CalStar 2013

After I had such a great experience at GSSP, I want to attend CalStar 2013 (Oct 3 - 6).

I want to image with the f6.3 setup, but also with the hyperstar lens (f2). I will have 9.5 hours of imaging time (20:10 - 5:40. For images with the focal reducer I'll need 6.5 hours (10x10min Lum + 10x7.5min RGB), for the hyperstar lens, I'll need 1.5h (10x3min Lum + 10x2min RGB). So, in two nights I can capture 3 images with the focal reducer and in the other 2 nights, I can capture 9 images with the hyperstar lens (each night 2 different filters - taking flats for one filter in the evening and the other filter in the morning). I will definitively need to get my automation nailed for this - otherwise, I'll stand at my scope the entire night...

Some Objects:

f6.3:

• M74/NGC628 (imaging time: 21:00 - 6:10)
• NGC7331 (need to do at beginning of night!) (imaging time: 20:10 - 4:10)
• NGC6946 (Fireworks Galaxy) (need to do at beginning of night) (imaging time 20:10 - 4:10)
• NGC1579 (Trifid of the North) (imaging time 22:57 - 5:40)
• IC5146 (Cocoon Nebula) (imaging time 20:10 - 3:41)

f2: (rotate to 114 degrees)

• Gamma Cygni Nebula - one image - (too low at end of the night) (transit: 20:29)
• IC1340 (Veil Nebula) - mosaic of 6 too low at the end of the night? (transit: 20:50)
• M31 (Andromeda) - mosaic of 4 images (or three if I rotate the camera) - take multiple exposures and HDR (transit: 0:47)
• IC11 (Pacman Nebula) - one image - (transit: 1:01) 
• IC63/IC59 - one image - (transit 1:07)
• M33 (Triangulum Galaxy) - one image (1:42)
• IC 1795 - mosaic of 4 (transit; 2:34)
• M45 Pleiades - one image - (need to start late as they are low in the evening) (transit: 3:53)
• NGC 1499 - mosaic of 6 (3 with rotated camera)- (transit: 4:11)

This would mean 25 images - need to get it down to 9 images: M31(3), IC11(1), IC63/IC59(1), M33(1), NGC 1499 (3)

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I did not find the time to work thoroughly with the Hyperstar lens (focusing, guiding, exposure times, flats...) So, I'll just take some images with the f6.3 setup. Maybe some other time.