My second Night ever Imaging I tried Orion Nebula and Eskimo Nebula

[AstroEd]

These are my second attempts at imaging with my new CGEM DX 11" EdgeHD (First time I ever owned a equatorial mount) and a mallincam hyperplus. The focus is off and they are single images as I did not align the mount correctly to allow tracking so please be kind.

[baggywrinkle]

OK focus and tracking are off, but the colours are there!

[Steve 1962]

I think  that, given you're imaging at close to 3m focal length with a non aligned mount, it's astounding that you got anything at all - let alone recognisable! Well done - nice colours too!

[AstroEd]

I have a few things to learn about my setting up but I have no doubt I will improve once I get the properly aligned. Wish I could afford a observatory so it is always aligned.

[mareprah]

Still, better than my first AP try:) Keep it going!

[AstroEd]

I am recovering from surgery but in 1-2 weeks I should be out trying to image again.

[Dark Horizon]

Alignment is EVERYTHING..........

But what you've grabbed is very respectable for a beginner! Keep it up, just don't be too eager, sort that alignment first and mark out where the tripod legs are supposed to go; that'll save you loads of time. Also make sure the mount is dead level. Some people say this doesn't mater too much but I'm firmly in the other camp, so do it just in case.

Look forward to seeing more from you..

Ps. Look at investing in a 0.63x focal reducer for attaining wider targets with your setup.

[andyo]

That's not bad at all for your second attempt as dark horizon said alignment is important especially so if unguided otherwise  star trails will always be there with any lengthy exposures

[x6gas]

I think  that, given you're imaging at close to 3m focal length with a non aligned mount, it's astounding that you got anything at all - let alone recognisable! Well done - nice colours too!

Quite agree!

I have the same set-up as you and it took me a looooooooooooooooooooong time to get things working properly.  Imaging at this kind of focal length really is not for the faint hearted...

The alignment software with the CGEM DX is excellent and once you have done it a few times it is second nature.  Read the manual carefully and make sure that you do the calibrartion routine (you should only need to do it once).

You can improve your polar alignment using the all star polar align facility.  The two star align routine just creates a "map" of the sky for the mount's GoTo to use, it doesn't polar align the mount.  You need to do a two star alignment, add the maximum number of calibration stars, then run the all star polar align routine from the handset.  This basically asks you to use the handset to centre a bright star, then tells you where that star should be if the mount was perfectly polar aligned.  You can then use the alt and az adjustment bolts (not the handset) to centre the star.  It results in pretty to very good polar alignment.

However, at this focal length you will be limited to fairly short exposures until you start autoguiding... and I would recommend off-axis guiding for your set-up if and when you decide to take the plunge.

Anyway, congratulations on your images - a good start!

[ollypenrice]

The Mallincam is a video camera, so how long were your exposures? In principle you should be able to stack lots of short subs to correct for tracking errors, as in solar system imaging. I'm guessing because I've never actually used a Mallincam.

When you're up and running you'll be able to do exciting, tiny objects not usually possible with conventional imaging gear.

Olly

[nytecam]

AstroEd - nice images - well done - the fun now begins :-) Are you able to estimate the exposure duration with your Mallincam for these pics? TIA

[AstroEd]

I do not remeber exact exposure times for the images but on avrage they were between 2, 7, and 14 seconds but not sure for wich images.

I am learnin all star alignment and everythin goes fine UNTIL the polar align when I have to do the mechanical adjustments not the hand controler I never find the star to center it.

Have not calibrated the mount will look into that my next time.

[x6gas]

I do not remeber exact exposure times for the images but on avrage they were between 2, 7, and 14 seconds but not sure for wich images.

I am learnin all star alignment and everythin goes fine UNTIL the polar align when I have to do the mechanical adjustments not the hand controler I never find the star to center it.

Have not calibrated the mount will look into that my next time.

Not even in the finder scope?

Golly that would imply that your polar alignment is way off...

[kirkster501]

Get that focus right and they would be fab shots!  Well done for a first try.

[AstroEd]

The star would be in finder, BUT now I know where my alignment went wrong during polar align, I thought I only had to adjust Declination never considered Altitude adjustments, budman1961 came over to show me what to do.