20251212 A short but hopefully longer observation session

The forecast is no good, but the worst case is not raining.  

So I pulled out my bigger rig to test out my new Antlia Quad Band filter.  Also, I am testing my new wiring, basically connect the EAF and guider cam to the main cam.  It works out well.

However, my new power cable was not working.  I ended up using my old wire first.  I have to turn off cooling to make it works.

The main camera was pointing at the Soul Nebula IC1848, taking 5 minutes exposures.

I am somehow confused, the image came out seems something else that I could not identify.

I used Siril to process the image, I did background extraction, Cosmic Clarity, VeraLux Hypermetric Stretch, and Abberation Remover:

Antlia Quad Band seems generating halo around brighter stars?

And then I switch to the Lobster Claw Nebula SH2-157 in order to avoid meridian flip since I will have a meeting soon. 

After the meeting, I turned the main setup to M1 in the hope to capture some more detail.

(I was trying to clean up my asiair mini but I really clean it up, lost all other images, sad to find)

After setting up the big rig, I pulled out also my S30.  The Ghost of the Cassiopeia IC63 will be the target of the night.  Over two hours of exposures are accumulated.

Then I switch to M42 for some more mosaic:

Cloud did roll in to ruin some of the shots, but it's still a night worth setting the stuff up.

The bigger ipad is monitoring the S30 while the smaller ipad is monitoring the ASIAir running the bigger rig:

An image of the bigger setup before dark:

20251211 Cygnus Loop - Short Observation Session

This is again a short session, the break between clouds after Storm Bram cleared.

I got around 40 minutes of data, and it was a mosaic!

Very respectable result given this short exposure time.

I will use my Canon 200mm f2.8 with the ASI533mc Pro to do it when the sky turns better.

Images taken by Seestar S30 so far...

Got it around twenty days ago, I would use it whenever the sky was clear.

These were what I got, straight from the Seestar, meaning stacked, stitched or cropped, processed and color tuned by the Seestar.  

20251208 Short Session - M15 (45 minutes) + M35 with NGC2158 + IC 434/B33 Horsehead Nebula with NGC 2024 Flame Nebula

Before Storm Bram came, it has a small break of clouds tonight from 8:00pm, maybe for one or two hours.

It has been raining all days, even worse for the upcoming days.

So, it's the time for S30 again.  The sky was not entirely clear but something could be done especially it involves virtually zero effort in setting things up.

First up is M15, a small globular cluster:

Next is a open cluster M35, with a smaller one NGC 2158 next to it:

Finally, the sky was even clearer after the anticipated clear period, so I moved to the horsehead B33 and the flame nebula NGC 2024, around one hour of exposure:

Again, the best telescope is the one that you can use the most.

 

Equipment downsizing

This is a forever topic.

You have limited time.

The amount of clear skies are limited too.

Money and resources are limited.

I shall briefly try the 8" SCT for deep sky imaging with a f6.3 reducer.  If it works out, let say up to 2-3 minutes of guided imaging, maybe it worths to keep it.  Along with planet observation and imaging, three purpose should be good enough.

Or else I might sell it the SCT.

The Solarmax filter is to be evaluated further when summer comes.

Downsizing could mean a smaller mount.

I have reorganised the cables of my mount again.  The guidescope and the motorised focuser will go to the deep sky imager instead of going to the controller box. 

This is just cleaner.

And then the free ports could be used to power dew heaters.

--

I found that my ancient ipad mini can still run asiair, so it's good to use it as the front end.  

It's a pity that it cannot run seestar.

20251203 Short Observation Session M27

The forecast is bad, but I still pulled out the S30 again.  

Zero setup time virtually.  I have a rain sensor outside, so tearing down is quick and simple as well.

The best telescope is the one that you can use most, the S30 is definitely a winner.

Planetary Nebula should be good target, as long as star clusters.

AI really saves a lot of time on planning, I set M27 the Dumbbell Nebula as the target.

With only a few minutes of stacking, colors are shown.  Below is around 1 hour of exposure:

Some more targets for this season: M57 the Ring Nebula, NGC 7293 the Helix Nebula, NGC 6543 The Cat's Eye Nebula.  

Let me try them out one by one.

20251202 Short Observation Session with only S30

Comet 2025 K1 Atlas 30s exposure for 2 hrs

NGC7789 20s exposure stacked for 1 hr, exposure lowered due to field rotation

C17 and C18 20s exposure stacked for 30 minutes

No edit, direct output.

20251125 Electronic focuser added

I started using my 85mm refractor for imaging in the last session.  We have clear sky again tonight so I inserted the electronic focuser in the imaging chain.  Autofocusing by the ASIAir is simple but it takes some a few minutes.  

The first result was bad, but then I do the whole thing once more and it comes out great

Not bad it seems and I will let it run for at least one or two hours, NGC6888 or the Crescent Nebula, or maybe even leave it for the rest of the session since I am rather busy.

The 85mm refractor was calculated to be 511mm.

The guidescope setup was about perfect, just a minor tweaking on the focuser will do the job, highly repeatable and that saves a lot of effort in the cold air outside. 

The S30 is going as well, there's simply no reason not to pull it out.

It's taking image of the Iris Nebula NGC7023 or the Caldwell 4 and I will probably leave it for the rest of the night.

--

Some processed shots, I really have to study Siril.

I could see some artifacts after extreme stretching... need to investigate why, the CMOS sernor has not visible dust or marks or whatsoever.

Equipment Preparations

Part of the fun is to re-arrange the equipments to prepare future exploration.

On the next morning, I placed the whole motorised SCT focuser into the 85mm refractor via a SCT 2" nosepiece.

I found that it reaches focus without problem.  I can use autofocusing next time, expect better results.  The light pollution filter could also be attached to the 2" nosepiece.  

Quite elegant.  The 85mm refractor focuser could be used for rough focusing while the motorised one could be driven by the ASIAir for final fine tuning.  It could be great for adjustments when doing imaging, like switching target, thermal expansion or contraction during the session.

The whole SCT focuser could be plugged back to the SCT, simply plug and play.  Miuch easier than removing and re-installing the focusing motor.

I have also focused my guiding scope on distant object, fine tune and then locked the drawtube in a good position, minor tweaking could be done via the helical focuser.

I am planning to sell my Canon FD 300mm f2.8, I won't be using it any more.  Don't get me wrong, it is good when you don't want guiding.  300mm is moderate enough and f2.8 is fast enough for that situation, so the Herscules adapter with filter drawer will be up for sales too.

I will keep the Canon EF 200mm f2.8 however, for other type of photography, and also some wider field imaging, again when guiding is not required.

I have placed the SCT reducer on my Meade 8" for lower power observation, I would prefer that unless I do planet imaging.  I will try deep sky imaging with it later.

20251120 Deep sky imaging with a telescope

Finally took the plunge to use a real telescope for imaging.  I have been locking myself in using camera lenses, thinking that it's easier and faster (aperture).

This test shot blew my socks off.  The stars are so nicely taken, better than camera lenses.  This is not a real APO but it's not bad especially when compared with camera lenses.

Camera lenses are lighter and easier to operate, but a telescope could do more at the expense of more complicated setup, like more accurate polar alignment and to do guiding in order to have longer exposure.

After the imaging session, I did some planet observations with my daughter Almy using the 8" SCT, nice one.  The Rigel Quick Finder was way out of alignment.  I ended up using a distant lamp post for rough alignment, and then fine tune on the planet.

I spent little time in the preparation, which wasted some of my time in the cool weather.

My 85mm scope cannot reach focus without a diagonal or extension tube.  I went back and forth cooling off my fingers.

Before observation preparation: I tried to put on the motor focuser on the 85mm but the mounting plate is not matching so 

ZWO S30 First nights

Got a few nights to test this little piece of equipment.

Fantastic value!  It has autofocuser, wifi remote control box, built-in light pollution filter, and even a dew heater!  How can they put all these valuable stuff into just a single small box?

Using it is no brainer, just put it there and they will do all the job. 

I always say astronomy is about polar alignment, focusing and collimation.  You don't need to do any of these things!  Just put it outside and it's ready to go.

It's very portable, so it can be used for ad hoc events like comets, you can bring it any where, even camping trips.

It's not cooled, but since it's so easy and ready to use, you can gather more shots for stacking.  Scottish weather helps too.

Two unprocessed shots out of the box, the first one was stitched automagically.  The second one was direct.  

The best telescope is the one you can use most, this is undoutedly the best telescope.

The only downside is, you cannot put an eyepiece on it.

20251101 Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon again

 

Taken with a 533mc with a Canon 200mm f2.8, 120s exposure, I believe around ten frames stacked.

Processed the image taken on 2025/10/25, taken with a Canon 6D with a 200mm f2.8, 60s exposure ISO 1600, around 16 frames stacked.  I messed up with the color and ended up making it monochromatic.

20251025 Comet C/2025 A6 (LEMMON)

Finally got a clear night.

Armed with my Canon 18x50 IS, I got the comet without problem.

Finishing my quick dinner, pulled out my EQ mount and placed it on the pier, no time to do polar alignment again.

Started some 60s exposure with my Canon 6D.  This is a newly acquired camera after selling my DIY modified Canon 450D, guess what, it covered more than half of the cost of the 6D and this is my first full frame DSLR.

Canon 200mm f2.8 wide open:

Will process it later, now the same setup was slewed to M31 for some test shots.  I won't do long focal length stuff, an old full frame DSLR should do the job quite well in the cold Scottish winter.

20250926 Deep sky imaging resumed

First time after the long daylight summer, I tried to use a LiFePO4 battery to power the setup.

But then the deep sky camera will disconnect itself sometimes, turning cooling off does help a bit, but it does not eliminate the problem entirely.  It will disconnect when the mount slews to another target.  A good indicator that there is not enough power.

I know the problem immediately.

I was using a power cable from a cheap solar panel, and the wire is just too thin.  I made the one below with a 12AWG cable, and I hope it solves the problem.

-- 

Spent sometime to test it indoor briefly, it works perfectly.

Those thin cables shall be throw away, but the clips should be kept.  

I believe I might need a separate power cable for the cooled camera directly to the battery.

20250921 Family observation

Almy said, let's do some stargazing.

85mm refractor, with a large 2" eyepiece for widefield, a 8-24mm zoom and a 3-8mm zoom.

Almach was an amazing sight!  It begins to split at around 10mm, cleanly split at 8mm.  The blue companion is just attractive.

The double clusters, M13, M19, M31.

The ring nebula was not seen.

20250916 Sun

Got some sunshine today, not exactly good but I caught thart moment.  

It rains soon after I packed up my stuff.  I have bought a bigger box to store my EQ mount head so I can setup and pack up rather quickly.

The sun is active, several sunspots can be seen and so many prominences around the edge.

Seeing low at maybe 3-4/10, windy.  Transparency was high during the moments that I took the images.

1342 (UT+1) with reducer for full disc:

1352 (UT+1) with reducer, false colorised.

AR4216 and 4217, ignoring the prominences to bring out as much as detail possible at 2x, taken at 1354 (UT+1)

AR4217 at 1355 (UT+1)

AR4127 with 4221 on the lower side at 1356 (UT+1)

Yet another shot at 1359 (UT+1)

Finally a false colorised one at 1400 (UT+1)

I am happy that I finally had a short imaging session again.

20250817 Sun

It has been several months since my last imaging session.

The weather was nice occasionally, just no energy to pull out the stuff for imaging.

Glad that I did it today.  I have also taken a vlog in Cantonese, might be published one day in my youtube channel.

1521 taken with a reducer, prominence brought out by pushing the level selectively, merged with the surface detail without pushing.

1524 taken with a 2x barlows, colorised.

1525, same setting as above, it's a filament day!

1526, around with same area of the one at 1524

I guess I will be doing some more astronomy in the near future.  It's a shame to waste the weather and the equipments.

20250517 Sun (reducer finally works)

This is a test of equipment, a 1.25" 0.5x focal reducer.  It won't come to focus before, but then I remember that I have a very short 1.25" nosepiece for C mount.  It comes to focus finally.

It's easy to take a full disc shots now!  Maybe good for continuous monitoring, like making animations, I shall try later.

This is a simple two frames mosaic at prime focus.  The non-uniform illumination makes it a bit tricky, but this does not worth the effort now.

Close up with AR4087, with 2x barlows.

Solar imaging is happy in Scottish summer.