The Pillars, Dumbbell, and No Dew!

[PeterC65]

Last night was my third EAA session in a row! The last two session have been widefield, so this time I setup the 72mm refractor (my favourite scope for EAA) alongside the Explorer 200.

This was the first outing for the Explorer 200 since I’d added a fan, and this addition has finally solved the dew problem. Despite a very damp night, both the primary and secondary remained as clear as a bell for the whole of the four hour session.

I’d started early as the Milky Way disappears quickly behind a hill and I wanted to observe some objects around M24 that I’d observed the previous night with the widefield setup. First up was M16 to get a better look at the Pillars of Creation, and the Explorer 200 certainly provided that. I don’t normally use binning but this time I tried 2x2 which gives a better pixel size match for the Explorer 200 and should capture four times the light. It certainly did, not sure that I’m happy with the lower pixel resolution, but to be fair it is still HD, and after some post processing the 2x2 is certainly better than unbinned. Another tool to bear in mind when objects are faint. Here is the 2x2 binned version …

M16 Hb.OIII.Ha 15.0s x400 2x2 44frames

Just before it disappeared I tried for M17. I hadn’t realised before the other night just how beautiful and detailed this nebula is. Definitely amongst my favourites now. Both this and M16 benefitted from the L-eNhance which I use as standard now for any emission nebula.

 

M17 Hb.OIII.Ha 15.0s x400 22frames

I’d run out of time to look at anything else around M24 so slewed instead to M27 as I’d been wanting to observe it with the Explorer 200 since @Astronomist posted an image. I seem to prefer M27 with the UV / IR cut filter as the L-eNhance makes it a bit too green for my liking. As with M16, I tried unbinned and 2x2 binning and preferred unbinned on the night but 2x2 binning when I look at it today, and certainly after post processing. Here is the unbinned version …

M27 Visible 15.0s x400 25frames

I’ve been considering getting a mono camera for faint objects and have some galaxy images taken during an EAA session by someone with a Player One Apollo-M Mini camera which is one of the options. So I took my own version of the Draco Triplet, NGC5981/2/5, which was behind the house and actually looked better with the Uranus-C, even unbinned. Here it is 2x2 binned …

NGC5981 & NGC5982 & NGC5985 Clear 15.0s x400 2x2 25frames

On the slew back to the open sky at the front of the house I stopped at M92 (first time for me) then M57 (which looked way too washed out at its centre).

M57 Visible 8.0s x400 25frames

The Blue Flash Nebula, NGC6905, was another planetary nebula, this one new to me, with an interesting shape and some structure with the Explorer 200 (and the obligatory L-eNhance).

NGC6905 Hb.OIII.Ha 8.0s x400 36frames

I looked at a few smaller galaxies which generally don’t hold my attention for long and then slewed to M33 which I think is much more interesting. It’s just too big to fit in the field of view of the Explorer 200 but this means I could see lots of detail within it, including some of the embedded star clusters (NGC604 burned particularly red). Here it is with a little post processing which gives a better representation of what I could see in the dark last night (yes, dark adaption is still important for EAA).

M33 Visible 8.0s x400 79frames

I have an IR pass filter in the filter wheel which is usually not parfocal with the rest but last night it seemed to play ball and I was able to see M33 in IR as well. Again with a little post processing …

M33 IR 8.0s x400 33frames

After three nights I was getting tired, but I’ve been neglecting the Planets of late, so I slewed to Saturn, but without the Barlow it was just too small for the Explorer 200. Uranus was nearby and that proved a better target using normal DSO stacking rather than planetary stacking. With the IR pass filter I could make out its moons, Oberon, Titania and Umbriel, and today when I zoom the image I can just spot Ariel which was closer to the Planet than the other three last night.

Uranus IR 1.0s x400 87frames

I’m picking up an Astroasis electronic focuser at IAS tomorrow which should enable me to use the IR pass filter more often.

 

Edited September 13 by PeterC65

[Ratlet]

You're giving me an eaa itch.  Going to have to get the autofocusser working on my takumars.

[Astronomist]

The detail in M33 is stunning! Sadly not a target I can get, at least until I get some tracking sorted out for my dob.

[happy-kat]

You packed a lot into your session, enjoyed reading your post. What mount did you use please? Looks like they'll be more clear skies too.

[bosun21]

45 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

You packed a lot into your session, enjoyed reading your post. What mount did you use please? Looks like they'll be more clear skies too.

Peter uses his AZ-EQ5 mount for EAA.

[happy-kat]

Sorry I was thinking of which type in eq or altaz mode 

[bosun21]

2 hours ago, PeterC65 said:

Last night was my third EAA session in a row! The last two session have been widefield, so this time I setup the 72mm refractor (my favourite scope for EAA) alongside the Explorer 200.

This was the first outing for the Explorer 200 since I’d added a fan, and this addition has finally solved the dew problem. Despite a very damp night, both the primary and secondary remained as clear as a bell for the whole of the four hour session.

I’d started early as the Milky Way disappears quickly behind a hill and I wanted to observe some objects around M24 that I’d observed the previous night with the widefield setup. First up was M16 to get a better look at the Pillars of Creation, and the Explorer 200 certainly provided that. I don’t normally use binning but this time I tried 2x2 which gives a better pixel size match for the Explorer 200 and should capture four times the light. It certainly did, not sure that I’m happy with the lower pixel resolution, but to be fair it is still HD, and after some post processing the 2x2 is certainly better than unbinned. Another tool to bear in mind when objects are faint. Here is the 2x2 binned version …

M16 Hb.OIII.Ha 15.0s x400 2x2 44frames

Just before it disappeared I tried for M17. I hadn’t realised before the other night just how beautiful and detailed this nebula is. Definitely amongst my favourites now. Both this and M16 benefitted from the L-eNhance which I use as standard now for any emission nebula.

 

M17 Hb.OIII.Ha 15.0s x400 22frames

I’d run out of time to look at anything else around M24 so slewed instead to M27 as I’d been wanting to observe it with the Explorer 200 since @Astronomist posted an image. I seem to prefer M27 with the UV / IR cut filter as the L-eNhance makes it a bit too green for my liking. As with M16, I tried unbinned and 2x2 binning and preferred unbinned on the night but 2x2 binning when I look at it today, and certainly after post processing. Here is the unbinned version …

M27 Visible 15.0s x400 25frames

I’ve been considering getting a mono camera for faint objects and have some galaxy images taken during an EAA session by someone with a Player One Apollo-M Mini camera which is one of the options. So I took my own version of the Draco Triplet, NGC5981/2/5, which was behind the house and actually looked better with the Uranus-C, even unbinned. Here it is 2x2 binned …

NGC5981 & NGC5982 & NGC5985 Clear 15.0s x400 2x2 25frames

On the slew back to the open sky at the front of the house I stopped at M92 (first time for me) then M57 (which looked way too washed out at its centre).

M57 Visible 8.0s x400 25frames

The Blue Flash Nebula, NGC6905, was another planetary nebula, this one new to me, with an interesting shape and some structure with the Explorer 200 (and the obligatory L-eNhance).

NGC6905 Hb.OIII.Ha 8.0s x400 36frames

I looked at a few smaller galaxies which generally don’t hold my attention for long and then slewed to M33 which I think is much more interesting. It’s just too big to fit in the field of view of the Explorer 200 but this means I could see lots of detail within it, including some of the embedded star clusters (NGC604 burned particularly red). Here it is with a little post processing which gives a better representation of what I could see in the dark last night (yes, dark adaption is still important for EAA).

M33 Visible 8.0s x400 79frames

I have an IR pass filter in the filter wheel which is usually not parfocal with the rest but last night it seemed to play ball and I was able to see M33 in IR as well. Again with a little post processing …

M33 IR 8.0s x400 33frames

After three nights I was getting tired, but I’ve been neglecting the Planets of late, so I slewed to Saturn, but without the Barlow it was just too small for the Explorer 200. Uranus was nearby and that proved a better target using normal DSO stacking rather than planetary stacking. With the IR pass filter I could make out its moons, Oberon, Titania and Umbriel, and today when I zoom the image I can just spot Ariel which was closer to the Planet than the other three last night.

Uranus IR 1.0s x400 87frames

I’m picking up an Astroasis electronic focuser at IAS tomorrow which should enable me to use the IR pass filter more often.

 

Wow Peter you have certainly been busy these past few nights. Excuse my stupid question but what does the 400 denote in your listings? IE:  15s x 400 32 frames. How many frames did you take 400 or 32? Or did you capture 400 but only stack and use 32? You are giving me the incentive to get the last few bits I need like an active cable and USB hub. Is your active cable a USB3 running from your PC to your hub? I seem to have waylaid the link you provided me a while back. With the cold weather on the way i will be a lot more comfortable indoors. Great EAA work all round Peter.

Edited September 13 by bosun21

[bosun21]

5 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Sorry I was thinking of which type in eq or altaz mode 

Peter uses it in Alt/Az normally with a dual scope setup.

[PeterC65]

2 hours ago, Ratlet said:

You're giving me an eaa itch.  Going to have to get the autofocusser working on my takumars.

I'm hoping more people in the UK on SGL might take up EAA. It's more popular in the US, and so on CN.

 

[PeterC65]

1 hour ago, happy-kat said:

You packed a lot into your session, enjoyed reading your post. What mount did you use please? Looks like they'll be more clear skies too.

As @bosun21 has mentioned, I use a Sky-Watcher AZ-EQ5 in AZ mode, fitted with two scopes. Usually I fit two scopes with quite different focal lengths to give me two different fields of view, both fitted with Uranus-C cameras. I don't always align the mount as it remains setup between sessions and just slots back in to three holes drilled in the patio. Last night the alignment was way out a few times (up to 5 degrees) but plate solving always seems to take care of it.

 

[Ratlet]

2 minutes ago, PeterC65 said:

I'm hoping more people in the UK on SGL might take up EAA. It's more popular in the US, and so on CN.

 

I think it's right up my street to be honest.  I don't have the mental bandwidth for post processing images but I do like seeing the end result.  Seems like it would be a nice addition to the evening.  Do some visual and have some live stacking going on for those objects that are a bit too dim.

Mark Radice (who is a terrible influence and should come with a warning) is a great example.  I love his system of sketching from the live stack.

[PeterC65]

27 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

Excuse my stupid question but what does the 400 denote in your listings? IE:  15s x 400 32 frames. How many frames did you take 400 or 32? Or did you capture 400 but only stack and use 32?

The 400 is the gain I was using (x400) and SharpCap stacked 32frames. These are the filenames that I have configured SharpCap to create automatically, so:

M33 Visible 8.0s x400 79frames

<object name> <filter name> <exposure> <gain> <number of frames>

Other than the object name which has to be entered in SharpCap, these are all generated automatically which is very handy. Unfortunately this can't be done with the binning setting so I add that manually to the filename afterwards if I'm binning.

33 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

Is your active cable a USB3 running from your PC to your hub?

Yes I use a 10m long active USB3 cable that has two repeaters along its length. It seems to work reliably. The one I use is this one.

 

[PeterC65]

9 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

I think it's right up my street to be honest.  I don't have the mental bandwidth for post processing images but I do like seeing the end result.  Seems like it would be a nice addition to the evening.  Do some visual and have some live stacking going on for those objects that are a bit too dim.

Mark Radice (who is a terrible influence and should come with a warning) is a great example.  I love his system of sketching from the live stack.

Post processing doesn't interest me either. I do sometimes quickly post process some images, but only the PNG stacked snapshots from the session, so only using image processing (Affinity Photo). I have a very quick workflow that takes only a few minutes per image.

I still like to do visual, but EAA is so much more civilised, I can see way more which means that many more objects are interesting, and I can keep a record of what I see and share it with others. I've even done an EAA session with the in-laws, four of us crowded around the monitor.

 

[happy-kat]

I like how EEA gives opportunity to enhance what is seen often by using what you have plus Astro camera with less mount restriction. It's taken over from the none EQ DSO challenge thread, since that thread live stacking is now available, it can be a step to a new side of the hobby.

[happy-kat]

using your 10m cable in the link have you tried guiding with it too please?

I've a simple usb2 10m  cable and phd2 drops the camera after about 1 second so won't guide.

[PatG]

Some great EAA results in your recent posts Peter! 

It’s interesting to see how you are putting the various filters to good use, the Optolong L-eNhance in particular is realising good results.

I love the wide field work with 55mm camera lens too!

 

[PeterC65]

On 14/09/2024 at 10:16, happy-kat said:

using your 10m cable in the link have you tried guiding with it too please?

I've a simple usb2 10m  cable and phd2 drops the camera after about 1 second so won't guide.

I haven't tried guiding I'm afraid. I don't feel it's needed for EAA and although I have two cameras on the go, they are both being used for the EAA imaging.

 

[PeterC65]

On 15/09/2024 at 15:27, PatG said:

Some great EAA results in your recent posts Peter! 

It’s interesting to see how you are putting the various filters to good use, the Optolong L-eNhance in particular is realising good results.

I love the wide field work with 55mm camera lens too!

 

Thanks!

I bought an Optolong Halpha filter at the IAS show to add to the EAA filter wheel and that might produce even better results on emission nebulae.

 

[PatG]

Out of curiosity, what sort of filter wheel do you use for EAA ? - I have been mulling that over myself and also deliberating on whether to stick with 1 1/4” or switch to 2”

[PeterC65]

13 hours ago, PatG said:

Out of curiosity, what sort of filter wheel do you use for EAA ? - I have been mulling that over myself and also deliberating on whether to stick with 1 1/4” or switch to 2”

I use a ZWO 5-position 1.25" filter wheel. It works seamlessly with SharpCap so that I can just click on a button with the filter description and it gets selected. I have it fitted with all Optolong filters in an attempt to keep it parfocal which it mostly is (apart from IR pass), but I have just bought an Astroasis electronic focuser to get the focus spot on.

The filters I have fitted are:

• Clear - for faint objects when I need maximum light.
• UV / IR Cut - for most broadband objects, galaxies, clusters, stars, reflection nebulae.
• L-eNhance - for emission nebulae and planetary nebulae.
• IR pass - originally for the Moon and Planets but now that SharpCap live stacks these I use the UV / IR cut filter instead, the IR pass filter still gives an interesting perspective.

I've just bought a Halpha narrowband filter to fill the last slot for a different take on emission nebulae.

I find the filter wheel very useful as different objects do really benefit from different filters and I wouldn't otherwise change filters during a session (or any of the kit setup).

1.25" is fine for use with my IMX585 camera which has a 12.9mm diagonal. I think you would get vignetting only with an APS-C sensor (26.6mm diagonal) or bigger.

 

[PatG]

Thanks for the explanation Peter - very helpful!