2014-03-30 22:00-01:00
Increasing high clouds, no wind or moon, 6 degrees C
2014-03-31 22:30-00:30
High clouds followed by mostly clear, no wind or moon, 2 degrees C
M36+M38+NGC1931
Exposures:
30x480s LIGHT
25x480s DARKS
200 BIAS
40 FLAT
Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop
2014-03-29 21:00-01:30
Clear, no wind or moon, 2 degrees C
IC342
Exposures:
3x300s+9x480s+16x600s LIGHT
20x600s DARKS
200 BIAS
40 FLAT
Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO800
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop
After a lot of fiddling with lenses and stray light I have finally made the adjustments necessary to reduce the diffraction spikes that have plagued the photos taken with my SkyWatcher Esprit 80ED refractor. By first removing the dew shield, a soft cloth glued around the lens chamber is revealed. Under the cloth, there are six screws around the lens chamber at one end and another six around the other. By unscrewing each of these an equal amount (about one full turn) using a hex wrench, the diffraction spikes seem to have vanished! However, when temperature goes far below 0 degrees C, they seem to be more visible again so my plan for the next winter is to unscrew the screws a bit more (if I dare 🙂 ).
2014-03-24 21:30-02:00
Scattered clouds, moist, no wind or moon, 0 degrees C
M95+M96+M105
Exposures:
27x300s LIGHT
20x300s DARKS
200 BIAS
40 FLAT
Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO400, ISO800 (mainly), ISO1600
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop
2014-03-24 21:30-02:00
Scattered clouds, moist, no wind or moon, 0 degrees C
M44
Exposures:
3x180s+3x300s+2x600s LIGHT
20x300s DARK
200 BIAS
40 FLAT
Camera: Canon EOS-600Da, IDAS LPS-P2, ISO400, ISO800 (mainly), ISO1600
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight, Photoshop
2014-03-12 21:30-00:00
Very clear, no wind, half moon high up, 1 degrees C
M35
Exposures:
42x180s LIGHT
20x180s DARK
20 BIAS
20 FLAT
Camera: Canon EOS-600D, ISO400
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight
2014-03-11 20:30-23:00
Some high clouds, no wind, half moon high up, 1 degrees C
M34
Exposures:
40x180s LIGHT
20x180s DARK
20 BIAS
20 FLAT
Camera: Canon EOS-600D, ISO400
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight
2014-03-09 20:30-23:30
Some fog, wind, half moon high up, 5 degrees C
NGC 869/884
Exposures:
20x180s LIGHT
30x120s LIGHT
20x180s DARK
20 BIAS
20 FLAT
Camera: Canon EOS-600D, ISO400
Lens: Sky-Watcher Esprit 80ED + Sky-Watcher field flattener
Mount: HEQ5 Pro
Skywatcher SynGuider auto guider and Celestron 80mm guide scope
Software: BackyardEOS, PixInsight