TerryMcK Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 It's spring and everything is bursting back into life. Post what you are doing here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted May 1 Author Share Posted May 1 Last nights Bortle 1 experience in the Isles Of Scilly was astonishing. When the external lights in the hotel were switched off it was like the sky turned on. Only spoilt by the moon which was casting light and producing shadows. But if you turned in the opposite direction the milky way was visible. When the moon finally set it was truly dark but then dawn arrived scuppering any further viewing. Back to bed and this morning the sun is up the sky is blue and the birds are tweeting. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Y Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 It has been windy where I am, so I've just been working on my darks library. Tonight looks promising... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cumbrianwolf Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 (edited) I have had this kit here with me now for the best part of six months coming up and still not been able to find a suitable night, well one that offered reasonable skies and the other part was work getting in the way when they did arrive. Other than the trial runs, I have yet to get the new kit set up and imaging. Hope you are all doing well, and I look forward to a few summer nights where I can get a few hours in. Edited May 6 by Cumbrianwolf 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDec Posted May 4 Share Posted May 4 This winter season has been mostly dreadful. I’ve had one session since Feb 6th! It seems any clear night coincides with massive wind and massive moon - ok for small scopes and moon observers though! hope your luck improves and you get a chance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrobdlbug Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 Busy capturing a supernova ….. it’s definitely there and bright too 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDec Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 Nice job - how'd it turn out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrobdlbug Posted May 25 Share Posted May 25 4 hours ago, RaDec said: Nice job - how'd it turn out? Haven’t had chance to do any processing - will have a look at data this evening and also take some flats I only got 1 1/2hrs as clouds rolled in about 1:30am - so hope to get more clear skies on Friday to finish off Bryan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted May 25 Author Share Posted May 25 Trying out NINA on an easy target in S2. I used Sharpcap to polar align and that was a breeze. Just had to wait until it got dark enough. I used the Polemaster camera (focal length is 25mm) and it got PA pretty good. Now just calibrated PHD2. I forgot how labour intensive Windows capturing is. Hopefully when this is done I might get some narrowband images over the next 3 or 4 hours. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted May 29 Author Share Posted May 29 Spent the day converting my EQM35 Pro into my dedicated mount for solar. Using the NINA PC in conjunction with Sharpcap the setup comprises: EQM35Pro Mount Daystar Solar Scout SS60-DS Ha telescope ZWO ASI 174MM Deep Sky Dad Focuser Running down a cable harness into below All connected to my Observatory In A Box Alinco DM-330FX 30 Amp Switch Mode Power Supply with USB Ports 8 Port 1GiB Ethernet Switch MeLE Quieter 3Q Fanless Mini PC- this works really well on high speed captures I can also mount the white light telescope either on its own or with the Ha scope using the Primaluce Lab Side by Side Losmandy Plates. This white light scope is: WO ZS73 telescope Lakeside Focus Controller Altair Astro Herschel Wedge ZWO ASI 183MC Pro Baader Solar Continuum Filter 1.1/4" Baader UV/IR Cut Filter The combined mass of the two scopes and the side by side plate is at the upper limit of this mount but works fine for solar work. Roll on more clear days! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demon Posted May 30 Share Posted May 30 (edited) Good luck with Nina Terry, I am liking it although it has a few quirks, it kept switching off my guiding yesterday - likely a setting I havent got quite correct yet. Anyway this has been a while coming taken last night after modifying my mirror cell, adding light shroud, briefly changing secondary, getting more to grips with autofocusing, etc... This is M64 The Black Eye Galaxy only a single 2 minute exposure with no calibration frames and a >70% moon. Still lots to do but I'm becoming much happier with the optics and guiding etc. Plate solving through Nina gets me on target quickly and starting to do sequences. Still not happy with my collimation and got to go back to larger secondary and blacken everything... This is without my coma corrector or any filters. Still think I should have stuck to smaller but maybe one day I'll get this performing - I enjoy the challenge... Edited May 30 by Demon 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDec Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 It's all a learning curve - that's a pretty good image under the circumstances. Especially for only 2 minutes. Thgink what a few hours will yield. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demon Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 (edited) Thanks I'm hoping so, the glare was the moon shining down half the tube and unblackened focuser so yep a few hours and no moon could finally start getting where I'm hoping to get to. Great learning about all nuances and still enjoying it - not traded the beast in yet😉 Edited May 31 by Demon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted June 2 Author Share Posted June 2 Still taking advantage of clear skies even though they are not really dark experimenting with NINA. The moon is nearly full but not really above the horizon here so happy days (nights).. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demon Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 (edited) I had a change last night, was lovely and clear except for the b full moon. I've been testing out societies heq5pro and stuck my 80ed, qhy9c, asi120mm into 9x50finder and connected to my obsy pc. I had it all talking and able to move mount, focused the finder manually then the other with my diy autofocuser via nina. But when it came to guiding it would not (phd2 as usual and detected camera and mount fine - but when pulseguide no movement when calbrating). I don't think I've understood it there is a way of changing between st4 and serial or got right connections... I wasn't using st4 and only had pc serial into hand controller and the rj45 between hc and mount - thought this should work but nothing even though I can move mount with motors manually from ascom... Confused and just ordered a pc usb to mount cable to bypass hc. Feeling slightly guilty I wasn't playing with big rig - but will be nice to see how the other half live... Note: on a previous night using my underpowered atom pc it was guiding well so can't have got all settings right somewhere when moved to obsy pc. Edited June 3 by Demon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted June 3 Author Share Posted June 3 I have the HEQ5 Pro mount and only use the EQDIR cable https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astronomy-cables-leads-accessories/lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5-syntrek-pro-az-eq5-gt-az-eq6-gt-and-eq8-mounts.html It works flawlessly. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted June 4 Author Share Posted June 4 Still experimenting with NINA despite no real astro time but very clear nights. Failure last night due to dreaded ASCOM dropping connection to ASI294MM for no apparent reason. Tonight is direct connection with NINA to the ZWO ASI driver. Got to love clear nights and experimentation to prepare for imaging later in the year. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carastro Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 (edited) I haven’t imaged since l was at Astro camp Bortle 4 six weeks ago. Back home Bortle 8 all possible NB targets have been behind the house. But l checked last night and Cygnus has finally emerged over the roof tops at 11.30pm. So might get set up to do some imaging again. Hate galaxy season as it is a NO GO period for me. Carole Edited June 5 by Carastro 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDec Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 My motivation disappears between the middle of May and August. No obsey, so sitting up all night till it’s sort of dark just doesn’t appeal I’m afraid. Not taken an image for months! Lets all hope the autumn ushers in a period of better nights. 🙏🤞 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 I've been imaging IC5068 in Cygnus Carole @Carastro. I've managed to get nearly 9 hours of Ha, S2 and O3 despite fullish moon in the last few days. I managed 4 hours a night from 02/06/2023 to this morning 05/06/2023 with a few failures with the software (the horrible ASCOM related which I have now fixed). The moon was below the horizon for me. As posted above I have been experimenting with, new to me, N.I.N.A. image acquisition and observatory control software. I control everything from indoors by remote control and am normally tucked up asleep when imaging but always make sure there isn't any rain on the way as I too don't have an observatory (apart from the manual roll off gazebo tent LOL). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carastro Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 Cygnus is only just appearing over the house tops at 11.30 last night. I didn't have anything set up but have done that today. The prospect of not being able to even start imaging until after midnight has put me off bothering until now. I do have a target planned so might get started now. Carole 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 I can get nautical dusk on IC5068 and other Cygnus targets tonight at 23:48 and can theoretically image until nautical dawn which is 02:26 at my latitude. I have been starting a little earlier and ending a little later but finding that I had to scrap a few subs due to my eagerness to get going. As we get closer to the solstice imaging time gets shorter and shorter but then we go back into longer nights again - hurrah! Hopefully without cloud - boo. Obviously yours would be different and dependent upon local conditions as you have said with house roofs. Conditions are not looking good here tonight so I'm having a night off. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted June 8 Author Share Posted June 8 I was trying out the advanced sequencer in NINA last night. It was all going well until ASCOM decided that it wasn't going to cool my camera. It had auto initiated the cooling sequence and was at full power but ASCOM was not reporting back the temperature so NINA decided it could not carry on. If it is reasonable tonight I will try again but observe it rather than letting it do its own thing whilst I'm in the land of nod. I've had similar issues with ASCOM in the past hence the reason I abandoned Windows and went to Linux. However NINA is such a good program and I'm just experimenting I will persevere until it works flawlessly. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demon Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 (edited) Hi Terry, an issue I have had but I've not fully explained I believe was related to all my USB devices, I'm not sure if it was the computer, the devices, interference, Ascom or Nina, however I disconnected some USB devices that were not required and rearranged the rest and have not seen the occasional dropping of devices again - no idea if this is related but just incase its worth maybe a look at what you have connected and how - likely done differently on RPi so may not have seen it previously...good luck...I'm hopefully trying my new direct USB cable to HEQ5 mount tonight... Edited June 9 by Demon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted June 9 Author Share Posted June 9 That's an interesting point Nick. The only thing that I am doing differently now is I have attached an extra camera to the USB bus for cloud monitoring although that is not being used during capture sessions. It is however connected to the same powered USB3 hub that the rest of the cameras are attached to. I also have connected the Polemaster camera to the hub so it might now be getting a bit of contention/extra traffic on the USB bus. I never connected the Polemaster to the Pi4 as the software didn't work properly on Linux so that is different. That powered hub has switches on each port for isolation purposes but the switches stopped working about 18 months ago so I think I need to replace it so I can isolate what I don't need active during a session. I too have a separate direct EQDIR cable from the mount to the computer. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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