Secret Still Observatory

'Star, star teach me how to shine, shine'

IC59 Gamma Cas Nebula

Mark

2 minute read

Details

    Integration time (running total):
    * Blue 40 x 300s (200m)
    * Ha 86 x 300s (430m)
    * OSC 71 x 300s (355m)
    * Total: 985m/16h25m
    
    Integration time target
    * Target: 20 hours
    * Progress: 82%

9th October 2022 I switched to use the ASI294MC Pro while the mono camera was being used for testing on the refractor. One or two frames were lost but otherwise a whole night’s imaging with excellent guiding has added some dual-band colur frames to the mix. I’m not sure how I will integrate this essentially narrowband data into the mix but it might get used as a supplement to the blue channel which is currently lacking exposure following the focussing and tracking issues currently experienced.

    Integration time:
    * OSC 71 x 300s (355m)

27th September 2022 Yet another frustrating night with plate-solving, focussing and guiding problems!

    Integration time:
    * Blue 34 x 300s (170m)
    * Ha 0 x 300s (0m)

25th September 2022 Last night proved to be remarkably productive with 76 5m subs captured after the removal of a sprinkling of bad frames. The rig held focus perfectly and the periodic autofocus was not needed. It was a good example of working to salvage what one can from an impefect situation. The sky was so beautifully clear and consistently cloudy that it would have been a terrible loss to give up in frustration. Today I will attempt to unravel the dropped focusser connection and have this working for the next clear night which appears to be some way off according to the Met Office. Next session will add only blue frames.

    Integration time:
    * Blue 0 x 300s (0m)
    * Ha 76 x 300s (380m)

23rd September 2022 The focusser went crazy this evening. The friction within the tube seems to have jammed up in one direction and slipped in the other for no apparent reason. I managed to get a few frames before being forced to abandon.

    Integration time:
    * Blue 6 x 300s (30m)
    * Ha 7 x 300s (35m)

21st September 2022 Poor guiding and clouds yielded 15m usuable data!

    Integration time:
    * Blue 0 x 300s (00m)
    * Ha 3 x 300s (15m)

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