Hi!

Let me share one as well, produced in the end of 2020. This time not wide field but instead a galaxy - IC 342. C8, with reducer and an ASI294 MC Pro. A little more than 13 hours from suburban Malmoe, quite a lot of light pollution (don't know Bortle value though).

Best,

Magnus

Den 2021-01-01 kl. 19:21, skrev Jim Waters:

Thanks Brian.

[Edited Message Follows]

Here's one that I like.

M45 Wide Field w/ IFN - SW Esprit 100mm APO + Starizona Apex-L 0.65x FR/FF

Imaged with a Sky-Watcher 100mm ED Triplet, Starizona 0.65x Apex-L Focal Reducer / Field Flattener @ f/3.58 or 358mm F.L. and ASI2600MC Pro at Picket Post - Bortle 4.? Nineteen, 4 minute Light subs including Darks, Dark/Flats, BIAS and Flats.? No light pollution filters were used.? Processed with PixInsight. Compressed JPEG.? This is basically a test image to see if I intend to keep the Apex-L.? The Apex-L vignetting was 'difficult' to process out...?

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It was getting too cold for me to take more subs.

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C&C Welcome

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Here's another.

Horsehead and Flame Nebula

Imaged with a Sky-Watcher 100mm ED Triplet @ f/5.5 and ASI2600MC Pro within the Phoenix city limits - Bortle ~8.? Waning Gibbous moon 61%.? One hundred and thirty, 60 second Light subs including Darks, BIAS and Flats.? No light pollution filters were used.? Processed with PixInsight.? I intend to add an additional 3 hours of Lights to this image in the coming weeks.? Compressed JPEG.? TIFF shows more details and depth

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I found the formula for calculating this value but have a question. When using focal length, is it the actual focal length or is it the apparent focal length? I have two different cameras with different size sensors but get a very similar arcsec/pixel. What ?am I missing?

Sorry, probably been seen before, but 2020 changed my Astro Imaging dramatically because I got my GM811GHD mount, and finally ironed out my wrinkles from my bad habits developed from my old mount.
But once I got my 811 set up exactly the way I've always dreamed a mount could be, plus a few things Scott built into the possibilities, my imaging has taken a whole new turn for the better.
I'm a long exposure imager. I was forced on this path by my first camera which would only gather anything by doing exceedingly long single shot images. 20, 30, and longer, single shot images forced me to become good at alignments and guiding. So when Scott mentioned he likes long exposure imaging, I knew I was at the right place to buy my last mount.
When I read that the RAEXT was made to allow imaging through the meridian's, with no Meridian flip, I knew that would be a primary use for me. I got it for sectionalizing the RA and Dec, but forgetting the flip? That was a dream!
I finally felt worthy of trying it one warm June night. So excited I stayed awake until 03:30 Hrs, observing and working my mounts limits. That night tested, and proved some amazing capabilities for me. I stopped at 13,000 seconds of collected image.


Since that night I've been interested in doing these singular long session images. And I like trying for the unusual and colorful Nebula. Nebula was what attracted me to astro imaging to begin with. Once I found The Great Orion Nebula with my spotting scope I was hooked on the pursuit. Something my "bad" camera taught me was time manipulation. Something my good camera has taught me is that with my 811 mount, and the RAEXT, I can still use time and let the camera stack and build the images. It's opened a whole new vain for me to use pursuing images in my simple form.
Because I was having so much new found successes because of the new mount, and a new found ability to get really critical Polar Alignment.
So I'm closing out 2020 with this handful of my bestest, and a Vodka and Orange Juice. Yep, 2020 was a screwdriver. Just force feed some Vitamin C to the liver.

, , , and .


--
SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)

Hello.?

I have been into telescopes and astrophotography since 1980. I want to get into digital capture of the planets and some deep space objects. I'm now retired and have time and a few bucks to use for this.?

Two years ago I bought a Losmangy G11 mount, and then a Celestron 11 HD Edge. It is housed in my little observatory (with slide off roof) in central Oregon, nice dark skys here. This is my first computer controlled scope, and once it is aligned it works great. I love it ! I have lots of accessories such as several TeleVue eyepieces, 2X powermate, .7 focal reducer, Baader Diamond Track focuser, and a Canon 6D SLR (non modified). I can get some good photos with the Canon, such as piggy back with lenses, have not had much luck with photos through the C11. I did get a few of Neowise Comet though. But with Planets, all I get are fuzzy blobs. Even using Live View and zoom hooked to a monitor I find it very difficult to focus on the planets. And focus through the viewfinder, forget it. I have not tried a video and then stacking with the Canon.?

So while I now have a decent scope with tracking, I need recommendations on CCD or CMOS astro cameras. Yesterday I exchanged a couple of emails with Brian Valente at Losmandy, and he used a ZWO ASI462mc on the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction.

I have been reading and watching videos on CCD and CMOS cameras. It sounds like both have their advantages.?
- CCD's:? ?been around a long time, more complex to make, uses more power, better light capture, less noise, better shutter and frame rate, expensive.?
- CMOS:? smaller pixels, uses less power, rolling shutter, more noise, less expensive

It sounds like I'm probably going to need one camera for Planets (small sensor), and another for deep space objects (larger sensor or just use my Canon SLR).?

So any recommendations on a Planetary camera in the $200 to $500 range, especially what works well with a C11 f10 scope. Or C11 at f20 using the 2X Powermate. Also one that has the ST4 port to connect to the G11 mount for autoguiding. I still need to learn about software as well.?

Sorry for rambling on a bit.?

Gary Martin
La Pine, Or

C11 HD Edge with G11 mount
Meade 8" f6 Newtonian (bought new in 1980 and still have it)

Hi Brian
I'll share a couple?
the first image is one of the last of my DSLR images before switching over to CCD(been DSLR for over 10 years)
IC 2167? ? ?(first part of 2020)?

And the second from the last part of this year ,my first time use(ever) of LRGB CCD monochrome from an SBIG STL11000 .
M45? ? ?(about a week ago)

Unfortunately My G11 (like the rest of this year) decided to be uncooperative....my 24 year old G11 has arthritis and somehow developed a bit of dementia :)
Waiting patiently for the TRA-AXIS?
Ken