LaurenceT

I managed to get 50 minutes of imaging done before the clouds rolled in, I thought I'd try guiding but my camera slipped out of the guidescope so abandoned that project!

50x60 secs, lights only, no calibration files.

I got a little further with APP but still a long way to go, doesn't look a lot like the images I've seen elsewhere😅.

51 minutes ago, SzabiB said:

Last night was 3.29 which came with. Now I updated to 3.40 and waiting for darkness, sitting on needles... 

There are 2 versions of the 3.40 firmware, which one did you download?

1 hour ago, GalaxyGael said:

You're off to a really good start for a first image. Read up on APP tutorials because the all important stretch is handled there really well, and might be an easier entry to good stretching that more manual options which you can also learn and master once you get a feel for various degrees of stretching, which are useful for different types of targets down the line. Olly outlined the things to watch for in a stretch but APP takes care of that for you, to different levels of stretch. 

Learn and practice light pollution removal tool and star color calibration to get a well corrected background and object color, and then the tips for the right hand side sliders to get a first round of post processing. 

The red button with a question mark on it in APP brings up the how-to dialog for all those sliders. It gives a great starting point to have an image for further processing, especially if you are using APP to stack. 

Very good start by the way

Very useful, thank you.

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

Good start. Here is the number one key part of stretching and you must get it right. This is your first image with the histogram opened in Photoshop Levels but all processing suites have the same. Look at the bottom left of the graph. There's a gap before the start of the data line. You must move the left hand arrow in at least as far as that flat line before the big peak.

But not this far!!!  This is the histogram of your re-process and now the peak is jammed up against the left hand side of the graph. This is 'black clipped' meaning you have discarded your faintest data.

 

The sweet spot is between the two. A black clipped image cannot be rescued but your first one can be improved by moving the left hand slider in a little, removing the gap and reducing the flat line without eliminating it.

These is, as I say, the number one starting guidiline when stretching. Refinements will follow but this is the basis.

Olly

 

Brilliant, thanks

Thanks for that, particularly that I could use the star diagonal that usually lives on the 102.

I should still be able to do plate solving with my Asiair and AzGti, lighter and quicker to set up, my main reason for wanting to have a go at EAA.

I have acquired an ASI224mc planetary/lunar camera but I also want to experiment with it for EAA. I shall be mounting it on a Startravel 102 with a Baader 2.25x Barlow to image objects like the Crab nebula or Dumbell nebula for instance. I've been using Astronomy Tools to see if this combination is viable for certain size objects. I'm aware that I shall (probably) need some kind of extension tube to connect this setup to the telescope but I don't know where to look for this or whether there is a fixed measurement as with back focus or just pot luck.

This is the only thing I've managed to cobble together from my collection of bits and pieces that fits together:

11 minutes ago, Roog said:

Does anyone know of a published/accessible schedule showing weights of astro gear please?

I ask because lots of manufacturers just seem to quote the shipped weights which often come out much higher than I would expect.

I'd be interested to know this, weight of gear is something that exercises me both in terms for what I can carry and what my mounts can bear. I normally just google for "<name of item> specifications" and fingers crossed the specs include nett weight.

38 minutes ago, AstroLearnerWill said:

It really does seem like a hobby that you can as far as you want to, both in terms of complexity but also the strain on your wallet! I think that only adds to the allure.

That's fantastic you were able to get your first image. I'm not sure if you've already shared anywhere but I'm sure we'd all love to see how you got on.

Yes, the strain on finances can be extreme especially when you're no longer earning any money. I've financed the new hobby mostly by selling off my photography gear that was sitting in the cabinet unused.

You asked for a link to the first ever DSO image:

The learning curve is indeed incredibly steep, even as a lifelong hobbyist wildlife and macro photographer with all the attendant complexities I've been absolutely floored by the technicalities of astrophotography and astronomy.

My age of 75 has somewhat been against me as a beginner and it may sound weird but I was actually concerned that I would pop my clogs before producing a deep sky image, I managed to get one last week!

I certainly will have a look at your blog and welcome to this brilliant forum.

34 minutes ago, Craig a said:

That’s a really REALLY good first image, it’s much better than any first image I got, what’s even more impressive is there’s no calibration frames either, you can darken the background a little bit though if you want abit of criticism but apart from that you should be extremely proud of that 

I've had a little play with the image, it's darker but have I overcooked it? I've darkened it and reduced the blown out areas.

I'd also appreciate some criticism, without that I'll learn nothing 🙂.

I finally got everything together last night and managed half an hour before the clouds rolled in. The "processing" is really rudimentary, opened APP for the first time and simply followed my nose to get some sort of image. Then processed a bit in DXO Photolab with a bit of Topaz denoise and sharpening.

WO Z61 with FF, asi533mc pro, asiair pro, asi AEF, EQ5 mount. 30 x 60 second lights, no calibration frames and unguided.

Welcome Mark

Beautiful images Lee, meanwhile I'm at Center Parcs with grandchildren 🤣, not quite the same thing!

Lanzarote certainly should be on my list to visit.

On the plus side, I did bring a scope and had good views of the moon this morning.

1 hour ago, AstroNebulee said:

I think this will be the 6th time we've been. It's nice and quiet in Matagorda, enough to do and not to bright with lights, nice to sit out and just gaze at the night sky with your eyes. Really nice to go to the airport side and get images of the places coming in too. Thoroughly recommend that if in Lanzarote. 

Lee 

Sounds fantastic

The setup of the mount and scope performs very well for solar system objects, the pair are frequently bundled together. The main issue I had was the stability of the tripod that can be part of a bundle. The standard tripod, in my humble opinion, is not particularly stable for the combination of Mak 127 and Az GTi. I found that when I adjusted the focus of the scope there was an unacceptable amount of wobble in the eyepiece which took a while to settle down. My solution was to buy another tripod:

Sky-Watcher Stainless Steel 1.75" Tripod with 3/8" thread | First Light Optics

and also an electronic focuser:

Sky-Watcher Auto Focuser | First Light Optics

Using this setup I find it much more satisfying. If I were to start over with this combination I would buy the items separately but of course it's up to you. 

If you install the dual  mode Synscan Pro firmware on the AZ-GTI you are prompted to indicate whether you want to use the mount in EQ mode or AZ mode for that session when you open the app.

If you want to use it AZ mode for visual for instance you have to mount the scope on right side of the mount.

If you only want to use it for visual then ensure that the firmware is for Alt Az mode only. If you look at the images for the mount and scope setup on Astro equipment retailer sites you'll see the scope mounted on the left.

It sounds bonkers I know but if you only want to do visual then all you have to do is make sure the right firmware is installed, if buy new then it will come with the right firmware for visual.

I've got the 127 and Az GTi and I'm very pleased with it both for visual and my poor attempts at lunar/planetary photography. Bear in mind that the dovetail is fixed and not on rings, can be a problem if you ever put the mount into EQ/AZ dual mode. If you want to use the combination of mount and Mak in AZ mode you have to connect the scope to the right side of the mount so everything else becomes "upside down".

Another shout for the 127 Mak, I haven't put it on my EQ5, just on an Az GTi and it's excellent for lunar/planetary visual and photography. I bought the 127 Mak with the Az GTi as a kit, it's worth noting that if you buy the kit the dovetail bar is fixed so that can be problem in using the 127 in different orientations. 

I'm looking forward to more of this, I'm a beginner in processing but I have all the applications you are using already installed, I'm particularly pleased to see Affinity there. I bought this some years ago but haven't used it for some time. I've tried to follow James Ritson on Affinity for astrophotography but I find him too fast to follow clearly, while on that note, I agree with Steve above, please slow down a bit and explain your moves more clearly for old duffers like me!

Now I'm a complete newbie at all this but something just occurred to me regarding poor alignment after slewing. I have 2 EQ mounts , an AZ GTI and an EQ5.

On the EQ5 it is possible to accurately set the Equatorial Home Position using the printed numbers on the mount, it is not possible AFAIK to do this on the AZ-GTI.

I've never had any problems with alignment after slewing with the EQ5 but accuracy with the AZ-GTI is patchy to say the least.

Hopefully someone with more experience can throw some light on this.

edit: maybe this procedure is not necessary on the AZ-GTI because of the software.

My replacement AZ5 has arrived, there is a small amount of azimuth backlash that I can't correct but it doesn't really detract from performance.

There is also a very small amount of rotational wobble in the azimuth that cannot be overcome by tightening any knobs but if it doesn't get worse I can live with it.

Thanks for the detailed replies.

As a comparative newbie I am confused about Clicklock systems. I use 2 scopes for visual, an Orion 80ed for wide field and a Mak 127 for lunar and planetary.

Twice recently my 1.25" diagonal has done an abrupt rotation from vertical to facing the ground, luckily my Baader zoom eyepiece did not fall out but my heart rate accelerated immediately!

I'm trying to get to grips with understanding the Baader system particularly in relation to the different systems I am using. My main question: is there one Clicklock device that will fit both scopes that I can simply slip my 1.25" diagonal into and can be transferred between scopes or am I faced with buying 2 different Clicklock devices.

Thanks for looking.

Apparently the AZ5 replacement is already out of the door and their policy is to only replace like for like, fingers crossed then that this AZ5 is up to the job.

At least I've saved some money!