M20 Trifid Nebula 1st Light with New 8" f5 Klaus Helmerich Carbon Fibre Newtonian (Martin Dowd)

Celestial hemisphere: Southern · Constellation: Sagittarius (Sgr) · Contains: M 20 · NGC 6514 · Trifid Nebula

M20 Trifid Nebula 1st Light with New 8" f5 Klaus Helmerich Carbon Fibre Newtonian, Martin Dowd

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M20 Trifid Nebula 1st Light with New 8" f5 Klaus Helmerich Carbon Fibre Newtonian

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M20 Trifid Nebula 1st Light with New 8" f5 Klaus Helmerich Carbon Fibre Newtonian

After a couple of weeks of testing my new 8" f5 carbon fibre Newt ( Focus, Collimation , Spider alignment , Balancing etc .... ) I finally captured some reasonable data during the new moon period on a great little target M20 Trifid Nebula. I still have some issues with my focuser in regard to tilt and some more minor tweaks on the North South spider vanes but very pleased with the new scope , in particular the reduced weight of carbon fibre , almost zero flexure and the increased faster light grab on the 8" f5 compared to my old 6" f6 metal tube Newt.
Captured over 3 nights with heaving dew ending my sessions well before midnight.

Location : Backyard , Sydney Australia
Sky : Bortle 7/8
Conditions: Seeing average with heavy dew forming before midnight
Telescope : 8" f5 Klaus Helmerich GSO carbon fibre Newtonian ( I retrofitted the KH carbon tube with my own GSO parts , tested and commissioned ) I did have to buy a custom 2" 15mm spacer fitted over my coma corrector to achieve focus with spare travel.
Mount : Skywatcher EQ6-R pro
Imaging Camera : ZWO 2600MC cooled to -10C , Gain 101
Filter : None ( only internal UV/IR cut protective window )
Guide Scope: Orion 60mm with Helical focuser
Guide Camera : ZWO120MM-S
200 x 60 sec subs ( dithered every second sub ) Discarded about 20 subs due to satellite trails , Aircraft and neighbors flood lights

Tracking and Goto : EQMOD and Ascom Stellarium
Capture Software : APT
PHD2 Multistar Guiding, PPEC algorithm ( 0.45 to 0.55 arc sec total )
Stacking Software : Deep Sky Stacker ( OSC multiple nights stacking )
Processing Software : Startools V1.8 OSC Linear data set

Comments most welcome
Thanks for looking

Martin

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M20 Trifid Nebula 1st Light with New 8" f5 Klaus Helmerich Carbon Fibre Newtonian

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M20 Trifid Nebula 1st Light with New 8" f5 Klaus Helmerich Carbon Fibre Newtonian

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