"Don't Panic"

...is emblazoned across the front of "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy", but I did! Those rain clouds were still haunting me tonight, but I was determined :evil: Keep yer cool I told myself, but I didn't. I wrote out my instructions on how I was going to keep control of the situation and make my second deep sky image. But at the first sign of the clouds running in I lost the plot and hammered off 7 x 5 second exposures of M13. Thats all I got the chance to do. Was it worth heaving the scope outside at midnight for such a brief, panicky, hurried, cocked up shot? yeh, of course it was, I'm happy with the attempt, but just to view M13 is such a delight anyway.
I've left my notes outside in the rush, they will be soggy now but it's: LX90, DSI, 7 frames @ 5 seconds, auto-combined in Autostar Suite, with darks.
www.irishastronomy.org/user_resources/files/1115165900-M13.jpg
By the way, the smudgy bit is my red mark that was in the Cats Eye appearing again. I've been told it is probably some hot pixels, looks like I need it replaced. I hope Meade are good to deal with under these circumstances!
Bill H.

It's still a nice shot of M13 nonetheless.

Bill - ah, the trials and tribulations... But, it was all well worth it. That's a much better image than mine. Focus seems good and your tracking seems to have worked just fine. Framing could be better but I know how just getting the thing on the CCD chip can be a major achievement! Let alone keeping it there!

I think you should definately frame this and stick it on the wall - its a good image. And like anything else, there will be better to come, I'm sure of it!

I'm surprised at the comment on hot pixels from the catseye - I wouldn;t have thought that would happen with such a dim object. Imaging M13 after a good stint on say Jupiter might do it but the catseye? Have a word with Meade - I got a replacement IR filter from them for the DSI free gratis and they were prompt enough... The smudgy bit 'could' be a dust mote - a flat frame would get that out of the way.

Anyway - well done again and here's hoping for more panic under a threatening sky

Hi Dave, The mark actually starts during the taking of darks, and continues during the taking of the image. It starts off white arond the second dark frame and then continues to get redder and redder during the rest of the darks and through the actual image once the darks are complete. It's never there if I don't take darks or lunar shots which are are very short.
Thank you both for your comments. and yes Dave, I think that getting te image on the chip is now becoming more difficult than focusing.
Bill H.

Hmmm - that's an odd one about the mark... I'd throw that one out to the DSI group - I'm sure there could diagnose the problem. Include the dark frames if you can and any images where the mark is obviously present. Sounds like it 'could' be a hot spot and possible the DSI needs replacing. I doubt you'll have any problem there - possibly just a long wait...

Getting the image o the chip is the same as focusing - once you've nailed it it actually become easy - well, in relative terms...

Now - off you go and get the LPI set up as an autoguider :shock:

Cheers!
Dave McD

nice image Bill,
If that is a hot pixel, it will be obvious in any dark frame and hence easy to subtract out