Dave

You just described my entire career. Funny thing, when you become "good enough" you appear elite to those who aren't.

My chat window showing all the bots that messaged me after I followed them back

This is what I get almost immediately when I follow back indiscriminately on Bluesky. All bots, no doubt. (Yes, I knew they were bots when I followed them back.)

Another image I processed using Telescope Live's data. This is M66, a galaxy about 31Mly distant, shot with a 27.5" scope. I processed this using PixInsight and Affinity Photo. More on Astrobin: app.astrobin.com/i/076cr4

#astrophotography

@debf56.bsky.social thanks! Very kind of you to say.

Another image using data from Telescope Live, processed by me using PixInsight and Affinity Photo. The Fighting Dragons of Ara--too far south to shoot myself. More info on Astrobin: app.astrobin.com/i/v5081t

#Astrophotography

The Sculptor Galaxy is seen nearly edge-on so it appears as oval-shaped. Its center is bright and it has spiral arms that show dust and nebulosity.

NGC 253, The Sculptor Galaxy. Too far south for me to shoot myself so this data is from Telescope Live, processed by me with PixInsight and Affinity Photo. More info on Astrobin: app.astrobin.com/i/tnmpnm

#astrophotography

This one's too far south for me to shoot myself. The Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, data from Telescope Live in Chile (24" scope!), processed by me in PixInsight. More info on Astrobin: app.astrobin.com/u/PhotonPhan...

#Astrophotography

The Dolphin Nebula (SH2-308). I used data from Telescope Live's observatory (20" telescope!) in Chile to create this image in HOO. Would like to shoot this myself someday, but it's tough to shoot where we are right now. More on Astrobin: app.astrobin.com/u/PhotonPhan...

#astrophotography

Old data, new image. M 51, shot in Apr 2023. This time I added the H-alpha data I originally shot but never used. Less than 3 hours on this target, barely does it justice. More info on Astrobin: app.astrobin.com/i/e10t0a?r=D

#Astrophotography

Another new image from old data. Shot in March 2022. Bode's Galaxy (M 81) and the Cigar Galaxy (M 82). Shot with a color camera through my 100-mm f/5.5 refractor. More info on Astrobin: app.astrobin.com?i=f7osza

#Astrophotography

More old data, this time from June 2023. The Sunflower Galaxy (M 63), shot with a color camera through my C8. About 4 hours of exposures. Could have used more time on target.

Technical info on this image can be found on Astrobin: app.astrobin.com/i/zy3dzq?r=B

#Astrophotography

Recycling data from a year and a half ago. NGC 7331, this time with H-alpha added. Shot with my C8 in LRGB + Ha. More tech info on Astrobin: app.astrobin.com/i/xi9ffk?r=B

#Astrophotography

Same experience with my 6" RC. Using an OAG with even a smaller sensor (533) has been challenging. Might try a separate guide scope.

In between shooting astro images I've been dabbling in silversmithing. Today I finished this silver ring with chrysocolla stone and inlay. The local rock and gem club has a nice metal shop for doing this kind of stuff. Maybe for my next project I'll figure out something astronomy-themed.

Image from last night's first light for the new SW Wave 150i mount. Adding more data tonight. Shot using a SW Esprit 80ED f/5 refractor and ASI2600MM Pro camera. SHO with RGB stars. #astrophotography

I'm encouraged by my first night with the Wave 150i. Guiding was at least acceptable and I think can be improved with a little more tweaking. Got decent data.

The GEM28 counterweight bar will fit the Wave 150i, BTW. I tried it myself. Not using counterweights tonight, though.

First night with the new SW Wave 150i strain wave mount. Changed a few guiding settings and getting 0.6 - 0.7" guiding with an OAG through my 80mm f/5 refractor. Pretty pleased so far. Shooting the Rosette. First sub in H-alpha. #astrophotography

Yep, losing the counterweights makes a big difference. Seems like a lot of folks are getting great results with strain wave mounts so I'm optimistic.

My iOptron GEM28 mount has been chronically flakey--sometimes it works great, sometimes it's cantankerous. I decided to try one of the new strain wave mounts--a Sky-Watcher Wave 150i. Seems like a nice piece of hardware. Hoping to try it out sometime in the next few nights. #astrophotography

That's my suspicion.

I reshot the Jellyfish a few nights ago with my relatively new ASI2600MM Pro camera and SW Esprit 80ED refractor. One of my favorite targets. Shot in narrowband (Hubble palette) with RGB stars. More info on Astrobin: www.astrobin.com/qtxzxf/

#Astrophotography

Time to shoot again. Familiar target, but with newer equipment. The Jellyfish, but this time with a 400mm FL refractor and ASI2600MM Pro camera on an iOptron GEM28 mount. Nice compact setup for shooting while traveling in the RV. Shooting narrowband, but RGB first for the stars. #astrophotography

That's a beautiful shot! Nice wider field.

@daydreamastro.bsky.social The mono gave me a run for my money but I think I've nailed down my mono SHO workflow (for now, anyway). My previous attempts with this data were not great. I haven't tried it in OSC.

More data recycling. I shot the Lobster Claw (SH2-157) back in Sept 2023 but my original image didn't really have the Hubble-like colors I wanted. This one is much closer. #astrophotography

Another retread. Captured Thor's Helmet (NGC 2359) a year ago--it was lousy data so I was avoiding this redo, but glad I gave it another shot today. #Astrophotography

Sunset this evening in Quartzsite, AZ, our refuge from cold and snow for a few months.

More recycled data, from Dec 2023. The Jellyfish Nebula, in SHO. Reprocessed today using a more refined workflow. #astrophotography

No, too far south for me