Getting back up to speed with DMK and planetary imaging

[Robert_T]

Hi Guys (esp. you DMK afficiandos), help me out here. I haven't done any imaging in over a year. I can can just about remember what end of the scope to point at the sky. Has there been any must know developments, updates etc in the last 12 months or so... are we still all using Reg4, Astra Image (I see there's a version 3.0SI and 3.0Pro...?) and so on.

I can't for the life of me even remember if I still had to convert avi to bmps and ppmcentre and crop before registacking or whether we overcame that and I could just use the avis...?

Indulge me :D Maybe I can take a half decent shot and share it to make it up to you.

cheers,

Rob

[iceman]

Hey Rob, great to have you back and imaging again.

There hasn't really been any serious advances in the software side of things. You don't need to do any ppmcentering (ninox, it's now called) if you don't want to.

Registax and AstraImage are teh same as normal.

Get your scope collimated and cooled to ambient, wait for the good seeing and start capturing!

[Robert_T]

Thanks Mike, thinking I'll take a gradual approach, first visual and collimation, then I'll breakout the 900nc and get my hand back in with registax, and then start juggling the filters and DMK and firewire cables .... its all coming back to me as I type:P

[rumples riot]

Rob, registax4 is the go and do a 2 map alignment on planets. Keep using Astra Image 2.5max, don't use the version 3 edition. It is quite different from the previous version and I cannot see the value of getting it.

Optional, using Ninox. I don't use it and am happy with my results.

I would get the update for the DMK though. The update is for the .AS version.

Everything else is just the same, although......

If you want to change camera, which I have done (I like being a trend setter) you could go with the skynyx 2-0. Nice camera low noise and high speed. You need a big scope though to get 60 frames a second. Most I have gotten down the pipe with the C14 is 52fps and I have not yet tried it on the 18".

Anyway not much else has changed.

[Robert_T]

hi rumples! great to hear from u and thanks for the tips. sounds like all I really need is the AS update ...the Skynx looks great, but will have to wait until I exhaust the DMK, and on that I never really got fully started.

seen some great (really) from u and that c14 over the past year. something to aspire to there :-)

cheers,

rob