Testing...

Been testing out a change in guide camera...

I only got 40 minutes in total, but it's good to know it's working ;)...

Anyway... I installed all the drivers and software during the day, and it was worth it, it was a bit of a faff getting the correct software installed to get the camera working as both a planetary/lunar camera and a guide camera...

First impressions...

1) It's a lot lighter than a DSI, when I was balancing, I was able to balance the kit out with only a 5Kg counter weight, instead of the 10Kg I had been using... Phew... that feels so much better carting it all in and out now...

2) I tested out on M45, a good bright target to make focussing etc easier. I have to say, that I was getting stars showing on PHD with only a 0.2 second loop, so it certainly seems to be a sensitive little beastie for a CMOS chip... Oh, I don't mean the bright sisters.. one or two of the fainter ones were in view also.

I had no problems with the guiding, all worked well. Just a shame that only 20 minutes after guiding locked on, the clouds had moved in and spoilt the night.



I got a short while also testing on the moon. I used the Skymax on the SLT. Hardly an ideal setup, as the tracking isn't spot on, and it wobbles far to easily.. but it's light to carry and very quick to setup. The tracking would have been better if I'd levelled it, but I forgot... Anyway... Some playing later... I've gotta say the frame rate is much better than the SPC900...

A couple at full frame, about 38fps




One in planet mode (smaller frame) 53fps


And then just to see what would happen, sub frame, smaller still... this hit 83 fps...


I'm not sure I did a good job on either focusing the scope, or processing the images... just a quick bash through regi5 using frame 1 and pretty much defaults, except for multipoint align.

I have to say I think it does a very good job as both a Guider and as a Lunar Camera. I'd expect it to do a similar job on planets, but there wasn't one to look at..

I did try using barlows (x5, 2 x2 and x2) and the camera is more than sensitive enough for it, but on the SLT I couldn't focus the Skymax.

I did setup to try and do a surface mosaic of the moon... I put the Skymax out to cool. Some time later, the HEQ5, polar aligned and setup, mounted the Skymax, and was just about to go get the rest of the bits and pieces... when the clouds rolled in, so I packed it all away again, carted everything in, just in time to miss the rain that followed shortly after.

What did you do with the sky ?

Where have all the stars gone ? This is really beginning to wind me up now... three weeks of prime long nights and hardly any opportunity to do anything. I've taken my Mak out 3 times now for an attempt to collimate. The first occasion, I left it out to call, when I went back out, it was dripping wet (only took 30 minutes too) and Polaris has gone... The second occasion was much the same, but without the dripping. The third occasion, I managed to get to the point of confirming that the collimation is out a little before the clouds blotted out the sky... I want to finish my M45 image ... And have a go at a few other targets...

I did see most of last nights ISS pass as it whooshed between the cloud banks, the glow of diffusing light from the mist help make up for it, and it was a bright pass too.

Surely this can't go on for much longer... It didn't feel so bad in the summer, as at least it was warm...

A couple of the moon

This weather is getting to me... The clear gaps are not lasting for more than a short while, often followed by bursts of rain, and more clear spells. I'm not going to risk my kit for a short period of clear in the potential for rain. I have been able to get a couple of moon shots though...

One from Friday night



And one from about 10 hours later. It's amazing how in such a short period of time, the view and orientation change so much.



And then last night, I put my little Mak out to check it's collimation on Polaris, cos it looked clear... 30 minutes later, I went back out, clouds had covered Polaris, and my Mak was covered in a film of moisture... never mind...

However, on checking the doors were all locked, I spotted the moon was up, looking out, and there was Mars nearby. What a lovely sight. I got a shot of it, real tough one thanks to the dynamic range...



but easily solved, but taking two shots, one for the moon, one for Mars, layering them, and erasing the moon layer where Mars is to allow the bright Mars to shine through. You know what the biggest shame was... the Beehive was sat between them, and it would have been lovely to have got all that buzzing clusteryness in the same frame, but there was no way I was going to achieve that little task...

Misty full moon

The skies have been heavy mist, cloud and rain... but it lifted a little for halloween, and created a very atmospheric night... the high mist and light from the moon, blotted out virtually all the stars, but I was able to get a shot of the moon. C80ED, 2xTC, 450d on a camera tripod



And lift out the colour



I'm sure I also saw a Lunar Halo. The position would be about right... I tried to capture it on camera, but it just doesn't seem to show in the images...