NGC7023 Iris Nebula

[nexusjeep]

Well, it's been quite a while since I had a chance to image due to family issues. This is NGC7023 there were quite a few hiccups in getting everything up and running as it has been a while and made a lot of rookie mistakes so lost about an hour's images. This image is the best 80 3-minute subs out of the rescued 92 subs.

Was quite pleased with my electromechanical polar alignment as it worked pretty well image below is from last night's startup

Alignment.png (808.45 KiB) Viewed 2032 times

Integration is 80 x 3min, 100 x 1.5s flats, 50 x dark flats, + masterbias, masterdark, Bad Pixel Map from Astro Pixel Processor.

Imaging kit : APM-LZOS 130/780 + 1x MR flattener, ASI2600MC-Pro + Esatto 4" Focuser
Mount : M-UNO Synscan
Guide : Skywatcher ED72Pro+0.8x reducer, sesto senso focus motor, Altair 290M guide camera
Software: SharpCap, GSS Mount control software, PHD2, Stellarium, AstroPixelProcessor, Affinity Photo 2.5.5



Thanks for looking
Cheers
Nick

[admin]

Hi Nick,

nice image - I also like your polar alignment result!

I clicked through to view the larger version on flickr, and that was definitely worth doing - much more detail than the small image here shows

cheers,

Robin

[nexusjeep]

Hi Robin,
Thanks for that the image on Flickr is still smaller than the actual upload as that is 5014 x 3457 that version only shows if you click on view original under download the default large image is 2048 x 1412 I believe, never sure how to get flickr to show the original without clicking the download button and then you can make it display the 1:1 version.

I was quite pleased with the alignment as well, the steppers and harmonic drives are working great to move the mount into position once the telescopic pier lifts the mount and scope through the roof and it's a bloody sight easier than having to get on the steps move the mount get off the steps look at SharpCap think sod it get back on the steps and repeat . Getting to that value took about 40 seconds as I have the Arduino dialled in quite well now so I can issue movement values in seconds to the stepper controllers from the console and with SharpCap running a 2 second exposure it dials in really fast. Not sure I can ever get the Error to 0 other than luck as Up down left right were zero so did not know which way to go but think it was close enough

Really just need some clear nights especially as the clocks have now changed.

Cheers
Nick