Imaging with a Star Adventurer

[knobby]

19 hours ago, willinliv said:

Nice, where abouts was this taken?

Back garden, Essex ... red zone.

[MattJenko]

On 1/17/2018 at 16:46, Astro Buer said:

Wonderful images! May I ask what is the little dovetail clamp you have to attach the scope to the SA? 

Its like one of these : http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/baader-v-dovetail-clamp-70mm.html

[SteveNickolls]

Hi All,

I was taken aback last night with the unexpected clear sky so set up the Sky Adventurer mount and managed to get two and a half hours of NGC 1499, the California Nebula. The image below was taken with my modified Canon 700D and clip in Ha filter and 85mm lens. I managed 10 x 900s light frames at ISO 200 and f/s and stacked them in DSS with dark (x6) and x50 each flat and bias frames from my library. The exif tempratures of the light frames ranged from  11 to 15 degrees C over the imaging period. Processing was done in StarTools.

Best Regards,
Steve

And I like a red version too-

Edited January 20, 2018 by SteveNickolls

[Thalestris24]

27 minutes ago, SteveNickolls said:

Hi All,

I was taken aback last night with the unexpected clear sky so set up the Sky Adventurer mount and managed to get two and a half hours of NGC 1499, the California Nebula. The image below was taken with my modified Canon 700D and clip in Ha filter and 85mm lens. I managed 10 x 900s light frames at ISO 200 and f/s and stacked them in DSS with dark (x6) and x50 each flat and bias frames from my library. The exif tempratures of the light frames ranged from  11 to 15 degrees C over the imaging period. Processing was done in StarTools.

Best Regards,
Steve

And I like a red version too-

Gosh, narrowband with a Star Adventurer - well done!

Louise

ps I think I'd have set the ISO to 800 - unity gain (I think!)  

Edited January 20, 2018 by Thalestris24

[Randalloverby]

This is my first attempt with the Flaming Star Nebula using the built in time lapse of 100 sec with about 2 hours of exposure @ 200mm. I love the simplicity of it and expect to do the firmware upgrade in a few days. Also used the CLS clip filter as I am in a moderate light polluted area but the filter does bring out the red a lot better.

[Randalloverby]

I was able to add another 60mins to my Flaming Star Nebula image, this time at 180 sec exposures at 1600iso but at 200mm I didn't have as many keepers which could have been my PA or just the SA itself. Since the Moon is coming into play now, I will probably setup the Celestron tomorrow night for lunar imaging, honestly I haven't touched it since UPS delivered the SA.  (Just an update), I did get the polar alignment bracket with my unit but it lasted a couple of nights and will no longer stay in place, so just using a small flashlight to help with PA.

Edited January 24, 2018 by Randalloverby

[russp]

My latest with the SA - Nikon D500 with Tamron 280-200 f2.8 lens at 200mm - 52 30sec subs at f3.2 ISO800 processed in PixInsight

[HowardHopkinson]

That's a stunning image Russ, very well done mate.

Edited January 25, 2018 by HowardHopkinson

[serbiadarksky]

On 8.1.2018. at 23:08, SteveNickolls said:

The past two night's have been clear here and I began taking exposures of Simeis 147 (Spaghetti Nebula) as suggested by serbiadarksky :-)

For Christmas I received a modded Canon 700D DSLR and an Astronomik clip-in Ha 12nm filter which were both used with the SA mount capturing exposures on both nights. The image below is a slightly cropped composite from 28x 600s plus 1x 780s and 5 x 900s light frames (in total just over 6 hours) at 85mm, f/2 and ISO 200 together with 32 assorted dark frames and a master flat and bias frame (each from x50 exposures). The frames were stacked In DSS and processed in StarTools.

Judging by what others have employed in terms of hours of exposures to image this faint region I'm still happy to have imaged something I would never be able to observe from where I live.

At the 2 o'clock position in the composition is Elnath and to the left, M37.

Cheers,
Steve

 

Looks awesome Steve

Now do 30 lights at 3min and stack them in pixinsight (it have the trial) and choose the Ha to be red and the light for lum and thats all, there is no any others filters needed

it will look awesome red 

[Randalloverby]

I finally upgraded the firmware on the SA but I still can't get it off of 100 sec exposures. I even followed the video step by step on the astro time-lapse video that StarWatcher has and no change. Is it me or is something just not working here, LOL. Thanks for any help.

[HowardHopkinson]

I don't bother with SA timelape settings, I use my trusty intervalometer instead.

[Randalloverby]

I may end up going in that direction, you mind if I ask which one you use ?

[Shelster1973]

3 minutes ago, Randalloverby said:

I finally upgraded the firmware on the SA but I still can't get it off of 100 sec exposures. I even followed the video step by step on the astro time-lapse video that StarWatcher has and no change. Is it me or is something just not working here, LOL. Thanks for any help.

On the newly printed and installed control wheel, you move the dial to EXP.  Then if you look at the side that has the two push buttons on and the switch to change between S - Time Lapse - N , you can adjust the time there.  With the switch in the S position, you can change the hundreds of seconds, Timelapse changes the tens of seconds and N changes single seconds.  The light blink in accordance to the number of seconds set.  You change up and down the required amount with the push buttons.  So for 185 sec (for example) put switch to S and see how many it flashes.  Press the up and down arrows to change to desired amount, then watch the flashes to confirm the correct number is recorded.  Then switch to timeplase and repeat and the same again for N.

You then switch the mount off and it stores the settings.  Then use the mount as you have been doing and it should expose for what you have set

[HowardHopkinson]

It's just a cheap one off of Amazon, I think it cost £15 or there abouts. I'm not bothered if it gets damaged as it's cheap enough to replace mate.

[Randalloverby]

26 minutes ago, Shelster1973 said:

On the newly printed and installed control wheel, you move the dial to EXP.  Then if you look at the side that has the two push buttons on and the switch to change between S - Time Lapse - N , you can adjust the time there.  With the switch in the S position, you can change the hundreds of seconds, Timelapse changes the tens of seconds and N changes single seconds.  The light blink in accordance to the number of seconds set.  You change up and down the required amount with the push buttons.  So for 185 sec (for example) put switch to S and see how many it flashes.  Press the up and down arrows to change to desired amount, then watch the flashes to confirm the correct number is recorded.  Then switch to timeplase and repeat and the same again for N.

You then switch the mount off and it stores the settings.  Then use the mount as you have been doing and it should expose for what you have set

Shelster, that made more sense to me than reading the manual 20 times.  What I am not seeing are the flashes or blinks ?

[Shelster1973]

Have you checked that you have the dial correctly aligned and that you are using the EXP function?

You should see one flash with the switch to S and then no flashes on TL and N if your exposure time has been set to 100 seconds.

See the video below for mine.  It was originally set for 120 s exposure, as can be seen by the blinking.  I just randomly mashed the buttons so that you can see the change.  Is no talking on there as you do not want to hear my dulcet tones putting you to sleep.  Can do another with commentary if you so desire though.

 

Edited January 31, 2018 by Shelster1973

[Randalloverby]

That is awesome, now we are getting somewhere...mine does not flash at all. If it only flashes after the upgrade then maybe its not updating properly ?

[Shelster1973]

5 minutes ago, Randalloverby said:

That is awesome, now we are getting somewhere...mine does not flash at all. If it only flashes after the upgrade then maybe its not updating properly ?

That may well be the case.

Have just re-read the manual for the standard mount and it does say that the exposure time is set to 100 sec when running in sidereal tracking.

It may be best to re-flash the stock image, prove it still functions and then re-try the advanced firmware again, but from a fresh download, just in case something went awry in the 1st one.

 

[Randalloverby]

15 minutes ago, Shelster1973 said:

That may well be the case.

Have just re-read the manual for the standard mount and it does say that the exposure time is set to 100 sec when running in sidereal tracking.

It may be best to re-flash the stock image, prove it still functions and then re-try the advanced firmware again, but from a fresh download, just in case something went awry in the 1st one.

 

It works ! I downloaded and installed the firmware again and I am running custom exposures as I speak. Evidently there was an issue with my original download and I just kept re-installing the same issue over and over. You my man, are a life saver. THANKS !

[Shelster1973]

No worries

Am glad you have it sorted.....enjoy

[JemC]

16 hours ago, Shelster1973 said:

Can do another with commentary if you so desire though.

I have just got myself one of the red star adventurers, going to update the firmware on it,

I wouldn't mind seeing one with commentary if you could,

Regards

James

[Shelster1973]

48 minutes ago, JemC said:

I have just got myself one of the red star adventurers, going to update the firmware on it,

I wouldn't mind seeing one with commentary if you could,

Regards

James

I can try...but you have been warned :-)

What do you want me to cover in it?  Let me know and can get one done over the weekend as am away until then.

[JemC]

3 hours ago, Shelster1973 said:

What do you want me to cover in it?  Let me know and can get one done over the weekend as am away until then.

How to set it up for astro time lapse if you could please, 

i find it easier to follow with narration,

many thanks

[Shelster1973]

1 hour ago, JemC said:

How to set it up for astro time lapse if you could please, 

i find it easier to follow with narration,

many thanks

Jem

Will read and inwardly digest the manual again and get this done for you as best as I can, hopefully getting the main points across that you need.

[Anthonyexmouth]

what small scopes are suitable for this little mount if using a canon 760d? ive only got the kit 18-55 and a canon 55-250. if i just used the lenses what range of targets would i have.

 

cheers