Naztronomy's Featured Posts

Please download the script here: https://github.com/naztronaut/siril-scripts/blob/osc_pp_v2.0.3_dragondrop/Naztronomy-OSC_PP.py

There are some big UI changes to this, mostly “Drag n’ Drop” functionality which tries to automatically place subs where they belong. This is in open beta so you do need to install it manually. I’m doing it this way because I don’t want to override the current version in production which is very stable.

Notable release notes:

• Drag and drop files and folders
  • Get prompted for file type (e.g. lights, darks, flats, biases, and master frames)
  • Get prompted to add calibration frames to multiple sessions
  • Dragging parent directories with multiple inner directories will auto create sessions
• Handling of dark flats
• Better tooltips
• Fixed bug where non-Fits files were not working – you can now stack Canon and Nikon (and other) images if you need. Note that these will not properly mosaic!
• Tip: For multi panel stacking, try 200px feather, that seems to work well for everyone.

I’m also heading to Montreal for a about a week so responses may be slow. Another reason why I didn’t want to push this out publicly and possibly break things on a working script.

As always, thank you all for your support and any feedback you provide.

ToupTek let me walk away with the GS-200 from NEAF a few weeks ago for testing! Before the video, I wasn’t sure if I’d have the chance to purchase it but today, I am sure that I will get a small discount so that I can purchase the guide scope.

I’ve been using the guide scope for the last few weeks and it’s been amazing. The ring system makes it virtually flexure free although there is an issue with the focusing tube, see the video around the 9:30 mark for more info.

The flexure issue isn’t the worst thing in the world since I do have a workaround that seems to work well. Huge thanks to ToupTek for letting me test this. If you’d like to purchase one for yourself, please consider using my referral link here: https://www.touptekastro.com/products/gs-papo-guide-scope?variant=51179292787000

If you have any questions, please ask in the video comments. Clear skies!

I highly recommend looking at this image on astrobin on full screen on a computer: https://app.astrobin.com/i/7thh0y

Both versions were stacked using my Siril stacking script: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9pdjjek5WE

If you hover over, it’ll show a narrowband overlay. And when you click and open in full screen, you can zoom to 1x resolution to see the breadth of the large magellanic cloud taken from an observatory in South Africa.

I gave two talks at NEAIC where this image was the centerpiece so people who attended got a first look at it. This was taken from an observatory telescope we’re renting (with two of my friends) in South Africa. it’s a 12 panel mosaic, the full resolution is about 260 megapixels but this is cropped down to about 160 megapixels, mostly due to an error during cropping when I was processing.

The stacked file was more than 3gb in size.

Equipment:

• Telescope: Askar SQA85
• Camera: QHYCCD QHY268 Pro C
• Mount: Proxisky UMi 20S
• Filters: Antlia ALP-T Dual Band 5nm 2″, QHYCCD UV/IR CUT
• Software: Adobe Photoshop, Astro Pixel Processor (APP), PixInsight, Siril
• Total integration: 71h 10m

I’m renting this rig with two of my friends, Dave and Chris, at the Kagga Kamma Remote Observatory. Watch my short video about our experience so far here:

The Seestar S30 Pro is finally here and I’ve had a chance to play with it for the past 6 weeks (whenever it wasn’t cloudy).

The video is long but I’m hoping it’s comprehensive and answers all of your questions. If you have more, please feel free to reach out!

If you’d like to order the S30 Pro, I’d highly appreciate if you use one of the links below:

ZWO: https://spn.so/orm6szjq
Agena Astro: https://agenaastro.com/zwo-seestar-s30-pro-all-in-one-smart-telescope.html?rfsn=7382615.2b333e
High Point Scientific: https://www.highpointscientific.com/zwo-seestar-s30-pro-smart-telescope?rfsn=7725690.2252b3
Telescopes Canada: https://telescopescanada.ca/products/seestar-s30-pro-all-in-one-dual-lens-smart-telescope-ss-s30-pro?bg_ref=2a4tkL3y46

Join me on Patreon for Free: https://www.patreon.com/naztronomy
Support me on BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/naztronomy

Svbony just came out with their own Quadruplet, the SV503, 70mm quad. It’s an f/6.78 refractor BUT it’s marketed as an achromat.

In the above video, I compare it to a fan favorite (and my favorite), the Askar 71F which has a very similar aperture, focal length, and field of view. The Askar 71F is a full apochromatic scope, meaning, no chromatic aberrations. But both scopes are quadruplets, meaning there’s no need to calculate back focus because you’ll get flat stars all the way through.

As you’ll see in the video, I think Svbony could have done a better job with the focuser. BUT for $399, it’s a steal.

Order it on amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F83Z7JZR?
And use code ‘NAZSV50370FF’ to get 5% off.