Lost in Space and Meridian Flips

 Astrophotography is a funny old game isn't it. Take last night. Target IC 4604 - The Rho Ophiuchi complex. 

My best ever polar alignment and set up times. A clear sky, faint breeze and a 37% moon. The tide almost in and breaking over the rocky foreshore below the car park. The distant rhythmic flash of the Eddystone Lighthouse and far out in the English Channel, lit up ships passing in the night. 

ISO 800, 240" x 20 plus calibration frames. My little radio tuned to Radio Four and then The World Service. My primus stove hissing and bubbling away away when I felt the need for a warming cuppa. 

Astrophotography and astronomy have taught me much over the last few years about the night sky, how to use my cameras, mounts and telescopes/lenses; and of course imaging techniques. A newly found passion for astronomy, astrophotography and art! And all the time, I have been developing my scientific knowledge, use of technology and problem solving thinking. My son-in-law has even ignited within me an interest in 3D printing and the potential it has for creating little helpful bits and pieces for my various astronomy/astrophotography rigs. 

As a person, I have developed more. My patience is much better! My concentration and focus back to pre-retirement levels! And my blood pressure? So much lower! Out at night, under the stars, I am relaxed, pondering, reflecting, asking some big questions, just tuning in to a radio programme I wouldn't have likely heard had I not been up at that hour! 

My friends would say that I've become even more nerdier than I was and that isn't a bad thing at all. I can chatter away about the night sky forever! 

But then it isn't all rosey is it! 

I keep 'hitting a wall!'

One wall is using SIRIL and Generalised Hyperbolic Stretches. I have watched all the Youtube videos. I've taken notes. I have practised and practised - to no avail. I am still none the wiser! 

Another 'wall' is using the ASIair plate solving.  

How did I miss Rho Ophiuchi? I mean how? On my screen in plate solving it was clearly identified and central. When I did the sky atlas stuff - it synched correctly. 

But, as you can see, all the bright cloud colours - where are they? I missed my target! By quite some way! Unbelievable! I am laughing about it - serves me right and a lesson learned. Check that I have the right co-ordinates in RA and Dec! 

Plenty of 'cloud and dust' stuff

ISO 800  240" x 20 

20 of each calibration frame

Canon 800D, Zenithstar 61ii with field flattener 61A, EQM-35-Pro mount, ASIair mini, RVO 32mm guide scope with ZWO 120mm mini guide cam, Celestron Lithium Pro battery pack 

Processed in SIRIL, GraXpert and Affinity Photo. 

If you can identify where in space I ended up in this shot, I'd be grateful! 

Conclusion 'Lost in Space' somewhere! 😕😩😆

Meanwhile here is my third 'wall'. How do you perform a meridian flip on the EQM35PRO using an ASIair mini? 

I thought I had the right settings last night and it sort of performed a flip but the cables twisted and wrapped themselves around the mount and so when guiding restarted it was shambolic. I ended up doing a manual meridian flip; after I had unplugged various cables to ASIair mini and my DSLR. That of course meant rebooting everything and doing a new polar alignment. 🙄

It is hard work being a newbie and novice isn't it 😉😆

If your gear hasn't don a meridian flip yet and you are using guiding with an ASIair - here are two helpful videos that explain the process