From: "milton_aupperle" <milton@outcastsoft.com>

Date: May 20, 2012 2:35:30 PM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Messier 5


Hi Folks;


Hope your all able to see the partial eclipse in about 3 hours.


I took my  first image, Messier 5, in 6+ weeks.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Astro_IIDC/files/DSO/M5_20120519_MJA.jpg


"Grasshopper 2" cooled to -1°C, 7 minute (4 frames kept) Luma, ~2 minutes R G B binned (6 to 10 frames each) 2x2 and an IDAS LPR filter. No darks or flats. AT8RC Scope at 1625 mm focal length. Captured, aligned, stacked and processed in Astro IIDC. Sky background was 9500 even with the LPR. Last year, before the parking lot behind my Condo was lit up, my sky background was ~4000 for the same exposure time.


Seeing was good in the 3 to 4 arc second range initially, then dropped off half way through the Lumas as the Jet Stream slid south.


I used the old Grasshopper Mono camera for guiding with the Celestron OAG on a Mag 6 star at 15 fps. Astro IIDC was making 4 corrections (2 Ra, 2 Dec) per second to keep the dancing stars centered.


Rain is predicted for the rest of the week and it's once again clouding over now. At least the 80 kmph winds we had thursday & friday nights have ended.


Have a happy eclipse..


Milton Aupperle