2017/Feb/10 Comet 45P

Don't know what I am doing... ;-)
Woke up at 4:30am and start getting LRGB 30s frames...
Still learn how to process comet...

This one is from L channel only, 10 subs...

2017 New Year Project -- "Portable Observatory"

Want to do something like this for a long long time. Having two young kids really limits my go-out-to-do-imaging time. People said having a semi-permanent setup is the next best thing to an observatory. So I pull the trigger... !!

I really should do this earlier !!!

Take me 5 min to setup and 5 min to tear down.

Although I have very limited sky in my backyard, I think I am going get a lot of subs this year.

365 cover ...

Very limited sky ...

First light -- Thor's Helmet Nebula - Ha 30min x 3 and the target is blocked by the tree...

 Second light -- Rosette Nebula -- Ha 30min x 7 ...

iTelescope ... First Try

Raining ... so I decide to give iTelescope a try ...

DSLR Narrowband (6nm Ha) Test

Always curious how well can a DSLR do with a narrowband filter.

This is from a single 1200s expo. With Canon t3i + 6nm Ha filter.

Setup:

The second expo touchess the roof ;-)

Non process version ...

12/12/2016 - Moon Occult Aldebaran

This is my first time viewing occultation !! Happened at 19:06 and I did see it via my 70x15 bino.

2016/11/10 Still Struggling ...

Received a new reducer/rotator design (super great customer service !)

Have a reasonable good focus ...

But still get egg shape stars on some corners...

And it rotates with the CCD (main lens and reducer don't rotate)

This is the one CCD face "up"

Rotate CCD to "left" 90 degree

Rotate CCD to "right" 90 degree

Still need to find out why ... ;-(

10/8/2016 Test New Equipment

Tested my new refractor at my backyard last night.

Pointed the scope to zenith (90 degree), takes many 10 sec exposures with L filter.

Imaging with my STT-8300 CCD, guiding is on with very smooth guiding curve.

The focuser is tighten too.

Here are some diagnosis images:

(1) You can see egg shape of stars at the top-left and top-right corners. 

(2) If I rotated the CCD to 90 degree, the egg shape stars are now at top-right and bottom-right corners.

(3) If I rotated the CCD to 180 degree, the egg shape stars are now at bottom-right and bottom-left corners

(4) If I rotated the CCD to 270 degree, the egg shape stars are now at bottom-left and top-right corners

I also point the scope to 45 degree and see if there is any flexure on the imaging train. The egg shape stars are still the same. I also tighten the focuser very hard so it should have nothing to do with flexure...