# Andromeda



## griz (Jan 9, 2006)

Finally got out with my new toy under some dark skies. This is a stack of 5 subs and dark frames 200 sec f4 iso 1600. Needs some more integration time there is lots more galaxy there than I'm seeing in this pic. No biggie it all works great. Just a matter of getting used to the rig and how long this camera needs to make pretty space pics.










Decided I'm going to get digtal setting circles and the other axis if I can't figure out a way to find things easier. The cell phone thing works to get you in the area but you still end up doing some searching. Encoders and digital setting circles will get rid of that irritation.

Griz


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## RustyBrown (May 29, 2004)

I wish we had decent skies here... :headknock


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## SwampRat (Jul 30, 2004)

Great pic... There are some fantastic things to see in the night sky...


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## griz (Jan 9, 2006)

*I shot one near your house*

I was at my brother's house getting my nephew to modify the dovetail on my StarLapse so it would work with the Astrotrac wedge. Set up in his driveway and got this shot. I didn't have my skyglow filter with me or it would have turned out better.










That is about as good as you could get as the background overtakes everything if you go longer than 200 sec. With the CLS filter taking out the mercury and sodium wavelengths the background gets much darker. Houston Astro Society has a nice dark site. Its 80 miles west of Houston. 30+ pads to set up your stuff on. The Austin Society dark site is near my place. Going to one of their gatherings next weekend. I need to get some of that red foil for my laptop so it doesn't disturb the visual observers.

Griz


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## MichaelW (Jun 16, 2010)

Thats pretty cool Griz.


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## stargazer (May 24, 2004)

WOW 2 Cool Griz. I wish I had the money and skies, to get into that.


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## griz (Jan 9, 2006)

*It does eat up some dough*

I"m going to end up spending a bunch I can feel it  So far the Losmandy is perfect but I want to take some shots that are going to require 10-15 minute exposures and no mount will track perfectly for that long without some guiding. So I'm looking at adding the dec axis a dual saddle dovetail so it will accept a 50mm borg with autoguider and my Canon. A buddy is going to buy my motorcycle so I'm going to go for the full monte  Don't know why I haven't sold it already no way I'm ever going to ride it again. Can't hold it up. But I've had one since i was 10 so its kinda hard to give it up. Once the portable pier gets here I'm going to go to the Austin astro society dark site near my house. Skies should be really good there. From Houston the nearest dark site is 80 miles west. Long way to go for a nights shooting though. Mostly I'll be shooting from my yard. Its pretty dark here you can see the milky way easily. I found out my exposure was way too short. Needs to be 10-15 minutes to get all of Andromeda. I was using 2.5 minutes. Hopefully the little bit of clouds here will clear out and I can try it again tonight. Had the mount unbalanced too. I wondered what the ticking sound I was hearing came from. Then I remembered it needs to be slightly unbalanced so its always pulling against some weight. Otherwise it kinda floats when the axis is parallel with the ground. If you blow up the stars you'll notice they have a kinda tricorn appearance. Its either against one side or the other or in the middle of the worm. Might need to adjust the lash a bit but I want to try it with the balance right first. Worms are tricky to adjust so they don't bind.

Griz


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## griz (Jan 9, 2006)

The pier came in today. Now all that I need to finish up is installing the encoders and getting it all hooked up to the laptop. The pier is nice and sturdy. The legs and wedge fit inside for travel.










Looks like I'm going to get a few clear nights the next few evenings. I'll be able to give it a good test.

Griz


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## Shaky (May 21, 2004)

Sheesh! I have trouble keeping up with lens caps and spare batteries!


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## griz (Jan 9, 2006)

I love this kind of stuff. A true science nerd I am. Not as cool as working on the accelerators in college but it will have to do. No govt grant at work here  It looks pretty cool but hopefully tonight when its clear finally I'll get to put it to the test. Takes a few runs to get the worm gearing all adjusted. I've been running it pretty much all the time to bed in the gearing. They make a new one piece bearing block that is much easier to adjust I might end up getting one of those. I have a program that will graph the error so any misadjustments will be easy to find. It was too loose when I got the mount. When your axis approaches parallel with the ground if everything isn't adjusted and balanced it can float somewhat and your stars will have a tri cornered look to them. That happened last time. Should have noticed it making a ticking sound. Just didn't remember right off  I pulled the motor off so I could hand turn the worm shaft and adjusted it that way. Usually that gets it really close. But we'll see tonight.

Griz


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