M 94

 04/17/2026 -- Clear skies, no moon.  Setting up for broadband imaging for M 94. Coming from a disappointing previous session where the Indi Svbony CCD driver was crashing repeatedly preventing operation. Uninstalled all Ekos/Indi software (and repository)...reset to a stock Ubuntu with no extra repositories.  Then after reinstalling several days later, found the new Indi/Ekos/Kstars installation fully working.

Started with an initial focus and found small donut stars.  Tried using the Shoestring Astronomy FCUBS and Meade Zero Tilt micro-focuser...but found it reached its inner limit (likely due to very warm tempertaures near 70F).  Manual adjustment with the primary mirror adjustment knob on the Meade LX10 brought this to sharp focus.  

Next performed an initial polar drift alignment in PHD2 running on the venerable Odroid C4.  Initial error was only ~4'.  Adjusted by turning the rotating stage knob right... bad move.  Off by 11'.  Second try over-corrected with an alignment error of -5. Final adjustment brought the polar alignment error under 1'.

Set up the scheduler for M 94 (running through 04/18 at 01:45 and then M 13 through 04:50. Noted that the Indi Allsky backyard camera indicated a pseudo sky quality metric of remarkable value (dropping to 4200 by 12:30).


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