First Light with 100ED - 70% Waning

[WestCoastCannuck]

Been a dismal winter here in Victoria, BC.   I picked up a 100ED two MONTHS ago....  and got my first look and images through it last night.   Its a keeper...  SO happy with it.  Seeing was lousy with my C8 (though may have not acclimated long enough...  it was COLD! ) ....  but just FINE with the 100.

Full file uploaded.  Please check full view!  Looks kind of MEH at cropped size.  lol

Very best regards!  Its been a while!

Skywatcher 100ED, ZWO ASI183MM, Baader 610nm long pass,  iOptron AZ Mount Pro

Firecapture, AS!3, Astra Image and LR6

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by WestCoastCannuck
added setup pic

[MalVeauX]

Excellent resolution and presentation!

Very best,

[Sunshine]

Nice shot!

[CraigT82]

Really nice!  Excellent at full res like you say👌.  What kind of frame rates do you get with the 183 at full size? 

I've got the demo version of astra image but haven't really figured it out yet, I need to find a tutorial and make some effort to learn how to use it. 

[geeklee]

Full resolution was a treat as you said 👍 Thanks. 

[WestCoastCannuck]

On 04/02/2020 at 23:38, CraigT82 said:

Really nice!  Excellent at full res like you say👌.  What kind of frame rates do you get with the 183 at full size? 

I've got the demo version of astra image but haven't really figured it out yet, I need to find a tutorial and make some effort to learn how to use it. 

First off...  thanks to ALL for the nice comments.   I am so happy with these first results and optimistic I have found an aperture that my seeing will generally support - with the bigger guns to bring into play when the seeing is above the average here.

 

@CraigT82   I love the 183, though I confess it has not been quite the beast I was hoping.  For Hi Rez needing lucky imaging the full size output for my system is just not fast enough.   On my HOME computer, I get about 15 frames per second on tests.  In warmer weather in actual use connected to my slower laptop (USB3 + SSD) I get about 10fps.   For my work above I got 6fps.  That is fine when the seeing is good and I can use a large proportion of the frames.  By reducing the frame size quite a bit it will do as well as any good smaller cam - 150fps or so I think?  I forget now.  Its been a while...  .

 

I quite love Astra Image.   It really is a beast!!   I have been using it for a few years now, and frankly am no expert and have just learned what little I know on trial and error.   It has vastly more capability than I have.  LOL   I have found a few ways and settings I generally use depending on the quality of the data.  I redid my stack and recorded my settings to share - this was a very good stack of data needing little to bring out the goods. 

Here is my redone image now done completely with Astra Image (including contrast and lights and darks work) - I used Lightroom only to add the watermark and crop out the extra dark sky.   My deconvolution before and after screen shots are included after my re-done image.

Very best regards!!

 

Mike

 

[Trevor N]

Lovely shots. Lots of detail and well processed 

[geeklee]

5 hours ago, WestCoastCannuck said:

I quite love Astra Image.   It really is a beast!!   I have been using it for a few years now, and frankly am no expert and have just learned what little I know on trial and error.   It has vastly more capability than I have.  LOL   I have found a few ways and settings I generally use depending on the quality of the data.  I redid my stack and recorded my settings to share - this was a very good stack of data needing little to bring out the goods. 

Thanks for sharing the Astra Image config for deconvolution @WestCoastCannuck.  I use Astra Image as well for lunar work and always flip flop between "simple deconvolution" and deconvolution.  Sometimes certain data responds better to different modes and underlying deconvolution settings.

The clarity you've got (and many others too) is awesome.  

Do you find the filter you used make a subtle/big difference? (Baader 610nm long pass).  I've never really used anything outside a UV cut but have read about using a red filter.

Edited February 7, 2020 by geeklee

[WestCoastCannuck]

10 minutes ago, geeklee said:

Thanks for sharing the Astra Image config for deconvolution @WestCoastCannuck.  I use Astra Image as well for lunar work and always flip flop between "simple deconvolution" and deconvolution.  Sometimes certain data responds better to different modes and underlying deconvolution settings.

The clarity you've got (and many others too) is awesome.  

Do you find the filter you used make a subtle/big difference? (Baader 610nm long pass).  I've never really used anything outside a UV cut but have read about using a red filter.

You are very welcome for the settings!  And thank you!!  I have also used the more powerful "deconvolution" settings and I think that perhaps after lots of trial and error I surpassed my faster work with the "simple" menu a couple times, but now I just stick with the "simple".   The 610nm  helps for larger aperture for sure - I just put it on for this shot because my seeing can usually benefit.  It is possible, given the resolution that I achieved, that I COST myself resolution using the filter - it reduces angular resolution, but steadies seeing.  If the seeing did not require steadying, then I should have tried without, or even tried a green filter which I believe INCREASES angular resolution.....  at the cost of seeing steadiness.  I also have an IR filter...  a ZWO 850um.  It REALLY cuts the light though requiring a lot of gain, and as of yet I have not had much opportunity to play with it.  I would only ever try it on my C8 and don't have any results yet (given the previously mentioned DISMAL winter)  Always learning!!

 

Best regards

 

Mike

[geeklee]

13 minutes ago, WestCoastCannuck said:

You are very welcome for the settings!  And thank you!!  I have also used the more powerful "deconvolution" settings and I think that perhaps after lots of trial and error I surpassed my faster work with the "simple" menu a couple times, but now I just stick with the "simple".   The 610nm  helps for larger aperture for sure - I just put it on for this shot because my seeing can usually benefit.  It is possible, given the resolution that I achieved, that I COST myself resolution using the filter - it reduces angular resolution, but steadies seeing.  If the seeing did not require steadying, then I should have tried without, or even tried a green filter which I believe INCREASES angular resolution.....  at the cost of seeing steadiness.  I also have an IR filter...  a ZWO 850um.  It REALLY cuts the light though requiring a lot of gain, and as of yet I have not had much opportunity to play with it.  I would only ever try it on my C8 and don't have any results yet (given the previously mentioned DISMAL winter)  Always learning!!

Good info!  Thanks for that Mike.