Time to Move (My Blog)

After Much Thinking...

I've decided to take my blog in a bit of a different direction.  What that basically means is I'd like to have a little more control over my content and how I present it.  So I'm here today to announce that I'm moving.  Starting today, my astrophotography blog can be found here:

https://sleeplesslights.com

What to Expect

I've started my holidays and I'm taking some time to relax with the family.  Over the next two weeks, I'm going to be focused on porting my content over to my new site.  While I'm moving my posts, I'm taking the opportunity to update some of my old content and cleaning things up a little bit.  So be patient as I won't be posting anything new over the next two weeks.

Additionally, there's still a lot to do to get everything configured and developed on the new site.  In addition to new blog posts, I hope to begin to add new kinds of content as well.  It's a marathon and not a sprint so let's just see how it goes.

I plan to continue to post 3 times a week over on my new site and I have no shortage of things to continue writing about.  Lots of developments around the Lego Star Tracker and a couple of other side projects I'm working on while the weather continues to be a major bummer around here.

So sit tight, head on over to https://sleeplesslights.com, bookmark my page, and get ready to continue reading about my experiences in the wonderful hobby that is astrophotography.

Lego Star Tracker - Boost Program

Still Cloudy

When I started this blog, I was really hoping that I'd be taking lots of photos and this would be my opportunity to share them all with you.  Unfortunately, the weather here in Southern Poland has other ideas.  Since November 1, there have only been 3 clear enough nights to shoot, and as you know, I've been testing away on the tracker.

So, since I don't have any cool pictures to share, I thought I'd spend a little time this week to share the Lego Boost program that I'm using to control the tracker. 

Keep reading to learn how really simple it was to control the Lego Star Tracker with this app.

The Pain of Polar Alignment

Time for the Polar Scope Align Pro App

Since I've started my foray into the wonderful world of DIY star tracking for astrophotography, the single most frustrating part of this endeavor has been to polar align my devices.  It's something that sounds real simple to do in theory - position your device so it aligns with the earth's rotational axis.  Not to mention in the Northern Hemisphere, we have a nice object in the sky to help in Polaris.

But as in life, the simple things always turn out to be way harder to do than they look.  I'm burning precious imaging and testing time tweaking and tuning my polar alignment to get 60 second exposures.  And I'm never quite sure if it's my alignment or my tracker design which is leading to failed photos.  

I've found an app to help with this so read on to learn about my new plan.

Lego Star Tracker V6 - Test 2 - Changes and Challenges

Over Improvement

I suppose I got a little too ahead of myself after the first test of the sixth version of the Lego Star Tracker yielded such solid and consistent results.  I had a list of small tweaks that I wanted to make and I completed those and added a few more along the way.

So imagine my surprise as the second night of shooting with this version ended up being dreadful.  I couldn't figure out at the time what was going on.  But upon further review, I was able to piece it together and the good news is I know what to fix - or rather undo.

Bortle 2 Zone Bummer

All I See Are Clouds

After watching the weather forecast for the past 2 weeks, I certainly didn't have my hopes up.  Nothing but rain and snow.  So I was simply treating this past weekend as a scouting mission for a future visit.

My wife and I took a quick trip down to Osławica in Southern Poland in the Eastern Carpathian mountains just to get away together for a couple of days.  This was the first time in 17 years that we've been alone together so it was almost a bit strange.  We did what any parents of four boys do when they escape the asylum of normal life for even a moment - we slept.  We slept a lot.

 View Outside Our Window in Osławica

We did manage to get out for a nice hike on Saturday, but the skies stayed stubbornly overcast during our entire time there.  It's a shame because even though it was overcast, it was dark dark dark at night.  Given how remote the region is, I'll definitely head back down when there's a better chance to take some photos.  It's only a 3 hour drive from Krakow so it'd be worth it. 

While I didn't get to take any photos of the sky, it was a really fun trip and we enjoyed our time immensely.  Can't wait to try and do it again!  

Lego Star Tracker V6 - Test 1 - High Hopes

It's A Start

Conditions were far from ideal but there was enough of a break in the clouds to cram in a quick test of the Lego Star Tracker version 6.  Seriously, in the entire month of November, there was only one clear night that was suitable for imaging.  Well, that's how it goes in these parts I suppose...

But hey, a test is a test and I was able to learn a lot.  My results tell me I'm not quite there yet, but I've made significant progress and despite the challenges I faced this evening I had the most consistent results with the tracker to date. 

 

Lego Star Tracker V6 - A New Approach

Cutting My Loses

Generally speaking, I'm somewhat happy with the progress that I've made with the Lego Star Tracker version 5.  But I've racked up quite a list of issues, limitations, and problems that all need solutions and I've come to the realization that version 4 was actually a better and more stable design.  So it's time to cut my losses and head back to the drawing board.

Here's a quick peek at the next version.  Read on to see how I got to this point.

Switching Things Up - Orion 10/30/21

Taking a Tracking Break

All this work around troubleshooting the Lego Star Tracker has started to do my head in.  So it's time to just put it away for a bit and focus on something else to clear my mind.  I'm not in any hurry with the tracker and I'm at peace with the fact it's a long term project.

So on the back end of a disappointing tracking session, I decided to try and grab a few snaps of Orion with the Samyang 135mm.  Didn't really plan anything fancy, just a quick setup on the back porch.  It's just another opportunity to test some things out with this lens.  Here is a look at results.

 Orion Nebula - Canon 250D, f/2.8 ISO 3200 Exp 280 x 1.3s, DSS, Siril, Gimp

I had to fight to get this snap as the nebula was drifting across my neighborhood power lines and into the treeline in my backyard.  But I managed to keep it well centered in my field of view by changing my shooting spot.  I also went ahead and took dark and flat frames and stacked this in Deep Sky Stacker.  Just a light post-process in Siril and then a small levels adjustment in Gimp to finish this picture.

I'm still not overly motivated at this point to up my Gimp game with post-processing.  I suppose that I've had other priorities in working with the tracker and the Samyang takes such nice photos that I can produce good quality photos by simply using the Siril tools.

Anyway, that's all for a short and sweet update today.

Lego Star Tracker V5 Tests 2-5 - One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Frustratingly Fun!

I thought I was standing on the precipice of greatness.  The reality is I was just being served a big ole slice of humble pie.  I made a couple of minor design tweaks which I was expecting to deliver outstanding performance.  Testing, however, showed me I greatly overestimated my improvements.  In fact, my performance seems to have digressed a bit.

I had a run of OK nights weather-wise and wanted to head out into the backyard to run some more tracking tests.  I'll break down the details below, but spoiler alert - I'm a bit stuck at the moment.  I think I know what I need to do, just not sure how I'm going to be able to do it.  That doesn't mean I'm giving up, but rather gearing up for another likely major overhaul.

Lego Star Tracker V5 Test 1 - Exceeding Expectations

Waiting is Hard Work

I've been intently staring at the weather forecast for the past 9 days just itching for an opportunity to get out and test out version 5 of the Lego Star Tracker.  Unfortunately, the weather has been exceedingly fickle.  We've had patches of sun during the day, but by the time evening falls, we've been socked in with clouds.  Big-time bummer!

But tonight, I've had a bit of a break and so I scurried out into the backyard to get set up.  It's just about a full moon and there is a blanket of high clouds in the atmosphere but tonight is all about simply testing the tracking ability of the new design.  I can live with these conditions for testing.

Waiting this long was hard work but once I got set up, I can tell you my expectations were greatly exceeded.

 

Lego Star Tracker V5 - Designer's Block

Hurry Up and Wait

I spent a few days in Studio mocking up a new version of the Lego Star Tracker.  This proved to be a little more difficult than I was expecting.  I'm really looking to create a robust upgrade to the whole system since I'm returning to one of my earlier designs.  Remember what I said earlier about changing too many things at once?

I'll share the gory details momentarily, but needless to say, I've just finished version 5.  I don't want to brag, but it looks real slick.  I have no idea if it will work or not, but man, it's certainly easy on the eyes.  

I'm just about ready to start image testing, but that's not my biggest issue at the moment.  The clouds are back so there's nothing for me to do but to sit back and wait.

Lego Star Tracker V4 Test 5 - I Got Problems

Questions Answered

Alright, I'm determined to get my focus right tonight and my batteries are all charged and I'm ready to go.  I only made one very minor update to the tracker.  I stuck 4 little foam pads on bottom of the base to hopefully attenuate any noise due to vibrations and minimize any level issues with my table.

This turned out to be a great idea.  Not because it worked real well (although it did), it actually helped me figure out the problem I was struggling to understand all along.  How could I not track, then track, and then not track again?  Well, I figured it out.  And man, I got problems now...

 

Lego Star Tracker V4 Test 4 - I'm Still a Moron

Lack of Focus

I added a couple of 8 tooth spur gears on the left and right side of the 24 tooth gear being driven by the worm gear which added just a touch of stability to the system.  Another clear but cool night and I was all set to get testing.

But a lack of focus led to, well, a lack of focus.  I'm happy to report that I had another good night of tracking.  However, when I got back inside and took a closer look at the RAW files, I realized I was tracking donut stars.  After focusing, I wrapped a dew heater around the lens and obviously knocked my focus way out of whack.  Either that or the temperature drop really messed things up. 

So.... Here's a plate of 60 second yumminess!

Canon 250D, f/2.8 ISO 800 Exp 60s, RAW

 

I'm surprised I didn't notice that on my screen, but apparently I wasn't paying enough attention.  Who can blame me, I was still riding that high from my last session.  I got a little ahead of myself in my eagerness.

Ok, better luck next time.

Messing About With the 135mm - Pleiades 10/08/21

A Joy to Use

The nights are getting longer here in the North and the shooting conditions are really pleasant when the skies are clear.  The temperature is cooler but very comfortable and the light breeze that rolls through carries a hint of warmness.  My backyard has become my astrophotography lab and despite the heavy light pollution, it's just nice to be able to step out at a moment's notice to take some snaps.  Which is exactly what I was able to do this evening.

After messing about with the Samyang for a few days, I can say that this lens is a joy to photograph with.  While this is an entirely manual lens, there is nothing difficult at all about using it.  And the quality of the photos is really impressive - even without a lot of post-processing.

Happy Anniversary - Samyang 135mm f/2

Surprises!

My wife and I just celebrated 20 years together in marriage.  What a journey.  And for such a big event we did what most parents of 4 boys do - nothing.  Just kidding - kind of.  We decided we'd like to get away for a weekend so at the end of November, we're going to be heading to a spa for a couple of days in Southeastern Poland while dad watches the boys.

What makes this especially exciting is that this spa is located in a Bortle 2 zone.  The weather is obviously a coin flip and that's not the reason we're getting away - but this is part of the plan.  And in hopeful anticipation, there is another surprise - A Samyang 135mm f/2 USM lens.  I'm blessed.

So I've got some work to do in learning how to use this new lens.  Best way to learn is to do.

Lego Star Tracker V4 Test 3 - Tonight Was A Good Night

Yes, I Bought Batteries

Hopefully, I'll never repeat that mistake again.  And on that note, I think I'll pop my batteries into my charger right now just to be sure.  Anyway, I had to wait about 3 days before getting back out again but that gave me a little time to make another little adjustment.

Basically, I added a linear actuator to my base to be able to adjust the angle of the tracker.  This way, I should be able to really dial in the polar alignment.  Hopefully with this change, I'll get a lot more tracking time tonight.  Once again, I'm going to shoot Cygnus and I'll be looking to shoot 60 second exposures.

 

Lego Star Tracker V4 Test 2 - I'm A Moron

Beautiful Skies, Dead in the Water

This was supposed to be the post where I tell you all about how I went out and took perfectly tracked photos with my DIY Lego Star Tracker.  Yeah, well, that isn't going to happen because I'm a moron.

In my excitement to get back out, I never even thought to check the batteries in my Lego Boost Controller.  Yep, I got all set up, turned everything on and then 4 minutes later ... kaput.  Being a Sunday in Poland, the shops are all closed so that's going to make for a short night.

Ah, oh well.  Forecast says we may have clear skies again in a couple of days.  Maybe now I have some time to make a few more adjustments.  Oh, and of course a run to the store tomorrow to get rechargeable batteries.  We'll see, but that's all for now.

Lego Star Tracker V4 Test 1 - Ten Long Days

The Clouds Just Wouldn't Quit

I really wasn't kidding about Krakow weather.  It hasn't been terribly bad over the past 10 days, just completely overcast.  Not a happy situation when I'm itching like mad to get outside and test the latest version of my tracker.

Well, the down time was at least well spent.  I started investigating what I could do to better control my camera while tracking and decided to check out the Astro Photography Tool (APT).  Not that I need any additional challenges when I finally do get outside, but this might be able to help as I'll be able to view my images as they're being taken and make adjustments on the fly rather than waiting until I get back inside.

Lego Star Tracker V4 - Design Modifications

Time for New Ideas

 

The results from my first tracking session were very encouraging.  Of course the results are far from where I want them to be or even need them to be.  But despite the images, I learned that the tracker did something.  And something is always better than nothing. 

I have no illusions that this is going to be a high performance piece of precision equipment.  But it's really neat to think about something, build it, and have it work ... kind of.  And besides, everything I'm learning right now and in the future with this project is teaching me basic principles that will be extremely useful when I am finally ready and can afford to purchase a commercial tracker.

Time to get cracking on the big reconstruction!

Lego Star Tracker V3 Test 1 - Sizzle or Fizzle?

A Brief Window of Opportunity

To my great surprise, the weather folks got it right.  There was a brief window of opportunity for me to get out and test my tracker.  I didn't really put a lot of thought into what I was going to photograph as my goal was just to point the camera in a direction and see how things go on the tracking front.

So, I got out, got aligned, got focused, and got started shooting.  So was I dancing or crying?  Did the tracker sizzle or fizzle?

Where do I even start?  OK, I got some results.  But at the moment I have a lot more questions than I have answers.  

Eh, let me take you through what happened and explain where this leaves me with this project.