IC410 and IC405

[Phillyo]

It was kinda clear last night, but I had no real intentions of taking any images. My main goal was to acquire a fairly accurate polar alignment doing a drift align and see if I could figure out my auto focusing and plate solving issues. Well that didn't take as long as I expected! Polar Alignment still needs a small tweak, but it's close enough for a semi permanent setup in my back garden.

I have managed to calculate my critical focus zone and how many steps the motor needs to move to move the focuser 1 micron etc so now auto focus works pretty well.

Plate solving works at last so that was sorted and I managed to do a nice automated imaging run test and it was only 11pm so I thought I may as well set it off imaging to see how it goes.

So this is IC410 and IC405 taken with a WO Megrez 72, on an EQ6, QSI583wsg, auto guided with PHD2 an a lodestar X2, narrowband Ha Astrodon 3nm filter.
Integration time is only 3.5hours in 7 x 1800s exposures. Really happy with the guiding for 30min subs!

All captured in Sequence Generator Pro. Post prod in PI.

It's lost some of the softer nebulosity during upload to the web and hopefully I haven't pushed it too far but as always I'm very happy for feed back!

It's nice to be imaging again!!

Clicking on the image will take you to the full resolution version.

Phil