Next week might offer some sky time in Sydney

[Startrek (Martin)]

After nearly 3 months of cloudy nights , next week might offer a window of hope for some relatively clear nights
Monday night mostly clear until 3am
Tuesday night mostly clear until 2am
Humidity around 65 to 75%
Light winds
Moon arcing quite low waxing 68 to 79%
I’ll be set up for both nights for some OSC narrowband imaging
Not getting too excited as we all know this could change in 24 hours but it’s promising
Fingers crossed

[GUS.K (Ivan)]

Hoping for some clear sky, I want to catch a glimpse of the SN in NGC 1566.

[floyd_2 (Dean)]

I've been waiting to use my new cam for ages. I think it's been used twice since new (excluding building dark library etc). A clear Friday or Saturday would be nice lol. Last clear night I was a tad tired the next day at work

[Startrek (Martin)]

Clear skies in Sydney tonight !!!
The drought is finally broken after months of cloudy nights
Enjoy if your out observing or imaging

[Zuts]

Originally Posted by Startrek

Clear skies in Sydney tonight !!!
The drought is finally broken after months of cloudy nights
Enjoy if your out observing or imaging

yes well, all setup by 8.30, 10.47 and the clouds are still rolling in in Glebe...

[Startrek (Martin)]

Took 2 subs and then clouded out from the south east
What a disappointment, conditions were pretty good and my guiding was running beautifully at 0.68 arc sec error with Ra and Dec almost the same plus my neighbours lights were off too ( normally my yard is blasted from neighbours lights on each side )
The hobby really tests your patience
Maybe tomorrow night ?

[Zuts]

Originally Posted by Startrek

Took 2 subs and then clouded out from the south east
What a disappointment, conditions were pretty good and my guiding was running beautifully at 0.68 arc sec error with Ra and Dec almost the same plus my neighbours lights were off too ( normally my yard is blasted from neighbours lights on each side )
The hobby really tests your patience
Maybe tomorrow night ?

Are you using multi star guiding, I have an AZ EQ6 and an ASIAir plus, i used to get around 0.6 to 0.8 arc sec error, but with multi star guiding on a good night it goes as low as 0.3, still can't guide through clouds though....

[Drac0 (Mark)]

Keep your clouds to yourself, don't need them down the coast - I'm an hour in & so far so good.

[Startrek (Martin)]

Originally Posted by Zuts

Are you using multi star guiding, I have an AZ EQ6 and an ASIAir plus, i used to get around 0.6 to 0.8 arc sec error, but with multi star guiding on a good night it goes as low as 0.3, still can't guide through clouds though....

Yep Multistar guiding
6” newt (900mm fl )on board
I’ve never guided lower than 0.60 with the EQ6-R in Sydney, good enough for me

[Startrek (Martin)]

Finally underway tonight imaging after 3 months
Some high cloud drifting around and an 80% moon up but otherwise clear
Conditions a bit bumpy , guiding around 0.65 to 0.75 , no neighbours lights on ( yippee)
Enjoying the evening
Anybody else out tonight ?

[Zuts]

Just starting now, The moon is a bit bright for OSC 180 sec lights, plus Glebe Bortle 9, but i want to add to some data from last week.

Guiding looks good

[Startrek (Martin)]

Originally Posted by Zuts

Just starting now, The moon is a bit bright for OSC 180 sec lights, plus Glebe Bortle 9, but i want to add to some data from last week.

Guiding looks good

For an AZEQ6 mount , that is exceptional guiding , have you had it hyper tuned , replaced bearings , re grease , tune out backlash in Ra and Dec worms and drives etc.... or is that out of the box ? Oh and what payload ?

Friday night is looking good , clear from 6pm until morning

[Zuts]

Originally Posted by Startrek

For an AZEQ6 mount , that is exceptional guiding , have you had it hyper tuned , replaced bearings , re grease , tune out backlash in Ra and Dec worms and drives etc.... or is that out of the box ? Oh and what payload ?

Friday night is looking good , clear from 6pm until morning

Hi,

The mount is about 4 years old, the only work done on it was replace the electronics (after I fried it) and tune RA/DEC backlash using the supplied adjustment method, no hypertune or regrease.

The major improvement seems to have come from the new ZWO multi star guiding routine and ASIAir plus (I fried the pro when I fried the mount).

Usual Imaging Rig, guestimate around 14kg

Esprit 120 + flattener - 9.2kg
Mounting plate and rings 2.0 kg
ASI 2600 MC - 0.7 kg
Bader Vario 60 mm Guidescope + ZWO Helical Focuser, ASI 120 MM, 1.5 kg
ASIAirPlus + Pocket Powerbox ASI Auto Focuser, 0.5 kg