Getting back into imaging after a long break

[JamesF]

I'm going to stick with it at least until the Moon rises.

James

[Dr_Ju_ju]

Well I'm glad to say there's a good chance I'll be finishing M63, then I'll move onto NGC 6960, as long as the your cloud doesn't wend its way here....

[DaveS]

Just done a quick framing job on Stephan and Deer and set the target up in C du C, so that's my next target. Galaxy time again

[Gina]

[JamesF]

Wahey!

[Gina]

OIII 60s Gain 600 Temp -20.

[JamesF]

Witches Broom showing up nicely there.

James

[DaveS]

The Veil Complex is looking very well defined in [OIII]

[Gina]

Cygnus Loop at full resolution.  4600x3560 pixel resolution is pushing things a bit I think with the lens at full aperture.  This is a crop of the full image retaining the resolution.

Edited August 23, 2019 by Gina

[alacant]

Clear but hot here in Alicante with EKOS hard at work 12 frames into the bubble and m52...

[DaveS]

I'm just fooling around ATM looking at other possible targets. I now have a very good north-east horizon, so Pacman, Heart etc are very well placed already. Pacman fills the frame at 910mm fl with the Trius 694, while Mel15 is looking quite good.

[Gina]

Here's a crop of the OIII in the Crescent region.

[Gina]

I can only image in OIII because I haven't got remote focus working and Ha/SII are out of focus.  Vintage SLR camera lenses are not fully apochromatic right into the deep red of Ha and SII.

[JamesF]

I had to refocus both the 72ED and 80ED this evening because I swapped cameras around.  I'm rapidly coming to see the attraction of remotely controlled focusing

James

[Dr_Ju_ju]

…. wouldn't be without it....

[Gina]

I miss it summat awful!!  Particularly when this system can autofocus so effectively!

[Gina]

I need to get this fixed regardless if there might be imaging tomorrow night!

[DaveS]

Yep, a couple or three autofocus units are on the cards.

Now trying a quick and very dirty run on Mel 15, just for fun, 30 mins each S, H, O in 10 min subs no refocus and hope my TS triplet apo, really is apo.

[Gina]

I wonder if the controller unit on the Esprit scope if working alright.  Might check that tomorrow.   Unfortunately, FOV won't cover the Cygnus Loop - needs a 135mm lens.  Hmm... time I set up a rig with 135mm lens.  I have 135mm f2.8 lenses.  Wonder if I could get away without guiding...  Guess it will depend on how good my PA is.

[Gina]

I'm getting ahead of myself!  First I need to get the remote focus on this rig working.

[Dr_Ju_ju]

If you have a practical bent, then Robert Brown's controllers work very well with all software (https://sourceforge.net/projects/arduinoascomfocuserpro2diy/) I've built a few and they all work well...

[Gina]

Drat!  A blooming great dollop of cloud has appeared in the middle of the image!

Edited August 23, 2019 by Gina

[JamesF]

The cloud is just about clearing again for me.

James

[DaveS]

Cloud's pretty well cleared here but I'm not sure about the overall transparency, the milky way isn't as detailed as it was earlier.

[JamesF]

Could just be the Moon washing it out?

James