Video targets for this weeks clear skies?

[Carl Reade]

If we get what is predicted in the next days and coming week, has anyone got a target in mind to video??

[DoctorD]

Hi Carl

If I had the chance, I be looking at M57 - The Ring Nebula and M27 - The Dumbell Nebula. Planetary nebula are reasonably small and bright so well suited to the small sensors. For more of a challenge you could try the cats eye nebula NGC6543.

Quite a few globulars to have a go at too - M3 for instance.

M51 is still reasonably placed too.

I'll be away this weekend at Camper Jam a VW camper festival - too much light pollution for the scope will take my bins.

Clear skies

Paul

[Carl Reade]

Hi Carl

If I had the chance, I be looking at M57 - The Ring Nebula and M27 - The Dumbell Nebula. Planetary nebula are reasonably small and bright so well suited to the small sensors. For more of a challenge you could try the cats eye nebula NGC6543.

Quite a few globulars to have a go at too - M3 for instance.

M51 is still reasonably placed too.

I'll be away this weekend at Camper Jam a VW camper festival - too much light pollution for the scope will take my bins.

Clear skies

Paul

Will put the Catseye on the list paul and hopefully get a shot, enjoy the festival looking like good weather.

[shirva]

Enjoy the vw festival. ..used to change over the engines on the old v dubs when I worked with a vege agent 14 year ago....Davy

[nytecam]

I'd be looking at M57 - The Ring Nebula and M27 - The Dumbell Nebula. Planetary nebula are reasonably small and bright so well suited to the small sensors. For more of a challenge you could try the cats eye nebula NGC6543. Quite a few globulars to have a go at too - M3 for instance. M51 is still reasonably placed too. - Paul

As Paul says - these are all bright objects. Don't do video myself but use a OSC CCD eg Lodestar-C in very brief exposures to good effect but get lots of stick from traditional AP CCDers - "need more more data.." but what do I care

From the night before last here's my M57 in 2s [central mag 15 star recorded!] and 60s exp and M27 in 100s [5x20s subs] data on images. Enjoy your video weekend

[Carl Reade]

As Paul says - these are all bright objects. Don't do video myself but use a OSC CCD eg Lodestar-C in very brief exposures to good effect but get lots of stick from traditional AP CCDers - "need more more data.." but what do I care

From the night before last here's my M57 in 2s [central mag 15 star recorded!] and 60s exp and M27 in 100s [5x20s subs] data on images. Enjoy your video weekend

As Paul says - these are all bright objects. Don't do video myself but use a OSC CCD eg Lodestar-C in very brief exposures to good effect but get lots of stick from traditional AP CCDers - "need more more data.." but what do I care

From the night before last here's my M57 in 2s [central mag 15 star recorded!] and 60s exp and M27 in 100s [5x20s subs] data on images. Enjoy your video weekend

Cheers Nytecam as long as the weather is what they say I must say I am tempted by the Lodestar looking at your excellent site.

Cheers Carl

[DoctorD]

Nytecam

You are a man after my own heart - do what you want and enjoy it!!

I'm an impatient sort of person and like the immediacy of video, how ever I think that short exposure CCD is the way to go.

Clear skies

Paul

[shirva]

Totally agree with Paul..nytecam do it your way...awe naw can feel a rant coming apologies to those who think it may concern them,,,lol..but ITS A HOBBY I do it to relax I do it cause I found I love doing it and when I don't I will stop doing it...we've all been there with ,, the it can't be done with that equipment brigade and you need this as a minimum mob,,, now I'm not saying I know it all and don't need help or advice on astronomy and best advice I got was to buy Steve Richards book and its brilliant I struggled big time on what others would fly through its been trying but having spoken with Steve and exchanging emails he got me through that dark time...a true gent cheers boss......I now wish to do video astronomy as well as dslr astrophotography ye gods shock horror how can he.....because I want to who cares what you use ,,use a lavy paper tube just look up and enjoy what we have...the modding to the Samsung is my wee contribution to this hobby I'd love to get it finished as a help to astromers who can't afford the big bucks camera and especially for astronomers who are getting vision impaired or disabled astronomers look at skylooks post his Mrs has more astronomy qualifications than you could shake a stick at but had never saw a certain deep sky object till it was taken on video. ...brilliant I thought what an insperation....keep up all the good work on here and clear skies. ...Davy

[Spacedout]

Ha Ha Davy, you was not joking about the rant Made me laugh and yes you are right there will always be plenty of those "you don't wanna do it like that" types!!

Anyways, back to the post topic...

I only managed one target so far since the clouds departed but this was on the list mentioned and I thought I'd share it! These were at 2 second integration as any more just blew out the image! Cheers, Karl

[Carl Reade]

Good shooting Karl! darn whispy clouds last night here. Hopefully will get a shot soon. I hear what you say about blowing out the image. I was reading about the Catseye and the central core is as bright as a star. Will have to stick to low exposure. Can definatly see why it got its name

[Spacedout]

Thanks Carl, it was all I shot though as I'm having GoTo issues with my mount! I bought a cheap CCTV bullet camera of EBay recently which I'm hoping I can attach to the finder scope to try and get a wider field. It was dirt cheap at £13 so may be useless but worth a go at that price. It apparently has 1/3" Sony Ex View HAD low lux CCD so will be interesting to experiment with. Hope the clouds shift for you soon Carl

[DoctorD]

Hi Karl

Nice shot - did you try setting the AGC to LOW?

Looks like the adjacent star is well saturated and its about as bright as the centre of the nebula.

Clear skies

Paul

[Spacedout]

Hi Paul,

Thank you and no I did play with the settings at all. I wasted loads of time trying to find other targets but as I'm using the Tv as my eyepiece and with such a small FOV the GoTo needs to be spot on. I'm hoping to have another go tonight so I'll focus on this target and experiment with the AGC. I think I also need to collimate as some point!

Cheers Paul

Karl

[Carl Reade]

Well at last a clear night!! Was unable to get the Catseye, the goto was playing up but tracking was fine. I thought I would test the cam on Deneb for a change and see the result. Also got first shot of M31 which Im still cleaning up and will post shortly It will mostly be the core due to its size, think its reducer time

[Spacedout]

Nice shot Carl, very sharp!

[shirva]

Cracking shot Carl...nice colmination on scope too I see... Davy

[shirva]

Cracking shot Carl...nice colmination on scope too I see... Davy and jelous as usual. ...clouds my

Murder again.

[Carl Reade]

Cracking shot Carl...nice colmination on scope too I see... Davy and jelous as usual. ...clouds my

Murder again.

Cheers Davy That was indeed part of the plan to see the colmination M31 is rising and worth a go at the minute but I think N Ireland and Scotland are getting the white fluffys again surprise! Heres a shot of M31 last night very bright most of this would be the core due to the size.

[Spacedout]

Nice one Carl looks good. I've not tried this one yet due to my location but hope to get a shot soon. Hope it stays clear for you! What are those black circles, are they dust on the sensor?

[Carl Reade]

Nice one Carl looks good. I've not tried this one yet due to my location but hope to get a shot soon. Hope it stays clear for you! What are those black circles, are they dust on the sensor?

Hi Karl, They are hot pixels. For some reason when I create a dark frame then run it through Deep sky stacker it turns them black. DSS can be brutal with dark frames. With galaxies I find you better without darks. Although they can be cloned out in PS. Still playing with processing and learning.

Cheers Carl

[shirva]

Hi Carl....I found with the video frames as you have said in dss they go a bit funky in its processing I found working with one frame and processing it worked better for me in photo shop....

[Carl Reade]

Hi Carl....I found with the video frames as you have said in dss they go a bit funky in its processing I found working with one frame and processing it worked better for me in photo shop....

Hi Carl....I found with the video frames as you have said in dss they go a bit funky in its processing I found working with one frame and processing it worked better for me in photo shop....

Hi Davy they certainly can be funky it really does depend on what object your taking I find. Galaxies are certainly a challenge, the learning curve goes on lol. Hopefully all the info is aiding anyone reading at the bottom of the forums .

Cheers Carl

[shirva]

If Carlsberg made forums this would be the best forum lol Davy

[Spacedout]

Hi Karl, They are hot pixels. For some reason when I create a dark frame then run it through Deep sky stacker it turns them black. DSS can be brutal with dark frames. With galaxies I find you better without darks. Although they can be cloned out in PS. Still playing with processing and learning.

Cheers Carl

Thanks Carl, I have not done any processing yet or dark frames so no clue but hope to learn in the future. Stuck with taking photos of the TV for now! Here is last nights effort, man I need some sleep!!

[Carl Reade]

What galaxy is that Karl? The detail is very good!

I know it is a tiring sport but we have to do it.