After much playing around and spending money, I'm finally guiding. Based on advice, I've set up my guiding rig on one of my shorter length OTAs ( F/5 Newtonian ) first.
I've been playing around with the setup at home ( Bertole 8 ) skies which is never going to work for anything with no filter but this is more about learning guiding than producing anything worthwhile.
So here it is, Running Chicken Nebula ( yes I know you can't see it ). Single sub , 4 mins long @ ISO 100 .
I could have used my CLS filter but it doesn't fit with my coma corrector ( time to spend more money on a 2" UHC ) unless anyone can suggest a better fix. Incidentally this is also the first time I've used my coma corrector at the correct spacing.
I'm pretty happy and I'm now looking forward to using it at a dark site / with a good enough LP filter.
I don't have a clip in CLS filter, I have a T-thread one that I use with my SCTs. To be honest, I'm not a great fan of the colour cast with it but I use it because on the F/10s it blocks less overall light. Given this setup is F/5, I'm confident to go with a much stronger filter.
By sheer coincidence I have a Svbony CLS clip in for Canon, which is new
unused, duplicated Xmas gift. $60 inc standard postage, PM me if you're interested.
raymo
Last edited by raymo; 28-02-2019 at 10:20 PM.
Reason: correction
Ryan
Is your image processed ?
Most Canon DSLR’s have an ISO sweet spot at ISO800 I’ve never imaged at 100 ?
I image in Sydney ( 25km from CBD ) under Bortle 8 skies with my 6” f6 newt and don’t use a CLS filter in my Canon 600D unmodded even though I have one. Also I have 2 story house either side of me with wall lights and backyard floods unnecessarily on most of the night ( so annoying)
Here’s a 2 minute PHD2 guided sub of a cluster M22 and a post processed image after using Startools which wiped all the light pollution away
I have other image of M42 with similar good results see photos attached
You must be under worse than Bortle 8 skies as I can post process and remove most of the light pollution with Startools
What is your guiding set up ?
Martin
Nothing will help you in that area Ryan, you'll have to move to another one.
Its not actually quite right that most Canons have the sweet spot at 800; some are 800, such as the 600D, some are 1000, some are 1600, such as the 1100D.
The various models also have quite noticeable differences in Ha sensitivity.
raymo
Last edited by raymo; 01-03-2019 at 01:44 AM.
Reason: more text
Ryan
Using a modded DSLR in heavy light polluted skies is really difficult due to your white balance and other issues
That’s why I didn’t mod mine and I’m still getting great images under all that sky glow
I set my white balance to auto AWB ( not daylight ) and it’s working well
Go to Jerry Lodriguss website and he has a detailed list of Astro settings for Canon DSLR’s which I have used for 2 years and work well
Cheers
Chris and Ryan
Jerry Lodriguss has been involved in astrophotography for over 40years and hails from Philadelphia in the US.He has a series of on line tutorials for beginner DSLR astrophotography which I can thoroughly recommend.You can purchase them from astropix.com
I have two of them -
A beginners guide to DSLR Astrophotography
A guide to DSLR Planetary imaging
These are a great resource to have , I’m always referring back to various parts to double check things
You often find Jerry on the US Astro forum “cloudy nights” and various other Astro media from books to YouTube clips etc
Cheers
Ryan, congratulation on your images, they are a great start.
I’d repeat what others have said
1. Get a LP filter, I found CLS-CCD to be the best, followed by IDAS-LPS.
2. Colour balance your modified DSLR. this will result in better quality raw frames and therefore end result.
3. I tend to use ISO 800-1600 and around 2-3 mins subs. With f5, I think 2 mins are sufficient.
4. Use darks, biases and flats. Calibration frames are essential in DSLR work.
5. Keep doing it. Attend a star party (are you coming to the snake valley camp?)
Cheers
Bo
A whole new world of possibilities ahead now.
