drivera

Hi there, I'm at my wits end trying to diagnose what I'm doing wrong here. Mount: Sky guider pro Guide cam: ASI 120mm / 30m I constantly having large Delta RMS on DEC up to 10-20rms and I don't understand where I'm making mistakes. I have thought I was PA pretty well through the SGP polar scope (aligning to the PS Align app). I then thought maybe my SGP polar scope isn't aligned, so I followed iOptrons scope re-alignment process and got it nearly damn perfect (I think..). So after all of this, I learnt how to Polar align in Ekos - and did that last night and getting the alignment spot on according to Ekos. I then go to start guiding and BAM the DEC continues to increase, which I thought says Polar alignment is off? I haven't changed my settings on Ekos for the guiding, but didn't think this was needed? My logs are attached for anyone who wants to see the worst guiding in history! haha. What else should I be considering as an issue causing this? Steve guide_log-2021-07-23T00-21-06.txt

It just sits for about 20mins saying its platesolving but nothing happens? I think I downloaded the index files correctly. I might need to watch some videos again. I'm still unsure from Michaels comment "Your guide settings are struggling to correct +/- 3 arcsec swings in RA, so RMS is about 2arcsecs in that snippet of your guiding." What would this mean? Could this mean my balancing is out affecting the swings in RA, or something else?

Thanks so much for the feedback on this. I don't have a PC but have a Raspberry PI with Astroberry. I couldn't get the polar alignment in Ekos to work - but I might try to use a Win emulator to run Sharpcap? I have the standard mount for the SGP and I find it so bloody hard to use the alt/alz etc knobs to move it, plus bending down at 6'4' is tough hah. Aaah so much to learn and test ha.

What would that mean for me if it's struggling to correct in RA? Is that a mount issue than a PA as such?

Hey there, I'm very new to this stuff, only fourth or so attempt and all this and during Summer to learn haha. I'm at a loss how to perfectly polar align.... Equipment: SkyGuider Pro I use the PA Align app but when I look through the polar scope on the mount I'm sitting at a loss if I'm getting the exact right set of stars and then Polaris. My guidecam is on top of my Redcat, if I plate solve should I get the same region even if its just above? So that validates my PA? Second - is this horrendous PA on my guiding? Any tips or help would be recommended! I am considering buying the iPolar cam too..but unsure. Thanks Steve

Thanks for that. that's quite interesting. Sorry to sound so naive how would I learn and understand about stable bias for my camera and then look at dark optimisation with different darks? or would that be irrelevant on a DSLR?

I'm jumping on this post.. I'm new to this. I'm using a DSLR (Sony A7iii). As an example I'm going to take some pictures tonight from say 11pm-1.30am. Can I / should I take my dark frames prior to me kicking off my session? Instead of getting up at 1.30am to then put the lens cap on and run a session of say 10-20darks, could I do this at 10pm with my dark frames? Or will the temp be too far off my imaging and won't work? Trying to think of preserving my sleep on these weeknights haha.

Definitely going down that path now. I tried to run before I could walk it seems! Even though I did ask a reseller if that filter was right - but maybe I should have researched and questioned 🤷‍♂️

Amazing thank you!

Thanks so much - really interesting insight and info for what I'm learning!! Thanks again!

I'm in the Cudham/Knockholt area 🙂 How about yourself?

Thanks so much for the fast reply and the welcome! Thanks for clarifying that - it's definitely a learning curve here but glad I was on the right track. I did buy a Svbony CLS filter previously but never used it and they said the below - but I heard Svbony aren't the best. "The CLS filter is designed to enhance the transmission of main nebula emission lines at OIII(496nm and 500nm), H-beta (486nm), NII(654nm and 658nm), H-alpha(656nm) as well as SII(672nm) ; Suitable for CCD cameras unmodified DSLR and any 2 inch eyepiece". Would that be more suitable? I was reading about people on the 'l-Enhance / extreme filters' so I didn't know if thats the path I should have taken or as you said first go down with no filter and then work from there? Thanks again, Steve

Hey there, I'm a complete newbie to this sport ;-) and I'm struggling to get any type of quality images from my imaging. Now I understand I am limited with my equipment but I feel I'm doing something wrong. My setup: - Sony A7iii (not modded) - DSLR I own and have, so wont be changing this unless I get a pay bump! - Redcat 51 - Sky Guider Pro - ZWO ASI120MM Mini guide camera - Raspberry Pi 4 - hooked with guide camera to mount ST4, USB to Pi, and Camera shooting through ekos. - Filter: (is this my issue?): Explore Scientific O-III Nebula Filter 2" https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/explore-scientific-filters/explore-scientific-o-iii-nebula-filter-2.html Location: Kent, UK - Bortle 5. I know at this stage, no astro darkness and limited nighttime anyway. So my first attempts have been North America Nebula and then the Veil Nebula. I've shot about 2 hours of NA and about 1 and half hours of the Veil Nebula. - ISO: 1600 - Exposure: 300secs - Whitebalance - Auto - Darks: 15 - Flats 10 - Biases 50 Firstly, I get the green layer, which is from the filter I believe but it is so strong across my images. I've been trying to learn PixInsght and have been following the LightVortexAs processing. My images come out like the attached after the processing. I assumed the green/aqua tint is the filter and then separate the channels and use PixelMath to combine and bring more colour but the overall image changes colour not the nebula. I've also I tried to do PhotometricCalibration and it removes the green a bit but the quality just isn't there. I can't pull any depth to the images and the colours are rubbish. I'm at a loss, I assume being only Oiii I'm limiting my colours and with a DSLR I'll have higher noise. But... I'm seeing other people who fantastic shots from DSLRs with even less exposure time. Is this due to having a too high ISO with my exposure time. Trying to pull any data, especially the Veil nebula it's so weak. The NA seems to have more data but I still can't extract anything? The attached are screenshots from PixInsight, so you won't see the lack of quality beyond the shot but I'm wonder if someone can help me understand where I'm going wrong - what I'm doing? Thanks so much Steve