A Question of Balance and Guiding?

[RikM]

It might be worth trying to screen the light with a board or something in the window. I had a weird gradient that turned out to be stray light reflecting down my dew shield. I made it literally to stop the secondary dewing up but I need to flock it or buy a real one to deal with a nuisance light to my North East.

[Thalestris24]

It might be worth trying to screen the light with a board or something in the window. I had a weird gradient that turned out to be stray light reflecting down my dew shield. I made it literally to stop the secondary dewing up but I need to flock it or buy a real one to deal with a nuisance light to my North East.

Hi Rik

It's definitely the street light outside causing problems - maybe even affecting the guiding. I've tried a board but without much success. I'm going to make a longer 'lens' hood and see if that helps  But it's hard to say when next imaging opportunity might arise - clouds about for the foreseeable future

Louise

[Thalestris24]

Hi

Just thought I'd post these 'before and after' pics. I was lucky enough to get some unexpected imaging time between the clouds last night . Seeing wasn't too good, but still. It was really to try out a longer hood. It made quite an improvement! The new one is 12cm longer (just black paper/card). Both subs are single 900s of M31 stacked with darks, flats and bias. Quick and dirty post-processing in StarTools. Tweaked using Paint.net and saved at 50pc original size as jpegs.

M31 Original hood:

M31 Longer Hood:

There is quite an increase in contrast with the longer hood - more stars visible. Also, can actually see M110 too! So I'm quite pleased with that. I'd like to think I can improve on the troublesome lp gradient as it's still there, I think. Unfortunately, M31 is moving out of my reach so not certain if I'll be able to get many/any more subs this year.

Louise