M101 - Quick Test of OAG and Lum Filter

[Xiga]

After guiding for over 5 years with a finder-guider on my SW 80ed without any issues (and doing a lot of 20 min subs during that time) i've suddenly been beset with terrible differential flexure issues. After trying everything to fix it, without success, i've had to give in and just move to an OAG. After not being able to image anything in the last 5 months (as much due to the weather as well, never mind the DF) as luck would have it there was a brief period of clear skies last Thursday so i managed to get back on the horse and get some testing done. I've had the Qhy268m for almost a year now, and only managed one image in that time (a NB image) so up to now i hadn't actually captured any BB data. When i got the camera, i picked up some cheap SVBony LRGB filters, so this was also a good opportunity to test the Lum filter. I was pleased with how it worked. Obviously, there were no super bright stars in the field, but i was still happy with the star sizes in the subs, so fingers crossed it holds up ok in tougher circumstances. 

I picked M101 as a test, because i knew i had some colour data from an image i took a few years ago with my D5300, so the plan was to just capture Lum with the Qhy268m and use the D5300 data for the colour. Unfortunately the forecast didn't hold up anywhere close to how it was supposed to, so in the end i only managed 73 mins. Not enough for a serious image, but enough to satisfy myself that the OAG and backfocus were both ok. So all in all, it was a good session, and i'm pleased to know i'm now at least able to image once again (well, for the 1 clear night we seem to get every 2 months!). 

So just for kicks, and because it's been a long, barren 5 months, i decided to process the data anyway. 

Lum: 73 mins (73 * 60s), Qhy268m, SVBony 2" L. Mode 1, Gain 56, Offset 25, -10C. Bortle 5/6. 70% Moon. 

Colour: 2.5 hrs (26 * 360s), Nikon D5300, ISO 200, 2" IDAS-D1. Bortle 4. No Moon. 

SW80ed, HEQ5-Pro

Stacked in APP (Darks, Flats, Dark Flats). Processed in PS (reduced slightly to 90% size). 

Thanks for looking and CS 🙂

 

Edited February 15, 2022 by Xiga