AstroGS

M106 captured from our backyard in Northampton, using: Stellamira ED90 Triplet + 0.8 Reducer/Flattener ASI2600MC + 2" L-Pro filter ZWO AM5 91 x 300 sec subs (over 2 nights) + 50x Darks, Bias and FlatsIntegrated and processed with PI

Finally! 2 days of proper night skies! Gathered data from M106 and the surrounding structures, for over 7 hours using the Stellamira 90ED Triplet + x0.8 reducer/ flattener + 2" L-Pro filter. Managed to get 300 sec subs + calibration frames. Guiding was good but, I have started seeing elongated stars at the top corners (managed to reduce it a bit with BlurX) and I will need to find out where does that come from. I am not sure if it is back-focus or some tilt with either the filter drawer or the the OAG or both. I am happy though with the result and even more happy with the fact that I have managed to capture an object (albeit very faint) that is approx. 3.8 billion light years away: PGC2299122 (just at the right of NGC4248).

Finally got a clear night last evening and went for the M106 that was pretty much at the zenith during the whole session. 300 sec subs, seeing was good but, there was some wind that had some effect on the guiding and I had to increase Dec/RA aggression. Overall guiding was around 0.5” - 0.6”, which I consider very good. Overall rig weight around 7kg.

This is definitely a target that should be done with a mono camera and the Antlia 3nm SHO filters.

You have point though. It feels the same with some of the images when I am overthinking it. Out of curiosity, which one do you like most?

I would agree as well. This time I spent almost half a day on it while on the original one, I did it in a rush 😀

I never planned to take this image but, i am really happy with the wide field framing that includes also the Owl Nebula and its simplicity. Used the Stellamira 90ED Triplet, with the ASI2600MC and the 2" L-Pro, on a ZWO AM5. 63 x 300 sec + 50 x Flats, Bias and Darks. I tried to keep exposures at 300 secs (rather than the 600 secs that I usually use), to ensure that the owl nebula will not be over-exposed.

5 weeks of really bad weather and I felt the need to mess around with stuff. I swapped guidescopes, guide cameras, did some cable management, tightened the bolts and screws of things, cleaned the optics and etc. Got bored and started working on old data. I worked again on the spaghetti nebula... open to any feedback. compared to the original.

Thanks for the feedback…. Currently I’m playing around with the Generalised Hyperbolic Stretch and the results are more like a hit & miss case. I will try to go back and play with it again when I get some time. Re the elongated stars you are probably right as, it was the first time that I used ZWO’s OAG + ZWO filter drawer and there might have been some tilt or even backspacing issue. I will keep an eye on this.

I have to start with this..... the weather has been absolutely atrocious over the past 3 months. In Northampton where I live, I think we had max 3 or 4 nights of clear-ish night skies. In one of those nights - that I was not planning to do any imaging by the way - I went for the M81/82 galaxies with the 90mm refractor. Seeing conditions were ok but, not good and there was some wind as well. Overall, I managed to acquire 70 subs of 300 secs each + flats, darks and bias frames. Was fighting with guiding issues that night (averaged between 0.9 - 1.3 RMS error), which shows at the edge of the image with elongated stars. Stellamira 90ED + flattener/reducer x0.8 ASI2600MC + 2" L-Pro filter OAG + 290mm guide scope Integrated & processed with Pixinsight - drizzled the data (although I did not see any difference from the non-drizzled version).

Yes indeed that is the 2 mins alum and 3 mins RGB. When I get the chance I will use the 2600mc with the L-PRo and see what I can get out of that. Thanks again for the advice - it did help indeed.

And here is the final image - a bit brighter that I like but, I am happy. In general the fact that the Antlia filters provide such a good control over the stars is impressive.

Hey Alan - thank you for your advice. You see I would usually use the asi2600mc during Galaxy season but, I wanted to try an LRGB alternative. From my skies I will go back to the OSC with the L-Pro.

I am happy that I followed your advice as it did make sense and I believe that the outcome was much better - except from tracking that it was still averaging above 0.7" most of the time due to wind. Thank you 🙂 I shot 120 sec luminance and 180 sec RGB. Sharing some subs as an example. Light_Markarian's Chain_180.0s_Bin1_1600MM_B_gain139_20230420-040356_-10.0C_0029.fit Light_Markarian's Chain_180.0s_Bin1_1600MM_G_gain139_20230420-022413_-10.0C_0030.fit Light_Markarian's Chain_180.0s_Bin1_1600MM_G_gain139_20230420-005037_-10.0C_0002.fit Light_Markarian's Chain_120.0s_Bin1_1600MM_L_gain139_20230419-225102_-10.0C_0030.fit

They have published a price at 5k euro, for the version with encoders. https://www.jtwastronomy.com/products/jtw-fireant-ultra-portable-harmonic-drive-travel-mount

It is the 1st time that I am trying to image a galaxy via LRGB. Last time I used the ASI1600MM + ZWO filters I was using an exposure time of 300 secs but, then again I was shooting the Rosette Nebula - even under almost full moon but, then again that was in SHO. I recently also shot the Bode's galaxy via an L-Pro and the ASI2600MC at 300 secs and it came out really nice. But, you are right when imaging on broadband the criteria change - I will try 1, 2 and 3 mins on Lum tonight + 3 mins on RGB. Unless, you suggest that even 3 mins for RGB is too much.

That’s very interesting indeed. I never thought of this like this and it feels that I always tried long exposures 600secs or 300secs just because…..no apparent reason. I had of course some really nice results so far, either with the ASI2600MC + dual band filters or L-Pro and the ASI1600 but, with ZWO 7nm filters. Tonight is supposed to be have clear skies so, I will give a go with different exp times to check 1 min, 2 and 3 mins. I’m just curious now. @TheLazyAstronomer you are right, I did not bother that much to perfect tracking that night, most of the time the exposures were unguided as the OAG was losing the star. I wanted mainly to check the filters and camera. But, i’m onboard with your comments as well re the exp time.

On Monday, I had the chance to take a few subs before the clouds appeared, with the new Antlia 3nm 36mm unmounted filters. I am planning to shoot Markarian's Chain in LRGB but, I wanted to make sure that everything works as it should. I managed to get a couple of subs with the Red filter and Luminance. The rig for the night was: Stallamira ED90 Triplet + reducer/ flattener ASI 1600MM Pro + EFW + Antlia 3nm 36mm unmounted filters Each sub was 600 secs. The red filter seems very good but, the luminance came out as an overexposed image (completely white). What might be the issue with it? Light_Markarian's Chain_600.0s_Bin1_1600MM_R_gain139_20230417-221425_-10.0C_0001.fit Light_Markarian's Chain_600.0s_Bin1_1600MM_L_gain139_20230417-215911_-10.0C_0002.fit Light_Markarian's Chain_600.0s_Bin1_1600MM_L_gain139_20230417-214857_-10.0C_0001.fit

A few days ago, we had the chance after 7 weeks (!!!) to get a couple of days with clear skies and despite the fact that the moon was almost full, I had to give it a try! Used the Stellamira 90ED Triplet, with the ASI2600MC and the 2" L-Pro, on a ZWO AM5. 63 x 300 sec + 50 x Flats, Bias and Darks. I tried to keep exposures at 300 secs (rather than the 600 secs that I usually use), to ensure that the owl nebula will not be over-exposed. Any feedback is welcome and appreciated.

The weather decided after almost 7 weeks straight with clouds, to do us a favour and offer us a few evenings with clear skies. It does seem that the mount is delivering much better results now - it probably needed some period of breaking in - but, managed to get some very solid guiding over 2 nights this week. I used the 90mm triplet with the 2600MC (approx. 7 kg payload) to do some galaxy imaging. The only difference compared to the previous setup is that I replaced the guidescope with a ZWO OAG + the ASI290mm mini and it seems that is perfect. Both days the mount tracked between 0.4 and 0.6, with some lows as 0.33 (!!) for an hour or so. Here are some screenshots of those sessions.

Thanks for your feedback - any chance you are using the mount with Asiair?

This is indeed interesting if that is the case and it could be a stopper for me of buying the CQ350. I do wish to get a future proof mount. I might then go for a CEM70.

I will be super interested to hear your thoughts when you get a sec to test it. Looking forward for the good, bad and ugly (if any) areas of the mount. I’m using an Asiair - it seems that me and ASCOM are not compatible.

Still debating between the CQ350 and CEM70 - price wise both are close to each other, payload again very close. Is it a matter of either will be good or the general consensus is that one could fit better my needs. I have to go with the info I get online as, I have never seen either in action. Again, there is a good possibility to buy a SW 190MN for starts and move to a RASA8 on later stage and when funds allows it.

It is a great mount and probably one of the most versatile mounts in the market. Tracks well and holds a fair amount of weight.