The "No EQ" DSO Challenge!

[Nerf_Caching]

2 hours ago, Andrei Dumitriu said:

Something looks off at Helix. Was the scope pointing near a light source? What ISO was that, 1600? Any filter used? If yes, you might want to do a custom WB preset based on that filter or cut down Red a bit.

There was a lot of light pollution. I couldn't even make out the nebula in a single sub and there were problems with stacking in DSS due to too few stars visible. It did stack in the end though.

Edited November 10, 2019 by Nerf_Caching

[Andrei Dumitriu]

Anyone using an AZ GTi mount? I've heard they're doing quite well on tracking targets.

[happy-kat]

The AZ-GTi can be used in eq mode with free firmware update and appears to work well.

[Nerf_Caching]

I have to admit that after imaging using an AZ mount, I have caught the bug and now I'm an owner of an EQ mount!😁. Should be fun trying to polar align a Star Adventurer without Polaris as I live at 20 degrees latitude and the NCP is obstructed by apartment buildings.

[Andrei Dumitriu]

I guess most of the AZ owners will end up sooner or later on the EQ land. I'm pretty sure of that for myself. I "only" need a backyard

[alacant]

On 19/09/2019 at 23:08, happy-kat said:

StarTools look at any masks you used

Good point for star colour. Call the colour module twice. After StarTools has made the star mask, hit 'grow' and save the mask. Use the mask directly on the stars and invert it for the nebula. 

Cheers

[The Admiral]

3 hours ago, Andrei Dumitriu said:

I guess most of the AZ owners will end up sooner or later on the EQ land. I'm pretty sure of that for myself. I "only" need a backyard

I'm sure that's the case, but it does represent an increased expenditure. Still, any time spent imaging in AZ does allow one to increase one's knowledge and hone one's skills in processing, so it's all time well spent. I found the ability to image without access to the NCP so much easier with AZ, not to mention the quick set-up time. I don't regard AZ imaging to be a second-class activity at all, just a different way of doing it (albeit with some limitations compared to EQ imaging).

Ian

[happy-kat]

AZ imaging can also be more accessable from both a weight and cost position. The additions of the star adventurer and azgti mounts both with a 5kg pay load and guiding capabilities has opened up the eq imaging option both from a weight and cost perspective. Beyond those eq options weight really limits accessibility again.

[rob_r]

On 13/11/2019 at 10:59, Andrei Dumitriu said:

Anyone using an AZ GTi mount? I've heard they're doing quite well on tracking targets.

Yes, with a SkyWatcher 127. It does a fine job in tracking objects with a good alignment going from my own limited experience as I have only had it for 12 months. But I am considering a motorised EQ5 mount (with the handheld keypad) for imaging but the price tag is putting me off for the moment. I have taken a few photos with the AZ GTi mount but find star trailing a significant issue on anything longer than a 15 second exposure, the stars end up looking like small arcs.

Edited November 19, 2019 by rob_r

[happy-kat]

Are you using your az-gti in eq mode and what telescope or lens are you using?

[Manners2020]

Photobombed  and neighbour's  that insist on flood lighting the sky.  Most detail I've ever got with this target though, I'm really happy with it bar the sky.   First go since last winter with the little wo72mm . Asi294mc  on a evolution mount . 60 lights and 20 each of darks and lights.  Photoshop  express and snapseed. 

[happy-kat]

It does appear a stable mount that evolution. Will you be adding more data to this image?

[Manners2020]

6 hours ago, happy-kat said:

It does appear a stable mount that evolution. Will you be adding more data to this image?

Not on this one but I do plan on saving  individual frames when I go to a dark site.  

[Filroden]

10 hours ago, Manners2020 said:

Photobombed  and neighbour's  that insist on flood lighting the sky.  Most detail I've ever got with this target though, I'm really happy with it bar the sky.   First go since last winter with the little wo72mm . Asi294mc  on a evolution mount . 60 lights and 20 each of darks and lights.  Photoshop  express and snapseed. 

What are you using to stack the lights? A good pixel rejection algorithm will remove the track and might also remove some of the hot/cold pixels that are causing the "walking noise".

[Manners2020]

Sharpcap.  I have the free trial for pix right now but I do struggle with pc software. I'm going to follow another tutorial  on it today when I get the time but I've tried many over the last couple of years and tend to go back to phone apps. I'll  see how I get on later though. Thanks.

[Manners2020]

Is walking noise the swirling  thing?

[Manners2020]

I know this is far from great but I think I know why things look weird to me when I use proper software. I'm over doing it by following the tutorials  down to a t. I'm putting that down 

[Manners2020]

This is after following a beginner's  tutorial  in pi. Think I overdid  some things though.  It's  better and worse.

[Ships and Stars]

My very first DSO test images. Taken on an alt az, no eq or platform. All single exposures, no stacking or filters, just popped camera on focuser and did a rough focus.

Taken on a Stargate 500p dob/Nikon D810  under 21.92 SQM skies.  Horsehead was a 20 sec exposure at ISO 6400, M42 was 8 sec at ISO 6400 and M57 was 5 sec at ISO 6400 I think.  I started with the HH, mainly to confirm that I was indeed lined up on this very faint dark nebula when I observed it visually (finally! woo hoo!).

I didn't work on focus but think they came out better than expected. My altitude runners on the dob started freezing causing alt tracking to stick, or I would have tried some more.

I'll definitely do this again with a coma corrector and better focus/scope better balanced and dob runners sliding smoothly. If I get a good run of photos, I'll try some stacking. Andromeda and its companion galaxies would have been brilliant, it was so clear Friday night they jumped right out. 

Edited December 2, 2019 by Ships and Stars

[happy-kat]

Wow in this case of short single exposures aperture rocks.

Plus a visual wow with the hh.

[Ships and Stars]

29 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Wow in this case of short single exposures aperture rocks.

Plus a visual wow with the hh.

Aperture and dark conditions seemed to work quite well here for these test shots. I'll try this under LP conditions but not holding breath! Who knows, might take a few keepers. Decided to try ski wax on the altitude runners so they don't freeze up! I think 15sec will be max reliable exposure time, maybe 20sec near zenith. 

[happy-kat]

You'll get the most rotation at zenith, best is East or West up to say 60° the lower the attitude the longer the exposure potential but you'll be in the murk. Try focusing on a star that is on a third intersection if available.

Good luck and look forward to seeing what you get.

[Ships and Stars]

11 hours ago, happy-kat said:

You'll get the most rotation at zenith, best is East or West up to say 60° the lower the attitude the longer the exposure potential but you'll be in the murk. Try focusing on a star that is on a third intersection if available.

Good luck and look forward to seeing what you get.

Ah right - I had that backwards! I thought the higher the target the less rotation. I wondered why HH allowed a 20" without much movement...

May I ask what is meant by third intersection?

I enjoyed taking these photos quite a lot. Might try it again tonight from LP area and see how things fare. 

[happy-kat]

This is the thirds intersection points, any of them usually are better to use them focusing on a centre star, but this is for when using camera lenses I'm not sure if there is any relevance still if using a telescope.

 

[Ships and Stars]

On 03/12/2019 at 09:40, happy-kat said:

This is the thirds intersection points, any of them usually are better to use them focusing on a centre star, but this is for when using camera lenses I'm not sure if there is any relevance still if using a telescope.

 

Probably the same - attaching a DSLR to a reflector is just like turning it into a giant fixed aperture mirror lens. Thanks!