nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

I did a video of an imaging session I did tonight. My original plan was to use the 8 inch SCT and gather more NGC 2403 images. But last night, I took 32 images and kept 4 - the moon did me in....and tonight will be the same and worse. SOOOOO, I did video that covers what I do...from polar alignment to setting up an imaging session...using astrotortilla, NXD-2, PhD2, Whats Up, Backyard for Nikon - much of this software is free.

For those who have an hour to spare - and can take a little rambling ....with sinus infection sniffles. Have at it!

https://vimeo.com/191104248

Warning - it's hard for me to watch a video that I do. I do not realize how illiterate I sound! But if you can pick up something that helps you with your workflow, good!

Marc G Loc: East Grinstead, West Sussex, England

Interesting insight to alternative software i haven't used yet
Not to much waffle & most certainly not illiterate
:)

Europa Loc: West Hills, CA

Just finished Ed, great information and job well done. I was very interested in the astrototilla, you just saved me a bunch of time.

It's also nice to see someone go thru their setup, I learned quite a few other pointers as you went thru your process. Looking forward to your next video...see how I planted that seed!

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

We are having fires just to the north of us (I am not in California either) and the haze from the smoke has been pretty serious. When you add the full moon to the mix trying to image something has been impossible.

So I did some speed test. From start to finish...and by finish I am referring to the setup to image process ......by finish I am referring to when your "camera begins capturing images.

I compared two work flows - one using Sequence Generator Pro and the other (the ones I used in the video) with the various software programs. I can polar align - used QHY Polemaster for both, slew to a bright named star (platesolve) and focus in 12 minutes. From there I can slew to my target and platesolve (center the target) in less than 1 minute ..more like 30 seconds. I can type in my images sequence and begin imaging in 20 (with PhD2 taking 3 to 5 minutes) minutes total...from Polar Alignment to Imaging. When I use SGP....I am waiting on SGP to plate solve 5 times longer - and closer to 40 minutes or twice the time.

In short - SGP 40 minutes
Method used in video - 20 minutes.

Before when I did 2, 3, 5 star alignments - an polar aligned using either Alignmaster (super software BTW) and/or drift alignment (using PhD2) I would easily spend 1 hour and more before I could begin imaging. ..and if I accidentally bumped the scope - start over. If plate solving with Astrotortilla, you bump the scope - no matta - re- solve with Astrotortilla and shoot away.

Europa Loc: West Hills, CA

I have not timed myself, but pretty certain that I'm well over an hour, probably closer to 1 1/2.

my mount will not accept the polaralign, so maybe I'll try out the alignmaster, it's only $19. I really like astrotortilla tho, I don't know how many times my re-alignment to an image is far off, even if it only means I spend more time when looking for my stacking stars.

I haven't used planetarian software yet, planned to get around to that too. All good info ho. Thanks again.