Getting back into imaging after a long break

[Gina]

Now all set up ready for imaging tonight (if the sky stays clear).

[DaveS]

Good luck Gine, hope it all goes well for you

[Gina]

A couple more photos.  Another of the Power Distribution Box and one each of the 28mm lens and 105mm lens imaging rig.

[Gina]

PHEW!!!  Did it - with a few hours to spare.  Now I need a cuppa!

[JamesF]

Have you ever considered that your imaging rig might be ever so slightly over-mounted? :D

James

[Gina]

Ah yes, just ever so slightly!!  That's why I have a small DIY fork mount and micro dome observatory to contain it on the books for sometime in the future.

Yes, that little rig looks lost on the EQ8!!

[Gina]

Fingers firmly crossed...

[JamesF]

Looking quite good here, though there is some cloud forecast for 10pm, which is a bit inconvenient.  Don't really feel like a late one tonight.

However, I may be able to pick up some Ha on the Dumbell beforehand and then OIII afterwards.

James

[JamesF]

Hmmm.  Just wandered out to the upstairs field to see if I could see the Moon, given that it's less than 10% tonight.  I found it, though it wasn't obvious.  What I also found was a pile of cloud heading this way, which is not amusing   Hopefully it will have moved on by the time it gets dark.

James

[DaveS]

I want to try and get 40 mins of just G&B at 2x2, then aim for 3 hours of bin 1 Luminance while we have a long run with no moon. If we get a slot later with moon coming up I'll think about HII.

[DaveS]

22 minutes ago, JamesF said:

Hmmm.  Just wandered out to the upstairs field to see if I could see the Moon, given that it's less than 10% tonight.  I found it, though it wasn't obvious.  What I also found was a pile of cloud heading this way, which is not amusing   Hopefully it will have moved on by the time it gets dark.

James

Hope it pushes off soon

I've just seen the lovely delicate crescent moon as I was firing up the rig ready for Stephan and Deer, it's just hanging there in the far western sky.

[Gina]

I looked out for the moon but I think it's down below the trees, or houses.

[Gina]

There are some thin strands of cloud well to the south but mostly that sky is still clear.

[Gina]

I think I have Polaris in view.

Edited September 1, 2019 by Gina

[JamesF]

Hmmm.  Clearoutside has 50%+ cloud for me pretty much all night, but it is still clear other than that cloud lurking on the western horizon.  Not sure what to expect at the moment.

James

[DaveS]

Well, the telescope is synched to Deneb, focused and now pointing at the target area. Just waiting for full darkness to begin the run.

[Gina]

My GoTo has not gone to the right place.  Couldn't see anything recognisable when I set ti the the Cygnus Loop so tried the NAN.  With the mount as shown in KStars The FOV contains the Sadr Region.

[JamesF]

It should be possible just to plate solve and move to the correct place though?

James

[Gina]

Indeed it should.

[Gina]

Cygnus Loop - 60s Ha stretched in GIMP.

[Gina]

This is supposed to be a "shake down" session rather than imaging so I think I'll have another go at plate solving.

[Gina]

Got it working

[Gina]

Target Eagle Nebula - solved and slewed to target.  60s Ha

[Gina]

Lagoon and Triffid Nebulae but there's cloud on the horizon!  60s Ha

[DaveS]

I could cry with frustration

The never to be sufficiently damned Sequence software has made a mess of my Trius, repeatedly dropping off but looking like it's connected though the cooler suddenly says -16 instead of -20. Synch on Deneb, OK, nice sharp stars, slew to my target and the camera drops off, try to take an exposure, no stars at all. Everything was fine the last time I used it, but since then I've changed the filters, and I think something's "broken" in the software. Even without Sequence it's playing silly Bs. It's the one long clear night we've had and it's stuffed.