Quote:
Originally Posted by chiaroscuro
Should I be using a higher iso for the subs? I don't have guiding so I don't think I can push the exposure time beyond 90secs.
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I dont, as I find the red mist too distracting at ISO3200, however some other folk here have successfully gotten good results at higher ISO settings. All sensors are not born equal.
90-120 seconds is sufficient to get some good data on M42, just take lots of subs (and darks), and like you have already done, get a bunch of subs of the core with either shorter exposures or lower ISO (I prefer the former as it's quicker!).
For fainter targets you will want longer subs, and for that you will need to practice refining your polar alignment. It takes practice and it's a bit tedious if you have to setup and tear down every night. I can usually hit 3m subs after a while, but I suspect my scope is shorter focal length than yours. If you haven't already, read up about drift alignment...
As I said, I'm no expert, myself I've been very grateful for all the help I've received from fellow IISers both in here and hands-on. A year ago my polar alignment was barely good enough for visual
