This gives you an idea where I'm at right now.
THIS IS ONLY A TEST IMAGE of the the field I'm using for the commissioning process, replete with guiding errors and less than perfect collimation. It's a mere 40 mins of exposure (8 x 5 minute subs) -
far less than it would need for a "real" imaging run!!
During this test I discovered I have a guiding problem by virtue of the fact that the payload on the Paramount ME is now larger than before (45kg or nearly 100lb). I believe the spring plunger adjustment on the RA and DEC axes needs some tensioning. The mount's accelaration also needs to be reduced. The stars in this image are actually elongated towards the bottom of the frame in the raw subs and just visible here. The elongation has been disguised by the stacking and stretching I've done - but it's there!! Collimation is also not as good as it can be.
Full res:
http://www.pbase.com/gailmarc/image/154310541/original
FOV is 38 x 25 arc minutes @ 0.59 arcsec/pixel imaged between 31 and 41 degrees altitude with average seeing. Some cropping to eliminate stacking artifacts. Processing was rough-as-guts minimal with stretching and some noise reduction only.
No deconvolution was done.
I'm salivating at the thought of getting a proper imaging run under my belt after I get the issues sorted!!!
