23:31 – 04:02
So I opened the dome late this evening as it was not due to be clear. However an opening in the cloud meant I could test guiding again on the 12″, especially whilst it was light in the late Spring weeks.
The first job was as always to focus which brought me to a reading of 61944 at 19.83℃.
![](https://imt.gingergeeks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screenshot-2020-06-13-at-23.38.14.202.png)
Another small job was to sort the guider FoV out. I went ahead and used M92 to align the guider.
![](https://imt.gingergeeks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screenshot-2020-06-13-at-23.43.01.847-1024x594.png)
The final FoV settings are here for completness.
![](https://imt.gingergeeks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screenshot-2020-06-13-at-23.55.29.742-1024x585.png)
Set AS1600 to Gain and Offset 10 due to cluster being very bright and I needed to set a standard of 60 seconds minimum exposure. Gain 139 and Offset 21 gas saturated unless I selected 15 seconds, Gain 75 and Offset 12 saturated at 30 seconds so hence 10 and 10 which came in about 58k ADU.
I then performed a slew to a nearby star so I could centre the scope, there platsolve completed successfully and I updated TSX and the FoV for the 12″ with the new angle.
![](https://imt.gingergeeks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screenshot-2020-06-13-at-23.49.52.864.png)
The first image of 60 seconds came down and was out of focus, I then realised changing the profile SGPro forgot the autofocus setting, so I had to stop the run, delete the images and set the original focus point then rerun.
![](https://imt.gingergeeks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screenshot-2020-06-14-at-00.20.28.658-1024x814.png)
![](https://imt.gingergeeks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screenshot-2020-06-14-at-00.24.18.275-1024x769.png)
Next I ran a few images but then to my horror I had the same guiding issue, where the star moves being dragged up and down in a periodic way. I slewed elsewhere and tried again and the problem did not occur. I was near M92 and just East of the Meridian and quite high up. Not sure why that is a problem.
![](https://imt.gingergeeks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screenshot-2020-06-14-at-00.26.03.576-1024x561.png)
I could not resolve, I waited a while then performed a meridian flip and low and behold the problem went away, again not sure why. I still have this terrible noise coming from the RA motor/gear area. I decided to bite the bullet and take off various caps on the scope listening and looking inside. I decided it was not after all, the through the mount cabling but coming from the RA gear itself, so I looked for the MEII guide for removing the worm block and then followed the instructions to take off the RA cover.
![](https://imt.gingergeeks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screenshot-2020-06-14-at-04.01.02.595-574x1024.png)
This gave me instant feedback on what the issue was, the belts driving the axis were making a noise. On looking through forums on Bisque.com I found a few people with similar issues and needing to grease the belts, they were told Lubriplate was a good grease. This is an American grease so I will find a similar here and then apply, I will ask Bob first for his suggestion.
So the night wore on and the LRGB frames of M92 I thought I would take whilst testing guiding progressed. At one point the imaging stopped due to cloud. I just caught the dome before it closed to change the safety sensor due to cloud. When it cleared it never really cleared, with the sky temperature reading about -14℃.
![](https://imt.gingergeeks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screenshot-2020-06-14-at-02.18.02.058.png)
Nearing the end of the imaging session, I had caught about 15 frames of each of the filters.
![](https://imt.gingergeeks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screenshot-2020-06-14-at-02.45.55.808-1024x582.png)
The guider was behaving mostly with he odd funny jolt. By 3:30 am the sky was lightening very quickly.
![](https://imt.gingergeeks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screenshot-2020-06-14-at-03.31.01.373-1024x780.png)
By this time I had stopped guiding and imaging. I closed the dome, slewed the scope to the flat panel and proceeded to take a set of LRGB flats for Gain 10 Offset 0 and also Gain 139 and Offset 21 as request from the previous nights imaging.