A Night of First Lights

[hayju01]

So last night 8th June was a first for my trio

Celestron 6.3 FR

Meade 3.3 FR

Meade DSI II

It was a mixed bag of sucess and failure but far better than this evening when around 9pm skies seemed to be clearing so got my kit outside and aligned albeit guess work to light only to turn round and see the largest and darkes thunder cloud I've seen in years :-)

So let's start with the key fail - the Meade 3.3 FR simply does not work in my scope at least not visually central obstruction can not be 'focused' out of the way. I guess i will need tube extension but any advice on this one most welcome. Not sure I'll be able to use it for imaging either as not sure how I'd get on adding it once i have visual centred my target.

6.3 total sucess, well i say that but it been so long since i've been out that I can't remember what the views looked like with out and like a mooron I didnt think to swap it out to check:iamwithstupid: probably as I was being too impatient to try the DSI out. Found it so much easier to get the object in the chip than with my SPC's but I guess thats thanks to a bigger chip and the 6.3FR :-)

Started with Moon then Saturn, M3, M13, M51

Pictures to follow not able to upload them for some reason atm.

Moon was a doddle, this doesnt do it or the DSI any justice.

As for the rest all very poor, more experience needed with DSI and envisage or I need to try K3.

Saturn

M3 - processed in DSS

M3 - single Frame

M51 not even worth processing let alone posting waaaay tooooo under exposed.

My summary of these is

Focus

Exposure

Colour

So plenty to be getting on with and more online tuts to read too.

Thanks for looking.

Justin