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A small leap up the learning curve

Helen

By Helen
in Imaging - Deep Sky

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Helen

Helen

Posted
Posted

Well here it is, please be gentle.... its my first guided image :) As images go, its pretty boring (Altair), but it is 4 minutes :undecided: and that double what I've managed before and the stars are quite round. I'm quite chuffed (and relieved, as its been a bit tricky getting the settings, PC connections in the obs, guide scope etc set up)

SVXH9 on NS8, f10, on wedge, through clouds, guided with ZS66 :)

9456_normal.jpeg

(click to enlarge)

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barkis

barkis

Posted
Posted

That's a mighty bright Sun Helen. But you have proved the guiding is spot on, and that means you can do some great subs at 4 minutes, perhaps even longer if you try.

Even though you were experimenting, it is still a great picture, all you need now are Deneb, and Vega, and you have your own personal summer triangle. :undecided:

Ron. :)

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Tim

Tim

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Excellent, you just jumped to the top of the ladder, dunno about small leap!

If I could get my kit to track for 4 mins at F10 like that, i'd be laughing. Looking forward to great things from you now Helen!!

Tim

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MartinB

MartinB

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That's brilliant Helen. You must have been very excited when that popped up on the screen.

Over the course of 4 minutes you will have gone through well over half the worm cycle this means you have guided through the steep part of the PE curve and come out with stars that aren't just round but pretty tight for 2000mm f/l. If you can go 4 minutes you can be confident of guiding for any length of time you like, just depends on a good polar alignment.

So chocks away, the deep sky is your oyster!!

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Helen

Helen

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Thanks everyone :D It did really feel like I'd achieved something momentous - particularly as I'd spent a couple of hours working my way through astroart help, sx help etc trying to work out how on earth to get to see the guide cam :undecided:

The weather has been particularly bad here since I don't know when, but I've been using the odd clear spell to good effect working on the set up. Last night was like that too, there were loads of clouds rolling around, and there wasn't really any chance of getting an proper stuff done, but I really have been enjoying getting things 'just so'. And I think it'll pay dividends in the long run!

But there was still some frustration last night..... blanket cloud, so I packed up (a bit disappointed I hadn't had the chance to get few longer exposures just to see how far I could go) and came out of the obs to find a perfect crystal clear sky - but it was 12:30 by then, so too late to start again :)

Now off out to the obs to write down what I did, where the focus points are etc, so that it'll be so much easier next time :D (which looking at the weather forecast won't be for a while :D )

....and then there is the challenge of LRBG and an automated filter wheel to look forward to :)

Helen (happy!)

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MartinB

MartinB

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(a bit disappointed I hadn't had the chance to get few longer exposures just to see how far I could go)

You have found that out - as long as you want, the only limiting factor will be the quality of your polar alignment. Unless there is some horrible gremlin in the gearing that didn't crop up during the 4 minutes.

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Helen

Helen

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Thanks for that Martin. I'm hoping my polar alignment is now reasonable, so perhaps just one more check for a gremlin and then owards and upwards :undecided::)

Helen

ps thinking about this, if I check the subsequent 4 minute subs and they are OK then I will have covered the whole worm cycle :thumbright: <off to obs...>

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Psychobilly

Psychobilly

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Well done Helen...

Onwards and upwards from there :undecided:

I was having my own personal guiding battles last night but trying imaging at f20 with the 8" for the first time...

Had no probs finding guide stars with the ETX105 at f15 using the DSI II c . Had to tweak a few things in PHDGuide and sure that theres more finessing to do ... only problem is I don't do finessing :)

Think i need to tweak the pier or get some new fixing bolts as the mount reported that it was 7mins out in Azm and 1min in Alt last night seeing as its not permenant setup then thats ok..ish...

Billy...

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MartinB

MartinB

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Yeehaa!! I just knew you would be ok with that NS8 Helen. I only ever conventionally guided with it the once and it went like a dream. I found the PE to be +/- 10 arc secs which is pretty damned good. In Maxim (and I'm sure AA will be no different) in good seeing the NS8 and Lodestar guide cam have an RMS tracking error of around 0.5 arc secs. In other words the guiding is seeing limited, the ZS 66 will work very well as a guide scope.

Lets hope for some good weather this week end.

On a dismal note - the fundamental rule of guiding is, if it works one night you can be sure it wont the next! Lets hope you break the rule.

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Helen

Helen

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Thanks Martin :) I think next time I'll use the ZS66 on some big targets and guide with the NS8. I'm dying to get at the NA neb and the veil again in Ha and then maybe colour :)

Helen

PS I like breaking rules! (well, in the tax avoidance rather evasion sort of way! :undecided: )

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MartinB

MartinB

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The reducer should work with any refractor barring fancy ones with in-built flatteners such a a Tak FSQ.

The designed for a particular scope claim should be understood for what it is. The type 2 is supplied with an SCT fitting whereas the type 3 is push fit. Although I understarnd the type 2 also has a push fit. The reduction the manufacturer uses is designed to be within the focus range of the draw tube.

Manufacturers would like us to believe their optic is specially configured to match the objective. Hmm. I have a type III it works with a a ZS66 an ED80 and an ED120. According to CCD inspector the ED120 delivered the flattest field with a KAF 3200 chip

I am sure it will work with your Megrez 90 Helen. It is also likely that the 0.63 reducer will work as well. Now that reducer is supposed to be configured for an SCT but it gets no where close to flattening the field of an SCT using a large chip. According to Roland Christen is doesn't do much flattening at all. So it can be used with other scope designs.

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