My Favorite NINA Plugins

My Favorite NINA Plugins

June 30, 2024
NINA
It's finally time for a "my favorite NINA plugins" post. There are an ever-growing collection of plugins that extend NINA's functionality. I haven't tried them all, but I'd love to share what I've found helpful. The screenshot below shows the ones I currently have installed. I just did my first imag…
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Lightbucket

Lightbucket

June 30, 2024
Lightbucket
Well, I have a Lightbucket account now. I set up the NINA plugin and it should automatically send some details of my backyard imaging sessions. I know I image a ton more than I did before I had my scope permanently mounted on a pier. It'll be interesting to see the targets and imaging time add up.…
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Telescope Cable Management

Telescope Cable Management

June 4, 2024
Losmandy G11
With most of my initial testing finished on my Losmandy G11 mount, I finally took the time to tidy up the cables a bit. The G11 doesn't have any internal cable routing, so everything has to go on the outside. I made new serial cables for my Robofocus and G11 Gemini 1 computer connections. That alone…
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Losmandy G11 Periodic Error Testing and PEC Programming

Losmandy G11 Periodic Error Testing and PEC Programming

June 3, 2024
Losmandy G11
One of the things I was hoping for with my G11 mount was better periodic error than my old Celestron CGEM. The periodic error on my CGEM was pretty huge. Even after moving to OnStep with belt-drive motors replacing the gearboxes, it still had a periodic error around +/-40 arc seconds. Thankfully, th…
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M17 – The Omega Nebula

M17 – The Omega Nebula

May 3, 2024
Nebula
Or the Swan Nebula...or Checkmark Nebula...or Lobster Nebula...or Horseshoe Nebula. Whatever your favorite name for it, Messier 17 is a great summer target. I shot the data for this last summer and recently processed it. This was before my CGEM OnStep and pier upgrades, so each night I had to drag m…
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I Did a Thing

I Did a Thing

April 25, 2024
Losmandy G11
I just got home with this. It'll take some custom machine work before I can get it mounted on my pier, but I'm really excited about my G11!…
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M42 – The Orion Nebula After My OnStep & Pier Upgrade

M42 – The Orion Nebula After My OnStep & Pier Upgrade

March 4, 2024
Nebula
I just finished processing my first image after some recent astronomy upgrades. This fall, I gutted my telescope mount and rebuilt all the mechanical & electronic parts. My telescope is now permanently mounted in our back yard on a pier my brother designed & made. The new setup is tons bette…
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M31 – The Andromeda Galaxy

M31 – The Andromeda Galaxy

August 15, 2020
Galaxy
The Andromeda Galaxy is arguably one of the most spectacular objects in the night sky. In typical city lights, it's completely invisible even though its apparent size is roughly 6 times as wide as the moon. In dark skies, you can see it with your naked eye as a smudge about as big as the tip of your…
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