Imaging session planning help please

[timfuller]

Just starting to try and be a bit more methodical with my Set Up and Imaging session. I want to have a bit of a plan for what target I am going to image so that I can do some research on the target/s and have an outline idea of some of the settings and a plan for the imaging run.

What are the best resources for help with identifying good imaging targets based on location, time of year and local visibility (I know which bits of sky work at my location).

I currently use Stelarium but find myself just looking quite randomly.

Would be really interested to know what process/resources others use.

Thanks - Tim

 

[bogdog]

use the frre app stellarium and enter in your home position,you can then forward the time to when you are going out and check to see what is avail to you

in your position,you can turn on constellation names,planet names and nebulae just clicking the sky around

[wuthton]

I think this maybe what you are looking for, click the "find thousands more" button and you're in business.

http://dso-browser.com/

[timfuller]

Thanks Both.

19 minutes ago, wuthton said:

I think this may be what you are looking for, click the "find thousands more" button and you're in business.

http://dso-browser.com/

Matt - Perfect, just what I was after.... :-) Thanks

[spaceman_spiff]

I use Stellarium all the time for my imaging sessions. I make sure I know exactly what views are clear (for me it is southeast, east and north) and pick a new target that is in that region throughout the night. I tend to dedicate an entire night to imaging one target, this increases the amount of time spent actually imaging (rather than moving around and trying to set up new guide stars...etc).

I also make use of the sensor FoV add on in Stellarium. Once you input for FL and sensor size it will place a red rectangle around the target, giving you a good indication of what else you can include in your images.

Hope this helps! SS :-)

[ollypenrice]

7 hours ago, spaceman_spiff said:

I use Stellarium all the time for my imaging sessions. I make sure I know exactly what views are clear (for me it is southeast, east and north) and pick a new target that is in that region throughout the night. I tend to dedicate an entire night to imaging one target, this increases the amount of time spent actually imaging (rather than moving around and trying to set up new guide stars...etc).

I also make use of the sensor FoV add on in Stellarium. Once you input for FL and sensor size it will place a red rectangle around the target, giving you a good indication of what else you can include in your images.

Hope this helps! SS :-)

My system as well, though I use SkyMap Pro. If you can, always set your camera along RA and Dec, either in portrait or landscape. To do this just take a 3 sec sub while slewing slowly and look at the angle of the star trail you get. Rotate the camera till the trail is horizontal or vertical. This makes adding data on another night so much easier. Centering on a target is easy, rotating to the same random angle as last time is not - so avoid random angles!

None of us can do anything about the fact that targets rise in the east and set in the west, so the right place to be looking for a new project is in the east (adapted to your clear horizon situation.) I would never start a new project on a westerly target.

FInally, if using a GEM, bear in mind the meridian flip. You will need to swap sides (move the counterweights to the west and the scope to the east) at some point after the scope has reached the meridian. In reality you can track quite a long way past the meridian without flipping unless you are imaging near the zenith when collisions with the mount tend to come earlier. If your target is going to need a flip very soon after starting you might start on the 'wrong' side and save yourself the bother of the flip.

Olly

[Soupy]

Excellent advice Olly. 

[timfuller]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

On 3/3/2016 at 20:20, ollypenrice said:

My system as well, though I use SkyMap Pro. If you can, always set your camera along RA and Dec, either in portrait or landscape. To do this just take a 3 sec sub while slewing slowly and look at the angle of the star trail you get. Rotate the camera till the trail is horizontal or vertical. This makes adding data on another night so much easier. Centering on a target is easy, rotating to the same random angle as last time is not - so avoid random angles!

None of us can do anything about the fact that targets rise in the east and set in the west, so the right place to be looking for a new project is in the east (adapted to your clear horizon situation.) I would never start a new project on a westerly target.

FInally, if using a GEM, bear in mind the meridian flip. You will need to swap sides (move the counterweights to the west and the scope to the east) at some point after the scope has reached the meridian. In reality you can track quite a long way past the meridian without flipping unless you are imaging near the zenith when collisions with the mount tend to come earlier. If your target is going to need a flip very soon after starting you might start on the 'wrong' side and save yourself the bother of the flip.

Olly

Olly - Thanks. I will try the star trail trick, sounds like simple but very effective way to ensure some constancy for adding more data in later sessions. Also GREAT advice that I had not really thought of about starting new projects on a easterly target.

I am currently using Stellarium and finding the Sensor FOV a very useful way to understand what you will be capturing.

Spent the last 2 nights doing nothing but working on guiding and polar alignment (Another post to follow...)

[russp]

On 3/3/2016 at 11:57, wuthton said:

I think this maybe what you are looking for, click the "find thousands more" button and you're in business.

http://dso-browser.com/

That is superb - thanks for that link.

 

[Waldemar]

On 3-3-2016 at 12:57, wuthton said:

I think this maybe what you are looking for, click the "find thousands more" button and you're in business.

http://dso-browser.com/

Thank you for that link!