So, tonight was my 2nd attempt with my EQ mount, getting alignments & PA correct. Then some images through my 80mm ST f5 Achromat. Canon EOS 1100d unmodded, at 1600 ISO.
Lessons learned:
1. Charge the damn camera battery before you go out.... had to stop at 13 x 1 minute subs when the battery died...
2. Get your damn head around the RA & DEC movement so you can accurately centre the target when the goto is off. Had to just go with it in the end as I could not get Eta Carinae centred properly... nevermind.
3. Don't get distracted when your trying to do some framing shots & do a 121 sec exposure..
Although, it didn't work too bad
4. I'm sure focus will be waaaay better when I receive my bhatinov mask, hopefully later this week
All in all, I am generally pleased with the results, especially for an achromat.. I know the focus is a bit off; as you probably gathered, my bhatinov mask hasn't arrived yet. Not 100% sold on the processing yet.. may give it another go. Ended up with 13 x 1 min subs, DSS stacked 10 of them, processed in Startools then tweaked in Affinity Photo. I think it's a little noisy & I'm not 100% happy on the colouring; no darks, flats or bias shots were taken... partly coz I was racing against a camera battery dying and partly coz I'm just trying to keep it simple at first.
The other shots are straight out of the camera, single shots simply there for those that would like to analyse my PA & tracking & provide some feedback on those as well as the Eta shot.
Shots as follows:
1. Canopus, 60 sec at ISO 1600
2. Sirius, 60 sec at ISO 1600
3. Sirius, 91 sec at ISO 1600
4. Random Sky shot, 121 sec at ISO 1600
5. Eta Carinae 10 x 60 sec subs at ISO 1600
6. There is no number 6...
Thankyou for looking