The Elephant's trunk - ASI1600 First Light, 3 mount set up, adventures with a pi400 and a gopro

[powerlord]

Nearly 2 weeks after I got it, I finally had a chance to try out my ASI1600 last night. It is the first time Ive been able to try filter wheel, EAF, ASI1600, mono, narrowband, etc... so lots of stuff to get my head around.

After getting PAed and sorting out all of above to work (2 hours as all new, and had loads of difficulties with EQ5STAR PRO not behaving - will need to update review there as I am liking it less and less...).. I finally was ready, just in time for clouds to sweep in and cover the sky.

arggggg.

However I went to bed, and kept and eye on it via the asiair app.

About 1am it cleared up, so I had time for a grand total  of 4 360 second Ha and 3 360 second Sii.

I had set Oiii too, but it appears that the autofocus routine screwed up there as all I've got is a mess of out of focus stars - i imagine clouds came back in then.

So.. something to build on, by hell, it's first light - I'm gonna integrate it and see what I've got... I was using my 72ED, and had centred on the 'trunk'.

Frankly I'm amazed with the result after 42 mins of integration time. Obviously not very much Sii at all, but loving the detail. Really glad I took the plunge into asi1600/mono, etc.

I did then plan to set the other mount up (azgti, canon 6d, 300mm L F4, 2" L-extreme, az224 guide cam, pi400 running astroberry), but the mount wasn't playing ball - possibly something I should have tested before...I therefore was stuffed there. This morning I have it working (mount: skywatcher AZ wedge worked - azgti doesn't as it only does ethernet and I'm using eqmod cable). So.. will try that again tonight.

I also had the gopro 8 setup all night doing nightscape video to try for milkyway.. will see if got anything there later.

In the morning the asi1600 was pushed right up against my mount - so I'll have to watch that -as it's the mount, not tripod, an extender isn't going to help either.

Anyway here's last nights setup (gopro one out the picture):

 

 

 

And my 42 minute HaSii trunk:

 

[scotty38]

Looks great! Is it the filterwheel that's fouling the mount or is that just this particular picture. Might be obvious but that can be spun round the other way so it's facing up as it were...

[AstroMuni]

Lots of detail in there 👍 Nice one.

[powerlord]

26 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

Looks great! Is it the filterwheel that's fouling the mount or is that just this particular picture. Might be obvious but that can be spun round the other way so it's facing up as it were...

duh. you are quite right - that would solve it. I'll make sure to always to that in the future. thanks.