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M1 / M 31-- micro-focuser test

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 11/24/2024 -- Testing out the new (to me) Meade Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser for the venerable Meade LX10 2000mm F10 SCT... connected to the shoestring astronomy controller on the Odroid XU4....and controlled with Indi/Ekos.  Initial focusing test showed promise using an initial starting movement of 1500ms... this collection against M1 will see how the microfocuser fares with an actual collection. Meade Zero Image-Shift Microfocuser... into which the Starizona Corrector III is inserted. Weather started good from 18:00 through mid-night, but clouds are expected and the moon rises (at 28% full) at 01:30... so no real expectations of greatness... but a good night to test equipment.  Using only a 1.25" UV/IR cut filter (broadband color imaging).  After collecting a test image, set exposure to 100s at gain 285 with offset 32 at 0 C.  Spent considerable time re-adjusting the polar alignment (swinging back and forth between -800 to +50". Finally gave up around -11" e...
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LX10 SCT Collimation Test

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 11/16/2024 -- Set up the venerable Meade LX10 SCT at prime focus with the Svbony 405cc with a 1.25" UV/IR cut filter. Centered on Hamal in Ares close to zenith and used AstroDMx-Capture directly connected to the camera to capture a range of defocused star frames to examine collimation.  Results suggested no adjustment is likely needed...despite the fact that the OTA has never been collimated since I've owned it! Examples:
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Pacman Nebula - NGC 281 and Spider Nebula - IC 417

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 11/08/2024 -- With no clouds and the moon at 45%...but setting before midnight... started up the mount on the back deck with a goal of capturing light frames with the venerable LX10 with the dual narrowband filter and the new Starizona Corrector III flattener / reducer.  Ran PHD2 on the odroid XU4 and (even after leaving the mount out for a couple weeks of dry weather), the polar alignment is ~2' (drifting around over several minutes of guiding).  Focused using a laptop with AstroDMx-Capture before setting up the scheduler with two jobs: NGC 281 and IC 417 using 20x180s light frames with gain of 285, offset of 32 and at 5C with the SV405cc.  Watched progress on IC 417 and immediately noted issues ... initially suspecting clouds... but then noting the problem stemmed from some upper parts of the backyard tree leaves (very out of focus) being captured in some frames. Seeing forecast for 11/08-11/09/2024 by meteoblue showing clear skies but significant moonlight until ...
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IC 5146 & IC 405: Narrowband Test with Starizona SCT Corrector III

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 10/21/2024 -- Clear skies but a big moon (79%) coming up at 22:30 motivated an experiment with the dual narrowband (Ha/OIII) filter on the LX10 with the Starizona SCT Corrector III and the Svbony 405cc. Seeing forecast from cleardarksky for 10/21/2024 showing clear skies, good transparency but bright moonlight. Seeing forecast for meteoblue showing similar trends. Spend 1.5hr polar drift aligning... painful...back and forth. Then spend 30 minutes on focusing...with the dual narrowband filter in place. Then searched for bright nebula still visible despite trees from the back deck. Settled on IC 5146 (Cocoon Nebula). Started the internal autoguider... which calibrated fine...and began 180s test image. Created a job in the Indi/Ekos scheduler for IC 5146 with 180sx20 at 5C, gain of 285 and offset 32 in a sequence file to repeat until 05:30. Promising initial result -- one light frame (180s x1) with gain 285, offset 32, temp at 5c stretched in the Indi/Ekos FITS viewer. Collection of ...
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