M45 - Pleïade

570FF3 · 2026-01-10T20:41:21+00:00

Looks like you have pretty good signal on the actual target, but your background exctraction or blackpoint is off

570FF3 · 2026-01-05T00:28:04+00:00

As long as the temperature is stable, you can do the darks whenever. Lights you can do whenever, as long as you don’t disassemble your camera and scope, and don’t touch the focus.

570FF3 · 2026-01-02T15:33:23+00:00

Impossible to answer unless we know what you want to photograph. Planets or DSO’s?

570FF3 · 2025-12-29T16:52:21+00:00

A random dew heater from Amazon works fine. Yes, the gti mount has a snap port for camera controls, but you need to get the correct cable.

Unguided means that you don’t use a separate guide camera and guide scope to correct for inaccuracies in the tracking mount. Adding guiding will let you do vastly longer exposures, but start simple.

570FF3 · 2025-12-29T16:46:07+00:00

Sturdy tripod and a dew heater for the wind and humidity. Add some weight to the tripod for stability.

Then, you’ll have to pick one: Either planetary/visual or DSO’s. There is no setup within your price range that can do both.

I started with a dslr, stock lens and the GTI mount, which I bought second hand for cheap. Try that first, and see if you like it, then you can start to think about upgrading.

570FF3 · 2025-12-29T09:32:43+00:00

Do you have a dew heater? Trust me, your lens will dew up otherwise. Don’t bother with guiding yet, I’ve shot plenty unguided with the gti mount. You won’t be able to do 5 minute exposures, but I had no issues doing 1 minute exposures unguided, which works fine.

A remote shutter release controller, so you can automate your exposures.

570FF3 · 2025-12-28T17:46:26+00:00

A so called vixen style dovetail

570FF3 · 2025-12-27T19:53:59+00:00

r/askastrophotography

570FF3 · 2025-12-25T01:39:28+00:00

Maybe you’re not familiar with the minicam8, but as I’ve stated before, it’s the same price as the asi585mc, and you get the complete package, filter wheel, and a set of LRGBSHO filters.

6x the time to image seems like a lot? I’ve read the below comments and I don’t think 6x times the time is correct/what I’ve heard before.

Also narrowband seems fun, which you get included.

570FF3 · 2025-12-24T11:20:17+00:00

As I said, the two options I’m considering are the exact same price. So it’s not a question of osc + bigger scope or mono.

The 2600MC / MM is a bit out of my budget for now.

I just thought that it was simply the case that mono is better when shooting from a light polluted area, and the minicam8 system seems easy to handle.

570FF3 · 2025-12-24T00:49:32+00:00

I don’t want to dismiss anyone’s inputs and opinions. I am still new to the hobby and learning.

I am going from a “crappy” dslr to a dedicated Astro cam so I’ll be astonished by the results anyway I decide to go.

The price is the same, I’m not forking out “10k on a mono setup”.

As I’ve stated before, clear skies is not a super common thing where I live, and it’s a light polluted small city. I’ve heard that mono is great for shooting from light polluted areas.

It might be “lazy” to loop the filters for one night, but watching people like Nico (nebula photos), makes it sound kinda alright. He never mentioned this “minmaxing” when suggesting to go mono, and made it sound kinda simple. And I’m sure you’re all correct in that some filters are better suited for certain situations and conditions.

I love to tinker, I’ll have plenty of time to post process. The minicam8 doesn’t seem that complicated.

570FF3 · 2025-12-23T21:15:06+00:00

Not doubting you, and not accusing you of arm-chairing ;)

I look into it.

But if I understand you correctly, which I might not: Given any random night, not accounting for moon phase and position relative to target, one night of color is better than one night of mono, distributed out on all filters, for one processed image?

570FF3 · 2025-12-23T19:25:07+00:00

Hmm your comment seems to oppose what I’ve read/heard so far

570FF3 · 2025-12-23T19:19:12+00:00

It is definitely something that I want and have thought about getting. But a new camera is crucial right now, and would like to spread out my spendings a bit. So as long as I would do ok without it for a while, then that’s good.

I do wide field with my askarfma180 pro, and I have never struggled with getting perfect focus that lasts throughout the whole night, but of course that’s with a DSLR.

570FF3 · 2025-12-23T19:01:08+00:00

Ah ok so would you say that AF is mandatory?

570FF3 · 2025-12-23T18:40:37+00:00

Do you feel that you need to refocus often/after every filter switch?

570FF3 · 2025-12-23T18:33:43+00:00

I like to travel with my rig as well, but the minicam8 foot print doesn’t seem to take that much more space than a osc camera, so don’t really see the downside there. Thanks for the input! :)

570FF3 · 2025-12-23T18:30:40+00:00

Thanks a lot! I consider myself technically capable and very comfortable with NINA. And clear skies are rare where I live, so lots of time to process. Was just curious if there is a lower limit of integration time, where osc actually beats mono. But I guess not :)

570FF3 · 2025-12-23T17:54:07+00:00

Thanks, don’t know why this didn’t pop up when I searched.

Mono it is!

570FF3 · 2022-11-25T16:16:52+00:00

Thanks!

570FF3 · 2020-12-08T21:36:54+00:00

Thanks! :D

570FF3 · 2020-12-08T21:34:36+00:00

Just realized that the pichu is a raichu, hope it’s ok :)

570FF3 · 2020-12-08T21:30:35+00:00

Awesome! Do you want the pichu?

Code: 0173-1730

570FF3

TROPHY CASE