Southern Astro Observatory Online

[Brad Moore]

Hi All,

I've added two more new features to the Southern-Astro website.

Southern Astro Weather Page - Mainly for my own benifit, maybe of some use to others in VIC and ACT.

Includes:
- Live Webcam
- Cloud Sensor Graphs

http://www.southern-astro.com.au/php/other/weather.php

I've also put up my observatory PC console: It gets intresting during clear nights at around 8:30 to 9pm.

http://www.southern-astro.com.au/php/other/console.php

Cheers,
Brad Moore

[Astroman]

Looks good Brad, the webcam looks a little out of focus though. Does your observatory have a clearish roof? looks kind of bright in there. Love how its looking at your scope, awesome.

Excellent additions. Cant wait till it is busy

[Astroman]

A few guys were watching with interest the exposures of NGC3521, great setup you have. Are the exposures all done automatically ie. no input from you?

[Brad Moore]

Hi Astroman,

The only input from me is programing CCDAutopilot3 each session (15 mins), once that is done, each night I hit the go button to repeat everything until I have the correct total exposure time (5 mins or less).

I've just changed to the screen showing you how I setup the light exposures.

Having said that you need a highly tuned system in order to pull this off. I spent about 8 week setting it all up and ironing out the bugs.

Most of the well know amature astro imager all use CCDAP3.
http://www.rc-astro.com/
http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/

My LRGB exposure are short, if I shoot narrowband my sub exposures are normally 1 hour long.

Here is the Clear (luminance) images, stack and DPP from last night efforts. Reduced by 50%

Cheers,
Brad

[Brad Moore]

Here is the quick and dirty processing job from last nights run (that you watched).

I am planning to add 5 times more data to this. e.g. Another 5 nights worth before I consider it finished.

Cheers,
Brad

[RB]

Amazing stuff Brad.

:eyepop:

[gaa_ian]

Very cool Brad, I only wish I could get the same for the Far North !

[davidpretorius]

awesome!

[ving]

su-weet! :D

have to stay tuned me thinks :)