Giles_B

Or wifi VR goggles 😁

Yes, so nice to have these clear nights - it will be the 3rd in a row I'm out. And more clear sky on Friday and Saturday, although I won't be able to do much galaxy imaging with the full moon...

I agree it is really interesting the connection I can form with "my" data. I'm just getting into imaging having come by way of a SeeStar, and ended up with a set up based around the ASiair. The fact that the ASiair will capture the data according to a programme means I don't have to sit at the telescope for long once everything is up and running, which really suits my family life and means the telescope is getting lots more notional time under the stars, despite the awful UK cloud. But I find the process of setting up and taking down the equipment makes me feel really connected to the data I'm capturing (most of it not premium data at all thanks to me being such a novice!), and i get much more out of it than using the Seestar (which really felt much too easy with no real set up needed). I have philosophical training and I've always though John Locke's theory of property rights - that things become "ours" because we "mix" our labour with them - was pretty silly, but now I am actually starting to wonder if this is what is happening with astronomy data!

Thanks, interesting to hear about the 5Ghz WiFi issue. For the record, the Lindy cables seem to have done the trick for my set up.

Thanks - I hadn't watched it but will do so tonight

Many thanks. As you say, the exposure time does seem very small. I'd previously been experimenting with 20s L exposure and 40s RGB, but thought I should try to be a bit more scientific. The experiments are a bit rubbish as tracking was off, but they should still be useful to check the histograms and see if I can find a good compromise between the science and the practice!

I'm delving into the dark arts of LRGB imaging with a 1600MM Pro and trying to work out optimal exposure times, guided by this post https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4377640 Having taken some test shots I've determined my SQM=18.5 [Bortle 7] Using the calculator linked to in the post, I've determined my sky electron rate in e/pixels/s for LRGB L filter = Sky Electron Rate 8.99 e/pixel/s RGB = 3 e/pixels/s However, when I look at the technical data for the 1600MM I get either a base read noise of 1.2e or a graph that plots read noise in e-rms against gain (below). I can't work out how to relate the e/pixels/s number to e-rms, and the more I read the more confused I'm getting - could someone walk me through an answer?

Thanks John, I'll give that a try

My ED FP51 doublet has some unidentified debris on the inside of the objective. While it is not affecting visual and any effects on imaging can be calibrated out, I'd like to get it removed at some stage over the summer - I'd rather not send the scope by post or courier, and would be glad of recommendation for professional servicing near Bristol, if anyone has one.

Not an exact answer, but my own experience in my first year of astronomy when I moved from a 5" (Mass produced, Synta) Celestron Newtonian to a 10" Orion Optics (Hand finished, 1/6 Wave) Newtonian, was that there is a difference, but on galaxies it is a pretty small difference - a bit more brightness overall, a slightly extended visible periphery, and a bit more differentiation between the core and the periphery. But only a bit - a small increment rather than a revolutionary change. The difference I noticed was on other objects - globular clusters (especially) and open clusters showed noticeably more detail. My guess would be that you wouldn't notice a change from 8" to 10" at all (on Andromeda).

My 12v LiFePo battery gives 12.8v according to the voltmeter. It runs my Asiair pro with no problems.

Success - of a sort : The Lindy cables seem to have sorted it out - however, I also swapped the focuser onto the hub, so I will swap things back tonight and see what the effect is. Interestingly, soemthing I did seems to have caused a couple of other issues: The short cables have made it very difficult to balance near the horizon. Clearly one effect of the long dangling bits of cable was to stablise the x-axis and I'm going to have to look at other ways I can do this I also got some random shutdowns and disconnects from the asiair as I tried to sort out the balance issues mid-session - but this was probably me destabilising the connection with my fiddling!

Thanks - glad to know it's not just me! I'll try swapping things around as you suggest. I think I started out doing this but then I wondered if the power to the hub was the problem, and I've not tried it with new cables, gorilla tape and all - so it's good to get a reminder to keep plugging away. It really is a pain. Last night the camera did a meridian flip with no disconnection problem, but as soon as the EAF moves in plan mode, everything falls apart!! Grrr.

Thanks for that - presumably the USB short would be cured by swapping out the cable if that was it? Hopefully the cable will fix it. If not I'm sure I'll be back...

I don't think my system is underpowered - it was an issue before I got a powered hub - but see what you think: The whole system is run off a battery box built off a 30Ah 12.8v LiFePO4 Battery with 3 12v sockets, and a double usb3 socket all fused at 5a 12v socket (1) powers the Asiar Pro - which in turn is connected to: ASI 585MC (USB3) [main camera] ASI 482MM (USB2) [Guide camera - connected to USB2 to reduce the power draw] EAF (USB3) [Focuser] USB hub (powered separately) 12v socket (2) powers 2x dew heaters and runs an auxiliary 12v cable to power a Vonets wireless bridge/extender 12v socket (3) powers the EQ6 mount USB 1 powers a USB hub - which in turn is connected to: EFW [filter wheel] EQMOD to the mount USB memory stick There is a volt meter that doesn't show any obvious drop. Cables - thanks for the tip to Kennable - The cables I'm using aren't the flats, but I admit I couldn't find short USB3 A->B cables anywhere. I ended up with an 2m Amazon essentials cable as this was the only thing I could find that fit the spec. So I will order some 0.5m cables and see if this helps. It will certainly help cable management! @Elp can you recall which cables you are using exactly as there are a couple of different specs there? [ EDIT: both types out of stock anyway, ordered these "reassuringly expensive" cables instead: https://www.lindy.co.uk/cables-adapters-c1/usb-c449/0-5m-usb-3-2-type-a-to-micro-b-cable-5gbps-anthra-line-p11405]