RSteel
member
Reged: 10/11/09
Posts: 23
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Hi all,
This is my first attempt at M42 with an Olympus E510 and a Nexstar 8i.
Image was taken at 3am on the 1st.
Nexstar 8i, F6.3 reducer, guided with an ST80 ED w/ DSI as autoguider.
Taken with MaximDL, guided with PHD and processed with Liberator and PS. Full moon and some light pollution here in Sacramento, Cal.
Not too shabby for an older 8i  .
Thanks for looking,
Ray
Edited by RSteel (11/02/09 10:01 PM)
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Leo.S
member
Reged: 09/21/09
Posts: 67
Loc: Toronto, Ontario
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im speechless now.... what can I say amazing 
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Telescopes: Celestron Nexstar 8SE, WO Megrez 72ED APO, Orion 9x50 RACI Finder
Eyepieces: 8mm 13mm TV Ethos, 26mm 31mm TV Naglar
Filters: Lumicon 2" Variable Polarizer/2" UHC
Mount: Celestron Nexstar GoTo, CG-5 ASGT
Accessories: Moolite Focuser,2"Dura Bright/2"Quartz WO Diagonals,WO P-Flattner 3,CN16 GPS,NexImage,Starry Night Pro Plus 6.3
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Talon
member
Reged: 10/22/09
Posts: 23
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I thought you weren't supposed to be able to take good APs with these scopes. That pic is awesome.
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NexStar 8SE
EP: Pentax 8-24mm Zoom
Pentax 10x50 DCF ED
Planisphere
Very Long Wish List
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7331Peg
professor emeritus
Reged: 09/01/08
Posts: 725
Loc: North coast of Oregon
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I agree - very nice picture, especially considering the full moon and light pollution. It really is amazing what can be done these days without spending a fortune.
John
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Fimpster
member
Reged: 09/24/09
Posts: 14
Loc: Salt Lake City
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wow! excellent.
are you using the N8i mount? if so you have really made it shine. well done. 
that 8se I've had my eye on just keeps getting more and more attractive.
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Orion SkyQuest XT8i
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RSteel
member
Reged: 10/11/09
Posts: 23
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Here is the same shot reprocessed so that the core and more detail are present.
Yes, this is the original mount. I purchased this scope back in 2003. I've been using the Meade DSI family with it, limited to 15 - 30 sec of exposure. As we all know, drift alignment is almost impossible to do, and I was ready to purchase a new scope or EQ mount through shear frustration. Instead, I decided to try and autoguide it, against most all post, instead of purchasing a new mount or scope. Saves alot of money that way
I still have some tweaking in my setup and balance to do but I have been happy with the performance so far.
Thank you for your kind comments
Ray
Edited by RSteel (11/03/09 01:25 AM)
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Tel
Post Laureate
Reged: 03/31/06
Posts: 3978
Loc: Wallingford England
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Hi Ray,
My congratulations too on a fine image and on your guiding technique to achieve it from the standard alt.az. mount.
Best regards,
Tel
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Truth is the cubed root of Verbosity.
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ibase
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 03/20/08
Posts: 1541
Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N
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Great image! Keep it up, looking forward for more, thanks.
Best,
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Hernando
Nexstar 8/CG-5 ASGT; WO Megrez 102ED SV; Antares 6" 1529; WO ZS66SD; Orion ST80
TV Naglers 5T6, 9T1, 12T2; Panoptic27; Hyperion 8-24mm Zoom,21mm; WO 7.5-22.5mm
BO/TMB 2.5/3.2/4/6mm;UO HD 5;BGO 6;Meade-RGO 7;UO-V 9/12.5;Brandon 16mm;Ultima18
TV 2x,3x barlow&8/11/15/20/32plossl; Aspheric31;Siebert36-OB;Paragon40;Meade56Smoothie
C-f/6.3FR;OIII,UHC,SkyGlow,U-block,8"S-flter;GLP/Telrad/MRF/9x50RACI; NexImge;Canon RebelXS
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Peter9
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 10/30/08
Posts: 807
Loc: Yorkshire - Born & Bred
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Wonderful image Ray. Thanks for posting.
I know very little about A.P with these or any other scopes. What I do know is that my eyes are still in pretty good nick.
Judging from the images that have been posted on the forum in recent months, using the se range of scopes on the Alt.Az mount, if anyone asks me in future, if they can be used for A.P, my answer will be, Yes, and to a pretty high standard. Just my own personal option.
Peter.
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Some of the pleasure I get from life I owe to Astronomy.
Astronomy does not owe me a thing.
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Nexstar 8se
150mm Helios Newton Reflector EQ 3 G.E.M.
6.3mm 10mm Plossls. Celestron 25mm & 40mm E.Ps. 8mm x 24mm Baader Hyperion Zoom. 2x Barlow. 9x50 R.A.C.I Finderscope. G.L.P and Bracket. Dew Shield. Home made Solar filter. Home made H.C Holder.(Great Asset). Maplin's 12V 17ah Auto Start Unit.
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AlexDJ30
sage
Reged: 09/02/08
Posts: 276
Loc: Monterrey, Mexico
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Nice photo, now i think you are doing EQ aligment with the SE mount and guiding, whats the max exposure you are gething with this setup before star trailing???
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Equipment:
- ETX 125 AT
- C6 ASGT
- WO 66mm SD
- 2.5X ED Barlow, 8-24mm Zoom Eyepice
- Canon EOS Rebel XSi
- Celestron Nextimagen
- Orion Starshoot CCD cam
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Midnight Dan
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/23/08
Posts: 2757
Loc: Brockport, NY
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Nice job Ray!
Can you post a picture of your setup?
-Dan
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Scopes: Celestron NexStar 8SE, Orion EON 72mm ED/APO, Orion ShortTube 80
Mounts: NexStar Alt/Az GoTo, Orion Astroview (EQ3) w/single axis drive
Eyepieces: Baader Hyperion 36mm (Aspheric), 21mm 13mm, 8mm, 5mm;
Other: 2x & 3x Barlow, 0.63x Focal Reducer, Dew-not strips, DewBuster controller, SQM Meter
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RSteel
member
Reged: 10/11/09
Posts: 23
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No problem,
Yes, I am on a wedge, EQ North, wedge, EQ North aligned.
I try and polar align as much as possible but I find that an initial setup and a quick drift align works well.
The Orion image was 12x5min stack shots at ISO 200. I'm going to try the same but increase the ISO to 400 or 800. Although I am trying to stay away from the grainy shots, I believe I should be fine with these ISO settings.
As soon as that full moon subsides a bit, I will be back out and will snap a few of my setup.
Thank you,
Ray
Edited by RSteel (11/03/09 11:49 PM)
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AlexDJ30
sage
Reged: 09/02/08
Posts: 276
Loc: Monterrey, Mexico
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5 minutes no trailing??? thats cool..but drift aligment for me is a pain :P ...well so you drift align then autoguide? has far i know if you drift you dont need to autguide..but well been the SE mount i bet that even with drift you will get star trails..
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Equipment:
- ETX 125 AT
- C6 ASGT
- WO 66mm SD
- 2.5X ED Barlow, 8-24mm Zoom Eyepice
- Canon EOS Rebel XSi
- Celestron Nextimagen
- Orion Starshoot CCD cam
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ggarrison
super member
Reged: 07/22/09
Posts: 163
Loc: Austin, TX USA
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Wow, nicely done. And one of my favorite subjects too.
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Gordon
Celestron Nexstar 8SE with XLT coating - Baader Planetarium Hyperion 8mm-24mm Clickstop Zoom eyepiece
Celestron Skymaster 20x80 Binoculars
Smart Seat II Observing Chair
all in the hands of a total neophite 
----------------------------
Register at ScopeBuddies.com to find local astronomy buddies! 
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Nippon
member
Reged: 10/22/09
Posts: 54
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Great photo.
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RSteel
member
Reged: 10/11/09
Posts: 23
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I quickly do a down and dirty drift align so that PHD doesnt have to make too large of corrections when guiding. I've had successful drift alignment with GEMs but with this mount, spur gears and no PEC, great drift alignment is "almost" impossible...as some of you already know But any alignment is better than none. When autoguiding, you still have to come close to alignment, otherwise to many corrections and overcorrections are detremental to your image.
Thanks
Ray
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RSteel
member
Reged: 10/11/09
Posts: 23
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While waiting for clear skies, I've once again reproccessed the M42 shot a little more aggressively. Hope you all like it.
Ray
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7331Peg
professor emeritus
Reged: 09/01/08
Posts: 725
Loc: North coast of Oregon
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Agressive is good - you really brought out the structure in the cloud this time. 
John
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