astroenthusiast

Last weekend, I was finally able to use the TPO Ritchey Chretien 308mm astrograph, after last month's collimation efforts, which paid off.

The weather cleared for one night, allowing me to capture images of several deep-sky objects. Not sure how they will turn out, I didn't use any calibrated frames, so I may have to do a bit more image processing.  

Here is one of my first images, the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules. Unfortunately I should have processed a bit more to remove those trails in the image. 

Messier 13, also designated NGC 6205, is visible in the northern hemisphere, even in light-polluted skies, M13 is visible with just a four-inch aperture telescope. 

Equipment:
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses:
TPO 12" f/8 Ritchey–Chrétien
Imaging Cameras:
ZWO ASI2600mc PRO
Mounts:
Sky-Watcher EQ8-R Pro
Filters:
Optolong L-Pro Light Pollution Telescope 2
Accessories:
PrimaLuce Lab Esatto Robotic Focuser 3"
Software:
Astro Pixel Processor APP · Photoshop · SharpCap Pro Version 4.0
Guiding Cameras:
QHYCCD PoleMaster EQ Mount Polar Alignment Camera

Exposure time: 55 minutes

https://www.astrobin.com/gaqqs4/

Equipment:
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses:
Explore Scientific ED 165-FPL53 AIR-SPACED TRIPLET
Imaging Cameras:
ZWO ASI2600mc PRO
Mounts:
Sky-Watcher EQ8-R Pro
Filters:
Radian Triad Ultra Quad-Band
Software:
Astro Pixel Processor APP · Photoshop · SharpCap Pro Version 4.0
Guiding Cameras:
QHYCCD PoleMaster EQ Mount Polar Alignment Camera.

https://www.astrobin.com/5s686m/

Equipment:

Explore Scientific ED102 APO Triplet
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI 2600mm Pro
Mounts
Sky-watcher EQ6R-Pro
Filters
ZWO LRGB 2" · Optolong OIII CCD 6.5nm 2"
Accessories
Primaluce Labs ESATTO Robotic Focuser 2" · ZWO EFW 7 x 2"
Software
Astro Pixel Processor APP · Photoshop · SharpCap Pro Version 4.0
Guiding Cameras
QHYCCD PoleMaster EQ Mount Polar Alignment Camera

https://www.astrobin.com/nyeeg3/

According to NASA, there are signs of the galaxy Messier 51, having an exoplanet orbiting around it.

"Signs of a planet transiting a star outside of the Milky Way galaxy may have been detected for the first time. This intriguing result, using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, opens up a new window to search for exoplanets at greater distances than ever before.

The possible exoplanet candidate is located in the spiral galaxy Messier 51 (M51), also called the Whirlpool Galaxy because of its distinctive profile.

Exoplanets are defined as planets outside of our Solar System. Until now, astronomers have found all other known exoplanets and exoplanet candidates in the Milky Way galaxy, almost all of them less than about 3,000 light-years from Earth. An exoplanet in M51 would be about 28 million light-years away, meaning it would be thousands of times farther away than those in the Milky Way".

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/images/chandra-sees-evidence-for-possible-planet-in-another-galaxy.html

Equipment:

Explore Scientific ED102 APO Triplet
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI 2600mm Pro
Mounts
Sky-watcher EQ6R-Pro
Filters
ZWO LRGB 2"
Accessories
Primaluce Labs ESATTO Robotic Focuser 2" · ZWO EFW 7 x 2"
Software
Astro Pixel Processor APP · Photoshop · QHYCCD Pole master · SharpCap Pro Version 4.0
Guiding Cameras
QHYCCD PoleMaster EQ Mount Polar Alignment camera. 

https://www.astrobin.com/ubi2du/

Purchased a PrimaLuceLab SESTO Senso 2 Robotic focusing motor, for my Explore Scientific APO 102mm Triplet refractor. Decided to finally assembly it after sitting in a box for several months. I actually purchased it to use with my DayStar Quark Chromosphere filter, for solar video photography. 

The Camera and filter wheel back focus are too far back, should be no more than 55mm, but couldn't help it, just wanted to test out if the Senso 2 was functioning.

Hopefully soon, the clouds will clear.

https://www.astrobin.com/bhoqoj/

It's a cloudy night, so why not set up and test out the PrimaLuca Lab ESATTO 3" micro focuser with the ZWO 7x2" EFW and ASI2600mm Pro camera. 

This isn't my first time setting up the ESATTO, I've used it before, but unfortunately, the 308mm, Ritchey Chretien wasn't properly collimated. So, after painfully collimating the RC, I'm good to go now.

Well, except for one more piece waiting on and that's the Primaluce Lab 2" Visual Back (Eyepiece Holder Barrel) 

Oh, and once the clouds clear.

https://www.astrobin.com/2ervab/

I'm in full swing tonight, with a cloudy night, guess there's no better time than to practice a swift and careful setup. Nowaday's I don't use the 80mm Sky-Watcher guide scope, on top of my Explore Scientific ED 165mm APO Triplet Refractor, but rely on plate solving for polar alignment and guiding. 

I'm definitely antsy to get out and capture some images! 

Clear Skies, everyone!

https://www.astrobin.com/smecr3/

Explore Scientific ED 165-FPL53 AIR-SPACED TRIPLET
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI2600 MM Pro
Mounts
Sky-Watcher EQ8-R Pro
Filters
ZWO Red 2" · ZWO Luminance 2"
Accessories
ZWO EFW 7 x 2"
Software
Photoshop · SharpCap Pro Version 4.0 · Astro Pixel Processor APP

Thank you, @davies07, for all the help in getting my RC collimated!

I appreciate you very much!

It took some time to get my RC collimated properly. Waiting for several months for a Howie Glatter to become available was a challenge as well. 

Hopefully, when the clouds clear, I'll mount the ASI2600mm Pro onto the RC and use the Primeluce Esatto 3" focuser, and ditch the slop, awful Crayford focuser. Hopefully now with the Sky-Watcher EQ8 -R Pro mount, I'll do away with the guide scope and just use plate solving for polar alignment and tracking. 

Can't wait to test out imaging again, with the corrected collimation. Well, as soon as the clouds clear! 😄

https://www.astrobin.com/zum9yd/

The galaxy NGC 2403 located in Camelopardalis, lies at a distance of 10 million light-years from our planet. NGC 2403, resembles Messier 33, the Triangulum Galaxy, part of our Milky Way's Local Group of galaxies.

The Radian Triad Ultra Narrowband 2" filter was used in place of a luminance filter, which has a broad bandpass of around 400 - 700nm. The Radian Triad filter was designed for color cameras but works well in monochrome cameras doubling as a luminance filter, reducing light pollution by restricting the narrow bandpass.

 Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Explore Scientific ED 165-FPL53 AIR-SPACED TRIPLET
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI2600 MM Pro
Mounts
Sky-Watcher EQ8-R Pro
Filters
ZWO Blue 2" · ZWO Green 2" · ZWO Red 2" · Radian Triad Ultra Quad-Band
Accessories
ZWO EFW 7 x 2"
Software
Photoshop · DeepSkyStacker Version 4.26 · SharpCap Pro Version 4.0 · Astro Pixel Processor APP

https://www.astrobin.com/f6ejlo/

 Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Explore Scientific ED 165-FPL53 AIR-SPACED TRIPLET
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI2600mc PRO
Mounts
Sky-Watcher EQ8-R Pro
Accessories
Starzona Apex ED 0.65x Reducer-Flattener - Long Version
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Astro Pixel Processor APP
 Acquisition details
Dates:
March 9, 2021
Frames:
26x300" (2h 10') (gain: 200.00) bin 1x1
Integration:
2h 10'
Darks:
-28
Flats:
40
Flat darks:
10
Bias:
40
Avg. Moon age:
25.70 days
Avg. Moon phase:
15.72%
Bortle Dark-Sky Scale:
6.00

https://www.astrobin.com/nk00qt/

Both galaxies, NGC 2336 and IC 467 are located in the northern part of Camelopardalis, at 100 million light-years away.

NGC 2336 is an immense galaxy that stretches 200,000 light-years across, according to NASA, and is a beautiful galaxy!

Light pollution is heavy in the image, and I didn't use an LPO filter at that time. 

NASA's image of the NGC 2336 is breathtaking! 
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/potw2109a.jpg

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2021/hubble-beholds-a-big-beautiful-blue-galaxy

https://www.astrobin.com/tusqk2/

Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Explore Scientific ED 165-FPL53 AIR-SPACED TRIPLET
Mounts
Sky-Watcher EQ8-R Pro
Filters
Radian Triad Ultra Quad-Band
Software
Adobe Photoshop · SharpCap Pro Version 4.0 · Astro Pixel Processor APP
https://www.astrobin.com/sicueu/

Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Explore Scientific ED 165-FPL53 AIR-SPACED TRIPLET
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI2600mc PRO
Mounts
Sky-Watcher EQ8-R Pro
Filters
Optolong L-Pro Light Pollution 
https://www.astrobin.com/zjohhh/

Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Explore Scientific ED102 APO Triplet
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI533MC Pro
Mounts
Sky-watcher EQ6R-Pro
Software
Adobe Photoshop · QHYCCD Pole master · SharpCap Pro Version 4.0 · Astro Pixel Processor APP
https://www.astrobin.com/smllju/

Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Explore Scientific ED102 APO Triplet
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI533MC Pro
Mounts
Sky-watcher EQ6R-Pro
Software
Adobe Photoshop · SharpCap Pro Version 4.0 · Astro Pixel Processor APP
https://www.astrobin.com/i7o6bf/

Equipment
Imaging Telescopes Or Lenses
Explore Scientific ED 165-FPL53 AIR-SPACED TRIPLET
Imaging Cameras
ZWO ASI2600mc PRO
Mounts
Sky-Watcher EQ8-R Pro
Software
Adobe Photoshop · Starnet · SharpCap Pro Version 4.0 · Astro Pixel Processor APP

https://www.astrobin.com/xd0z9o/

https://www.astrobin.com/97z9et/

3-Meter Radio Astronomy Telescopes - Snowed In