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Astrophotography Open Cluster

Astrophoto: Messier 35 and NGC 2158 – 03/22

My 2024 reprocessed astrophoto of the open clusters Messier 35 and NGC 2158. I collected the data in early 2022.

The Session-Story of Messier 35 and NGC 2158

Astrophoto: Messier 35 and NGC 2158: It took months between my last clear sky and this one. I think the last one was in december. Meanwhile a few things changed at my setup.

  • I found my flattener distance to the Chip!
  • I am now able to expose 300s with my CANON EOS M100. The trick is, to make one 10s photo and then a series of 30, 40 or whatever 300s photos. Don’t know why it works 🙂
  • I got my USB-Hub attached to my Vixen.
  • Last but not least: I fixed the backlash on my HEQ-5 Pro and did the Rowan Belt Upgrade. I used the discription of astrophotograph Marten: Install the Rowan belt modification kit on your HEQ5 Pro mount – Frosth Astrophotography
    Thanks for the video! And also for the backlash video!

So, a lot of changes and here is the high resolution result on Flickr of the reprocessed result (december 2023):

Open Clusters Messier 35 and NGC 2158

Lessons Learned

Yes, I learned some things, as always. The Flattener position really seems to be good now, although there is still one thing. That will be fixed at Clear Sky 33 🙂

What really makes me crazy, and this is a new problem is, dizzering makes my guiding crazy. I dont know why, bur after dithering my guiding needs heavy corrections.

Same data – advanced processing

Technical overview:

TelescopeVIXEN ED80sf
Focal Length600mm
Aperture ratio7.5
Erecting LenseTSFlat2
FilterOptolong UV/IR Cut
MountSkywatcher HEQ-5
Goto-ControlEKOS
Mount ControlINDI
Guiding Scope Focal Length162 mm
Guiding Camera Chip4.8mm x 3.6mm, 8bit
Guiding Camera Resolution1280×960
Guiding SoftwareEKOS, INDI
Dithering3 pixel
CameraCANON EOS M100(a)
Methodfocal projection
Camera angle30° (as Stellarium)
Camera ControlEKOS, INDI, Gphoto2
Photography Date03/23/2022
Exposure-Time Lights30x300s
SensitivityISO 400
CalibrationframesFlats, Bias
Processing Date03/24/2022
Reprocessing Date12/21/2023
Stacking, IntegrationPixInsight
Processing SoftwarePixInsight
Image EditingAffinity Photo
Reprocessing Software PixInsight
Capture PlaceKoblenz, Germany
LightpollutionBortle 5
Scattered lightstrong

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