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Come join the friendliest, most engaging and inclusive astronomy forum geared for beginners and advanced telescope users, astrophotography devotees, plus check out our "Astro" goods vendors.
If you are interested in getting started in AP (Astrophotography) or have just begun AP post your questions here. You can also post images if you want suggestions on how to improve them.
So, I have some cloudless/moonless nights coming this Saturday and Sunday. My ideal target is Bode's galaxy from about 10 PM to 3/4 AM on both nights.
Here is the forecast from Astrospheric.
Cloud cover is 0%. However the transparency and seeing are roughly in the average category. I'm definitely going to go, but I am curious what type of personal policy you each have set for yourself in regards to transparency and seeing. When will you decide to NOT image?
Lyle In Utah
Telescopes: William Optics Zenithstar 73 III APO, ZWO 30mm f/4 Mini Guide Scope
Cameras: Sony a7IV Mirrorless, ZWO ASI120MM-MINI
Mount: Sky Watcher EQM-35i
Control: ASIAIR Plus
Hey Lyle,
I take any clear night I can.
I never get a night as good as your graphic shows!
Jim
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
Any sky without clouds is a 100% candidate. I'll do seeing all the way down to poor. The only limfac is transparency. A high thin deck is usually not counted as cloud cover by some of the forecast models. To me, this type of cloud cover is a transparency killer. BUT I will always go and "test" the waters.
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac ∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO ∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5 ∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros. ∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6R, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000 ∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3 ∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100 ∞ AP Gear: ZWO EAF and mini EFW and the Optolong L-eXteme filter ∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
Last night i had a clear sky for the first time since Mid February. Giving me a total of 4 clear nights since December 14. With that scarcity of clear sky I will go out any night it is actually clear -irrespective of seeing etc. Im my circumstances any data is better than no data and while data collected on a poor night may inferior results, i take it as being time to keep my hand in on both data capture and processing.
I would dearly love to have sufficient clear skys to be able to pick and choose but thats not going to happen in the West of Ireland any time soon.
PS, looking at your chart I'd be more scared off by the 14F - THATS MINUS 10C I think. I'd need 5 layers and electrically heated underwear
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer
Jockinireland wrote: ↑Wed Apr 19, 2023 10:54 am
PS, looking at your chart I'd be more scared off by the 14F - THATS MINUS 10C I think. I'd need 5 layers and electrically heated underwear
Yeah, it was cold! Fortunately, I was able to park my vehicle nearby, a couple hundred feet away. So, I spent a good portion of the night sitting in my driver's seat to stay warm with periodic checks on the gear.
Lyle In Utah
Telescopes: William Optics Zenithstar 73 III APO, ZWO 30mm f/4 Mini Guide Scope
Cameras: Sony a7IV Mirrorless, ZWO ASI120MM-MINI
Mount: Sky Watcher EQM-35i
Control: ASIAIR Plus
If the sky is clear and looks too hazy from the smoke I won't even try. If the smoke is more than one layer it will be a bad situation. But I ultimately judge the sky with my mark1-eyeball to make the final determination.
Also the recent images I posted on the Deep Sky Astrophoto section here were taken through 1 layer of smoke according to the smoke map for July 9, 2023. M57 and M27 were fine, but M16 had a dirty mud color in the brighter light-blue area of M16 near the pillars of creation (which was corrected somewhat using photoshop).
