Getting back into imaging after a long break

[DaveS]

Got variable cloud and CO is getting worse all the time so getting what I can now.

[DaveS]

It looks like I've got an hour's worth, but the clouds are building so I may knock it on the head. Really don't want to, but I'm done with rubbish data.

[Gina]

Turned up the cooling by setting temperature to -30°C which it's just maintaining.  This is better.

[Gina]

1 minute ago, DaveS said:

It looks like I've got an hour's worth, but the clouds are building so I may knock it on the head. Really don't want to, but I'm done with rubbish data.

Still clear here but don't know how long for.

[Gina]

Looks like I could do with more cooling for SII subs.  Winter should sort that out.  I guess I could augment the fan on the ASI1600MM-Cool and increase the airflow or even cool the air going in.  I can get -35°C or even -40°C in the winter.  Makes quite a difference.

[Gina]

Just checked the sky and there's another bank of cloud heading this way.  When that gets here I shall pack up.

I could do with sorting out my all sky camera - save me going outside to see the sky but top priority is the observatory power distribution box and ROR motorisation.

Edited August 29, 2019 by Gina

[Gina]

That's it - picture gone except for the brightest stars.

[DaveS]

I'm done too, cloud has come over, so I've closed up for the night. Will check tomorrow how many useful subs I've got.

As I was closing up I saw a meteor going over roughly east-west. Must have been pretty bright to be visible through the cloud.

[Gina]

All closed up and shut down.  Not too bad - about 15 180s SII subs to play with.  Should get the power distribution box finished tomorrow.  May try some image processing too.

Off to bed now - goodnight to anyone still up.

[Davey-T]

Still got another hour of darks chuntering away, clear here ATM so will hang around a bit longer.

Dave

[DaveS]

And now I'm off to bed as well.

[Gina]

CO is showing a couple of hours of clear dark sky tonight followed by partly cloudy so reasonably promising.

Looks like I got about 12 reasonable SII subs last night and possibly some from earlier.

[DaveS]

CO is saying pretty much the same here. I may be able to finish off the run of RGB on Stephan and Deer, I managed 3 subs of each last night, will try for another 3 of each then move on to L, since the filter came today.

Sunday is Odd, with CO showing a long run of green with one block of orange, in the middle.

[Gina]

Sunday is looking good here but Sunday is way in the future in terms of the rate things change.

Edited August 30, 2019 by Gina

[Dr_Ju_ju]

I agree, all the forecasters are showing different conditions for different times, then an hour later it all changes.....

[JamesF]

Here the Met Office currently have it clear until 1am.  This must be some definition of "clear" with which I am unfamiliar.  There are certainly sunny intervals, but I'd say we have at least 50% cloud cover right now.

Still, I live in hope.  The observatory flap is down to allow some cooling without dew getting over everything, and we'll see how it goes.

James

[DaveS]

The clouds have pretty well cleared away though the blue is worryingly pale, but that won't put me off trying to get at least *something* more on Stephan and Deer tonight.

[Gina]

Lots of blue sky here too, with a scattering of small clouds.

[JamesF]

Looking at sat24 it's anyone's guess for here this evening.  Further south and it looks better.

James

[Gina]

Think I shall do some testing tonight rather than going for an imaging run.  I think I should have enough to make a colour image of Cygnus in Hubble Pallet when I feel like conquering PixInsight again.

I need to familiarise myself with KStars (and Ekos etc.) so I'm going to try using KStars to slew to a designated target (such as IC1396 in Cepheus, next door to Cygnus).  I used to do this with CdC and AstroTortilla in Windoze so it will be interesting to see how easy (or not) it is with KStars.

[JamesF]

There are quite a few tutorials in the youtube channel for Stellar Mate if you need help.  Most apply to the standard Kstars/Ekos install.

I did find that having installed it on Mint 19, I was missing all the icons.  Someone here helpfully told me I needed to install the "breeze-icon-theme" package and that seemed to sort everything, so if you're using Mint for the front end you may need to do the same.

What I'm really after now is a much more detailed explanation of how everything works in Ekos so I know what is possible rather than just sitting there thinking "Can I do *this*, and if so, how?"

James

[DaveS]

51 minutes ago, JamesF said:

Looking at sat24 it's anyone's guess for here this evening.  Further south and it looks better.

James

Seeing odd patches of high cloud coming over. Will start watching the Proms on BBC4 and make a decision come the interval. I have everything up and running, just not the camera powered or connected.

[Gina]

I'm on the Proms too.

[Gina]

Set up for imaging and been playing with KStars.  It seems to be slewing to target.  Tried IC1396 and M16 (Eagle Nebula) now just waiting for dark, hoping the sky stays clear, to see if I'm on target.

[Gina]

There is a bit of tree in the corner of the M16 full field which seems about right as M16 is quite low to the south.