Woo!  I got some data .

First, let me preface this with I am actually really happy with how this turned out, despite all the issues (which were pretty much... entirely my fault lol ).  NGC 2264 and the surrounding area is one of my favorite targets.  It was one of my first targets when I started two years ago https://www.astrobin.com/tqh4np/ with my unmodded Nikon D780.  I was very happy with that image then, but I was amazed on what more experienced imagers could do with the target.  I missed most of the 2021/2022 winter season due to work (my fault for being lazy) and then a double whammy of COVID.

I almost forgot about NGC 2264 this season, too, but I was lucky to catch it a few nights ago.  It was also first light for my new ASI2600MM.  After going through 2022 and restraining myself from buying any more gear after diving into the hobby in 2021, I decided to get enough parts to be able to run both of my telescopes at once - a William Optics GT81 and a William Optics FLT132.  I am happy to say that I am now fairly confident in running two setups simultaneously, but there were a few trials and tribulations to get there.

2023-03-03:  UPS delivered my ASI2600MM Pro, ZWO 36mm EFW Gen2, and Antlia LRGB and 3nm Ha, OIII, SII Pro filters.  Of course UPS delivered them right at the end of astronomical twilight, so I was in a rush to get it setup.  Both mounts were outside already and my GT81 was inside on the table waiting for the camera.  I quickly, albeit carefully, assembled the filters into the EFW and connected everything using the 16.5mm spacer -> EFW, -> T2-T2 2mm adapter -> camera tilt plate -> camera.  I put the screws into the holes for an OAG on the scope side since I was not using them, but in my haste I left the screws open on the camera side of the EFW to bolt the camera directly to the EFW.  Mistake #1.  The configuration is only recommended for scopes up to f/5.6 per ZWO's instructions (in red, italicized, fine print that I missed - mistake #2), but my scope is f/4.7 with the Flat6AIII.  Oh well, let's roll with it.

I hurriedly ran out and threw the scope on mount and started running through the polar alignment for both mounts.  I quickly got the EQ6-R Pro aligned with the FLT132 with SharpCap Pro's PA routine and moved on to the AM5 and GT81.  This was also first light for the AM5 and everything other than the GT81 (a 2nd Uniguide 50mm guide scope, a 2nd ASI120MM mini, a 2nd Pegasus Astro Pocket Power Box Advanced but a Gen2 vs. a Gen1, and a 2nd ZWO EAF), but the AM5 was the only piece of gear I had not used before.  Now I did take the time earlier in the week to make sure all the other gear is working, update the ASCOM drivers, install the AM5 drivers, setup a 2nd instance of PHD2 and APT, and run the mount inside some while connected to my ASI6200MM, but this was, as I said, first light... I hoped.  I opened the ASCOM for the AM5 to rotate the mount for the polar alignment procedure, all good so far.

I opened up APT, and I quickly ran through the guiding calibration and auto focus routine on my older setup to get it up and running.  Of course I accidentally connected the AM5 to the first instance of APT, and it did not close the ASI Mount Server process when I connected the first instance of APT to the EQ6-R Pro - mistake #3.  When I tried to connect the AM5 to the 2nd instance of APT it would either hang, freeze APT, or crash APT.  It would also do the same to PHD2 when trying to connect.

About this time, my neighbor down the street sent a message in our small group chat that he was having trouble getting his Open Astro Tracker working.  He is big on DIY and had built his own mount for his DSLR complete with guide cam capabilities and automatic polar alignment with motors.  I walked down the street and spent an hour or so pointing out Polaris and helping him troubleshoot a few issues.  He is planning to print a larger mount for a telescope soon, and it's pretty awesome seeing the prints come together.

After helping out my neighbor, who is just getting into the hobby, I walked back to my house to see about getting my GT81 and AM5 imaging.  As soon as I checked Task Manager and forced the ASI Mount Server process to close, everything connected up fine, and I was off to the races!  Of course, with NGC 2264 low in the sky and the late start from getting the camera right before dark, I only got two 300' subs before it was too low (for me... a lot of experienced imagers would call me crazy for even imaging in my conditions but you take what you can get ).  Unfortunately, I didn't like the framing, so I rotated the camera on the scope to try again Saturday, since we had two nice, for here, nights in row.


2023-03-04:  I left everything setup, so I thought I'd be up and running quick.  I connected up everything and thought I was good to go.  Unfortunately, the order of the cameras in PHD2 changed, so I had the guide cameras, which are both ASI120MM minis, swapped in PHD2, which obviously confused some things.  Since I was trying to calibrate both at once, they actually did calibrate as both were moving, but then guiding was screwing up the mounts - mistake #4.  I got that figured out and then moved on.  I was trying to do RGB stars for the Rosette I was imaging with the FLT132.  Things seemed okay, but then I noticed some oddities as the subs were coming in on both scopes.  Long story short, both instances of APT were connected to the EFW on the FLT132 and ASI6200MM - mistake #5.  I made sure to shift click and pick the right EFW for each instance of APT.  I had named the EFWs in the ASCOM dialog, but either I goofed up again, which is likely, or both instances of APT connected to the same EFW.

Now the subs were starting to come in and looking right.  NGC 2264 Ha looked like Ha and not some RGB filter, and the Rosette Ha was coming in nice on the other scope.  All was good... I thought... until I noticed that the first two subs for NGC 2264 came in and were identical in the frame.  I watched and noticed it wasn't dithering.  I started looking and noticed the guiding graphs for both instances of APT were pointing at the first instance of PHD2, so dithering was not occurring between subs for the GT81 and ASI2600MM.  After some searching, I read that PHD2's first instance starts at port 4400 and each new instance increments by one.  Mistake #6 or so at this point lol.  I changed the port info in the 2nd instance of APT for PHD2 to 4401 and finally, everything was golden.

2023-03-05:  I went to take darks.  Now people might call me crazy, but I do them outside in sunlight to start at least.  This quickly tells me if I have some pinhole light leaks that I might not notice in subs.  Of course I had open screw holes, so I did.  I decided to switch the setup to have the ASI2600MM mount directly to the EFW.  Since I have the adjustable focal reducer on my WO guide scope, I just backed it out to compensate for the backfocus lost from removing the tilt plate.  Of course, this meant I didn't have any flats for the subs I'd taken.  Oh well.  The subs looked pretty dang good for here, so I figured why not just give it a go.  The only stinker was I had to take out the filter carriage from the filter wheel with all the filters in it to mount the camera, but that wasn't too bad taking it slow and careful.  After rearranging the imaging train, I took 40 darks and 100 bias frames for the GT81 with ASI2600MM and decided to throw the subs into Affinity Photo 2 for stacking and processing to try out the latest macro updates from James Ritson.  Affinity Photo 2 is pretty good for an all in one pre and post processing solution, and significantly faster than PixInsight if I go through all the different pre-processing calibrations and scripts.

Since I didn't have flats, I didn't know how it would turn out, but considering there is hardly any integration time, no flats, and it had bad light leaks, it turned out quite nice.  Part of the reason I got the AM5 was to have a more mobile setup to take to dark sites with the GT81 and not have to swap things between the FLT132 and GT81.  I am happy to say that the AM5 performed stellar with the GT81.  I am also fairly confident - now - in running two mounts at once with APT and PHD2.  It was an awesome way to end the nebula season as we start getting into galaxy season.  I also found a horse ranch camp ground up in Mississippi a couple hours from here that should be Bortle 2 or 3 maybe?  I intend to take the gear up there soon.  They also have cabin rentals in case the wife wants to come along for the trip and doesn't want to sleep in the truck bed .

This was the guiding with the AM5 when it first started.  It actually started doing even better once I was on target.  I was impressed.

I bought some totes to have a better setup for my laptop and power supplies.  I've consolidated it to one single tote up top to house everything that I can just bring in at the end of an imaging session.  The big DeWalt rolling toolbox is actually my case for the EQ6-R Pro, extension cords, towels, and a few other supplies.