M3 globular star cluster in Canes Venatici
Date: 5/24/2009
Location: Joshua Tree Lake RV Park.
Conditions: 0% moon, seeing 6/10, transparency 8/10, temperature 69 F, wind 3-10 mph
Telescope: C8 Celestron 8" scope, prime focus
Mount: Losmandy G11, Gemini goto, polar scope used to align
Guiding: Televue 85mm refractor, 600mm focal length, F7, with diagonal, The Image Source DMK 21AF04, PHD guiding software
Camera: Canon 40d prime focus.
Focusing:Used IP 3.75 camera software to focus.
Exposures: (5) 2 min raw 800 ISO, (6) bias, (6) darks, (0)flats
Processing: P 3.75 - converted raw to FITS, calibrated with dark & bias, align-rotate 2 pt, combine median, digital development, sharpened using adaptive Richardson Lucy, star size reduction, converted to jpg, Photoshop CS4; levels, color balance, cropped, reduced size for web, unsharp mask,.
Comments:My tracking was off because of poor polar alignment, wind also degraded photo. I will try using Gemini polar axis correction next time out to achieve better polar alignment.
Date: 5/24/2009
Location: Joshua Tree Lake RV Park.
Conditions: 0% moon, seeing 6/10, transparency 8/10, temperature 69 F, wind 3-10 mph
Telescope: C8 Celestron 8" scope, prime focus
Mount: Losmandy G11, Gemini goto, polar scope used to align
Guiding: Televue 85mm refractor, 600mm focal length, F7, with diagonal, The Image Source DMK 21AF04, PHD guiding software
Camera: Canon 40d prime focus.
Focusing:Used IP 3.75 camera software to focus.
Exposures: (5) 2 min raw 800 ISO, (6) bias, (6) darks, (0)flats
Processing: P 3.75 - converted raw to FITS, calibrated with dark & bias, align-rotate 2 pt, combine median, digital development, sharpened using adaptive Richardson Lucy, star size reduction, converted to jpg, Photoshop CS4; levels, color balance, cropped, reduced size for web, unsharp mask,.
Comments:My tracking was off because of poor polar alignment, wind also degraded photo. I will try using Gemini polar axis correction next time out to achieve better polar alignment.
M3 globular star cluster in Canes Venatici
Date: 5/29/2007
Location: Home driveway in San Diego with extreme light pollution
Conditions: 100% moon, seeing 6/10, transparency 6/10, temperature 59 F
Telescope: C8 Celestron 8" scope, prime focus, with diagonal.
Mount: Losmandy G11, Gemini goto, polar scope used to align
Guiding: Televue 85mm refractor, 600mm focal length, F7, with diagonal, The Image Source DMK 21AF04, PHD software
Camera: Canon Rebel 300d prime focus.
Focusing: Manual using the Canon right angle 2.5 magnifier.
Exposures: (1) 5 min raw 1600 ISO, (3) 4 min raw 800 ISO, (6) bias, (0) darks, (0)flats
Processing: P 2.82 - converted raw to FITS, align-rotate, combine median, digital development, sharpened using adaptive Richardson Lucy, star size reduction, converted to jpg, Photoshop CS; levels, color balance, cropped, unsharp mask, reduced size for web.
Comments: This is my first attempt at guiding with my new DMK camera. This camera really picks up lower magnitude stars. My focus was definitely off. Darks and flats would really improve this image.
Date: 5/29/2007
Location: Home driveway in San Diego with extreme light pollution
Conditions: 100% moon, seeing 6/10, transparency 6/10, temperature 59 F
Telescope: C8 Celestron 8" scope, prime focus, with diagonal.
Mount: Losmandy G11, Gemini goto, polar scope used to align
Guiding: Televue 85mm refractor, 600mm focal length, F7, with diagonal, The Image Source DMK 21AF04, PHD software
Camera: Canon Rebel 300d prime focus.
Focusing: Manual using the Canon right angle 2.5 magnifier.
Exposures: (1) 5 min raw 1600 ISO, (3) 4 min raw 800 ISO, (6) bias, (0) darks, (0)flats
Processing: P 2.82 - converted raw to FITS, align-rotate, combine median, digital development, sharpened using adaptive Richardson Lucy, star size reduction, converted to jpg, Photoshop CS; levels, color balance, cropped, unsharp mask, reduced size for web.
Comments: This is my first attempt at guiding with my new DMK camera. This camera really picks up lower magnitude stars. My focus was definitely off. Darks and flats would really improve this image.