more focuser trials

99% moon, not ready for narrow band, so time to convince myself that the Gemini focuser really does focus correctly. Again. 

2" Laida uv-ir cut filter in the m48 of the m63 ff extension.

Drifting haze lit by the lunar spotlight. You could easily read a book by the telescope.

focuser re-focus settings at
kstars -> capture -> limits

Initial focus at home position:

4821

Followed by decreasing inward focus as the night progressed.

4799

4796

But it's not astrophotography unless something goes wrong. This time, dust was evident on the camera sensor after having fiddled with the filters earlier and forgetting the detail of cleaning the sensor. DUH! So, off with the camera, blow and finally restart...

4773

4753

4750

But, enough of the figures... 

galaxy m33 pinwheel in triangulum
atr533c on sv122    30x4min @ hcg100

open clusters m35 below ngc2158 in gemini
atr533c on sv122    19x4min @ hcg100

full moon galaxy and cloud

 

Well, OK then, 99% moon. A cheap uv-ir cut filter in place of the dodgy sv variety and the focus was much better. Managed a whopping 24 minutes before the cloud rolled in.

galaxy m33 in triangulum
atr533 on sv122    6x4min @ hcg100

gemini focuser under INDI

Not needed one before. First go with an electric focuser. Mainly because they've only just become affordable; curiosity.

The Gemini focuser uses the MyFocuserPro2 driver under the DIY section of the focuser menu.

As we are probably going to have one focuser for each telescope -it's silly having to change focuser hardware each time- we gave the gemini focuser an alias:

in kstars

Tools -> Devices -> Custom Drivers

The MyFocuserPro2 now appears as gemini_1, so we choose that as the focuser for the profile. Any changes made to this focuser e.g. a preset, are now stored at:

~/.indi$ ls -l g* My*
-rw-rw-r-- 1 steve steve 5605 ene 10 10:30 gemini_1_config.xml
-rw-rw-r-- 1 steve steve 5073 ene 10 10:28 gemini_1_config.xml.default
-rw-rw-r-- 1 steve steve 5188 ene 9 22:55 MyFocuserPro2_config.xml
-rw-rw-r-- 1 steve steve 5188 ene 4 16:51 MyFocuserPro2_config.xml.default

Nudge the focuser to get close to focus (take a e.g.1s exposure after each nudge) then hit Auto Focus.
Miraculously, after a minute or so:

That's using EKOS' overscan set at 100 (the default) thus avoiding the backlash nightmares reported elsewhere.

Focus settings whilst imaging (i.e. re-focusing) are accessed via the Capture module 'Limits' button:

And hey, despite the awful seeing, a pretty picture. Still no idea how to process refractor images but anyway... Oh, and found the bloated stars solution: the rubbish svbony uv-ir cut filter. Put an equally cheap Laida filter instead and it's much better. See the m33 above.

galaxies m81 bode's with m82 el puro in ursa major
tr533 on sv122    16xm min @ hcg100

flaming star and a cluster

Still haven't got to grips with the 122... It loses focus after a few frames. I'm told that triplets do that. Wonderful! Gonna try an EAF to see if that helps.

sv122 - gemini eaf - ff 0.8 - atr533c

focus mirfak 1s

emission and reflection nebula ic405 flaming star in auriga
533c on sv122 34x3min @ hcg100

open cluster ngc1245 in perseo
533c on sv122    22x3min @ hcg100

hora punta

 

sv550 122

TAT: Try a Triplet. 

In fact it's quite good. Almost as good as a reflector.

open clusters ngc884 left with ngc869 in perseus
533c on sv122    19x3min @ HCG100

gas and dust around merope in taurus
533c on sv122    35x3min @ HCG100

cangrejo

 Corresponding to a bright supernova, first observed in 1054.

supernova m1 crab in taurus
533c on gso203    21x5min @ hcg100

planetary nebula m97 owl in ursa major
533c on gso203    34x5min @ hcg100