Last night was the first clear night in 5 days, and the only clear night predicted for the next 7. THere was still patchy cloud at times, but I wanted to tackle auto-guiding so I was ready for the next clear night.
Turns out auto-guiding is a snap Especially with PHD Guiding and GPUSB. It was up and running almost immediately, so when the clouds did clear for an hour or two, I was able to get some auto-guided imaging in!
All objects with:
Saxon ED80 on EQ6, auto-guided through 80mm refractor using DMK21AF04, PHD Guiding and GPUSB, WO 0.8x II reducer and Canon 350D.
NGC253 and NGC288
- 13x 180s exposures @ ISO800
NGC1365 and friends
- 5x 180s exposures @ ISO1600
M45
- 10x 180s exposures @ ISO1600
All dark frame subtracted and processed using ImagesPlus, post-processing in Photoshop.
I have learned that:
- 3 minutes is way too long for ISO1600, just too much noise. I'll stick to ISO800 from now on.
- clouds are very frustrating, especially when you're in the middle of a long exposure.
- Auto-guiding rocks! It's just so simple and easy, don't need to touch it! I'll never drift align again
- I hate light pollution and want dark skies
- I need a lot more exposures
- I hate setting up and packing away
- NGC1365 is small and faint, but it's near a galaxy cluster! (which i'll image on it's own next time)
- M45 is a challenging target! Needs a lot more, and longer, exposures.
- DSO imaging takes forever!
Really lovely shots. The shot of 1365 and companions is really brilliant as is the one of 243. Didnt realise 288 was in the same field for an 80mm scope. Very well done
Great images – well done. Your enthusiasm is infectious and I hope it will inspire many others to embark on the path of auto guided astro photography; from base camp to mind numbing high altitudes where the air is rarefied indeed when working at focal lengths of 2000mm plus!
Yep, you make me want to get autoguiding up and running now.
I'm going to order in my GPusb adapter very soon, I first want to see how the EQ6 handle with out first, get used to the mount, that being said I'm sure my tube rings for my guide scope are in.
Excellent stuff Mike, great first shot at autoguiding I find the clouds don't affect the imaging as much as they affect the autoguiding. If there's cloud about and it cuts out the guidestar briefly it can ruin the lot when your autoguiding software goes hunting for the guidestar.
There you go Mike, I bet you stood there and smiled to your self when you watched that little Star try and escape from the grip of the cross hair, well I did, To auto guide for the first time is such a buzz, I reckon, and it still is for me, nice work Mike.
Mike, your "I have learnt that" section summarises DSO work quite well. Its a stark contrast to planetary imaging. Once you get the basics down, you can begin to refine how you collect data and more importantly how you process it - which is actually where 80% of the work resides.
Well done on the milestone. Only up from here. You do realise that as you progress, you raise the stakes. Thus, everyone will expect more from you (or at least I will anyway).
Good to see everything went well for your first attempt at autoguiding Mike, you should be proud of your results.
A whole new area has now opened up for you with your imaging. We look forward to your progress. Hopefully one day we will have a clear sky to attempt autoguiding ourselves.
Great work. Well tracked and focussed, looks like the autoguider is doing its work well.
You should take the rig to Kulnurra or other dark sites then you could use ISO 1600.
As a guide I find if the histogram is more then halfway across then images are too bright and either exposure time or ISO need to be reduced.
Scott
First Auto-Guided DSO's! NGC253, NGC1365, M45..
Especially with PHD Guiding and GPUSB. It was up and running almost immediately, so when the clouds did clear for an hour or two, I was able to get some auto-guided imaging in!
![[1ponders]'s Avatar](../vbiis/customavatars/avatar45_9.gif){kind=avatar}
I find the clouds don't affect the imaging as much as they affect the autoguiding. If there's cloud about and it cuts out the guidestar briefly it can ruin the lot when your autoguiding software goes hunting for the guidestar.
as for the alignment, much needed practice, must learn from master!!!!
