October 2025 Dispersed Camping Trip

As in years past I headed down near the sand dunes for an end of the season camping trip on Friday Oct 17th. Since last year I’ve gotten some new equipment for astrophotography and made some changes to the existing equipment. I was extra excited about this years trip for the fact that I could image another comet (c/2025 A6 Lemmon) one that won’t return to us for about a thousand years

New Equipment

Modified Equipment

Nikon D5100 Full Spectrum Mod – This I did myself but did not replace the hot mirror with anything so all pictures taken I add a UV/IR cut filter to the imaging train (sometimes this is replaced with a broadband filter like the Optolong L-Pro or a Narrowband filter like the sv220).

Comet c/2025 A6 Lemmon

ISO 1250
400mm @ f/4.4
iexos-100 mount
D5100 Full Spectrum Mod
sv48p with .8 Focal Reducer
ZWO ASI224MC on Astromania 60mm Guide Scope
ZWO EAF (focused with NINA autofocus routine)

30 light frames @ 60 sec each
20 dark frames
20 flat frames
20 biases frames

Bortle Class 2.8 (https://lightpollutionmap.app/?lat=37.528421&lng=-105.589855&zoom=15)
Mosca, CO

Western Veil & Pickering’s Triangle

ISO 1250
400mm @ f/4.4
iexos-100 mount
D5100 Full Spectrum Mod
sv48p with .8 Focal Reducer
ZWO ASI224MC on Astromania 60mm Guide Scope
ZWO EAF (focused with NINA autofocus routine)

42 light frames @ 60 sec each
20 dark frames
20 flat frames
20 biases frames

SvBony sv220 Dual Narrowband Filter

Bortle Class 2.8 (https://lightpollutionmap.app/?lat=37.528421&lng=-105.589855&zoom=15)
Mosca, CO

California Nebula

ISO 1250
400mm @ f/4.4
iexos-100 mount
D5100 Full Spectrum Mod
sv48p with .8 Focal Reducer
ZWO ASI224MC on Astromania 60mm Guide Scope
ZWO EAF (focused with NINA autofocus routine)

14 light frames @ 60 sec each
20 dark frames
20 flat frames
20 biases frames

SvBony sv220 Dual Narrowband Filter

Bortle Class 2.8 (https://lightpollutionmap.app/?lat=37.528421&lng=-105.589855&zoom=15)
Mosca, CO