Last night, it was working fine if I did 5min subs or shorter, but when I did 10min subs I got a total whiteout sub 650000 ADU, no detail, just as if I had done an overexposed flat.
I went back to looping and a 5min sub and it was fine, so i did another 10min sub and the same thing happened again. Went to try 7mins but the clouds came over.
No chance of stray light as back garden and too co-incidental to happen twice.
My Atik314L is going back to Atik (when I go to Astrofest) anyway, as there is a really dark dust bunny that needs cleaning off and they offered to clean it for me. (I don't want to tamper myself).
But just wondered whether any-one has any ideas in the meantime.
Carole
what happens if you try a 5min and 10min dark (you can try this in the daylight of course...) John
Is there a chance that the background count was over 50% (in the histogram) when you took the 5min frame ? if so then 10mins could flood the ccd.
Robert
I'll try both those things.
Quote10mins could flood the ccd.
I just took a look in maxim at the 5min sub and the sky background is about 39000 adu which would work as you said i.e flooded the sensor.
I was puzzled as I thought I had done 20mins subs with this camera before, but just realised they were all narrowband.
I have done 10min subs luminance at a dark site.
Bummer, so I presume this means I can't do any longer than 5mins (still to try 7mins) with luminance from Bromley?
Does this sound about normal then?
Thought there was something wrong with the camera.
Carole
cant remember what I have done - have you got a CLS filter or just straight L filter - if just L then yes I would suspect all the buckets are filling up.... I always use CLS even when doing L from Bromley
too much for around here, with L filter. did you use cls filter?
I can't believe it has taken me 2 1/2 years with a CCD camera to find this out.
I just checked back all my images, and there were either done at a dark site, or with narrowband at home.
I must remember to use a CLS filter when doing LRGB from home, Bern told me I didn't need to when I bought filters from him, but more lately I have been advised to, but obviously not having done any from home in luminance I haven't got in the habit of doing so.
I got a new set of filters when I went over to the EFW and apart from being Baader I'll check with Ian King what he sold me.
I have got a CLS filter, so thanks for reminding me and no I didn't use one last night.
Well thanks for that, at least I know it's not because the camera is broken.
Carole