Quick Cone

Benjamin (Ben) · #1 13-03-2018, 08:54 PM

Had a first light with a new Camera (ZWO ASI1600MM-Pro) and EFW (with HaLRGB filters). What should have been about exploring these things turned into a battle with my focuser, SGP and a Rigel nSTEP auto focuser. Basically the focuser was turning in the wrong direction, the tube was slipping and I hadn’t tightened the focus motor to the focuser wheel well enough. Hours of wasted time! But hey, seems typical with my experience of things Astro lately after getting back on the horse :-)

Cone Nebula 6x5 minute exposures in Ha manually focused! Not much time but happy with the camera and can’t wait to add to the image (give the Nebula will disappear over the Western horizon soonish).

Mickoid (Michael) · #2 13-03-2018, 09:29 PM

Ben, we've all had those nights when things just don't go right. In our eagerness to jump into it we forget to do things that should have been done at the start and by the time we realise, the damage is done.

Never mind, the good news is you got something and with only 30 minutes integration the prospects look encouraging for you to produce a really great image with more data.

These deep sky objects aren't going away in our lifetime so look forward to giving it another go and all your issues will be sorted out by then.

Benjamin (Ben) · #3 13-03-2018, 09:48 PM

Exactly! Took some time to breathe, worked out I should have tested this all first (just winding the darned focuser in and out with the motor). Next session plan to just redo step size calibrations and filter offsets and see if there’s time left to add anything... Did get it working just as the clouds rolled in last night so there is hope. Good news is that everything else works beautifully and if I have to manually focus so be it.

PKay (Peter) · #4 14-03-2018, 09:25 AM

Good outcome Ben.

1 step backward, 2 steps forward!

Benjamin (Ben) · #5 15-03-2018, 02:03 AM

Auto focus with my single speed Skywatcher focuser (on my ED80) it seems is just not going to happen: either the focuser shaft is too loose and focuser tube slips or it’s too tight for the focuser shaft to get enough grip to move it. The ZWO ASI1600MM-Pro, 8 position EFW and FF/FR are combined just too heavy (testing this with the scope pointed almost straight up). I guess I could try improving the mechanism and sand back the flat bit so there is greater contact between tube and shaft but get the feeling I might be fighting fate. Is this anyone else’s experience?

Got another 50 minutes manually focusing so happy. Stretched it all way further. Too much? Not sure with processing Ha so two versions here just stretched in iPhoto. Tried another in StarTools but it was a bit too extreme.

JA · #6 15-03-2018, 06:46 AM

That looks good Ben.

I hope you get time to complete it before it disappears.

BTW.. every time I see the title of this thread, " Quick Cone", I have to chuckle

Best
JA

RickS (Rick) · #7 15-03-2018, 08:48 AM

First one looks good.

xelasnave · #8 15-03-2018, 12:15 PM

Well done Ben.
Remember the harder you try the more good luck you have.
Alex

Benjamin (Ben) · #9 16-03-2018, 12:07 AM

Long time between quick cones, albeit of a very different nature. Equally paranoid about things however!

Just managed to get about 20 minutes red and green tonight with hopefully some blue tomorrow. Worked out a nice sequence in SGP: image, pause, flats, pause, refocus for the new filter, resume.... doesn’t take too long just trying to match HFR readings when focusing with a new filter is a bit of inspired guess work....

I’m working hard so expecting some luck!