Re: UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100
Mark,
The cool thing about the Mallincam SkyRaider family of cameras is that the back focus is only 17.5mm.? I can achieve focus and still have about 3/4" of focus travel left over.? I did not have to change anything.? Just insert the camera and start my remote dob astrophotography (after 2-star alignment and the focus exercise with the mask).??
?
My UC18 has brackets to secure the truss poles on the VMB and I did design a new set of brackets just in case that were 1" shorter.? But they were not needed so they were never built.? I designed the shorter brackets in eMachineShop.com (free cad).? With an extra set of shorter brackets, you don't have to permanently change the telescope.
Richard
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Re: UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100
Richard: Thanks so much.
Second question. I assume you've cut down a set of poles to allow for sufficient infocus. Obviously that will change your focal length, correct? I'm new to imaging (tho I've had cameras for a while) especially to using my Obsession for this. Just looking to get the basics correct so as to not have to re-do things.
?
Mark
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Re: UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100
Mark, Here is the photo I posted some time ago on this site under photos. [email protected] | PhotoI used the mask generator and transferred the image to the 1/8" thick plywood and cut it out with a jig saw. It is really amazing to achieve "perfect" focus. Richard
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Re: UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100
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Re: UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100
Mark ? Check this site out for mask making: ? ? Jim ?
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From: [email protected] < [email protected]> On Behalf Of Mark Gregory Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2024 2:52 PM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [ObsessionUsers] UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100 ? Richard:
Did you print your own mask? I've been looking but haven't found anything that approaches 18". Or did you use a smaller mask just mounted on something to hold it in place? Maybe show us a picture?
Thanks!
Mark
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Re: UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100
Richard:
Did you print your own mask? I've been looking but haven't found anything that approaches 18". Or did you use a smaller mask just mounted on something to hold it in place? Maybe show us a picture?
Thanks!
Mark
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Re: UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100
Hi Steve,
I cut 3 small slots so the mask can balance on the 3 struts of my upper tube assembly.? Basically, the mask sits just above the secondary.
Then adjust focus so the spikes are symmetrical.
Hope this helps.
Richard
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Re: UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100
Hi Richard. I hope your holidays went smoothly.
Just another silly question, were does your Bahtinov Mask sit on your scope?
No pun intended, but I'm a visual guy.
Happy Holiday and Happy New Year. This year, may you continue your quest for wonderful images (so I can keep on enjoying them).
Steve?
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LeNhance Filter with my UC18 and DS10cTEC 
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Re: UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100
Hi Steve,
no filters were used.
10 second exposure for 10 live stacks (100 seconds). ?Used a Bahtinov mask to achieve best focus ( focus is crucial ).
Post processed with Pixinsight (dynamic crop, GraXpert, BlurXTerminate, NoiseXTerminate, StarXTerminate, Generalized Hyperbolic Stretch).
?Richard
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Re: UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100
Hi Richard.
Great picture. I really enjoy seeing your work
Did you use any filters when taking the frames (Optolong L=ultimate, dual band filters?)
If so, how many separate stacks?
Or was it all done post processing?
Steve
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UC18 with Mallincam DS287c and some post processing of M100
M100 is being enhanced with the new version of Pixinsight BlurXTerminator with the AI version 4. 
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Re: M74 10 second exposure 10 stacks with UC18 and DS10cTEC
Hi Richard. Thanks for your response. It helps to clarify a lot (in between the cobwebs that usually occupy my head). I am continuing my research online. As always, I appreciate your time, Steve
On Wed, Dec 27, 2023 at 12:17?AM Richard < rmille64@...> wrote: HI Steve,
I do not have a guide camera and do not plate solve (yet).? Stellarium gives you a map of the sky and shows you where your telescope is currently pointing.? Just pick your next target by clicking your mouse on that next target and push function key F2 (you can actually have multiple telescopes visible on Stellarium and assign a function key to each one).? Once you push the function key to slew the telescope your telescope will start to slew to that next target. ASCOM is fetching the data from Argo Navis to find out where the telescope is currently pointing and issues commands to ServoCAT to move until the target is reached.
?
Once the telescope starts to slew I will then "alt tab" over to my MallincanSky program and watch the camera until the next target is inside the field of view.? If the target is not perfectly centered, then I will use the ASCOM virtual hand pad to nudge the telescope position to center up the target in the field of view.
Hope this helps.
Meanwhile, I am looking forward to galaxy season.
Here is M51 from last year that I just post processed in Pixinsight tonight (rainy day activity).
Richard
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Re: M74 10 second exposure 10 stacks with UC18 and DS10cTEC
HI Steve, I do not have a guide camera and do not plate solve (yet).? Stellarium gives you a map of the sky and shows you where your telescope is currently pointing.? Just pick your next target by clicking your mouse on that next target and push function key F2 (you can actually have multiple telescopes visible on Stellarium and assign a function key to each one).? Once you push the function key to slew the telescope your telescope will start to slew to that next target. ASCOM is fetching the data from Argo Navis to find out where the telescope is currently pointing and issues commands to ServoCAT to move until the target is reached. ? Once the telescope starts to slew I will then "alt tab" over to my MallincanSky program and watch the camera until the next target is inside the field of view.? If the target is not perfectly centered, then I will use the ASCOM virtual hand pad to nudge the telescope position to center up the target in the field of view. Hope this helps. Meanwhile, I am looking forward to galaxy season. Here is M51 from last year that I just post processed in Pixinsight tonight (rainy day activity).  Richard
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Re: M74 10 second exposure 10 stacks with UC18 and DS10cTEC
Hi Richard. So your words:??
'So to “drive” my rig you just click on the Stellarium target and hit F2 and the Telescope will slew to that location.? Then pop over to MallincamSky and fine tune the position of the telescope with the virtual handpad then start capturing your image.'
Do you use a separate guide camera for tracking or your MallincaSky camera takes your images and AND sends information through Stellarium to drive the AN/SC?
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Re: M74 10 second exposure 10 stacks with UC18 and DS10cTEC
Richard,
Thanks again for the clarifications.
I do have more 'homework' to do.
I'll keep stalking you on the forums...really enjoy seeing your images.
Presently I use SkFi III and Sky Safari 7 Pro on my iphone to direct my 15"UC GOTOs.
I assume SkySafari 7 Pro can be used in place of Stellarium.
More watching and listening on the forums and youtube seems to be in my future.
Thanks for your help,
Steve
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Re: M74 10 second exposure 10 stacks with UC18 and DS10cTEC
Steve, ? No problem.? I so enjoy this hobby that I find it fun to show others what I to have more fun than a human should be allowed to have. ? Richard
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From: [email protected] < [email protected]> On Behalf Of classicalgman Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2023 8:41 PM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [ObsessionUsers] M74 10 second exposure 10 stacks with UC18 and DS10cTEC ? Richard,
ALSO, I appreciate your time in talking to me, a complete novice dipping his toes into getting a handle on EAA and or AP.
Steve
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Re: M74 10 second exposure 10 stacks with UC18 and DS10cTEC
Steve, ? I have to do 2 things before the telescope is ready for remote control: ? - Do 2 star alignment
- Place the Argo Navis into “From Planetarium” mode.
? The Eagle loads and runs: - MallincamSky software to control the camera
- Stellarium to slew the telescope
- Pegasus software to control my USB hub
- A program I wrote in Visual Basic dot net to store the image name and 76 other fields of data (camera settings, gps data, Argo Navis data, temperature, humidity, SQM, power remaining on my 55 amp hour battery
- Eagle Manager X
? My laptop just runs Microsoft Remote Desktop to log into the Eagle and acts like a remote keyboard and display for the Eagle. ? When Stellarium loads on the Eagle the ASCOM virtual handpad loads as well. ? You have to configure Stellarium with the ServoCAT ASCOM driver so it can ask the Argo Navis where the telescope is currently pointing and then Stellarium places a cursor on it’s map to show you the telescope location. ? So to “drive” my rig you just click on the Stellarium target and hit F2 and the Telescope will slew to that location.? Then pop over to MallincamSky and fine tune the position of the telescope with the virtual handpad then start capturing your image. ? Richard ?
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From: [email protected] < [email protected]> On Behalf Of classicalgman Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2023 8:34 PM To: [email protected]Subject: Re: [ObsessionUsers] M74 10 second exposure 10 stacks with UC18 and DS10cTEC ? Richard,
So you still need to do two star alignment (at least),
before the other electronics kicks in?
Or, the Eagle 4 Win10 NUC 'run the ASCOM based software that controls the telescope and accessories and wirelessly connect to my laptop' (your words)
Does that mean: the Eagle 4 Win10 NUC device controls the AN/SC to do GOTO and tracking using AN/SC?
Steve
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Re: M74 10 second exposure 10 stacks with UC18 and DS10cTEC
Richard,
ALSO, I appreciate your time in talking to me, a complete novice dipping his toes into getting a handle on EAA and or AP.
Steve
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Re: M74 10 second exposure 10 stacks with UC18 and DS10cTEC
Richard,
So you still need to do two star alignment (at least),
before the other electronics kicks in?
Or, the Eagle 4 Win10 NUC 'run the ASCOM based software that controls the telescope and accessories and wirelessly connect to my laptop' (your words)
Does that mean: the Eagle 4 Win10 NUC device controls the AN/SC to do GOTO and tracking using AN/SC?
Steve
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