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muletopia
05-04-2020, 08:22 PM
The camera arrived after some delay, further delay ensued whilst a suitable spacer for it on the off axis guider was made.
The usual division of capture and processing followed:-
Capture: Ezcap Sharp cap and Nebulosity are available.
Ezcap is not attractive.

After some discussion with Robin Glover on the Sharpcap forums the latest sharp cap does control the camera temperature, but ii uses 100% cooling to rapidly reach the set pont (-15) which it then holds pretty well. The advantage of Sharpcap is that white balance can be set for the camera.

Nebulosity correctly handles tec protection and takes about 10 minutes
to reach -15. But there is no ability to set white balance


So in the interest of camera preservation I am going with Nebulosity and purchased Star Tools which can set the white balance.


So I am on two orthogonal learning curves, camera use and image processing. I guess that makes it a learning surface!
Any way, with new gear the clouds were in abbundance so the attached image is a stack of two 15 minute exposures at gain 30 and floor 135.


Pointers for help would me much appreciated, both for qhy8l use and Star Tools processing.


Chris

Ant0nio
06-04-2020, 12:09 AM
Congrats on your first light Chris :thumbsup:. You chose a target well suited to your focal length. I can't help you with sorting the QHY8 & Martin may chime in with regard to Startools.
I can vouch for Nebulosity though, you've made a good choice there. My only other comment would be the obvious coma present which would require a field flattener or coma corrector depending on the type of scope you are using.
All the best going forward,
Tony