Maybe clear tonight!!

[iceman (Mike)]

Well it's almost 10pm, i'm drift aligned, guiding is working, and i've just released my first 5 minute exposure on the horse/flame.

With an unmodded camera I don't know how much i'll get, especially since it's not really very dark yet and orion is only 20deg above the horizon.

Oh and great, as I was typing a cloud came over and PHD guiding started beeping at me ah well it's going to be a frustrating night.

[spacezebra (Petra)]

Hi Mike

It looked cloudy when I left Sydney!!

Good luck

Cheers Petra

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Trying to drift-align the new Tak through sink holes. JEEZ this is frustrating!

[iceman (Mike)]

It sure is! The 5 minute exposure was mostly bright red thanks to light pollution and ISO1600 and clouds

Just 1 clear night! I'm so over this rain.

Though the grass i'm on is nice and green from all the rain Needs a mow already

[netwolf]

half unpacked then repacked darn em clouds.

[iceman (Mike)]

I've had a few exposures ruined due to clouds, but was able to get some 3 and 5 minute shots in. Man that horsehead is faint with an unmodded camera.

[iceman (Mike)]

Blanket clouds now, time to pack it away while i'm taking darks

[iceman (Mike)]

hmm just about finished packing away and it's starting to clear again. Too risky to set up again, and too tired.

[davidpretorius]

Originally Posted by iceman

I've had a few exposures ruined due to clouds, but was able to get some 3 and 5 minute shots in. Man that horsehead is faint with an unmodded camera.

did you get a horsey????

bloody awesome if you have!

[iceman (Mike)]

I can see some faint noisy stables in the raw data, so I'm sure there's a horsey hiding in there somewhere..

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

11:30pm and I gave it away. I'd just about have if d/aligned in azimuth and I'd lose sight of the target for 10 or 15 minutes and have to try another - which would suffer the same fate.

I have to say though, I'm really enjoying the moisture levels - it's been way too dry for too long. Damn mozzies are back though......

[Glenhuon (Bill)]

Well I bit the bullet and set up. Was still reasonably clear to the East when I went to bed at 3am, but total cloud cover by 9am. Still trying to get this drift alignment right, only able to get 3sec exposures of Orion before it trails. Oh well, try again next clear night.