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RICHARD COFER

VdB 141 Ghost Nebula

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Posts Made By: Roland Christen

August 9, 2017 07:41 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

NGC6888

Posted By Roland Christen
Had two nights of clear skies, but with full Moon up, so could only shoot narrowband.
This image is composed of Ha and OIII, 15 x 20 minute subs. It's a bicolor image, OIII is used in green and blue channels. (needs lots more exposure, but running out of time and skies).

17" AP Astrograph, STL11K, 1600 mount, MaximDL.

Rolando

August 10, 2017 02:41 AM Forum: Astro-Physics

Guiding performance with an encoder mount

Posted By Roland Christen
1600 Encoder Mount tracking performance with 9 second tracking subs. Note the 0.2 pixel RMS variation on the guide star, producing nice round stars.

Rolando

August 29, 2017 01:18 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Corona midway

Posted By Roland Christen
From Casper Wyoming, shot with 130GDX Starfire refractor, by Marj Christen, processed by me, 5 shots @ 1/250 second and 3 shots @ 1/100 second layered in Photoshop, Sony NEX7 camera. We had thin high altitude cloud that appeared just as totality occurred. Although it obscured the outermost corona, it added some faint rainbow colors to the corona and especially to the diamond ring.

This is my first attempt at combining some Jpegs. I will eventually process the Raws which should produce better dynamic range.

Rolando

August 29, 2017 08:59 PM Forum: Astro-Physics

AP ladies at the eclipse

Posted By Roland Christen
Three eclipse ladies from Astro-Physics, left to right Marj, Karen, Christine, enjoying the eclipse in Casper. Marj operating the 130GTX refractor, Karen with a Canon digital camera setup and Christine holding the 11x70 binoculars. My 155 refractor setup on 1100 mount in the rear.

Rolando

August 31, 2017 06:30 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Eclipse Combined image

Posted By Roland Christen
George, our tech support person was set up about 60 miles east of us and took images with his 130GTX scope of the outer corona. I combined his image with Marj's inner corona detail to get an overall eclipse image. This image is close to what we all saw thru our 90mm Stowaway scopes and the 70mm binoculars. The image is approximately 1/4 size due to limitations of this forum, so cannot show full resolution details.

Rolando

September 14, 2017 08:56 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Veil Nebula closeup

Posted By Roland Christen
Hi All,

Had a nice steady clear night last night for about 4 hours until the fog swept in. This is a 50 x 20 minute exposure in H-a, scope was the AP 17" F8 astrograph, STL11K camera. If it's clear tonight I will get some more data.

Rolando

September 14, 2017 09:06 PM Forum: Astro-Physics

1600 Tracking Test

Posted By Roland Christen
Had a calm night of good seeing, did some testing on the 1600 mount with 17" F8 astrograph. Guider scale is 1 arc sec per pixel. Guide subs were 20 sec. each. Note RMS guide values(peak values include dither moves).

Rolando

September 22, 2017 09:16 PM Forum: Astro-Physics

How to use PEMPro to create a PE curve

Posted By Roland Christen
Hi All,

Here is a step by step method to create a good PE curve that can be downloaded into an equatorial mount, such as the AP Mach1. The data presented is from a production Mach1 mount.

First step is to acquire data using the PEMPro program with scope pointed to the Celestial equator near the Meridian. The attached image shows data of 3 worm period run, approximately 20 minutes.

You will notice that the 3 runs are not exactly the same, but lie pretty much on top of each other within +- 1 arc second. Make sure you check the drift align box. If the three runs are wildly different, then something is wrong with your imaging system (loose focuser, flopping mirror, scope flexure, very bad seeing, etc.). This will result in bad data and should not be used to create a PE curve.

Roland

October 27, 2017 08:08 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Some faint galaxies around NGC507

Posted By Roland Christen
Some faint galaxies just north of M33 in Pisces, ranging in magnitude from 12 to 16. Exposure of 10 x 600 sec with STL11K and 17" F8 astrograph. Sky background very bright due to extensive light pollution in my observing spot.

Rolando

P.S. haven't seen much action around here on AM. Where did everyone go? Nobody imaging anymore?

November 9, 2017 05:39 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M76 Little Dumbell

Posted By Roland Christen
Image of Little dumbbell taken by big dumbbell grin

16 x 600 sec exposure taken with AP 17" F8 Astrograph. In very cold frosty November skies, cold air sweeping down from Canada, known around here as the Arctic Express.

Rolando

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