A few from recent days

Tzetze

Hi folks. After having a bad run of attempts at imaging galaxies, I realised that the CMOS ASI camera just wasn't up to the job of guiding through an OAG. I was getting too much random noise along with low SNR on even the brightest of stars. This was causing very erratic guiding with the star 'lock' jumping from star to noise. Not to mention the fact that it was very difficult to locate a guide star and keep the intended target in frame.

So, I decided to go for the Lodestar x2 guidecam. Wow, what a difference! Fantastic SNR, even through the OAG, and always a guidestar in frame when I get onto the target. Highly recommended as a guidecam.

Got onto M81 last week and got some super smooth guiding with 0.46 arcsec average error. 8)

After many poor attempts at processing, I'm finally happy with the results (although there is still an LP gradient in the image). I had to create new bias and dark libraries, the old ones were 5 years old and the nosie signature on the old DSLR has surely changed in that time.

Here's M81 with 5hr 10m integration, made up of 31x 600s subs.
(Click on the image to see more technical data)



Now, with the ASI120 dismounted from the parfocal OAG setup, it's free to be used as a planetary (solar/lunar) camera. I've been experimenting with a 2.5x powermate when the chance arises;




And, of course, I still can't resist those DSLR moon shots;

allinthehead

Very nice indeed

Tzetze

allinthehead wrote: »

Very nice indeed

Thankyou Richard. I'm very pleased with how it turned out. =]