Framing object using Maxim DL

[souls33k3r]

Hi All,

Need some guidance on this matter where i only had time to take 10 images in Ha one night and then 50 on the other and the framing is all over the place.

I use Maxim DL as my capture software, what can i do to make sure i have my camera in the exact same position like it was on a previous night so that my object is framed close enough?

One way that i think could help is (since my camera and FW are always attached to each other but always pack away my kit after the session) to mark a point on the FW and then another mark on the scope and always make sure they both are aligned? 

Is there any other way i can make sure of this?

Many thanks in advance.

[ollypenrice]

Always align your camera along RA and Dec, either landscape or portrait, and the position will be easily repeatable. To do this take a 4 second sub while slowly slewing in one axis. When the star trails are horizontal or vertical you're ready. (You can easily see the difference between landscape and portrait.) This makes multi night imging a breeze.

Olly

[souls33k3r]

Cheers Olly. I remember Ian Bird saying the exact same thing but that was a little while ago. 

Also like i said my camera is always attached to the FW and put away after the nights session but the camera is screwed back at an angle. How about (to begin with) i make sure my camera window is parallel to the scope and then mark that position and then quite simply align them? Just a thought. I may very well be talking non sense

[ollypenrice]

3 hours ago, souls33k3r said:

Cheers Olly. I remember Ian Bird saying the exact same thing but that was a little while ago. 

Also like i said my camera is always attached to the FW and put away after the nights session but the camera is screwed back at an angle. How about (to begin with) i make sure my camera window is parallel to the scope and then mark that position and then quite simply align them? Just a thought. I may very well be talking non sense

Yes, that sounds OK. I align my cameras by eye when I put them back after servicing or whatever, then use the star trails test.

Olly

[souls33k3r]

Cheers for that Olly.

I'd like to see what others have been doing too

[ollypenrice]

11 minutes ago, souls33k3r said:

Cheers for that Olly.

I'd like to see what others have been doing too

Well I'm pretty sure Carole once recommended using a blob of Tippex over the joint where FW and scope separate. That's not daft.

[souls33k3r]

1 hour ago, ollypenrice said:

Well I'm pretty sure Carole once recommended using a blob of Tippex over the joint where FW and scope separate. That's not daft.

That is exactly what i had in mind minus any permanent markings  

[ollypenrice]

3 hours ago, souls33k3r said:

That is exactly what i had in mind minus any permanent markings  

The downside is that a year, two years, ten years later, when you want to add new data and new skills to an image, the Tippex is long gone, but you can still orientate along RA and Dec easily... 

Olly

[ian_bird]

9 hours ago, souls33k3r said:

Cheers Olly. I remember Ian Bird saying the exact same thing but that was a little while ago. 

 

I learnt it from Olly! ;-)

[steppenwolf]

Olly's method is very sound, safe and repeatable, I have often used it myself with great success.

My only observation would be that some objects respond well to a non-RA based orientation but there is a simple way of making this repeatable, especially as you have MaxIm DL. Plate solve the previous session's image using the free built in PinPoint LE plate solver and make a note of the 'Pos angle'. At the next session, fit the camera in approximately the correct position, capture a quick (6 seconds should do it) image and plate solve it, again noting the Pos angle. Rotate the camera and repeat the process until you get close to the previous session's Pos angle.

[ollypenrice]

2 minutes ago, steppenwolf said:

Olly's method is very sound, safe and repeatable, I have often used it myself with great success.

My only observation would be that some objects respond well to a non-RA based orientation but there is a simple way of making this repeatable, especially as you have MaxIm DL. Plate solve the previous session's image using the free built in PinPoint LE plate solver and make a note of the 'Pos angle'. At the next session, fit the camera in approximately the correct position, capture a quick (6 seconds should do it) image and plate solve it, again noting the Pos angle. Rotate the camera and repeat the process until you get close to the previous session's Pos angle.

This sounds very good!

Olly

[newbie alert]

On 07/08/2017 at 09:20, ollypenrice said:

Always align your camera along RA and Dec, either landscape or portrait, and the position will be easily repeatable. To do this take a 4 second sub while slowly slewing in one axis. When the star trails are horizontal or vertical you're ready. (You can easily see the difference between landscape and portrait.) This makes multi night imging a breeze.

Olly

Great advice olly..will try that one 

[souls33k3r]

On 8/7/2017 at 09:20, ollypenrice said:

Always align your camera along RA and Dec, either landscape or portrait, and the position will be easily repeatable. To do this take a 4 second sub while slowly slewing in one axis. When the star trails are horizontal or vertical you're ready. (You can easily see the difference between landscape and portrait.) This makes multi night imging a breeze.

Olly

Sorry for being such a noob but is this process explained in detailed somewhere that i can read up on? A google search term of this particular process is coming up with nothing useful unfortunately. Ta