M8 and NGC253

[peter_4059 (Peter)]

Here's a couple of quick images from Friday night. Both images were 2 hrs total exposure in 2 min subs using the QHY8pro and 10" Newt.

Thanks for looking.

[Ross G]

Hi Peter,

Great photos.
I really like the galaxy shot, so much detail.

Ross.

[gregbradley]

NGC253 turned out very well indeed.

Greg.

[RickS (Rick)]

Nice shots, Peter! Did you take them from somewhere with dark skies, or from home?

[peter_4059 (Peter)]

Originally Posted by Ross G

Hi Peter,

Great photos.
I really like the galaxy shot, so much detail.

Ross.

Thanks Ross. I think this turned out better than M8 as it was later in the night when there was less neighbourhood lighting on. I can see the background taking a step change reduction in the M8 subs when the family went to bed.

Originally Posted by gregbradley

NGC253 turned out very well indeed.

Greg.

Thanks Greg. The catseye colimation tools and CCD inspector have made a huge difference in terms of getting the optics set up well. I also had some much better guiding this time than in recent history - not sure why as I didn't change anything.

Originally Posted by RickS

Nice shots, Peter! Did you take them from somewhere with dark skies, or from home?

Rick,

These were from the backyard in Ashgrove - not particularly dark.

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by peter_4059

These were from the backyard in Ashgrove - not particularly dark.

A fantastic result under those conditions!

[atalas]

Two great looking shots Peter! well done.

[ozstronomer (Geoff)]

Peter both shots look great, ngc253 seems to be on target ATM. I have an hours worth of the same to process.

[troypiggo (Troy)]

Really impressed both of those. 253 is great, plenty sharp and detailed.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Terrific stuff Pete. 253 is amazing.

[allan gould]

Nice ones as usual Peter. Good to see those from suburbia.

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

Nice photos Peter, you have got the 10" starting to sing

As for your guilding and what alot of people miss/ don't understand is that the calibration is extremely important. Unfortunately most people go woohoo its calibrated i must be able to guide everything perfectly now. *insert game show your wrong buzzer here*

Polar alignment affects your guiding calibration
Wind affects your guiding calibration
Bad seeing affects your guiding calibration
Flexure affects your guiding calibration

So you see you may not of changed anything but.... you may have gotten things just a little bit better in the alignment/seeing/wind/flexure.

I use maxim so its very easy to see the effects of everything happening and i will not accept the calibration unless i get a near perfect "L" shape. If you get that "L" shape that means that the software knows exactly what angle the camera is on, and more importantly how far to move the mount to correct alignment. As for PHD and the like, if your star ends up perfectly back in the center ever time your guiding will be very good. if it doesn't your guiding will be average at best!

Brendan

[Lester]

Very nice images Peter. Thanks for the views.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Agreed Brendan.
Even a light breeze can set things a flapping. The importance of having all cables and straps secured can't be emphasised enough.
A good guide star helps tremendously. But when the seeing is bad, if you slightly defocus the guide star, it helps to prevent the guide program from "chasing the seeing".
Sometimes though, a recallibration is the only way to set things straight if the first sub gives you eggy stars.

[peter_4059 (Peter)]

Originally Posted by RickS

A fantastic result under those conditions!

Thanks Rick. I will have to pay more attention to light pollution from my own house in future having seen the sky background plot of the subs.

Originally Posted by atalas

Two great looking shots Peter! well done.

Thanks Louie

Originally Posted by ozstronomer

Peter both shots look great, ngc253 seems to be on target ATM. I have an hours worth of the same to process.

Looking forward to seeing them this weekend Geoff.

Originally Posted by troypiggo

Really impressed both of those. 253 is great, plenty sharp and detailed.

Cheers mate. Everything seemed to come together for a change.

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

Terrific stuff Pete. 253 is amazing.

Thanks JJJ. That old silver coin is a great target

Originally Posted by allan gould

Nice ones as usual Peter. Good to see those from suburbia.

Thanks Allan.

Originally Posted by bmitchell82

Nice photos Peter, you have got the 10" starting to sing

As for your guilding and what alot of people miss/ don't understand is that the calibration is extremely important. Unfortunately most people go woohoo its calibrated i must be able to guide everything perfectly now. *insert game show your wrong buzzer here*

Polar alignment affects your guiding calibration
Wind affects your guiding calibration
Bad seeing affects your guiding calibration
Flexure affects your guiding calibration

So you see you may not of changed anything but.... you may have gotten things just a little bit better in the alignment/seeing/wind/flexure.

I use maxim so its very easy to see the effects of everything happening and i will not accept the calibration unless i get a near perfect "L" shape. If you get that "L" shape that means that the software knows exactly what angle the camera is on, and more importantly how far to move the mount to correct alignment. As for PHD and the like, if your star ends up perfectly back in the center ever time your guiding will be very good. if it doesn't your guiding will be average at best!

Brendan

Good food for thought Brendan. I'll have to pay more attention to what PHD is up to in future.

Originally Posted by Lester

Very nice images Peter. Thanks for the views.

Thanks, glad you liked them.

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

Agreed Brendan.
Even a light breeze can set things a flapping. The importance of having all cables and straps secured can't be emphasised enough.
A good guide star helps tremendously. But when the seeing is bad, if you slightly defocus the guide star, it helps to prevent the guide program from "chasing the seeing".
Sometimes though, a recallibration is the only way to set things straight if the first sub gives you eggy stars.

Thank god for vercro

[Hagar (Doug)]

2 very nice images Peter. 2 minute subs. The both came up great considering such short subs.
Great stuff.

[mill (Martin)]

Two great images Peter Love the NGC253 image.