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[starbux]

Even though I'm in CA temperatures dropped below freezing as I was out with the LX200.

All RAW images. Baader Moon & Skyglow filter used. The M42 image is from the RAW file opened twice at 2 different exposure settings and composited. Celestron LPR filter used in additon.

The Tau CMa Cluster. A fav I've wanted to image. 1min at 400 iso.


Finally got to image M42 with the LX200. Not too bad, but at 5 min (100 iso) the mount shows tracking errors. Stars typically like this at 5 mins, but fortunately the size of the nebula is a little more forgiving.


For fun I tweaked the saturation settings to closely approximate the visual appearence.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Incredible on the images you are getting.

On M42, are the star blurs out of focus just a tad? Am I seeing the secondary mirror in the stars, or was it a bump?

Good color...what can you do about the tracking?

[starbux]

On M42, are the star blurs out of focus just a tad? Am I seeing the secondary mirror in the stars, or was it a bump?

Good color...what can you do about the tracking?

No, I don't think this is the secondary mirror. I think it is a periodic error in tracking that shows up at 5 minutes, as all my attempts to do a 5 min exposure with the LX200 have had similar stars. And I can forget about globular clusters (tried M79) or planetary nebulae (tried ngc 2392) at 5 min.

What can I do? Well, I wish there was some magical photoshop filter I could use, but as I see it, I would need to get a guide scope or auto guider (It was so cold I doubt I would have had what it takes to follow a guide star). I could also get an EQ wedge, perhaps the error won't show up if the mount is in EQ mode. Alas these will all have to wait awhile. I better improve my stacking skills for now, and learn to make the best of shorter exposures.