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EzyStyles
30-04-2006, 04:06 PM
Took this on the 26th of NGC3132. Its 17 x 84 second exposure stacked in registax. processed in photoshop cs2. Was glad to get the red bit around it :)
janoskiss
30-04-2006, 04:21 PM
Nicely done, Eric. That is a great visual object also. You seem to have pretty well nailed tracking by now. Just need to get a little bit better focus to make the most of that DSI. Maybe an Orion Accufocuser could do the trick if you have an R&P focuser (gives you motorised fine focus). They go for under $100. I got mine by mail order from Sirius Optics, but Bintel also had some last time I was there.
EzyStyles
30-04-2006, 08:55 PM
Thank Steve :) i normally do my focusing with a bright star nearby. Might give the orion a try actually. how would i judge when the image is in focus with it just by visual?
Hitchhiker
30-04-2006, 10:08 PM
Ezy, have you used the focussing aid in Envisage?
JohnH
30-04-2006, 11:16 PM
You could make a Hartmann Mask - plenty of advice on that in the forums - or you can try focusing in on a fainter star, the bright ones tend to be bloated and it is hard to judge exact focus, fainter stars disappear when focus is off...I assume you have an ep that is setup to be parfocal to the DSI? If not that helps too.
EzyStyles
02-05-2006, 01:48 PM
Thanks guys. Not 100% sure on the focus with envisage. Is it the higher the number the closest i get to focus?
Thanks for the advise john. actually it makes sense faint star will disappear if not in focus. thanks.
Lester
02-05-2006, 01:55 PM
Great shot Eric,

Planetaries are intriguing with their many variations of shape, size and colour.
Hitchhiker
02-05-2006, 03:24 PM
Yes, draw a tracking box around a suitable star and the number in the focus guide will go up or down depending on the 'quality' of focus - aim for the highest value you can get. The seeing will affect the number - it will go up and down with the seeing a little but is useful for focussing. I have an electric focusser so I don't have to touch the scope to focus. Ignore the triangles in the focus guide - don't really understand how they work.:shrug:


I can also vouch for JohnH's comment about dim stars and focus - when you've got the focus spot on dim stars pop out of the black.

Hope this helps.
janoskiss
02-05-2006, 05:40 PM
Hartman(n?) mask is a good idea.