[left=cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q]M51 @ F10 with the ZWO 294MC Pro main camera = total FL = approx 2150mm, uncropped version attached, you be the judge compared to the previous versions.. I say Buh Bye DSS forevz!!! Enjoy =pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu[/left][left=cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q]So, F10 or F6.3? That was the question I challenged myself to answer, and the results are "a mixed bag". I just got done stacking data from last two nights on M3, M13 and M51 (haven't touched M101 yet), and not sure if I like what I see!1. DSS doesn't like bloated and out of focus "anything", so @ F10 unless you're a superstar and have an EQ6, EQ8 or above quality mount with Edge HD optics and one of those WO doublet as a guidescope, good luck getting DSS to cooperate =pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu!!! Hint: Trevor Jones ([url=oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl gpro0wi8 q66pz984 b1v8xokw=https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/astrobackyard?__eep__=6&__cft__[0]=AZW0STEo-BC2G8ew905Y0KpB5e2tZYUA4n6Ca76BMKIoIF45IdmcN0-PDr9rZGvizrrZe0TG6vqG80WGVgQ7RYtY2iV6Ta0OyUfmYbnXGjAMoJ1MEfdee9C-GiQQql6W-KlGb0Iy3O38taFCLoTLGmxDVuTmmwCSfT-VAbIhmcQaG9P2SB8yHqDUHbL5pRL_JBc&__tn__=*NK-y-R]#astrobackyard[/url])2. M51: Stacking without calibration frames worked, well, kind of, but DSS picked only 11 frames out of 35 [25 × 3min, 10 x 5min], so it maybe 33 to 53 minutes of data only without any darks or flats!3. Stars are not perfect even using AEF multiple times through each session, and it has to do with the limitations of the relatively "average gear" being used to its max capability![/left][left=cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q]Nexstar Evo 8" SCT on HEQ5 Pro mount, ZWO 294MC Pro main camera and ZWO 120mm guidecam in Apertura 60mm guidescope with the ZWO EAF and ASI Air Plus. Also, L Pro and UV IR cut filters were used @ F10[/left][left=cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q]4. Anyways, all is not lost.. I processed M3 (DSS let me stack darks and flats for the 32 x 2min subs.. yaay!)5. Here are the comps, M51 @ F10 (UV IR cut filter, only 11 subs no darks and flats) vs M51 @ F6.3 (L Pro filter, best outcome from 2 weeks ago)6. M3 @ F10 (L Pro & UV IR cut filter) vs M3 @ F6.3 (L Pro filter)[/left]