Eagle nebula was my target for tonight. The night started out looking like it might be a good one, quite cold with little atmospheric turbulance, no moon and all the gear on, running and ready to go.
I started by aligning the mount on a handful of bright stars. The mount stopped partway through a slew due to a poor connection at the comm port so back to the begining, a computer reboot and a mount realignment.
I swung round to Eagle and fired up PHD guiding all looking good then PHD stopped and the qguider stopped functioning, a problem I have had off and on for a while. A new set of drivers installed to see if it would fix the problem and away I went again.
I started imaging and went inside to sit in the warm and watch the imaging on my laptop in the lounge. Cold here so my wife stoked up the fire. I took 10 X 20 minute exposures and thought that would be ample for this nebula. When I finally examined the images I realised the smoke from the fire had generously drifted across the top of the Observatory and had ruined 6 of the images.
Not my night obviously so here it is Eagle Nebula 4 X 20 minute exposures calibrated with darks taken duing the day today.
Hope you enjoy. And please don't laugh to hard.
Telescope: Vixen VC200L at F9 (1800mm)
Camera: QHY8 OSC cooled CCD
Mount: G11 with Gemini
Guiding: QHY5 and ED80 when it worked.
I've step up twice in the last week, spent heaps of time drift aligning and setting everything up, just in time to see the clouds and or fog roll in.
Haven't even managed one image, but at least I'm feeling a little more comfortable with the set up.
Trying to get to grips with EQ MOD, Thanks AlexN and PHD, picked up a laser collimator (Trevor) to help things along with the Newts and a 5 x Powermate (Graham).
Now all I need is some clear skies and days off.....the wait continues......
Frustrating was the operative word. I will spend some of today checking it all out again. Thanks Mike.
Quote:
Originally Posted by desler
Why would we anyone laugh!
I've step up twice in the last week, spent heaps of time drift aligning and setting everything up, just in time to see the clouds and or fog roll in.
Haven't even managed one image, but at least I'm feeling a little more comfortable with the set up.
Trying to get to grips with EQ MOD, Thanks AlexN and PHD, picked up a laser collimator (Trevor) to help things along with the Newts and a 5 x Powermate (Graham).
Now all I need is some clear skies and days off.....the wait continues......
Darren
Thanks Darren, anyone who knows me would have a chuckle at this one. They could image how I reacted with one after another. Good luck with your ventures into EQMod and all the other things. Quite a bit of learning ahead.
Quote:
Originally Posted by prokyon
Many troubles, I think everybody here in the forum has experienced nights like that .
Respect, I don`t see these background storys in the pic!
For all that the result is very nice!
The story doesn't reflecct in the image only because I still managed 4 quite long exposures which let me still produce a reasonable image. Thanks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by multiweb
Still not laughing. My jaw dropped. I reckon that's one of your best. Superb resolution and details in the center and smooth processing. Top shelf.
Thanks Marc. Longer exposures seems to be the key. At least for me but guiding is now paramount in getting an image. I have also been working on my processing with the zone system and it seems to be paying off. The longer exposures definitely give me a lot more to work with.
Ha, I sniggered to myself. Mainly as last night I was freezing my butt off, no fire. Minus 2 when I finally succumbed at about 2300. Too cold for this white man.
Nice shot Doug, good to see the OSC doing it for you.
Gary
Ha, I sniggered to myself. Mainly as last night I was freezing my butt off, no fire. Minus 2 when I finally succumbed at about 2300. Too cold for this white man.
Nice shot Doug, good to see the OSC doing it for you.
Gary
Thanks Gary, Yes cold here too. I am just below Falls Creek Ski Resort with lots of snow on them there hills. Easy to stay warm from the lounge room.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lester
I enjoyed reading your write up and viewing the image. Thats a very smooth image for only 4 stacked.
Thanks Doug.
Thank Lester, remember its 4 X 20 minute subs though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Omaroo
Very nice image indeed Doug It's one I've never really had success with - but will re-attempt it one day when I receive Lars' MT-160.
Question: How long are your cables such that you can image from inside, or are you using an RDC to control the outside lappy...
G'Day Chris, ANOTHER SCOPE? You will have to get a bigger house soon.
No cables, it is all wireless and I use VNC viewer, a free remote desktop program for control from inside the house. I have a desktop outside.
G'Day Chris, ANOTHER SCOPE? You will have to get a bigger house soon.
No cables, it is all wireless and I use VNC viewer, a free remote desktop program for control from inside the house. I have a desktop outside.
Hmm... wireless VNC.... hmm....
I have a Tablet PC attached to my mount outside controlling the autoguider and main camera, it has both 802.11 and Bluetooth. I guess I run VNC server on it and client on my inside lappy. Never tried this before in this configuration... would I need a hub? Would 802.11 allow direct peer to peer comms? I wonder if they'd just connect... that'd make a great field setup
Yes - another scope is coming Can't wait for it either - I'm looking to get rid of my 8" Newtonian and replace it with the MT. Mucho-betta!
Nice photo Doug. It makes me want to get the QHY8 out for its first real attempt at astrophotography. For some reason I keep putting it off as I wanted to try the DSI II or DSLR images first. I know - the warantee will run out without it having done more than a bias shot. I think I will try a series of shots of M83 with it to see what it can do - I was going to a dark site but I think Ill try from BrisVegas first and try to keep the light pollution out of it.
The image looks mighty fine to me after all it is still 80 mins.
I like the idea of wireless control from inside the house. Will have to look into that.
That is a lovely Eagle image. If the whole ten subs were usable then.... you could only speculate but it is still a fine image as it stands.
Controlling from the warmth inside is the way to go. I use an Eee pc on the mount to control everything and connect to it with Teamviewer (another free remote desktop control program) over the home WiFi network. I couldn't get VNC running for some reason this seems to work OK.
Keith - although Teamviewer is stupidly easy and wonderful to setup and run (it's an absolute snap), I believe that it relies on an internet connection between the two units, no? This'd be OK at home, but not much chop in the field - or would it? Will it work peer to peer directly between two laptops over WiFi?
Ah, crap - sorry Doug - I've invaded your thread. My apologies. I'll start another elsewhere...
Quote:
Originally Posted by telemarker
That is a lovely Eagle image. If the whole ten subs were usable then.... you could only speculate but it is still a fine image as it stands.
Controlling from the warmth inside is the way to go. I use an Eee pc on the mount to control everything and connect to it with Teamviewer (another free remote desktop control program) over the home WiFi network. I couldn't get VNC running for some reason this seems to work OK.
Nice shot and worth the effort.
Is it my imagination ... or does that image look a bit smokey ???
Dont you hate it in this game when everything is looking good, cold, no cloud, atmosphere is good ... its all shaping up and then blaaaaahhhhh ... you drive under a ladder then thru a mirror and dont miss the china man you were trying to dodge.
All part of the challenge is the phrase I hear turned a lot.
I think your storey sums up astrophotography very nicely. If its not software malfunction, user error, clouds, insects, battery, wind, dew, neighbours lights, aircraft, wife, children, and time itslef - then its got to be smoke!
Nonethless you produce this kind of excellent image! Bit like hunting really!
Eagle Nebula QHY8 and VC200L
.
It's one I've never really had success with - but will re-attempt it one day when I receive Lars' MT-160. 
this seems to work OK.
