the Good and the Bad

xelasnave · #1 28-05-2022, 09:15 AM

So I was delighted to find a clear sky last night which matched my hopes during the Sunny day and although at first the dew was tolerable I took precautions that bit me badly.

I opened the observatory and placed the camera on the HEQ 5 and resolved to shoot at 200 ISO for 90 second subs however I had forgotten that I had kicked the tripod a while back and the mount needed to be realigned so I tested until I found 15 second subs would deliver something. I was under the gun so I took the course that had the camera working the earliest...and probably the correct call given how the dew became very bad a little later..It was like snow or fine ash showing up in the head lights of the mower when riding back at the end of the session.

The next issue came from not checking at a high ISO (which was my plan) as in the 15 second sub at 200 ISO I could see stars and they were sharp (the blue tack does a great job holding the focus ring even allows fitting the dew shield but of course you need to check)...what I would have noticed if I had done a high ISO test was that my dew shield, made for a longer lens, produced very bad vignetting requiring a huge crop of over 50%.

So my plans had to take major adjustment to produce the image herewith.

What did I learn?...short exposures and only a few even at low ISO dont produce a decent dynamic range...I already knew not to despair and work with the mess you are left with and use it for practice.

And to end a not so perfect night the battery that runs the two winches for the roof went flat (why is a concern that I will address this morning) so I had to man handle the roll off roof to get it closed ...only just doable but not pleasant at that end of the night.

I am not confident this image will look any good at all but I will post it so I can see it here...I am interested to hear any comments on any issues you notice and even negative data is very useful.

alex

xelasnave · #2 28-05-2022, 09:23 AM

I managed this with the dew shield off and although I had a heat patch the dew called the show off.

Startrek (Martin) · #3 28-05-2022, 07:41 PM

Alex,
Considering all the issues you had to overcome, this is a superb wide field image
Stars are tight and interstellar dust and gas clouds beautifully exposed
I guess the general rule of thumb now for your recent batch of wide field images with your Nikon is short subs, high ISO or longer subs, lower ISO

Great work !!

Cheers
Martin

xelasnave · #4 28-05-2022, 09:07 PM

Thanks Martin,
I am trying 45 seconds at 1600 ISO because that camera seemed ok at that in the past and 45 seconds should keep things sharp I hope.... but I have set a longer fl where it seems to work ok ..it is all running right now.... and trying another heat pad and a different dew shield so having a cuppa ... I hope it stays dry...

Fixed the batteries to day with a charge and terminal clean and have a charger standing by but I have to cut wires to connect as the battery is under the observatory..but I have it covered for a break down.

Did a lot of work on my old EQ6 and set it up properly for the eight inch...the observatory looks like the inside of Bintel with scopes and accessories everywhere...

Thanks for your input.

Alex

xelasnave · #5 28-05-2022, 10:18 PM

i got back to find I had only 13 reasonable subs I should have thrown them all out..but I did my best and have now another image cut short by weather

PaulSthcoast (Paul) · #6 28-05-2022, 10:39 PM

Hi Alex,

Nice wide field, I really enjoy taking similar.

I did some research on your Nikon.

Are you using the app with the camera's inbuilt wifi ?

Would certainly help with your focusing and image viewing.

You could also use it with your Asi Air.

Shame the weather turned againt you...again.

I have had nothing but cloud and rain again for days.

Paul.

xelasnave · #7 29-05-2022, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulSthcoast

Hi Alex,

Nice wide field, I really enjoy taking similar.

I did some research on your Nikon.

Are you using the app with the camera's inbuilt wifi ?

Would certainly help with your focusing and image viewing.

You could also use it with your Asi Air.

Shame the weather turned againt you...again.

I have had nothing but cloud and rain again for days.

Paul.

Hi Paul thank you for your encouraging words.

I plan to keep work with the NIKON simple with no lap top or ASIAIR...even confine it to the static tripod unless I open the observatory to run something else ..either the RASA or the 115 Triplet.

The weather fooled me last night and so I wasted a lot of effort opening and closing the observatory for 13 subs it would have been better just opening the van door and placing the tripod set up on my ramp a metre from the door...

Anyways it is all lots of fun and I really dont let the failures upset me ..the good or the bad is all part of the experience and should be savoured.

Alex

Kuz · #8 29-05-2022, 06:44 AM

Nice captures Alex good to see you are out and about under the stars again. Just had my first night out last night myself due to crazy cloud cover over the last few months I have only have around 5 goods nights here this year

xelasnave · #9 29-05-2022, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuz

Nice captures Alex good to see you are out and about under the stars again. Just had my first night out last night myself due to crazy cloud cover over the last few months I have only have around 5 goods nights here this year

Thanks Kuz and great to hear you are getting some sky.
Alex

AstroViking (Steve) · #10 30-05-2022, 03:44 PM

Good work , Alex. It's good to see the wide frame work coming together for you. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work when clear nights arise.

Cheers,
V

xelasnave · #11 30-05-2022, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AstroViking

Good work , Alex. It's good to see the wide frame work coming together for you. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work when clear nights arise.

Cheers,
V

Thanks again.
Yesterday I had to have some medical imaging done at Robina Hospital and did not return until 8 pm and the sky looked fantastic and only a little dew so I grabbed the tripod and camera and took 100 subs to test things and that was all I got before the clouds hit...so the conditions are molding my technique..high ISO short subs have a cuppa and then rescue the gear from drowning...another cuppa and process and it's all over in an hour.

Alex