration of this nebula, fully processed in PI and PS - I will admit that I am very happy with it. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Congrats to the winners - stunning images 🙂

Another point that Cuiv made was that the camera does not seem to have an output usb, which - if true - will not allow the owners of this camera to use it with other acquisition software; making it a rather very expensive item.

I have now sent to Spain (Pixel Skies Astro), my 2nd wide field rig, which will be mounted on the ZWO AM5 and hopefully will be used to create mosaics. 

The 2 rigs that I am using are:

• Main Rig: WO Redcat 61, ASI 2600MM, Antlia 2.8nm filters, ZWO OAG-L/ ASI290mm
• 2nd Rig: Samyang 135, ASI 2600MC, WO guidescope/ ASI 120mm

I collated over 18 hrs of data but, ended up using only the Ha and RGB channels. For some reason 11 Hrs of Lum data did not add any value to the final image - not even more detail. Not sure why not but, the RGB and Ha channels were enough for this image. Probably I will try again another time to work again on the Lum data.

50 x 120 sec per RGB channel

33 x 600 sec for the Ha

Redcat61 + 2600MM + Antlia filters + AM5

Integrated in PI and processed in PI and PS.

This just popped in my FB feed, it is not 1st of April so, it might be legit 😏

A new ASIAIR or something?

Galaxy season continues and this time, I captured just over 18 hrs of LRGB of the Needle Galaxy and the NGC4559. The actual image was larger but, cropped it and rotated it so, it the 2 galaxies will be the actual protagonists of this image.

Captured with the wide field rig in Spain, Redcat 61 + ASI2600MM + Antlia Filters, mounted on an AM5.

Lum: 158 x 300 sec 

RGB: 50 each x 120sec

+ calibration files

Processed in PI and PS.

1 hour ago, Elp said:

For that price it better be perfect. It was announced a while back and people commented a lot about the captain's wheel.

What is this Cosmos Steering Wheel?

New William Optics Pleiades 181 (£18K)!!! Beautiful and HUGE!!!

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/william-optics/william-optics-pleiades-181-apo-refractor.html

It makes the Askar 185 APO look like a bargain 🙂

@ollypenrice i have sent my AM5 + P200 to David in Spain and he set it up on a pier. I will be sharing some pictures shortly but, you will need i think:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-mounts/zwo-additional-silver-top-plate-for-tc40-tripod.html

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/harmonic-drive-mounts/zwo-pe200-pier-extension-for-am3-am5-mount.html

Finding targets during the galaxy season with wide field OTA is a bit challenging and restricting. However, I really enjoyed working on this target. Probably more data, would make the colours to pop more as well as the resolution.

40 x 120sec for each RGB channel

40 x 180sec for Lum

Redcat61 + ASI2600MM + AM5.

2 hours ago, Peds said:

One scenario I see is when you send your gear out to a remote hosting location and wish to switch between a reducer and a flattener. This often happens during galaxy season. A tech on site can usually switch adapters for you, but adjusting tilt perfectly is slow, tedious and typically not something they will do.

This is exactly my thought - not necessarily because the team will not do it but, because this - along with the PA - are the 2 tasks that you cannot manage remotely on your own.

Also, it might be a helpful feature for RASA owners but, again I never owned one so, I am just speculating based on posts that I have read.

A tilt unit that helps to correct tilt and back focus using electronically assisted methods - as per the title. 

https://www.asgastronomy.com/asg-electronically-assisted-tilt-eat-project/

They are also offering different other tilting systems and the prices  start from $695.

Over a year now and the mount continues to hold very well - even as a permanent observatory mount.

Imaging tonight M53 with the Redcat 61 and guiding is very stable at 0.5-0.6. I will be adding a 2nd rig on the mount (Samyang + ASI2600MC) soon and I am experimenting with the counter-weight and indeed, it seems to be delivering a more persistent solid guiding numbers.

Very pleased indeed.

RedCat 61 on a ZWO AM5, imaging the M53 from Spain (Pixel Skies Astro remote observatory).

Guiding is absolutely fantastic tonight.

17 hours ago, Fegato said:

OK, so I just averaged the two images together (half and half as we say in Wales)...  and like this one better!

Very nice and balanced - the dust is very well blended in the scenery, without forcing it or over-stretching it. Well done!

Just over 19 hours on Markarian's Chain and its companions - plate solving found over 50 galaxies, there might be even more.

This was with my Redcat 61 + 2600MM + Antlia filters.

Lum: 176 x 300 sec

RGB: 45 x 120 sec (each channel)

Calibration frames (flats, darks and bias): 50 each

Integrated and processed with PI and PS.

Note: I remain highly impressed by the ZWO AM5 that, continues to deliver excellent guiding as a permanent observatory mount.