I have a new problem when imaging ... HELP !!!

[SlimPaling]

Hi ...

I seem to have developed a problem.

 

On Friday I took a series of LRGB images trying to find Comet 74P Smirnova-Chernykh as it passed close to M66 in Leo.

 

My attached image shows my preliminary calibrated and stacked CLS image from a set of 20 CLS images ... I have spotted the comet (circled) on the image ... but .... my main worry is that I have started getting flares on the left hand side of the stars .... this is plainly obvious in my attached image.

 

I can now see this flaring on all of my unstacked images.

 

I have never had this problem before when imaging  ... but recently I did some fine adjustments on the back focus distance between my flattener and my CCD camera.

 

What is causing this new flaring problem???

 

Has something got out of alignment ? ... or has some dirt got onto my optics???

 

Mike

[geordie85]

I was having a similar problem recently and it turned out to be a slight issue with focuser slop. I tightened everything up and now the flaring is gone. 

[carastro]

I have not seen this before, but certainly looks like something is tilting somewhere.

Carole 

[Zakalwe]

54 minutes ago, SlimPaling said:

I have never had this problem before when imaging  ... but recently I did some fine adjustments on the back focus distance between my flattener and my CCD camera.

You've probably answered your own questions. If it was working before you adjusted it and now it's not, then the inference is that the adjustments that you made are the probable cause of the problem.