First go at auto-guiding with Q-Guider

[multiweb (Marc)]

Hi all, last night turned out to be a real relief in Sydney after the clouds cleared up. Couldn't wait to try my new Orion ED80 and Q-Guider with PHD. I got the mount roughly polar aligned. Actually I just took it out and matched the legs marks on the ground as close as possible. Too excited to get underway.

Started PHD and turned to M42. Did a couple of shots 10x1min no darks with Pentax *istD (noise reduction on ISO400) and guided through my main scope (Nexstar 130 SLT). The Orion ED80 has better optics I think and a very wide fov at prime focus so I cropped the pics a little.

Then I turned to Eta Carina. Couldn't really find it a first so I shot a couple in the dark until my batteries run out and I got only one shot of it 1x 2min ISO400.

Having never tried auto-guiding before I couldn't believe how easy it makes the whole process. Never going back. I've got some round stars now... Yay!

[tornado33]

Yep, excellent tracking there, its all working great.
Scott

[Tamtarn]

Looks like the guiding is working a treat Scott Great to see another ist user doing deep sky

Scott to neutralize the background on Eta. Before doing any processing on the sub - go into the Levels palette and click on the centre grey eyedropper at the bottom then place the eyedropper on a corner of clear dark sky in the image - click - and levels will adjust to a neutral colour background - then click OK.

Having said that I have found it sometimes doesn't work well on every image. But give it a try anyway!

Barb

[Zuts]

Hi,

The tracking looks great, now you just need to go a little longer and stack more subs.

I think auto guiding is great. Everything else in Astro photography is hard and when i first started auto guiding i thought it would be difficult as well. I was amazed at how easy it was to connect up PHD and my DSI and get great results first time out.

If only focusing was as easy

Good Luck

Paul

[multiweb (Marc)]

Hi Barb, the name's Marc
Thanks for the tip. So what program is it in? You mean picking in photoshop.
The picture of eta is just one sub. I didn't do any processing on it but just push the red channel. Other than that it's straight out of the camera.

Originally Posted by Tamtarn

Looks like the guiding is working a treat Scott Great to see another ist user doing deep sky

Scott to neutralize the background on Eta. Before doing any processing on the sub - go into the Levels palette and click on the centre grey eyedropper at the bottom then place the eyedropper on a corner of clear dark sky in the image - click - and levels will adjust to a neutral colour background - then click OK.

Having said that I have found it sometimes doesn't work well on every image. But give it a try anyway!

Barb

[Tamtarn]

Sorry about that Marc. My excuse is we were up til 4.30am this morning so I only had about 4 hrs sleep

Yes the dropper is in PS in Adjustments-Levels

[multiweb (Marc)]

Yeah I know how you feel. Great tip. Just did it on another couple of older shots as well and it worked a treat. Thanks again.

Originally Posted by Tamtarn

Sorry about that Marc. My excuse is we were up til 4.30am this morning so I only had about 4 hrs sleep

Yes the dropper is in PS in Adjustments-Levels

[rogerg (Roger)]

Great news that you've got the autoguiding going so easily Marc I've had two nights of attempts with my Losmandy and Q Guider, no success yet but progress has been made.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Q-Guider -> USB -> laptop [PHD] -> USB -> (serial to RS232 custom made cable) -> Gemini RS232 port. Works for me so far.
In PHD I use Ascom for telescope with the gemini driver and CCD Lab Q-Guider for the camera. Later on I'll look into getting the Q-Guider plugged directly into the Gemini (if need be - so far it feeds the info fast enough).

Originally Posted by rogerg

Great news that you've got the autoguiding going so easily Marc I've had two nights of attempts with my Losmandy and Q Guider, no success yet but progress has been made.

[pvelez (Pete)]

Originally Posted by multiweb

Q-Guider -> USB -> laptop [PHD] -> USB -> (serial to RS232 custom made cable) -> Gemini RS232 port. Works for me so far.
In PHD I use Ascom for telescope with the gemini driver and CCD Lab Q-Guider for the camera. Later on I'll look into getting the Q-Guider plugged directly into the Gemini (if need be - so far it feeds the info fast enough).

Good stuff Mark. Its a buzz when it all comes together easily

I just got PHD going on my LXD75 and it works a treat - 5 minute subs no problems

Pete

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by pvelez

Good stuff Mark. Its a buzz when it all comes together easily

So true. This hobby is so demanding financialy and timewise that when it works you're almost enclined to say "Thank you!". Makes you forget all the bad nights and problems (sort of )