9 replies to this topic

[Bob Campbell]

Despite the full Moon, I had a pretty productive session on Feb 5th.

 

Plenty of LP and Moon gradients, but the 'save as seen' images came out nicely, IMO.

 

I'm loving the AT80ED I got from Astronomics. Sure it has some CA, but if one can ignore that, it is a fine performer. Retains focus nicely (unlike a SCT) and the wide(ish) FOV makes plate solving a snap.

 

Here are the common parameters for the set:

 

AT80ED(F5.6)/asi294mc-pro(-10C)/SW az-gti(eq)/uv-ir cut

 

8 sec sub, 300 gain. flats and darks. Flats taken with an LED panel 12 sec sub, 0 gain, 8 brightness, dark flat calibration.

 

In alphabetical order: (click for gallery image)

 

 

Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) 832 sec Near Capella, but just outside the FOV

 

Double Cluster in Perseus. 80 sec Because of the Moon, I originally was going to shoot just clusters, but found that nebulae and galaxies came out pretty alright as well.

 

 

Heart Nebula 480 sec Clearly could use more time on this, but still can make out the overall features.

 

Horsehead and Flame Nebula 568 sec Always a crowd pleaser, and acquired in less than 10 min.

 

M31 Andromeda Galaxy with companions. 1944 sec Did fine even with full Moon.

 

M34 another cluster. 248 sec a quick capture

 

M42/43/running man 1016sec When in the sky, I always try to get a shot. Earlier in the evening, our geosynchronous spybirds were repositioning themselves. Very common to see this activity in Orion.

 

M81/82 456 sec 

 

Monkeyhead Nebula 256 sec. My first time with this one.

 

NGC 891 and companions 224sec. Of course could use more time. With labels showing evidence of mag 12-14 galaxies.

 

Rosette Nebula 688 sec nice view, although a bit noisey.

 

Comments welcome!

 

Bob

 

 

Edited by Bob Campbell, 06 February 2023 - 01:03 PM.

[tbhausen]

Great stuff! I was in Scottsdale (Old Town is fun!) a couple weeks ago. Didn't have my travel case sorted out yet or I'd have brought my rig.

[Bob Campbell]

Great stuff! I was in Scottsdale (Old Town is fun!) a couple weeks ago. Didn't have my travel case sorted out yet or I'd have brought my rig.

Thanks! Not the place to do any visual or EAA. I have no choice, so I have to make the best of it.

 

Bob

[zuumo]

Sorry for the silly question (complete beginner here) but what are those tags and names in the pics made with?

[tbhausen]

Thanks! Not the place to do any visual or EAA. I have no choice, so I have to make the best of it.

 

Bob

Yeah, but we went out to Superstition and Red Mountains and what a glorious chance to do some EAA that would have been! Next time...

[Bob Campbell]

Yeah, but we went out to Superstition and Red Mountains and what a glorious chance to do some EAA that would have been! Next time...

Definitely very cool (not thermally of course) out there.

 

Bob

[Bob Campbell]

Sorry for the silly question (complete beginner here) but what are those tags and names in the pics made with?

Not silly at all. Up until a couple months ago I had no clue either.

 

There are several packages that can do this. The folks using Jocular, et al can chime in here if they want.

 

What I did was couple my mount through ASCOM software interface to Sharpcap.

 

I also installed ANSVR plate solving software and the most detailed star maps they had (I also want to plate solve at long focal length). Note: The other options for plate solving didn't work as well as ANSVR so I settled on that.

 

Sharpcap talks to ANSVR and not only can the mount be controlled through Sharpcap, one can plug in an object, the mount slews to it (most times) and then you can tell sharpcap to display the object information, and save an image.

 

Other software can do this as well, but this is what I did.

 

Hope this helps

 

Bob

Edited by Bob Campbell, 06 February 2023 - 04:40 PM.

[Bob Campbell]

Not silly at all. Up until a couple months ago I had no clue either.

 

There are several packages that can do this. The folks using Jocular, et al can chime in here if they want.

 

What I did was couple my mount through ASCOM software interface to Sharpcap.

 

I also installed ANSVR plate solving software and the most detailed star maps they had (I also want to plate solve at long focal length). Note: The other options for plate solving didn't work as well as ANSVR so I settled on that.

 

Sharpcap talks to ANSVR and not only can the mount be controlled through Sharpcap, one can plug in an object, the mount slews to it (most times) and then you can tell sharpcap to display the object information, and save an image.

 

Other software can do this as well, but this is what I did.

 

Hope this helps

 

Bob

BTW, I should add that the entity that offers ANSVR (astrometry.net) has a service that you can get these labels placed on any image you generate, without all the additional stuff on the laptop.

 

Go to nova.astrometry.net and upload the image you want to find out whats there. It takes a few minutes, but it comes back with you image with the labels on it.

 

That's what I did before I had plate solving and the mount controlled by Sharpcap.

 

Amazing I forgot that,

 

Bob

Edited by Bob Campbell, 06 February 2023 - 06:11 PM.

[YoYoYoMikey]

Sorry for the silly question (complete beginner here) but what are those tags and names in the pics made with?

 

 

What they meant to say is that in Sharpcap tools menu you will find Plate solve with annotation. 

[Bob Campbell]

What they meant to say is that in Sharpcap tools menu you will find Plate solve with annotation. 

Right. What I outlined was the setup phase. I assumed zuumo would do sufficient research (sharpcap manual) after seeing the methodology that tools step would have been evident.  Without the setup, "you will find Plate solve with annotation" won't work.

 

Bob

Edited by Bob Campbell, 08 February 2023 - 04:53 PM.