[Darren Jehan]

Thank you all for your replies!

Noted on the use of the G filter as a starting point while I add the photometric filter to the ‘I really need…’ list – it’s amazing how long that list gets!

My Atik camera is a cooled CCD and does a good job at holding the set point. My normal calibration routine consists of:

• Camera normally running at -10 degC (absolute, not 10 below ambient)
• 101 bias frames, averaged to a Master
• 21 Dark frames of varying exposures, all averaged to a Master (refreshed on a 6 month cycle)
• 11 Flat frames per filter, all averages to a Master, taken at each session
• Use Pixinsight to create the Master Bias/Darks
• Use Pixinsight to calibrate the flat frames using the Master Bias [However, it would not be an issue to take Flat Darks and use these instead]

The guiding (off-axis) with my refractor on the EQ6 is usually very good – typically I would take 15m or 20m exposures, but have done 30m with no problems. The Cassegrain is a recent purchase and not yet managed to get time to train the guiding for the longer focal length.

I’m looking forward to getting started, and offer my apologies in advance for the raft of questions that will no doubt follow!

Kind regards

Darren

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