After a long string of rainy/cloudy weather, I finally got a reasonably good night and decided to try this target after seeing a nice Frederic Segato image on Astrobin (
http://www.astrobin.com/182546/). It felt like I hardly remember how to image!. Started from Alkaid and got a preliminary focus, then the PicGoto took me right to NGC 5371. Framed the shot to also include galaxy cluster Hickson-68. Verified that the "use separate thread for image capture" bug is still in Neb 4.0.2, but this time I was watching so I caught it. Drizzling makes some nasty checkerboard pattern noise, but the “track” de-noise in StarTools took care of it.
Date: 12 Jun 2015
Subject: NGC 5371 & Hickson-68 Galaxy Group
Scope: Astrotech AT8IN+Antares 0.5x focal reducer
Filter: Baader Fringe Killer
Mount: CG-5 (Synta motors, PicGoto Simplificado)
Guiding: 9x50 Finder/Guider + DSI Ic + PHD 2.5.0 (Win 7 ASCOM)
Camera: DSI IIc no cooling (about 15 °C)
Acquisition: Nebulosity 4.0.2, no dither
Exposure: 38x300 s
Stacking: Neb 4.0.2, bad pixel map, bias included, 33 flats, histogram match, deBayer & square. DSS 2x drizzle, 1.5σ κ-σ stack.
Processing: StarTools 1.3.5.289 Crop; Wipe: 83%; Develop: 76.61%; HDR:Equalize; Color:Scientific 248% Green bias reduce 1.06; Deconvolute 6.1 pix; Life:moderate; Track 7.4 pix, smoothness 90%. Photoshop CC 2014 + Carboni Astronomy Tools Deep space nr; Curves with layer mask; Increase star color; Levels; Smudge tool to fix some star rings from deconvolution; Astroframe.
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