Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b83b14cd4142fe10848741bb2a14c66b.jpg

M13 - (HEQ5/SW 130-pds/DSLR/QHY5L-ii/Altair mini)

tingting44

Recommended Posts

tingting44

tingting44

Posted
Posted

WELL........................deep breath..................................

Last night was blooming AWSOME!!! i didnt have any real problems at all, was my first ever time guiding, with the expert help from my good friend Jake jnc71106

I started off leveling and balancing my new HEQ5 and gained focus on Mars with my new Altair mini guide scope first time, i got focussed most of the way during the day on a far away chimney, which helped loads and got me in the ball park for night time focus, so not a lot of trouble there (not like the other night lol).

I then tried polar alignment for the 1st time on my HEQ5, i turned the brightness of the LED down to 4 and that was ample to see polaris and the recticle (got know's why SW put the LED @ 100% from factory lol), i then used EQMOD to get PA bang on and done an unguided test sub of 4 mins with no star trailing! :D

I then braved it and loaded up the dreaded (for me) PHD.......... which i was so shocked was a real pleasure to use with the help of Jake getting my calibration steps (CS)into the sweet spot.... at 1st the CS was set on default @ 750ms and the CS was going into the 40's so i upped it to 1500ms, tad better, in the end i ended up having a CS of 2800ms and that gave me CS of about 18 steps to get guiding :D i have to tell you i had the biggest smile on my face when i saw them oh so sexy words............."GUIDING"

14201847285_38489e93f3_c.jpgGUIDING!!!!!!!!!!! :D by tingting44, on Flickr

i then done a test sub (guiding) of 6 mins @ ISO 100 due to my LP and street lighting :( with no star trailing what so ever, so the guiding was working a treat, not that i could take full advantage with long subs due to the Light pollution, so that will have to wait till i get to my dark site hopefully next weekend....

for my first guiding sub i wanted to try a galaxy but due to my house view they were all pretty much gone (the one's i wanted to try test imaging on) so i ended up choosing a cluster (M31) they do fascinate me :D

Here is a quick snap of my 1st cluster M31, i could not be happier for my Light polluted garden, hardly anything done to this image, not even been into Photoshop with it or anything yet so im well chuffed

14016954227_fae1ce7a29.jpgM13 Globular cluster by tingting44, on Flickr

its no way by far anything to compare with the awsome pics a lot of people produce on here, but its mine, and my 1st attempt and i cant stop smiling from an epic night :D

i really need to start learning about flats now, no excuses now lol

thanks for looking

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tingting44

tingting44

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well done.....thats a very good M13.

I know the feeling when things come together.

Thanks Mike, the best feeling ever it was last night :D hope its clear tonight, i really want to try M81 & M82 before they go over my house view, and the leo triplet, but thats all ways gone from my garden FOV so that will defo be my 1st object i image when i go to the dark site

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tingting44

tingting44

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Brilliant, very many congratulations...! This is the real start of your DSO imaging career. Enjoy! I look forward to seeing your images on here in the future.

Thanks Gav! :) defo my biggest mile stone i hopped over last night, so chuffed,  im just glad i can practice from my garden in prep for the dark site, even if im limited to 1 min subs from my garden with light pollution, it all helps and does not waste valuable dark sky time whilst im at the dark site :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Owmuchonomy

Owmuchonomy

Posted
Posted

Aaa yes that guiding feeling. I achieved same in January. It is a nice sensation. It's obvious you had prepared very well and that is the key. Well done, no looking back now eh! Hope you've got deep pockets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tingting44

tingting44

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Aaa yes that guiding feeling. I achieved same in January. It is a nice sensation. It's obvious you had prepared very well and that is the key. Well done, no looking back now eh! Hope you've got deep pockets.

yes, the guiding feeling, good isnt it.......mwahahahaha :D yes prepped very well, been mountless for over a month where i sold the EQ5 and waiting for my tax rebate cheque to come and clear so been nothing but preparing lol :D defo no looking back now, and tell me about it lol i  all ready want an 80ED+FF/FR/Atik 314L+ :( lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites
wxsatuser

wxsatuser

Posted
Posted

yes, the guiding feeling, good isnt it.......mwahahahaha :D yes prepped very well, been mountless for over a month where i sold the EQ5 and waiting for my tax rebate cheque to come and clear so been nothing but preparing lol :D defo no looking back now, and tell me about it lol i  all ready want an 80ED+FF/FR/Atik 314L+ :( lol

I suppose the next step is a CCD but I'm holding off the fateful day, my CC keeps running away and hiding everytime

I visit FLO etc to drool over the cameras. :grin: :grin:

I have a ton of stuff I must sell from my other hobbies as I don't do them now, not looking forward to all the boxing and selling.

But the end result hopefully will be a nice mono CCD and filters etc........most likey a year away at least.

Anyway the apprenticeship continues with a dslr. :grin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tingting44

tingting44

Posted
  • Author
Posted

congratulations! guiding really is one of the "great steps" in astroimaging well done for taking it!

Thanks Steve i mean pete lol  :D

I suppose the next step is a CCD but I'm holding off the fateful day, my CC keeps running away and hiding everytime

I visit FLO etc to drool over the cameras. :grin: :grin:

I have a ton of stuff I must sell from my other hobbies as I don't do them now, not looking forward to all the boxing and selling.

But the end result hopefully will be a nice mono CCD and filters etc........most likey a year away at least.

Anyway the apprenticeship continues with a dslr. :grin:

yes defo CCD next, this will be my 1st jump into the black art of the CCD

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/atik-cameras/atik-314l-mono.html

wont be till next year probably tho, till my next cheque rebate lol :(

better get boxing up lol i hate boxing and packaging also, but the out come will be worth it :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tingting44

tingting44

Posted
  • Author
Posted

You cannot beat the feeling of it all working as it should and the subs rolling in. Your image is looking good - Well done!!! Onwards and upwards!! :grin:

great feeling isnt it, after the hard work at the beginning, just to sit back after and like you say watch the subs rollin :D

Thanks Sara, cant wait to get more guiding hours under my belt :) defo onwards and upwards :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
m37

m37

Posted
Posted

Mate, that's not a quick snap of M13, that is a very, very good picture of M13. Well judged exposure time with lotsw of nice detail and colour but without burning out the bigger stars, nice minimal diffraction spikes, nice round stars, really well framed...

You should be really proud of that mate. Carcking stuff and glad you got the guide scope sorted!

cheers, let's see some more!!!

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tingting44

tingting44

Posted
  • Author
Posted

excellent stuff, and some nice detail on that M13 showing.

I still punch the air with joy when I see phd finally 'guiding', and conversely swear profusely when I get the dreaded 'the star did not move enough'

Thanks a lot Stuart!

loool :D if i didnt see "the star did not move enough" ever again it would not be too soon lol from my EQ5 days......grhhhh

Well done.

I must really get my backside into gear and have ago at guiding.

Thanks Anthony 

YES you must loool, we can be guiding noobs together lol

Good to hear it is coming together, congratulations on a very nice M13. :)

So am i, think ive got my head around pretty much most things now, so it should be a breeze in the park from here on out....................right.................... lol?

Mate, that's not a quick snap of M13, that is a very, very good picture of M13. Well judged exposure time with lotsw of nice detail and colour but without burning out the bigger stars, nice minimal diffraction spikes, nice round stars, really well framed...

You should be really proud of that mate. Carcking stuff and glad you got the guide scope sorted!

cheers, let's see some more!!!

Chris

Heyyy Chris! hahaha thank you very much on your kind words, means a lot mate.

im defo proud of my 1st guided image i can tell you that, still cant stop smiling lol, only onwards and upwards from here on out,

cant wait to see more either lol, i will have to have a look on my planetarium and see what objects tickle my fancy for tonight as it looks like its going to be cloud free from 10pm onwards.....the DSO objects are so vast when you unlock guiding capabilites compared to the few planets im normally use to imaging along with our sun, "the world is now my oyster" as they would say....mwahahahaha

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hobsey

hobsey

Posted
Posted

Thanks Anthony 

YES you must loool, we can be guiding noobs together lol

Going to have ago tonight as its looking clear, even if is just guiding and no imaging.

Just tested everything, got an image through the guidecam and guidescope. So far so good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tingting44

tingting44

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Going to have ago tonight as its looking clear, even if is just guiding and no imaging.

Just tested everything, got an image through the guidecam and guidescope. So far so good.

thats it mate, you dont need to do any imaging, most part is getting the mount setup nice and getting your head around the programs like PHD and EQMOD...

best thing u can do is be as prepared as you can and thats a good start setting up the focus during the day on your guidescope, saves the hassle doing it at night...

if you get any problems tonight give me a shout....im a PRO NOW!!! loooooooooool got my 1st guided session under my belt loooooooool :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tingting44

tingting44

Posted
  • Author
Posted

my target for tonight :D ............ should just squeeze them all in lol...

http://www.blackwaterskies.co.uk/p/imagingtoolbox.html?BWSFOV=%7B%22version%22%3A2%2C%22fovStyle%22%3A%22Z%22%2C%22fovYOffset%22%3A0%2C%22fovXOffset%22%3A0%2C%22compDesc%22%3A%22130p%20%2B%207D%22%2C%22compDisplay%22%3Atrue%2C%22searchTarget%22%3A%22%22%2C%22searchPopular%22%3A%22%22%2C%22gotoRaHD%22%3A148.24040131652293%2C%22gotoAddSign%22%3A%22%22%2C%22gotoDecDD%22%3A69.29174370861371%2C%22fovWidth%22%3A1.96%2C%22fovHeight%22%3A1.31%2C%22fovColour%22%3A%22%2300FF00%22%2C%22fovRotation%22%3A0%2C%22fovAppH%22%3A1.3639864700736513%2C%22fovAppV%22%3A1.3642833522919207%2C%22fovScopeRes%22%3A0.8923076923076924%2C%22searchSurveySelection%22%3A%22P%2FDSS2%2Fcolor%22%2C%22gotoRaH%22%3A9%2C%22gotoRaM%22%3A52%2C%22gotoRaS%22%3A57.696315965504255%2C%22gotoDecD%22%3A69%2C%22gotoDecM%22%3A17%2C%22gotoDecS%22%3A30.277351009350497%2C%22ccdWidth%22%3A22.2912%2C%22ccdHeight%22%3A14.8608%2C%22ccdFocalLength%22%3A650%2C%22pixelWidth%22%3A4.3%2C%22pixelHeight%22%3A4.3%2C%22pixelHRes%22%3A5184%2C%22pixelVRes%22%3A3456%2C%22pixelFocalLength%22%3A650%2C%22pixelAperture%22%3A130%2C%22equipReducer%22%3A1%2C%22equipRawFL%22%3A650%2C%22equipFocalLength%22%3A650%2C%22equipAperture%22%3A130%2C%22equipCameraVal%22%3A%22%7B%5C%22pixelWidth%5C%22%3A%5C%224.3%5C%22%2C%5C%22pixelHeight%5C%22%3A%5C%224.3%5C%22%2C%5C%22ccdWidth%5C%22%3A%5C%2222.29%5C%22%2C%5C%22ccdHeight%5C%22%3A%5C%2214.86%5C%22%2C%5C%22pixelHRes%5C%22%3A%5C%225184%5C%22%2C%5C%22pixelVRes%5C%22%3A%5C%223456%5C%22%7D%22%2C%22equipCameraText%22%3A%22Canon%20EOS-550D%20%2F%2060D%20%2F%2060Da%20%2F%20600D%20%2F%20650D%20%2F%207D%20%2F%20700D%22%2C%22equipScopeVal%22%3A%22%7B%5C%22aperture%5C%22%3A%5C%22130%5C%22%2C%5C%22focalLength%5C%22%3A%5C%22650%5C%22%7D%22%2C%22equipScopeText%22%3A%22Skywatcher%20Explorer%20130P%22%2C%22zoom%22%3A2.9650632460903026%7D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.