Area around M100 with mono DSLR

[fwm891]

I've had a couple of issues with PHD and balance with my CEM25P / WO ZS73 combination lately and spent quite some time getting the balance right yesterday and put it to a test last night. (A lolly stick proved the best solution!).

12x 300s subs were shot at 1600 iso on a mono modified Nikon D5100. Images were processed in PI then resized in PS before posting here.

Plate solved image: https://www.astrobin.com/xodxry/?nc=user

Edited April 16, 2021 by fwm891
Link added

[AbsolutelyN]

Loads of galaxies here looks great. I've never heard of a mono DSLR before though. How does that work? Has the sensor been swapped out? 

Edited April 16, 2021 by AbsolutelyN

[Laurieast]

Where does the lolly stick fit into all this?

Nice deep field!

[fwm891]

2 hours ago, AbsolutelyN said:

Loads of galaxies here looks great. I've never heard of a mono DSLR before though. How does that work? Has the sensor been swapped out? 

The mono DSLR. The sensor has been striped of all filters (bayer matrix) and all glassware. The chip is essentially bare. Ultimate full spectrum mono mod.

[fwm891]

1 hour ago, Laurieast said:

Where does the lolly stick fit into all this?

Nice deep field!

It turns out that the WO version of a Vixen dovetail bar is narrower than a standard Vixen dovetail bar so when mounted the whole optical train is shifted over to one side and unless you add extra weight to the opposite side it won't balance. A loolly stick shifted the OTA assemble back to it's central point...

[AbsolutelyN]

1 hour ago, fwm891 said:

It turns out that the WO version of a Vixen dovetail bar is narrower than a standard Vixen dovetail bar so when mounted the whole optical train is shifted over to one side and unless you add extra weight to the opposite side it won't balance. A loolly stick shifted the OTA assemble back to it's central point...

I've had that issue too. Bought a Primaluce Lab dovetail clamp only to find my William Optics vixen dovetail bar (bought years ago) is too narrow. Very annoying. I jam a long allen key in  alongside the bar which fixes it but far from ideal.