Switched to PHD2

[Rodd]

I was having trouble calibrating the guider using Maxim DL...it just wouldn't calibrate and therefore could not guide.    As a hail Mary I decided to try PHD2,  As it turns out 

PHD2 calibrated ok and I was able to maintain about a 0.38-.40" total rms.  But I notice it takes a great deal for fiddling with the settings between different areas in the sky-it takes some time.  Settings for one target under certain conditions are not necessarily good for another location in the sky and different conditions.  The one drawback to using PHD2 while imaging with Maxim DL, is one can't dither.  Someone recently showed me a script that will allow Maxim to communicate with PHD2 so dithering would be possible, but I do not know how to implement it.  THAT will take some time too, evidently.  At least much of that effort an be done in the daytime and not under clear skies

Here are two images that I made while testing PHD2 as well as the OAG.  NGC 891 is part of the red stack (I need much more data).  I also plan on supplementing the 120 sec subs with 10 sec subs so the stars are no longer blown, which occurred due to the use of gain 300.  IC-410 is a bicolor (Ha OIII) image but the OIII is very limited.  I need much more of that as well.

C11Edge HD with .7x reducer, OAG and ASI 1600..  Data for both images were binned 2x2 in software

NGC 891--48 120" subs, gain 300

 

IC-410: 69 300 sec Ha; 20 300sec OIII, gain 300

Edited October 4, 2021 by Rodd
Improved IC-410

[tooth_dr]

That’s a cracker of the Tadpoles Rodd. 

[peter shah]

beautiful set of images

[Rodd]

2 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

That’s a cracker of the Tadpoles Rodd. 

Thanks Doc.  Really need more Oiii, but lately (like for the last year) imaging time is an evaporating desert lake…smaller and smaller

[Rodd]

14 minutes ago, peter shah said:

beautiful set of images

Thanks Peter.  I hope I get a chance to finish them before they disappear over the horizon!