I’m starting a journal of my astrophotography journey, and allowing me (and others) to share and help improve. It also serves predominantly as a record of what works and doesn’t work for my kit, capabilities and location.
Overview
Time Start: 9pm | Time End: 2.30am
Weather: Clear, slightly humid. Clouds rolling in at 2.30am.
Targets
Moon (78-82% Waxing Gibbous)
M31 Andromeda Galaxy
IC1396 Elephant Trunk Nebula
Sadr in Cygnus
Equipment Used
Mount: SkyWatcher EQ6-R Pro
Telescope 1: Altair Astro Starwave 102ED-R (AA102EDR)
Telescope 2: TS Optics 65mm Quad Apo (TSAPO65Q)
Camera: Altair Astro Hypercam 183C Pro TEC (AA183RPROTEC)
Guidecam: Orion 50mm + Altair Astro GPCAMv2 130M (AAGPCAM130)
Focuser: Pegasus Motor Focuser
Filters: None
Software Used
Telescope Control: CDC + EQASCOM
Image Capture: SharpCap Pro 3.1
Moon Processing: PIPP + AS!3
DSO Processing: Astro Pixel Processor (APP)
Post Processing: Adobe CC (Lightroom, Photoshop (AstroFlat Pro, DeepSkyColors HLVG, Astronomy Tools)
Notes
Security light on adjacent property, overlooking garden previously affected imaging low towards South. Impacted the wider 50mm guidescope, bleaching out some stars making tracking invalid. Confirm that the garden is much darker and doesn’t appear to affect imaging. No target was low in the Southern sky to test guiding.
I had problems with my Pegasus Pocket Powerbox in that it would get recognised by my imaging PC. It meant I couldn’t utilise the dew heater straps, but power to the rest of the kit was working fine. Still to troubleshoot.
9pm – 10pm: Moon
Telescope: AA102EDR | Camera: AA183CPROTEC | Filters: None
SharpCap Pro: 11.9ms @ Gain 100 | 100 – 200 Subs as 12-Bit RAW FITS
PIPP: 100 12-Bit RAW 11.9ms @ Gain 100, output 16-Bit TIFF
AS!3: Best 50%
Imported into Lightroom for small finishing/cropping edits
Problems
None
Result
Better quality: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131464972@N05/44137174742/in/album-72157666833494760/
10pm – 11pm: Polar Aligning + Guidescope / PHD2 Setup
Made a number of changes to my setup, including new mounting and a new imaging PC attached to my mount, meaning all my previous PHD2 settings were not present and not had clear skies until tonight to get Polemaster set up again for polar alignment.
Guiding was very good.
11pm – 11.30pm: M31 Andromeda Galaxy
Telescope: AA102EDR | Camera: AA183CPROTEC | Filters: None
SharpCap Pro: 3 Minutes @ Gain 400, TEC 0c | 10 Subs as 12-Bit RAW FITS
Flats: None (only testing the main features this evening, not overall quality)
Darks: Taken earlier in the day (20)
Bias: Taken earlier in the day (30)
Problems
- Vignetting through each frame caused by the imaging chain/extension tube chosen. This features through the rest of the evening:
The intention is not to use this setup for these scopes anyway – a filter wheel (currently lacking appropriate nosepiece adapter, hence why no filters used) will be used in the future for the AA102EDR and TSAPO65Q. - Too bright. 3 minutes far too long.
Result
Better quality: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131464972@N05/44185923321/in/album-72157666833494760/
For next time: much more, shorter exposures. Gain seemed appropriate. An hour of 1-Minute subs should do it.
12pm – 1am: Elephant Trunk Nebula
I hadn’t attempted see this target before, but it was in view so gave it a shot. Equipment as set up not entirely ideal.
Telescope: AA102EDR | Camera: AA183CPROTEC | Filters: None
SharpCap Pro: 5 Minutes @ Gain 400, TEC 0c | 10 Subs as 12-Bit RAW FITS
Flats: None (only testing the main features this evening, not overall quality)
Darks: Taken earlier in the day (20)
Bias: Taken earlier in the day (30)
Problems
- Detail lacking (appropriate filters not used)
- Very obvious vignetting – horrendous!
Result
After a lot of editing and processing but happy to have seen it for next time!: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131464972@N05/44186530801/in/album-72157666833494760/
1am – 2am: Sadr Region in Cygnus
I hadn’t attempted see this target before either, but it was also in view so gave it a shot. Equipment as set up not entirely ideal again. Changed camera over to smaller, wider 65mm Quad Apo.
Telescope: TSAPO65Q| Camera: AA183CPROTEC | Filters: None
SharpCap Pro: 5 Minutes @ Gain 400, TEC 0c | 10 Subs as 12-Bit RAW FITS
Flats: None (only testing the main features this evening, not overall quality)
Darks: Taken earlier in the day (20)
Bias: Taken earlier in the day (30)
Problems
- Detail lacking (appropriate filters not used)
- Horrendous vignetting again, despite change of telescope too. Camera and extension tube was transferred over, ergo problem extension tube.
Result
After a lot of editing and processing: https://www.flickr.com/photos/131464972@N05/42384998920/in/album-72157666833494760/
The Amateur Astrophotographer's Cookbook 