Getting prepared for Andromeda galaxy w/asi174MM

[stepping beyond]

All I can accomplish is mono until I get an Efw ,  I got a night where the dew point was in the mid 60's . Learn as I go , when I can is my motto. I took advantage and tried to align the camera and get it marked in order to frame it . here's my trial run 10fr @762s @ -10c  no calibration ,guiding , no coma corrector and shot myself in the foot forgetting to re sequence my shorter core data. I didn't think it was that bad , a lot of data there. I've got about 3 weeks to get it all together before it'll be high enough to run on it .

[kirkster501]

A good first attempt and clearly recognizable as the core of M31.  Well done and keep at it!

[wimvb]

Nice test. Do you have a Bahtinov mask for focusing? Or better yet, focus control through your imaging computer?

[stepping beyond]

I've made a bahtinov mask  Wim, I used it during aligning . I didn't do any fine tuning adjustments once I got on the target.  Sept. 15 , the humidity should bottom out and cooler temps.  I've got much to do before then if I can get out , the Summer hasn't been good for me at all this year. Thank yall , I try my best to get what I can get and this camera is pretty awesome as an all in one.

[stepping beyond]

1. I added more data and reworked the processing , it's showing promise , just need tighter focus, more data and a lil' higher then it's framed

[wimvb]

Great improvement.

Unless you plan on doing a mosaic, I think you will get more pleasing results if you go for close ups of M31. One challenge would be to get as much detail in the core as possible. Believe me, this is a challenge, because it is bright but contains very faint detail. Another option is to go for the star clouds in M31, ngc 206.

Investment to consider (there's always one more ): a coma corrector. It will give you much better star shapes and make it easier to shrink stars in processing.

Btw, how do you handle the amp glow without darks?

[stepping beyond]

 I've got a Paracorr type 2 but, I need the adapter ring  to connect it to my camera and last  year I got the t-ring for my 5x powermate . Wim I'm having focus slip due to the weight of the camera  {Slipped out of focus see }, Another buddy told me too drill a hole in my focuser where focus is and insert another screw, I've not  got anyone to do that for me yet. Also , I've not been able to get my master calibrations made yet , my stacking program tells me that no master was made  after stacking and combining"FUNNY" ! I've made 8s,15, 30, 45 , 60 stacks several times  and until I get my  guiding mojo going when I'm on my target , I can get good guiding when I'm not on my target but, soon as I get on my target " guiding sinks into the toilet" . I read from the zwo website , cloudy nights and astronomy forum . net  and I've tested hours with different settings Shorter  exp. is the ticket without guiding , high gain , keeping the camera cool @ -10 to-30  a lot of  frames , I feel  I'm building an image Wim and not even capturing one and once I get the lum done then when I get my EFW  and SGP I be able to finish it . I do go for other objects and make notes for settings and such ,  just so it'll be easier when I do go back to it .  Have you seen my m42 and m13 , I  can't wait to add color to those along with m31? Mount went downhill after  that m13 and m31 night. Hopefully replacing the motor cover / plastic takes care of that issue. I'll try to get the adapter around xmas  but for now I'll just have to clip and try to do a mosaic through software. Thank you for your Advice Wimvb. Imaging is harder in the summer than the other seasons for me due to the humidity.