So close to ordering, but then...

[Datalord]

3 hours ago, AKB said:

Is it not just that the image required de-Bayering? (Should be done before stacking.)

That may be. If so, where do I do that? 

[AKB]

Well, I don't use APT, so can't directly advise.  However, it should come after calibration (flat, bias, darks, ...) and before stacking.

[Datalord]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4ddwt362f6ad1li/L_2017-08-27_03-20-22_Bin1x1_120s__-10C.fit?dl=0

Pretty certain it's dead. Must be some unholy alliance between APT and the driver.

[Datalord]

Looks like I have to eat my words. This is a stack without any bias or flats, just stacked:

The magic setting in DSS is this one:

At least I now know there is data available. Now to spend a Sunday creating calibration frames.

[Datalord]

Ok, after messing with it all day, I think I've gotten things to a good place.

More data, more PP skills, should be be good for a few years of imaging.

[ollypenrice]

Watch your black point. Don't bring it too far to the right. This will 'black clip' your faint data. Keep a little flat line to the left of point where the histogram peak begins to rise...

Olly

[Datalord]

hmm, yesterday was another clear night, but I had such a horrible time finding focus. Between that night and the night before I had taken the camera off the tube. These are closeups of the same image, left side vs right side.

It basically renders every frame I took yesterday useless, so that's a bummer.

My idea for trouble shooting is to rotate the camera 180 degrees at the connection with the scope -> if the focus is off on the same side, there is misalignment in the connectors. If not, there is a problem on the mirror side, which gives me panic, because I have no clue what to do with that. Other ideas?

[Datalord]

13 hours ago, Datalord said:

hmm, yesterday was another clear night, but I had such a horrible time finding focus. Between that night and the night before I had taken the camera off the tube. These are closeups of the same image, left side vs right side.

It basically renders every frame I took yesterday useless, so that's a bummer.

My idea for trouble shooting is to rotate the camera 180 degrees at the connection with the scope -> if the focus is off on the same side, there is misalignment in the connectors. If not, there is a problem on the mirror side, which gives me panic, because I have no clue what to do with that. Other ideas?

Lesson learned. The mirror lock has to be locked.

[ollypenrice]

Ultra fast optics mean zero tolerance. C'est la vie.

Olly

[Datalord]

Alright, if anyone googles this thread, I think I owe it to give some idea of what I have been able to do with it. Mind you, I'm 3 months in, with only a dozen of cloud free nights, so lots of tinkering still to come.

Biggest learning curves on this setup: Focusing, guiding (for some reason it is bloody hard to get PA'ed perfectly). Best thing: Short subs give a ton of signal!

Anyways, a collection.

[AKB]

 Nice to see a happy conclusion!  Would be interesting to know the integration times on these?

[Datalord]

37 minutes ago, AKB said:

 Nice to see a happy conclusion!  Would be interesting to know the integration times on these?

Ah, right.

Pleiades: 70*120s

Rosette: 13*600s

Veil: 64*30s (Canon 6D)

Andromeda: Multiple sessions, I think I picked out about 4 hours of exposures from a batch of 7-8 hours in total.

M33: 32*600s

[Datalord]

One more from last night. 4h18m in 180s exposures.

Edit: What a difference a flat makes.

The upper picture was done with flats from a perspex plate about the dew shield. What I didn't notice was that I had a crack of light between the shield and the plate, resulting in a slightly flawed series. Below I used flats from a clear blue sky. The difference in the colour band is astounding. I used pretty much the exact same technique in post, but getting the colour out of the picture below was much, much easier.

Flats are the science of this hobby.

[Waldemar]

Now you realise that flats are so important, maybe it is time to invest in an EL panel: http://www.gerdneumann.net/english/astrofotografie-parts-astrophotography/aurora-flatfield-panels/uebersicht-aurora-flatfield-panels-overview.html works better then anything else, i.m.h.o.

B.t.w., I think your focusing could be better. Because of the very steep lightcone, focusing is very critical with the RASA 

[Datalord]

11 minutes ago, Waldemar said:

Now you realise that flats are so important, maybe it is time to invest in an EL panel: http://www.gerdneumann.net/english/astrofotografie-parts-astrophotography/aurora-flatfield-panels/uebersicht-aurora-flatfield-panels-overview.html works better then anything else, i.m.h.o.

B.t.w., I think your focusing could be better. Because of the very steep lightcone, focusing is very critical with the RASA 

I bought an EL panel (different make), but it was just way too powerful. I'll get a chance to test it better when I get my aluminium dew cap in a few weeks.

Yes, focusing is a pain. This is probably my best effort so far, which was achieved with the help of SGPro and its focusing tool. But I wish I knew a way to automate it, I just can't find the right tools out there. Too much chance to get the wrong thing. How do you achieve focus?

[Waldemar]

I use: http://starizona.com/acb/MicroTouch-Low-Profile-Stepper-Motor-P3360C745.aspx
with this: http://starizona.com/acb/MicroTouch-Autofocuser---Wireless-P1041C745.aspx. The wired version is $ 130 cheaper
both include the Stepper motor I mentioned, low on the page in the ordering section you will find a list for choosing the right motor. This motor works with very small increments and allows to get perfect focus with such a super fast system like the RASA.
FocusMax V4 is my favorite, but the MicroTouch software includes V3.8 for free. It should work with AGP.

[Waldemar]

I feel sorry that all solutions I come up with are so expensive... My excuse: this hobby drains everything... your mind as well as your wallet.

[AKB]

47 minutes ago, Datalord said:

How do you achieve focus?

Have you tried a Bahtinov mask?  Works a treat on a Hyper star system, so I assume the same on a RASA.

[Datalord]

2 minutes ago, AKB said:

Have you tried a Bahtinov mask?  Works a treat on a Hyper star system, so I assume the same on a RASA.

Just ordered one... 

[Datalord]

I'm quite fine with the challenge and I've sunk so much money into it already that a bit more doesn't put me off. I just want to make sure it fits to my system, which is probably the biggest hurdle. I'm going to start with the bathinov mask and see if it gives me what I hope for.

 

[Dave In Vermont]

You may find this Bahtinov Mask software of some help:

bahtinovmaskguide.zip

He makes quite a few others. If you like it, it's worthwhile to do a Google to locate his site. Free - of course!

Dave

[Waldemar]

made a mistake here

[Waldemar]

You will have to re-focus regularly, because focusing is very critical. Since the RASA has an aluminum tube temperature has quite an influence on the focus position. You will have to refocus every few degrees the temperature drops during the session. With a Bahtinov mask you will have to stop your imaging sequence and focus manually.

Since you were talking about automation, I proposed the MicroTouch system, which works great and has a temperature compensation routine, which allows you to set a sequence and go to bed, once it has learned how to react on the changes.

On top of that the steps it makes are smaller than you can do manually, so better focus. You already found out how hard it is to get precise focus, by hand...

[Datalord]

11 hours ago, Waldemar said:

You will have to re-focus regularly, because focusing is very critical. Since the RASA has an aluminum tube temperature has quite an influence on the focus position. You will have to refocus every few degrees the temperature drops during the session. With a Bahtinov mask you will have to stop your imaging sequence and focus manually.

Since you were talking about automation, I proposed the MicroTouch system, which works great and has a temperature compensation routine, which allows you to set a sequence and go to bed, once it has learned how to react on the changes.

On top of that the steps it makes are smaller than you can do manually, so better focus. You already found out how hard it is to get precise focus, by hand...

Alright, alright, you convinced me. I'll order ASAP.

Next problem is that they don't ship outside the US...

Is this the right one (no wifi)? https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/starizona-micro-touch-focusing-system.html#SID=1691

[Datalord]

Because I'm too dumb to find the delete button on this post.