Still a work in progress, mastering the QHY268M with the Optolong LRGBSHO filter set. Seems like a setup with reserved filters is required for the Esprit 100 ED with the original flattener, in order to avoid strange reflections from bright stars such as Deneb or Sadr. Shooting a familiar target here.
Technical details at Astrobin.
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Continuing the explorations with the QHY268M, a two panel H-alpha mosaic. And the first time I used NINA to control the imaging session.
Backyard astrophotography in light-polluted Cologne-Dellbrück (SQM 19.7)
Skywatcher Esprit 100/550 ED, Skywatcher Flattener, Optolong Ha 7nm / QHY268M
OAG with Lodestar X2
Mount AZ EQ6 GT
Image acquisition: CdC, NINA, PHD2, dithering
Ha: 2 x 6 x 600s, mode 1, gain 56, offset 10, -5C, 10 flats, 50 bias, 20 darks
Data calibration/integration: PixInsight
Image processing: PixInsight, Lightroom, two panel mosaic
First steps into the realm of mono astrocams with the QHY268M. Pretty amazed what 3 x 10 min were able to pull out of my suburban skies.
In memoriam Dr. Carsten Jacobs, ad astra!
Backyard astrophotography in light-polluted Cologne-Dellbrück (SQM 19.7)
Skywatcher Esprit 100/550 ED, Skywatcher Flattener, Optolong Ha 7nm, QHY268M
OAG with Lodestar X2
Mount AZ EQ6 GT
Image acquisition: CdC, APT, PHD2, dithering
Ha: 3 x 600s, mode 1, gain 56, offset 40, -10C, 20 flats, 40 bias, 12 darks
Data calibration/integration: PixInsight
Image processing: PixInsight, Lightroom
The last one for this season, weather wasn’t that stellar for astrophotography in the last months, so too little exposure time and too much noise. To be continued in 2022 …
All details at Astrobin.
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Auch 2019 war wieder Hakos, Namibia auf dem Programm, dieses Mal “nur” Astrourlaub pur mit reicher Ausbeute, da zwei Wochen lang “Schönwetterkatastrophe”, auch für Namibianische Verhältnisse. Die astrofotografischen Ergebnisse gibt’s schon länger im hier Blog, eine Zusammenfassung u.a. im Deep Sky Video 2017-2020. Ergänzend neu in der Galerie eine kleine Bildserie “drumherum” – Hakos Guest Farm, Rooisand Desert Ranch, Groot Gamsberg Farm.
Again, two months to gather enough photons for this image. The bulk of the exposures were taken during a spell of five clear, cold nights in Feb 2021, though. The emission nebula IC 410 also includes the open cluster NGC 1893.
More details at Astrobin.
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Hakos und die IAS Sternwarte auf dem Farmgelände, mit Sicht auf den Gamsberg, waren wie die Jahre zuvor das “Basislager” für die Namibiareise. Leider im Jahr 2018 zur Marsopposition mit ziemlich schlechtem Wetter, auch nach der Rückkehr vom Gamsberg. Astrofotografisch relativ wenig Ausbeute, die schon vor einiger Zeit hier, hier, hier und in weiteren Einträgen gepostet wurde.
A new approach to the Pacman Nebula with the L-eNhance filter and bicolor processing. No so much for clear skies in the winter season here, took over two months to gather some meagre 10 hours of exposure time.
See also Astrobin for all details.
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Trotz widriger Wetterbedingungen waren die sechs Nächte auf dem Gamsberg der Höhepunkt der Namibia-Reise, ein wenig “Star Party” Feeling auf 2340 m, die nächste Farm zwei Stunden entfernt, bei schwierigster Auf- und Abfahrt. Alle Bilder hier im Album Gamsberg.
Despite the cold and rainy weather, the six nights on the Gamsberg were the climax of our Namibia tour in 2018, a bit of “star party” feeling on 2340 m, two hours to the next farm, via a most difficult pad. All images here in the corresponding Gamsberg album.
Zumindest ein paar Daten aus Namibia. ;-) Danke an Michael Mushardt für die Möglichkeit seine Aufnahmen aus dem Oktober 2020 zu bearbeiten.
At least some data from Namibia. ;-) Thanks to Michael Mushardt for making his data from October 2020 available for processing.
Internationale Amateursternwarte e.V.
IAS Observatory Hakos, Namibia
Celestron C14 14″ 3910mm f/11 on Kraska horseshoe mount
ASI178MC with Televue Powermate 2,5x
10% out of 3804 frames
Image acquisition by Michael Mushardt: FireCapture
Image processing by Martin Junius: AutoStakkert! 3, PixInsight, Lightroom