Like a big Pizza Pie...

[cybereye (Mario)]

Hello everyone!

Well I've taken delivery of the QHY5 and I've been testing it out, just getting used to handling the little blighter. As part of the learning curve I took an AVI of the Moon and then stacked it in Registax. I'm pretty happy with the result and am getting confident that I can control the camera/guider.

I've also had it running in PHD with very faint stars but I had a lot of trouble getting it to guide for any great length of time. Would anyone have a fairly standard set of parameters I can use with the QHY5 and PHD?

Anyway, I've attached the stacked picture of the Moon. Nothing exciting but I haven't posted a pic for a while so... here it is, ready to hit your eye!!

Cheers,
Mario

[multiweb (Marc)]

Cool shot. Have you tried the default settings in PHD to start with? Make sure you calibrate over 15-20 steps and with proper balance you should be good to go.

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

You'll probably find you have to up the max calibration step to around 1500 or maybe more to get the 15-20 steps suggested.

[Liz]

Great image Mario.

[midnight (Darrin)]

Mario,

Hi there! I am just starting out and targetting the moon at this stage (cause its an easier thing to go for for me) and I really like your image . How are you finding Registax as I am stuck with a DSLR at the moment and struggle with Registax and would love to move to CCD imaging when I learn some more about imageing. You seem to have mastered the basics and with AVI - crikey this whole astro photography has twists and turns like a Dan Brown novel. But I love it and hope to see some more pics from you .

Cheers,
Darrin...

[cybereye (Mario)]

Darrin,

In regards to Registax, I find it good with big things like the Moon and the planets but prefer DSS for DSO.

AS for Astrophotography having as many twists and turns as a Dan Brown novel - well you're not wrong!! I started out with an 8" Dob and a compact digital camera up against the eyepiece. My story then went something like this..... (fade into dream scene...)

"Wow, I got a really neat picture then. Maybe if I tried prime focus with a DSLR I'd get a better picture." Mario buys DSLR.

"Wow, I got a really good picture of the Moon but the planets are really a problem. I wish they'd stop moving across the FOV so quickly. I know I'll buy a tracking mount." Mario buys HEQ5 Pro Mount with Go-To.

"Wow, I'm now managing to track for almost 30 seconds without trailing. I wish I could get really accurate alignment with my mount. Perhaps I need to guide it with an auto-guider." Mario buys Orion ST80 refractor and a QHY5 autoguider.

"Wow this QHY5 is a nifty little camera. I wonder what it would be like taking an AVI to get LOTS of images to stack?" Mario is at this point in his astrophotographic evolution.

Stages yet to come are...

"Wow, this QHY5 mono camera is good, I wonder if it would work with RGB filters?" Mario buys....

"Wow, I'm guiding really well but my DSLR does have some coma issues." Mario buys....

"Wow, I really like the results I got from using the RGB filters on the small QHY5. I wonder what it would be like on a bigger camera? Then I could get some IR information as well." Mario buys...

Are you following me camera guy?!!

Darrin, it doesn't take long for the Dan Brown novel to transform into a text book on Keynsian economics!!! ( When the going gets tough spend your way out of trouble!!!")

Good luck with your pursuit of the perfect image, it's a goal to which I'm still striving!!!

Cheers,
Mario

[Kal (Andrew)]

Alot of us have followed a similar story Mario!

[midnight (Darrin)]

Mario,

Love the story and I can see myself heading down your path!! Good luck to you too!

Cheers,
Darrin...

[p1taylor]

Hi Mario

I think we all go down the same path I no I did am about half way now.

peter