Who Is Imaging Tonight?

[jjjnettie]

I'm working on the Horse and Flame nebulas tonight.
It's absolutely beautiful tonight. Not a cloud in sight. The seeing has improved no end. :)

[coldspace]

Yep, I will be onto those soon, at the moment I like the NGC galaxies while some are high . 1365 is up now lovley spiral.

Matt

[jjjnettie]

I could never get rid of my Gstar either. It's so sensitive. I love realtime viewing.
I wouldn't mind trying out the Gstar colour.

[jjjnettie]

And here comes the dew.
What do you use to keep the dew at bay?

[coldspace]

I alway use my dew shield, and have turned on my kendrick heaters which keep the corrector/finder clear all night. We get very bad dew here south side, I have a friend on the Gold coast who never gets dew problems on his 14inch corrector but Peter M and me who live in the same suburb always get some. Heaters work well.

Matt.

[coldspace]

I would stick with your DSLR. The Gstar colour images I have seen at its full 5 second intergrations are similar to the Mallincam at 5 to 7 seconds. Only the very bright stuff will come through for "live" viewing and you will get bored at this level quick. When I crank the Mallincam upto 28 seconds or 56 seconds with the gain turned down its a whole new ball game but I want to get cleaner images and so a dedicated ccd imager will be the go.
Its still fun when PeterM got his last S/nova discovery and I imaged it at Mag 17 and which I played a part of and got my name in the S/nova discovery hall of fame as a co-contributer, this alone has cemented my addiction even futher to this wonderfull hobby and made me slave out 12 weekends putting on lots of beers and BBQ's for my mates to build my observatory.

Matt.

[jjjnettie]

There's always more to buy isn't there.
I need a new t-adaptor. I've only a cheapy GSO and I get a lot of sag. And I wouldn't mind a new focuser too.

[jjjnettie]

Peter has talked me into Super Nova searching. He's send me some maps and given me lots of other info.
I'm keen as anything to start.
Just getting my skills up with this new mount before I start in earnest.

[jjjnettie]

I only work 2 days a week so it leaves me with plenty of time for processing.
Only wish I had a place to put my observatory. It's sitting in the front paddock disintergrating.

[jjjnettie]

Paul gave me this link to check out about the adaptor..
http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-055A
Steve's got some nice stuff on his site.

[coldspace]

Peter is one top bloke and I met him through sirus optics few years back and the amount of stuff he has helped me is brillant. i too wouldlike to start S/nova searching one day, the excitment we went through for the last discovery really got the blood pumping, hard to explain.
We talk about astro stuff several times a week and its so cool talking with someone as clued up as him. No one else in my family or our friends circle share this hobby with me, we are like aliens to the outsiders with the the big words and all that:lol: .
These forums are good for my sanity. I went over Peters place yesterday and had alook at his observatory revamp. I had some left over weather boards from my contruction that lined the outside of his really well, looks like a log cabin, great to see.

Just got running man up on the CRT. not as clear as yours JJJ but still nice and blue with the man very distinct.

Matt.

[coldspace]

Cooked up nice, ready for the icing or processing is it.

Matt.

[coldspace]

Yep he sure does, the adapter looks good, shoot him an email. I am astounded in what he and Darrin can do with the gstar, the amount of stacking and processing is a real art.

Matt.

[jjjnettie]

We should get him to post a picture of of it.
Lot's of people here would be very interested.

I'm fortunate to have two very lovely friends here in Kilcoy who have just built their own Roll Off Roof obs. They bought their block of land with astronomy especially in mind. A hill block on a spur of a mountain. Almost 360 degree views.
Awesome.
Jim works from the observatory and Roie has a pier outside, or just sets up her EQ mount.

[jjjnettie]

I've just finished 20x5min. and have just started the next lot of 20.
I found with the gstar, to get a good smooth image, you had to stack at least one thousand .bmps at a time. It's takes too much time.
Processing dslr pics is a piece of cake in comparison, quick and easy.

[jjjnettie]

The temerature is dropping. I should take some darks before it gets much cooler.

[coldspace]

I will tell him tommorow to post a picture of it, it looks good.
I would love a mountain top dark sky block but while my daughter is at school it won't be happening :lol:, just have to stick with what I got now.
The front of his observatory looks like mine now. This is the style but it has been stained a cedar colour.

Matt

[jjjnettie]

http://www.stonedogs.netau.net/about.htm
You can hear Steve perform with his band Stone Dogs.
He used to play the pub circuits back when I was a going to see pub bands.:)

[jjjnettie]

Well that's it for me.
The fog is rising up the hill from Kilcoy Creek.
Time to take some darks and flats then pack it all up.

[bartman]

who is imaging tonight ?


NOT ME

GRRR

clowdz

[coldspace]

Good night IIS.

Matt.

[gbeal]

Lucky swines, thin layer of high cloud here, and I am itching to mess with the new camera too. No matter, it will happen.
Post a shot JJJ.
Gary

[sheeny]

Showers and storms here last night. It's beautiful and clear ehre this mornign so hopefully tonight will be good.

Al.

[Omaroo]

Yep - I left my mount out from the night before as set up after a great session, and thank goodness I had the covers on. It POURED last night!!! Big time! LOL! We had cloud the whole night after that.

Hopefully, the MAS Forest site will be good tonight and over the weekend. Marc (multiweb) and Humayun are coming along to see what the MAS get up to in Belanglo Forest over a weekend.... :lol: Can't wait! :)

[AdrianF]

I tried but all my pictures came out like they had been in an earthquake. All the stars looked like they where oscillating up and down left to right. Ruined 9X10min shots :sadeyes: but at least I managed some darks.

Adrian

[jjjnettie]

Hope the weather is fine for all. Wish I could get down for some observing sessions with you Southerners.
I'm heading down to NACAA via Coona in April, it'll have to wait till then.

[PeterM]

Well I imaged until about 1am (nice night) and took a call (yet another) from Stu Parker to confirm a supernova (yet another) for him and yep there she be mag15.7. The rest is HIStory so I will let him post about it.
When U hot U hot, Stu is on fire.
PeterM.

[jjjnettie]

No way Gary.
I lost 50% of my subs dammit due to clutch slippage. Too busy gas bagging on the forum and not concentrating on the work at hand.
Mr Ed looks ready for the glue factory.
To say I'm peeved is an understatement.:mad2:

[jjjnettie]

Fair dinkum, Stu is on a massive roll.
Hope he leaves some for the rest of us.

So... were your ears burning last night Peter?
We were talking about you.:)

[renormalised]

Peter, next time you see Stu, check out his equipment cases. I'm pretty sure he has a detonator in one of them...it's the only way he's getting to find all those supernovae!!!:eyepop:

He must be setting them off!!!:eyepop::P:D

[PeterM]

JJJ, burning! my ears nearly fell off. It was a rather lovely evening to be out under a beaut sky wasn't it.
Carl, a detonator in Stu's equipment cases, hmmm you are giving me some ideas to follow up on.

PeterM.

[coldspace]

I could arrange some TNT through a miner mate of mine:D.
Peters ears are no longer there, burnt to a crisp.

Pity about the clouds down here now, all keen for another night less the beer, early bed for me tonight after too many rums last night and wrecking JJJ's tracking :D.

Matt.

[jjjnettie]

An early one for me too. I start work early.
Here's hoping it's clear tomorrow cause I'm looking forward to another all night session.:D
Matt, how did you wreck my tracking. Definitely user error on that account.

[TrevorW]

I might make scientific history and take some pictures of dark matter




(well that's what clouds are at night)

[RobF]

Last night was nice. Decided to get out there considering the forecasts for this weekend. I knew I was a bit rusty, but every sub seemed so washed out!!?? Eventually figured out I had no light pollution filter on.

You know you're gettin' old when you start to image at dark sky sites WITH a filter, then manage to forget to put it back on once you're back home in the city :lol:

Hope the weather behaves for 10 Chain next Sat.

[coldspace]

I wrecked it by keeping you busy talking about brewing, and drinking so put you off your imaging run:lol:, no seriously we should have nice sky next week for new moon, fingers crossed anyway.

Matt.

[jjjnettie]

Got to grab those clear nights while you can Rob.
I hope to make it to 10Ch.

[jjjnettie]

:lol: I'm always chatting online while I'm imaging. It's great to have instant feedback if you're having a bit of trouble. Can't think of a better way to pass the time while waiting for the imaging run to finish.:)