some images from this weekend

[Paul Haese]

Hi all,

Well good news, I got the guiding sorted thanks to many people giving advice. In the end it was differential flexure that was the source of the problem.

Now for the image. Big subs with as many as I could get on each occassion.

Seagull Nebula now properly centered.

Horse head just on its own. I have done this to death and only see that 40 minute subs and heaps of them will produce a deeper result. Some strange dark marks near the top of the image. I might have to check my camera for icing up or something dangling.

Thors Helmet. Lots of subs but still a hard target to get hold of. Interesting Ha showing through though.

Your comments are most welcome. thanks for looking.

[h0ughy (David)]

at least you seem to be having clear weather Paul! Nice assortment of testing subjects for the new setup. LOL they are a bit pixelated on the 81cm but look OK on the 14" lappy

[Dennis]

I know one shouldn’t get a fetish about round stars, but boy, that Takahashi TSA102S with flattener looks an outstanding combination, notwithstanding the skills of the system operator and image processor of course!

Those images look beautiful, smooth and very natural – top stuff and I’m glad you managed to sort out the flexure problem.

Can you describe how you fixed this?

Cheers

Dennis

[Paul Haese]

Thanks guys,

Dennis, it was simple really. I changed the setup from a side by side saddle plate system to a piggy back system. I made sure that the rings holding the main scope were as far apart as possible with the large Losmandy plates. I borrowed a set of rings from a mate as the ones I was sent from a supplier were the wrong ones. These are now being replaced and I expect to see them some time this week.

I also have replaced the DMK with an Orion Star Shoot autoguider and am using a diagonal rather than using an extension tube.

I also ensured that I taped up all the cables to the saddle plates to prevent the weight of these causing any further flexure problems.

David, you only really need to use a 17" monitor. 80cm monitor is going a bit far. I am not surprised they are a bit pixellated.

[peeb61 (Paul)]

Beautiful Paul,
A great catch! I can tell you that galaxy in the Horsehead is faint! Took me a couple of looks but I found it.

Great work
Paul

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Nice shooting Paul. I spotted a second galaxy in your shot. On the right of the shot at the top of the 3 stars in a line and slightly to the left of the top star.

[Paul Haese]

Thanks guys,

Yes Paul I had not seen that one, but now you point it out, it is easily seen. Thanks.

[Peter Ward]

Seagull Nebula now properly centered.

Very tidy indeed. Great colour.

Horse head just on its own.

Nah. Needs more exposure. Framing looks odd.

Thors Helmet. Lots of subs but still a hard target to get hold of. Interesting Ha showing through though.

Yep tough target. Focus may have been a bit off? More FL rather than a crop? ....otherwise handled well.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Seagull Nebula now properly centered.

Excellent

Horse head just on its own.

Excellent for what was esentially a test image without a Ha filter . I think your effort from 3 Jan is a little better looking though..?

Thors Helmet. Lots of subs but still a hard target to get hold of. Interesting Ha showing through though.

Another excellent image

All together very well done Paul you must be relieved

One thing I do notice is the stars appear juuuust a little on the bloated side, not much mind you....focus? or just me?

Mike

[Bassnut (Fred)]

I like the Horse head framing, different, top work.

[gregbradley]

Great work there Paul. I love your setup - I'd like to hear a review of your Tak TSA102. I have heard some great reports about this one. Its Tak using Astrophysics oiled ED triplet approach. Do you have a photo of your setup?

The Seagull is the standout. That is a good version of that.

You also got a very good Thors Helmut which is quite a faint nebula.

The Horsehead is good - that blue neb's core next to the Horse is blown out and the data is most likely still there. Some lasso and curves or shadows/highlight or even minimum filter if necessary (as a last resort) would improve that.

As a general comment and not so much in your images but often seen, you have to watch that red bias in the modded DSLRs to get colour correctly balanced.

Greg.

[leon]

You did a top job with this lot Paul, nice going, I love thoers helmet, I have a time of it trying to get this blighter, well done.

leon