I'm actually out imaging :-)

[Helen]

Not sure how long it will last (fog forecast) but I've finally got everything up and running and the guiding is looking good 

Just not sure I'll remember how to process though -  it has been so long!!   I did get a book for Christmas which may give some pointers @steppenwolf 

Helen

[steppenwolf]

Now that is tracking very nicely, Helen - I hope the fog stays away for you! Which mount and scope?

[Helen]

Thanks Steve - Mesu with a WO123 and atik460osc, guided with a WO90 and a 460 mono

Helen

[steppenwolf]

Thanks, Helen - you are getting better tracking than I get! What guide exposure length are you using ?

[Stu]

Have fun Helen. What's your target?

[Helen]

8 minutes ago, Stu said:

Have fun Helen. What's your target?

M33 Stu ?

[michaelmorris]

Thick fog here  

[John]

Hope it lasts for you Helen.

Good start here with some nice Orion and Auriga doubles with my ED120 but I've been hearing the fog horns sounding down in the channel for a while and I think I'm about to get fogged up

 

 

[des anderson]

Lucky girl...we`ve got cloud and showers make the most of it. Des

[Helen]

39 minutes ago, steppenwolf said:

Thanks, Helen - you are getting better tracking than I get! What guide exposure length are you using ?

The M90 is 580mm Steve.  My guiding is rather variable though - I know I'm unbalanced(!) but haven't had chance to get that sorted out (it needs two of us).  My rat's nest cabling also needs sorting.  So I'm thinking a full break down, clean, balance, cable and new pointing model for the Mesu might be in order soon    But for tonight, I'll just taking a few subs 

Hope the fog holds off a bit longer for you John.  It is stays OK here I might get the frac out for half an hour later..

Helen

[steppenwolf]

Thanks for the additional info., Helen, I'm guiding at 1070mm so I guess my current guiding isn't actually that bad:-

I hope your fog continues to hold off and good luck with your M33 image. I'm on Jones-Emberson 1 currently.

[Helen]

It is still ok  So stopped M33 (2 hours of subs, now lost to trees).  Orion is nicely placed and I'm trying to get a shot of the star my cousin's daughter and her friends got 'named' in memory of their friend who would have just turned 21 (she sadly died 10 years ago).  It really is a con - I have the supposed RA and Dec, but even with the Tyco catalogue there is nothing near where the star should be!  I know they can't actually officially name the star, but they could at least have referenced a real star!!

Helen

[steppenwolf]

10 hours ago, Helen said:

It really is a con - I have the supposed RA and Dec, but even with the Tyco catalogue there is nothing near where the star should be!  I know they can't actually officially name the star, but they could at least have referenced a real star!!

Yes, an attempt at some credibility would be a start wouldn't it?

[tomato]

I got a star 'named' for my 60th birthday, I was totally unaware or else I could have warned them off.

Anyway, it turns out not to be star but a faint galaxy (mag 13, I think) in Cetus, so it certainly isn't my star.  Another sharp practice business model based on ignorance.

Still, I'll attempt to image it at the next opportunity, just so I can show it on the screen to my family.

[ollypenrice]

19 hours ago, Helen said:

Thanks Steve - Mesu with a WO123 and atik460osc, guided with a WO90 and a 460 mono

Helen

 Now that's showing off!!!!! 

Olly

[Shibby]

Whether those graphs are showing pixels or arcsecs, I hate you both!  Especially since you seem to have encountered some clear skies!

[Helen]

19 hours ago, Helen said:

The M90 is 580mm Steve.  My guiding is rather variable though - I know I'm unbalanced(!) but haven't had chance to get that sorted out (it needs two of us).  My rat's nest cabling also needs sorting.  So I'm thinking a full break down, clean, balance, cable and new pointing model for the Mesu might be in order soon    But for tonight, I'll just taking a few subs 

Hope the fog holds off a bit longer for you John.  It is stays OK here I might get the frac out for half an hour later..

Helen

Sorry @steppenwolf just realised I misread the question (although fl is obviously relevant) the guiding was 3 sec at 2x binning

@ollypenrice the idea is flexibility between mono and colour without changing the rig... The reality to date has been OSC is much easier!!

Sorry @Shibby Lewis, but it is soooo rare for my wet part of Wales to do better thanh anywhere else!!!  And it stayed that way until my body gave up at 3:30 - it was sooo still in the latter part and I thoroughly enjoyed a visual session post-imaging (imaging rig lost the battle with the heavy dew!!).

Helen

[Helen]

[geordie85]

Such a beautiful image

[DaveS]

Ooh I do like that, very muchly .

You've captured a lot more of the outer "stuff" than I can from my part of London. I think it will have to wait until I've made my escape to the country .

[Shibby]

17 hours ago, Helen said:

Sorry @Shibby Lewis, but it is soooo rare for my wet part of Wales to do better thanh anywhere else!!!  And it stayed that way until my body gave up at 3:30

I guess I can forgive that then! At least it's nice and dark when you do get some clear sky. 3.30 seems to be about my limit too, unless I have some very strong coffee brewing all night and no work the next day. Nice M33, by the way.

[steppenwolf]

18 hours ago, Shibby said:

Whether those graphs are showing pixels or arcsecs, I hate you both!  Especially since you seem to have encountered some clear skies!

In that case, you'll be pleased to note that my session only lasted an hour before the fog came in so I came away with the grand total of two 30 minute subs, one to keep and one destroyed by the fog as it slowly built up!

[sloz1664]

Hi Helen,

That is a great image of my nemesis M33 and very nicely processed. I don't know why, I just cannot get or process the subs to my liking.

Steve