stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

I started to process once again after all these cloudy,rainy nights after boiling during the day and as soon as there's a cold front blowing in, Microsoft puts the smackdown on me with an update on both computers . I love this hobby , one night of collecting photons makes me forget about the smackdown. I'm trying {this processing is a painstaking endeavor}, I shot 6 hrs using both sides of the meridian using about 3.75 hrs of worthy data without clouds, guiding errors, satellite and comair trailing the sky . This is what I have so far without cropping, the final will be cropped Enjoy. I have 4 more targets in the process hoard to work and hopefully, I'll get to it soon.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

I feel your pain, Ronnie!
I was all set to play last night and the same demon struck here. I guess my time was up on my Update Block on my mount laptop.
Microsoft in all it's communistic glory fiddled with my drivers again, this time it was my Pegasus focuser.
So I just shut down my intended uses, and let Microsoft do it's dimwit updates and tried to fix things today.
This time, I've permanently turned off Microsoft's update screw-up.
I need my mount computer left the hell alone so it can work as needed.
We already have enough stuff to deal with without Windose Updates throwing rocks in the gears.

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

Sonny, I tried till 11pm to get my guidecam running after the update. I thought that was what I did but, I would check on the time your computer. It will still update because the updates will download pending on a restart and that still messes with your computer . Nothing is safe when you live in an AI controlled environment. I've got another Qhy5L guidecam on the way. Soon ,I'll be surfing the Cosmos again . The nights here are so humid that the sweat just drips off , the pool is a temp fix in this Boil.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Hi Ronnie,
Sorry to hear your guide cam died. Hope the new one gets there fast.

I did an update on my focuser, then got it going last night and as far as I know it was running it's routine just fine when I left it.
So expecting a fresh pile of pasture patties when i get up. Still night time here.

Yep, some code banger just has to put out a "new and improved" string of nonsense "for security reasons" and it messes with our 3rd party software.
Microsoft Cooties.
Stand by for the updates to update the update back to where things were before the update upset the whole system.
I can understand why some folks stay with Winders 7 so they don't have to be bothered by the code bangers.

Ahh, what a world. What a World!
Lol!

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

Should turn into a pretty decent M81...

What camera are you using with that amp glow?

bwa

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Yep I know the feeling. The sky settled down but for some reason SGpro stopped talking to PHD2. After a reboot everything started working again. Then around 3:00AM the laptop automatically rebooted. I got most of my shots but still need some blue subs for M17. Hopefully tonight I can finish getting the LRGB data and start on so narrow band images of it. Looks like you have a good start on M81.

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

It's an Asi1600mm pro Brian with 1.25" filters which I crop the final image. It's getting there friend it just takes time. I get what family members can afford to buy me, I sure wish that I was young again. I would have the 2"efw and filters, I was fortunate to get a Celestron avx mount when my 3rd owner Meade lxd55 broke. I do what I can with what I have , 2 15yr+ meade lxd55 mounts that were held together with JB Weld and the brand new Celestron avx from the family, 3 mounts in 8 years. I'm still waiting on the Astrophysics mach 2 German equatorial computerized mount from Santa. If that happens I would have to get an observatory sky shed like you. Gotta love this astrophotography pit.Keep on shooting

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

Ballard, you got lucky to actually catch photons the same night. I worked for hours for trying to get the computer unfroze and "OK" the restart and the darn thing was already doing the install without my knowledge again BEWARE of the AI. Then when I took the computer back out and hooked everything up again the guidecam wouldn't work switched 4 different usb 2 cords and tried focusing and notta happening and phd2 kept getting the driver messed up looking in the brain to see if everything was correct in the camera settings , I switched back to my my older ccd guidecam and phd2 kept giving me the popup set up for another camera URGGGG! I had that camera working the night before I swapped them out. Needless to say I was soaked with sweat and ready for the pool at 11pm. I gave in better luck next time. keep on shooting

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

Sonny, I believe they are deliberately setting us astrophotographers up to fail. So ,that we give up seaching for the truth which we know is out there.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Highly probable.
What can they do, outlaw our equipment? Make us stop looking up?
Or just wreck our computers in the name of "upgrades"?
A bit odd that several of us, interested in the same thing, working toward a simular goal, experiance the same sort of abnormalities with the same "updates".
Worth noting.
My equipment seemed to work fine last night, just not on Update night.
And it sounds like 3 of us experianced some sort of driver problems.
Interesting.

Cue music from the Twilight Zone.

bwana Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada

One of the reasons I try keeping to the KISS principle, i.e.: the least amount of electronics/computers possible.

However, I would really like a clear sky some night before the turn of the century!

bwa

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Oh, not me. I've paid my dues to sit back and just be a voyer.
I finally got to the point that NINA works, plate solving works, and automation works.
I get up in the morning and my telescope and mount is parked and done. 2 nights runs everything, LRGB and Darks and bias. Then the next night narrowband. Ahh, sit back and bask in the moment....

Of course, I still can't process....
But boy, can I get some B&W!


Clear skies? That's a matter of Location, Location, Location.
And being where the world isn't on fire.
Believe me, we have all the ingredients for a major fire season here this year.
So I expect to be under smoke any time now.

Ballard Loc: Grass Valley, California

Sounds like things not going good. Where you on win10 or win11?
Tonight things are working for me although it is still currently ~70 Fahrenheit, the skies are clear and calm. The MS guiding was around .5 arc seconds when I started at 10, now at 11:14 it is .37 arc seconds with M17 ~ 33 degrees above the southern horizon (it will transit in about 45 minutes).

stepping beyond Loc: usa eastcoast

I reckon yall, they expect us to just bite the bullet on this subject and become subservient to the fact that they have the power to do anything they want in the name of progress of letting AI take control of all aspects of our lives. I not going to sit ideally by why they take my freedom to search the skies anytime I want. That's all I'll type about that.Rant! Sonny, I see you've got SOME new additions. Good for you ! Brian, I can't seem to get rid of any cords. I've got {2 ext. cords with 3 way plugs 2x powerstrip , 1x 8 outlet usb hub each has it's own turn off button so, if I didn't need one I can shut off the power to that particular outlet. Brian everything is full , that's Ronnie's automation. I think I can still dream of getting rid if charlotes web Someday. Ballard, win 10 still and I stil have 3 usb cords running out of the computer. GO FIGURE ! my guide cam arrives Monday with no extra downtime at least while waiting for it the weather is mid 90's then factor in the humidity over 100° frightful muggy buggy nasty with clouds and evening thunderstorms for the next week {at the least the sky is pretty cool to watch.. WOOHOO! and BOOHOO!