DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1383
Loc: New Mexico
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This is the list I came up with trying to take in to consideration the fact that clouds could potentially occupy any part of the sky at any time, and the fact that certain targets are only viewable at certain times. So in trying to maximize my imaging options and hoping for great weather this weekend, I boiled it down to 22 targets all in different directions throughout the night. Of course I can't possibly hope to get them all in only two nights even in perfect conditions, so I'll be prioritizing them tomorrow based on times viewable, and how badly I want to capture the target starting West to East obviously. I'm open to recommendations as well.
Listed in no particular order:
Stephan's Quintet (NGC7317-7320)
Seyfert's Sextet
NGC6028 Ring Galaxy
M31 & M110 Andromeda
M33 Triangulum
NGC891 Edge on Spiral
NGC7293 Helix Nebula
NGC6751 planetary nebula
NGC772 Spiral Galaxy
IC342 Spiral Galaxy
M42 Orion Nebula
M57 Ring Nebula
NGC2237 Rosette Nebula
IC434 Horsehead Nebula
NGC1333 reflection nebula
M74 Spiral Galaxy
M20 Trifid Nebula
M8 Lagoon Nebula
M17 Swan/Omega Nebula
M16 Eagle Nebula
M1 Crab Nebula
M45 Pleiades
Suggestions?
Tomorrow night looks like it will be my last test run prior to packing up for the drive. I have to test out a new laptop as the old one is dying, and I made some modifications to the CG-5 mount, as well as changes to my power sources. I will probably guide with the SB6 and image mostly with the SB4.5 to minimize guiding errors, plus most of these are widefield targets. I didn't get a new camera in time so the DSI Pro IIc will be the primary imager for this expedition.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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Doug6952
sage
Reged: 07/24/08
Posts: 346
Loc: West Milford, NJ
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Looks like a good list. Good luck!! Hope the weather stays clear.
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Doug
Sometimes I wonder......."Why is this frisbiee getting bigger" ...... Then it hits me!
Orion EON 72mm
Meade 8" starfinder
Meade ETX 90 OTA
CG-5 Advanced GT Mount
DSI Pro III
Orion SSAG
Stellarvue F50
Baader LRGB and Ha filters
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Jaxdialation
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 1757
Loc: St. Augustine, FL
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Some of those look like they will be pretty low on the horizon. But with M31 and M42 you should be covered until the wee hours of the morning. What have you got for the North ~ Cepheus area? It is good for several hours now. Good hunting!
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John
Someone please make sure that when I die, my wife doesn't sell my astro gear for what I told her I paid for it. SST/Tak/RCOS/SBIG/CCDWare
New Zhumell Owner? Read this: New Zhumell Owner Upgrade Mega Thread
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cdndob
sage
Reged: 07/28/06
Posts: 468
Loc: The Great White North
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Since you'll be in the area with Stephan's Quintet, try NGC7331.
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1383
Loc: New Mexico
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Quote:
Some of those look like they will be pretty low on the horizon. But with M31 and M42 you should be covered until the wee hours of the morning. What have you got for the North ~ Cepheus area? It is good for several hours now. Good hunting!
I suppose I could add NGC6946 back on the list, it's in Cepheus, and I really didn't do a good job of capturing it the first time around. I haven't tried NGC6543 yet either.
I really wanted to try NGC5866 in Draco but I think it may be too low as well. I also forgot I had Neptune and Uranus on the list. I won't get much detail from a 6" scope but I know I can draw out the moons around the disk after messing around with Neptune last week.
M20, M8, M17, M16 I've already worked on some and are more of just backup targets since I could always improve on them.
There are some other nebulas I'd love to try again but some of them just don't seem to show up well for me so I want to wait until I get my narrowband filters first.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1383
Loc: New Mexico
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Quote:
Since you'll be in the area with Stephan's Quintet, try NGC7331.
Never seen that one before, it looks like a nice spiral. I'll put it on the list.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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Jaxdialation
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 1757
Loc: St. Augustine, FL
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I have to do something similar for a one week star party at the end of September. It isn't easy picking them is it, and then having "plan B" and so forth?
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John
Someone please make sure that when I die, my wife doesn't sell my astro gear for what I told her I paid for it. SST/Tak/RCOS/SBIG/CCDWare
New Zhumell Owner? Read this: New Zhumell Owner Upgrade Mega Thread
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1383
Loc: New Mexico
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Yeah, the biggest challenge was juggling between:
a)what's available and when.
b)what I am most interested in capturing.
c)trying to plan back up targets in all directions at different times just incase of cloud cover etc.
d)planning how to fit the most into just two nights.
I have wonderful skies from my back yard, but because of how I am situated, I can't see east at all. I'm stuck facing primarily west. I really want to exploit the targets I can't usually get to first if possible.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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Jared
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/11/05
Posts: 1852
Loc: Piedmont, California, U.S.
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Quote:
Yeah, the biggest challenge was juggling between:
a)what's available and when.
b)what I am most interested in capturing.
c)trying to plan back up targets in all directions at different times just incase of cloud cover etc.
d)planning how to fit the most into just two nights.
I have wonderful skies from my back yard, but because of how I am situated, I can't see east at all. I'm stuck facing primarily west. I really want to exploit the targets I can't usually get to first if possible.
Two more factor I'd put into your planning:
e) What objects are the best match for my focal length/field of view
f) Which objects will benefit the most from good seeing conditions, and which can be imaged even if the seeing is mediocre.
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- Jared Willson
- Fluorostar FLT-110 w/ TEC optics
- Vixen VC200L
- Astro-Physics Mach1 GTO
- Stellarvue SV80S
- Takahashi Teegul SP Mount
- STL-11000
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1383
Loc: New Mexico
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Good points, and definitely factored in. So far the forecast is excellent. Fortunately the temps are dropping into the 40s at night, which my DSI II really appreciates.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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nofxrx
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/12/05
Posts: 1418
Loc: palm bay,florida
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Josh I just noticed in your "recently updated  " sig that you have a DSI PROIIc,is that the (c)color version or the PRO(MONO) version?
Also,cant wait to see your results!!! Especially M20,Helix,Stephan's Quintet,M57,M31,Orion,HH....wait...whatever you shoot I cant wait to check out....
I am getting anxious to image and am living vicariously through CN 
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Brent Oliver
3 Wonderful dogs: Sadie, Kara and Ozzie
Celestron C10-N///C9.25///Orion 80ED///WO ZS66SD White
Celestron CI-700 & ASGT Eq. Mounts
Nikon D40Xa///SBIG ST-402ME/Class 1/CFW///DSI-PRO...
My Gallery
Ohh yeah,and a VERY undersanding wife!! 
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1383
Loc: New Mexico
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Brent,
It's the color version but I've started using it in mono mode for the time being. I'm trying to get Meade to RMA the thing because it's busted and doesn't function properly, but they are playing the Ignore the dissatisfied customer game right now. As soon as it's gone I plan to get the new 6 megapixel Starshoot CCD. Meade has lost me as a customer. I've been reaching out to them for more than 2 months solid and they don't even respond. I call them and I am told a "technician" will call me back shortly and it never happens. We'll see if a letter to the better business bureau gets their attention.
Eh, ignore my ramblings, just kind of a touchy subject at the moment. I'm working around the flaws in the camera as I have no choice for now. When I operate it in mono mode, most of the problems go away. So most of my long exposure shots this weekend will be in B/W unfortunately..
I'm just anxious to get out of town for a bit and enjoy some quiet nights and dark skies! I'll be happy if I return with just one decent image.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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nofxrx
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/12/05
Posts: 1418
Loc: palm bay,florida
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Ahhh the ol' Meade run around.They are SO famous for that!!!
I have heard many of horror stories about thier so called customer service....it really is sad...
That stinks about your cam.You are losing the whole point of having a OSC cam if you cant take color images...Sorry for your troubles!
I have heard really good things about the Starshoot PRO.BUT I would recommend you look at the QHY8 as it has a few advantages like "regulated cooling" and smaller physical size...but nearly the same price(maybe even cheaper than the PRO!!!)....
Just a thought....
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Brent Oliver
3 Wonderful dogs: Sadie, Kara and Ozzie
Celestron C10-N///C9.25///Orion 80ED///WO ZS66SD White
Celestron CI-700 & ASGT Eq. Mounts
Nikon D40Xa///SBIG ST-402ME/Class 1/CFW///DSI-PRO...
My Gallery
Ohh yeah,and a VERY undersanding wife!!
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1383
Loc: New Mexico
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I forgot all about the QHY8, I need to read up on it again.
As for the Meade thing, it's kind of a blessing in disguise I guess, as it has lead me to really research narrowband imaging and other aspects that I want to try out. Now that I've had half a year playing with some entry level CCDs I think I'm ready to try something with a bit more capability.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1383
Loc: New Mexico
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Yesterday I was unable to capture anything despite clear skies... Switching to a new laptop and tweaking the mount threw off all my fine tuning I had made in my autoguiding setup..
So I went in and removed the gunk from the worm gears and put lithium in there, tightened things up a bit, and it seems to run quieter and a bit smoother. I also rotated the larger OTA 90 to put the EP reticule facing downward to bring in the center of gravity a bit since both cameras and the finder scope are all on one side, my balance has always been off. I also realigned my guidescope on a static target about 3 miles out today. I never quite fixed this the first time but it was pointing at least 1/4 degree off axis from the main OTA. I finally got this thing lined up almost 100% perfect. I was within about 2ft from center at 3 miles, close enough for now. I also removed the IR filter from inside the DSI and replaced with a threaded IR filter that screws into the nose. This is really helping me keep the dust particles from showing up on my images since I can spot them more readily before setup each time.
I just spent the last 2 hours trying to force PHD guiding to play nice and guide correctly after all the changes.. I just now seem to have it working, I've got 25 minutes on M16 so far and it's definitely the most crisp image I've taken yet. Hopefully I don't screw it up in the post processing. I've never seen the histogram fill up so nicely with good data before. I really hope everything stays in sync for this weekend.
Thanks to everyone on CN who has helped me over the last several months to figure out the fundamentals of AP and autoguiding. Things are finally starting to click I think.
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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cdndob
sage
Reged: 07/28/06
Posts: 468
Loc: The Great White North
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Sure sounds like you're ready to go now. Looking forward to seeing the results when you get back.
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