Astrophoto: Messier 53 – 04/23

Messier 53 – As I found out, a very tough object to make the first steps using an OAG at 1800m. After all a very successful evening with an Astrophoto as a result.

3 or 4 hours of clear sky. More than enough time for a real test with my Off-Axis-Guider. I did struggle a lot. I had to find out, that M53 is really one of the toughest Messier objects to learn how to use an OAG. After some time I found a single guidestar – with a brightness of less than 11! But still, it worked.

After the session I invested some time to analyse my session and the date in Stellarium. I think I am prepared to start into a future guiding with an Off-Axis-Guider.

High resolution on Flickr:

Technical overview

Telescope	Vixen VISAC VC200L
Focal Length	1800mm
Aperture ratio	9
Erecting Lense	–
Filter	–
Mount	Skywatcher HEQ-5
Goto-Control	EKOS
Mount Control	INDI
Guiding Scope Focal Length	OAG
Guiding Camera	QHY 5-III-462C
Guiding Software	EKOS, INDI
Dithering	3 pixel
Camera	CANON EOS M100(a)
Method	focal projection
Camera angle	0
Camera Control	EKOS, INDI, Gphoto2
Motor-Focus	PegasusAstro FC2U
Photography Date	04/19/2023
Exposure-Time Lights	10x180s
Correction frames	FLATS, BIASES
Sensitivity	ISO 400
Post Processing Date	04/20/2023
Stacking, Integration	PixInsight
Post Processing Software	PixInsight
Image Editing	Affinity Photo
Capture Place	Koblenz, Germany
Lightpollution	Bortle 5
Scattered light	Strong