Test image Western Veil Nebula NGC6960 (AKA the witches Broom)

[Carole]

I only took this image as a test for my re-assembled Dual rig and new 2nd laptop as have imaged it a few times before.

Atik460EX/ Skywatcher ED80 + Focal reducer x 0.8 Ha Oiii an Sii
Atik428EX/ William Optics ZS71 + focal reducer x 0.8 Ha only

Ha 21 x 600 (3 1/2 hours)
Oiii and Sii only 5 x 300secs binned each (lost some due to cloud).

NB: this was also a first light test of my newly acquired Oiii Baader ultranarrowband filter 4.5nm.
The Ha in the ED80 was with the Baader ultranarrowband Ha filter 4nm

Total 4 hours 20 mins, Bortle 8 (Bromley)

[ApophisAstros]

very nice ,Carole.
Roger

[Carole]

Thanks Roger.
Carole

[Hugh]

Really Nice Carole!

Ah! Pareidolia strikes again ~ very 'Star Trek' ~ looks like a Klingon warbird just decloaking!

- Hugh 

[Carole]

Thanks Hugh.  I have no idea what a Klingon looks like.

Carole

[ApophisAstros]

I had Klingons once but a visit to the DRS sorted them out. 
Roger

[Roberto]

This is excellent Carole.  Two telescopes working in tandem help tremendously to complete targets with the time limits we get from poor weather and light pollution.   There is software available to control a mount and two telescopes + cameras + accessories so that you do not need two computers.  I have been using something called Voyager (from Starkeeper.it) for some years now and it is extremely stable.  Not only does it reduce the need for two computers, it synchronises focusing, dithering, filter changes, different exposure lengths, etc.

Roberto

[Carole]

Thanks Roberto, to be honest, I think Voyager is probably OTT for me as I don't control my mount, or autofocus.

I used to run a dual rig a while ago but I dismantled it when I bought my Esprit telescope.  However I found the Esprit too heavy and bulky for me to take to campsites and to be honest I could not see any improved data over what I was already getting with the Doublets, so I sold it.  But it has taken me a few months to re-assemble the back focus on all 3 of my doublets and re-align the dual rig.  It is a bit of a nuisance to have to run 2 laptops though and trying to access both of them remotely is also a challenge. 

I will take a look at Voyager but feel it is probably OTT for my needs.

Carole   

[ApophisAstros]

This is excellent Carole.  Two telescopes working in tandem help tremendously to complete targets with the time limits we get from poor weather and light pollution.   There is software available to control a mount and two telescopes + cameras + accessories so that you do not need two computers.  I have been using something called Voyager (from Starkeeper.it) for some years now and it is extremely stable.  Not only does it reduce the need for two computers, it synchronises focusing, dithering, filter changes, different exposure lengths, etc.

Roberto

I use Astrophotography tool for dual imaging is great on the Eagle mpounted on the scope.
Roger

[Carole]

I don't have an eagle. 
I like to keeps things simple.

Carole

[MarkS]

I would say that's a very successful test!

Mark

[Carole]

Thank you Mark.  I had been intending to image a different target that night, but that target was in Cassiopeia and involved taking the dome off.  I took quite a whole to align the two scopes and cameras, and had loads of problems with software freezing and not responding, (think this might have been a USB problem), and using 2 laptops this doubled the problems, even PHD froze on me.  By the time I had sorted all that out almost 3 hours had gone by in the freezing cold and I did not feel like the effort of taking the dome off (in case the software played up again), which is why I chose this well imaged target.

One of the jokes of the evening I did not discover until after I had posted this image - I did later go over to my target in Cassiopeia (once it had passed the Meridian sufficiently so as not be obscured by the dome.  I took only Ha with the 2nd camera, and when I went to get the subs together I found I had only captured 1 600sec sub on that 2nd laptop.  I realised afterwards I had forgotten to set the preferences on this "new to me" laptop, and is was programmed to switch off after 10 minutes of not being used, though why the software collecting data could not be recognised as being used I don't know!!! 

The Western Veil was not affected by this because of the amount of time I had to go into (or access the software remotely because of all the problems.  By the time I got to the 2nd target, I thought I had it all working properly and just left it duh!!!!

Carole