1st attempt at Andromeda this season

[AstroJOE]

Took advantage of the clear skies this week and decided to have a go at Andromeda. It's far from perfect BUT a big improvement on my attempts at the same target this time last year.

Modded Canon 1100d with a Skywatcher Equinox 80, piggybacked on a CPC1100 for mount.

600s x 15, 60s x 15, 30s x 15, 10s x 15 + darks, bias and flats, stacked in DSS and then processes in Pixinsight 

                                                     

 

Constructive criticism/friendly advance welcome !

James

[alan potts]

James, nice image in my view, can I ask how you avoid field rotation on a CPC, as this is a AlAz mount, isn't it. I tried some shots through my LX200 12 inch but they were far from good at 30 seconds.

Alan

[Redbird48oo]

i like, will be starting here soon, hope i do as well.....

 

[AstroJOE]

1 hour ago, alan potts said:

James, nice image in my view, can I ask how you avoid field rotation on a CPC, as this is a AlAz mount, isn't it. I tried some shots through my LX200 12 inch but they were far from good at 30 seconds.

Alan

Hi Alan, the CPC is mounted on a Heavy Duty Wedge which allows we to take much longer exposures for DSO's. I polar align using the drift method and I can easily achieve 600second exposures (as was the case with the image above). I haven't tested any exposures longer than that but I'm sure I could push it further if I tried. I have the scope fairly well balanced and its permanently set up in the obsy out the back (which helps). I then image through the SW Equinox 80 ED PRO which is piggybacked on top of the CPC1100. I also then use an Orion mini-guider piggybacked on top of the Equinox.  

To be honest I only tend to use the CPC1100 for visual as well as the occasion planetary or lunar imagine when the moon is out.

I may invest in an EQ mount for the Equinox one day as the system I currently have does have limitations for DSO imaging, however I'm pretty happy with the results at the moment so I'm in no rush to change it.

Hope this helps

James