u/DangReadingRabbit

I think this is my favorite images to date! We’ve had a nice run of clear skies here on Long Island this week and I captured this one last night with my DwarfMini.

Bortle 7ish
300 images with 45 second exposure
100 images with 60 second exposure
Both with DuoBand filter
Both with a gain of 60
Then “Mega Stacked”
Star reduction in Stellar Studio.
Processed in AstroWizard 2 ways… where I saved the stars separate from the Nebula, and enhanced the OIII color more is one pass and the SII color in the other.

Brought the files into Photoshop and enhanced the sharpness and saturation in the nebula layers and combined all into three layers which gave me the ability to control the brightness of the red, blue and stars individually.

I heard a guy on YouTube say about astrophotography, “this is why I don’t sleep anymore” … brother, I relate 😂

Got to visit a friend in Vermont and her backyard is darker than mine (on Long Island in NY). Set up a short session and was surprised how only 150 photos in a bortle 5.5 area got such good results.

About 150 45 second exposures
Gain 60
Duoband filter
Bortle 5.5

Processed in Stellar Studio, Astro Wizard and Photoshop.

Traveling for work I booked an Airbnb with a super cool balcony and view of the sky… then: clouds.
Camped Friday night with good weather predicted. I was so hopeful … then: clouds.
Had no intention to shoot last night since the weather predicted cloud-cover, but then: CLEAR!
So last minute in my backyard (again LOL) I set out to capture Pac-Man while enjoying company, a fire pit and marshmallows…

30 second exposures / 60 gain
Duoband filter
500ish photos
Stacked and initial process in Stellar Studio
Then some additional processing in AstroWizard and Photoshop. I really like using a Hubble Pallete.

I just started shooting tonight and aiming for Andomeda again… want to stack with photos I took previous… using Duoband filter to hopefully capture some more detail…

Traveling for work I booked an Airbnb with a super cool balcony and view of the sky… then: clouds.
Camped Friday night with good weather predicted. I was so hopeful … then: clouds.
Had no intention to shoot last night since the weather predicted cloud-cover, but then: CLEAR!
So last minute in my backyard (again LOL) I set out to capture Pac-Man while enjoying company, a fire pit and marshmallows…

30 second exposures / 60 gain
Duoband filter
500ish photos
Stacked and initial process in Stellar Studio
Then some additional processing in AstroWizard and Photoshop. I really like using a Hubble Pallete.

Supposed to be decent tonight too… trying to decide what to aim for…

Sky darkness: Bortle 7.5ish (on a scale of 1-9 where the lower the number, the better).

Last night was mostly a great night with its tease of fall-like weather. A little chilly, less humid, clear skies. I’ve wanted to shoot my first Galaxy, so this was a good night to try.

I started about 9:15pm... And my plan was to go for 4-5 hours. Unfortunately, there was almost a full moon. And unfortunately at about 12:30a some clouds started rolling in (so annoying!). So I had to stop prematurely earlier than I wanted. It was still a nice way to spend the evening with some coffee, my fire pit and my eyes on the sky.

But for my first attempt at a galaxy, Im happy with the results!

This is: The Andromeda Galaxy

Settings:
Exposure: 30s/Gain: 60/Filter: Astro
About 300 photos over 3 hours / stacked
Processed in Stellar Studio, FITs file brought into AstroWizard, final touches in ACR/Photoshop.

From my vantage point in NY (Bortle 7.5ish) and view of the sky from my backyard, many of the galaxies that are the best targets just haven’t been ideally situated in the sky. But with a pretty good window of clear skies last night, I went for it.

I started about 9:15pm which wasn’t the best (where it was at about 25°), but it got higher as the night went on... And my plan was to go for 4-5 hours.

Unfortunately, there was almost a full moon. And unfortunately at about 12:30a the hazy clouds started rolling in (so annoying!). So I had to stop prematurely.

But for my first attempt at Andromeda, I’m pretty happy!

Settings:
Exposure: 30s
Gain: 60
Filter: Astro
About 300 photos over 3 hours.
Processed in Stellar Studio, FITs file brought into AstroWizard, final touches in ACR/Photoshop.

There’s a slight difference in my processing of the two photos, but they’re close. If you prefer one over the other, let me know.

It was so overcast here on Long Island I was sure I wouldn’t see anything at peak time, but literally at 12:05 the clouds parted.

Stupid me thought I won’t need a tripod because the moon is so bright …and I didn’t with my test shot last night… forgetting at totality it would not be bright. LOL! Last minute I realized and grabbed a tripod but I wasn’t prepared so fumbled way more than I should have. I wanted so much better.

Shot with my Fuji XT5 + 70-300mm Fuji lens. Post processed in photoshop.

This is obviously a composite… moon in about 35 images stacked. Clouds were from a separate moon shot and combined with the stack. Stars were a final touch.

Was fun!

My backyard sky is not the darkest… like at all. I’m in Holbrook. My Bortle sky darkness rating is like a 7-7.5 (the lower the better on a scale from 1-9).

Image 1: IC1318 Butterfly Nebula from two nights ago. 425 photos stacked over about 4 hours (30s/60g/duoband filter) from my backyard. Shot with DwarfMini and processed with Stellar Studio, AstroWizard by u/lukomatico and Adobe Photoshop

Image 2: Practice moon shot from last night (practice for eclipse tonight if we don’t get rained out). 20 photos stacked (Fuji XT5), aligned, sharpened and enhanced in Photoshop

I’m only really starting my journey getting into astrophotography and deep space photos (though I’ve been into regular photography nearly my whole life)… never really thought this kind of stuff was possible from the suburbs of Long Island, but it absolutely is with some of the latest smart telescopes, software and tracking mounts!

Had a good clear sky tonight from my backyard (bortle about 7/7.5).
30s 60 gain
425 exposures over about 4 hours
Duo band filter
Processed in Stellar Studio, Astro Wizard and Photoshop.

I only wish I had framed it just a little more to the right to get the large star, Sadr. I was so close.

Processed it two ways with Stellar Studio and also photoshop. It’s not at all bad considering I only shot for an hour in my suburban NY back yard.

I’ve had no luck with the skies… tonight it was great, nice and clear and dark and I was getting results from the first captured image, but after an hour clouds rolled in.

I went upstate over the weekend to darker skies (to visit a friend) and the whole two nights were overcast.

I’m looking forward to fall and winter when the sun sets earlier and the air is less humid!

Preface by saying I’m not knew to photography, I do it passionately and professionally ☺️

Tonight the weather was good for trying from my backyard, with a bortel sky of 7, but clear and not humid. I’m on Long Island in NY.

I started at 10:30p in EQ Mode, Duo-Band, 30 second exposures, gain of 60 and went to almost 400 frames. Then ran it through Stellar Studio…first mind blown… and then took it into camera raw and Photoshop and did some spot color correction and level adjustments (plus sharpening, upscaling and noise reduction). Now mind absolutely blown!

I think the DwarfMini is now officially my most favorite Xmas gift ever. I’m going to enjoy the heck of this thing!!!!

I’m traveling to much darker skies next weekend and can’t wait to try it out there!

Not all that exciting and impressive to most, but to me a 10/10!

I got the DwarfMini as an Xmas gift from my spouse but was actually in the hospital Xmas day, had a lot of health issues and surgery in March so man, I just didn’t get a chance to use it.

Yesterday we took a spur of the moment camping trip and I brought it with me. In the afternoon I tried the eclipse (from New York). Two photos, two different modes.

Then last night I successfully got the EQ mode set up and tried a few things. Unfortunately it was a bit hazy and not the darkest sky where I was, but I thought this was pretty neat anyway for a first try and not a lot of time (this is about 60 images stacked I believe, 1/30). It’s the NGC 6871 Star Cluster.

I’m looking forward to finding darker skies and trying longer capture times and really learning all I can. I so appreciate that technology has made entry into deep space and astrophotography a little more accessible. I’m a passionate photographer, for fun and for work, and have always wanted to do play more with space photography.

You all are amazing with the images here! I humbly share my first…

All photos: https://imgur.com/a/2AXE9kt

All prices include shipping in the continental USA. I won’t ship anywhere else. I’m firm on pricing.

I take Venmo or PayPal. I have a good reputation on eBay (but I’m trying to avoid their high fees for this sale). My name there is auctioneer-amy. I’ve bought and sold here too but it’s been quite a while. I reserve the right to sell only to people with a good history here and good karma overall.

The gear for sale:

Fuji 18mm f2 lens. Bought new on Amazon and used it once. It’s brilliant, I just don’t use it. Hard to part with, but it’s ridiculous for it to sit here unused. $280 SOLD

Fuji 35mm f2 WR. Bought new on Amazon and used it once, same situation as 18mm but Ive had it longer. It’s redundant in my kit. $275

Lensbaby Composer Pro II 50mm f2.5 Double Glass. These are fun. I have a few Lensbabys and enjoy them. But I use this one least. 50mm just isn’t my favorite focal length. $175

Comment below and then send a private message if interested. I priced them fairly because I want to sell them quickly. All come from a non-smoking home and are so very lightly used, in excellent condition. Have always been in a bag and in a dry photo cabinet. I will ship within 24 hours of payment.

Thanks for looking!

Edit: Here’s an old transaction I did here with a review.

As many of us know, Mopar’s official part number for the official Chrysler cup holder is way over priced (at $240). No one in their right mind would pay that. I had posted about it and u/tink00070007 even shared a link to a 3D model, so I kept that as an option if I couldn’t solve this another way.

I’m one of those people determined to get to the bottom of this kind of thing. I was pretty convinced that somewhere along the way Mopar made a mistake and somehow this cup holder ended up with the wrong price. It doesn’t make any sense… very similar cup holders from other cars are all a fraction of the cost.

So searching around on eBay I found a listing for a Genuine Mopar Console Cup-Holder 1VQ69BD1AA … this part number traces out to a whole bunch of models, but not specifically the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica, but based on the photo looking so similar, and the price being fairly inexpensive, I decided to take a chance. I ordered it.

This is coming from an auto parts store, so the seller had to order it to fulfill my order. I ended up sending him a message about compatibility and he wasn’t sure (since it’s not listed as being compatible). Long story short, we ended up having a very friendly in-depth conversation about all this and he discovered that somewhere along the way, the part number for the official cup holder for the Pacifica changed from 6EK261D2AA to 7JV65PD2AA. And in his system he was able to order the old part number for much much less that the $240 the new part number demands. He ordered one for me and I sent him the extra money for the second one.

Both came today. The 1VQ69BD1AA one and the 6EK261D2AA one. The 1VQ one came with a little rubber protection mat inside. The 6EK one did not.

6EK261D2AA fit perfectly! It’s absolutely the right one for the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica.

1VQ69BD1AA fit almost perfectly, but was absolutely close enough if it had been the only thing I could have gotten my hands on. I was going to just sell it, but I’m keeping it as a spare. As I said, that one came with a little rubber protection mat for where the cups sit, so I put that inside the 6EK261D2AA one. That’s how you see them pictured.

Sooooo all that is the long story way to say, there are solutions to getting a second row cup holder if you’re missing it… and without spending a crazy amount of money. Even the junk yards I called wanted either too much money (basing it on the “official part number price” or wanted me to buy the whole console).

I bought from PrestigeDodge on eBay … and he was the seller that was so helpful. The original part I ordered was the Genuine Mopar Console Cup-Holder 1VQ69BD1AA … but I told him if he can get more of the 6EK261D2AA one to sell he should. I don’t know if he can but it might also be a part number you can go into an official Mopar store and find… but you want that part number, not the new one that superseded it.

Probably no one finds this all as fascinating as I do, but thought I’d share it anyway. To me, there’s no way that $240 is the correct price for just the cup holder with part number 7JV65PD2AA.

Thanks all for your help originally, and I hope this helps someone else.

I’m a lover of these reMarkable devices. Been a fan since their first one…. Still have and use my reMarkable One.

Last October I bought a Paper Pro. I love the color and light. I enjoyed daily use up until a couple of weeks ago when the infamous “Green Ghosting” showed up.

I’m now in the midst of waiting for a replacement… my warranty return and replacement was already approved. I shipped mine back, they got it Friday and they’re saying it can take 2-3 more weeks to get the replacement. I do hope it’s faster than that. Ugh.

Anyway, for anyone who had this Green Ghosting experience…

What was your experience with getting a replacement?

Did you ever have Green Ghosting again, a second time with the replacement? In other words, did your replacement ever start to show Green Ghosting too?Did you have to get another warranty replacement?

Also, I had issues with their website. I had issues with emailing them. It hasn’t exactly been smooth. When I do communicate with a human, they are very nice, but I can’t say it’s been an easy experience to get the replacement (I’m a tech nerd and used to work in IT, so it wasn’t a problem in my end LOL)

Any insights appreciated…

Update: I communicated with a human again at reMarkable and they apologized for the issues I’ve had. They also said my replacement was preparing for shipment. It has a FedEx label number now but hasn’t yet shipped. With any luck I’ll have it before the weekend.

The circled item is what I need (that’s a photo from the internet). The other photo shows mine is missing.

Just bought the car and love it… didn’t think anything was missing until I saw some photos online and realized there was supposed to be a cup holder in there.

I have two problem… seems hard to find used, and also seems ridiculously expensive new. Has anyone 3D printed one? 😂

Edit: maybe I lucked out… I found one on eBay that looks like the exact same thing, comes from a dealership and was listed for only $35, so I ordered it. We’ll see if it is what it claims to be!

Just tried this recently and fell in love with it!

My Recipe

1/2 cup [rolled oats](https://a.co/d/07SJBZco).
3/4 cup almond milk of your choice - I use unsweetened vanilla.
1 tablespoon [chia seeds](https://a.co/d/0e2bQaiu).
1 tablespoon [peanut butter powder](https://a.co/d/07Ya75fE).
A little sugar and cinnamon.

Mix it all up and put it in the fridge with a lid overnight. I bought [12oz containers](https://a.co/d/0hPzE4Fk) on Amazon.

You could use oatmilk, regular milk or any milk of your choice. You can adjust the amount for thicker or thinner (mine was pretty thick).

I also tried chocolate peanut butter powder and that was good too!

You could use maple syrup instead of sugar.

Today I added some grape jelly to it (as a topper right before I ate it). I’m going to try cacao nibs this week!

What combinations and recipes do you like?

*This is for anyone not currently in a flare. When you’re actively suffering acute diverticulitis, stick to a low fiber diet for a few weeks and until you’re pain free. Also, as always, drink lots of water.

If your followed my story from the beginning and through my surgery , you’ve heard me say I travel a lot (both for work and pleasure). I just returned from my first big trip since having surgery. It’s now four months since surgery.

I was a little nervous about traveling. I still poop anywhere from 2-4 time per day. I’m trying to maintain my high fiber diet and drink lots of water. When we travel I usually have a large travel van with a bed and portable toilet with us, but that needed its own surgery recently and was still in the shop. But, we also always have a portable toilet in our other vehicle, our minivan (okay, let’s call it what it is, a luggable loo… a bucket with a toilet seat on top LOL)… so at least for an emergency, it’s better than having nothing. It’s piece of mind.

So we hit the road with a tote bag full of fiber snacks and my husband’s diabetes snacks and set off on our 12 hour drive from New York to Tennessee.

The next necessary nicety was a self filtering water bottle. Since my flare in December and since surgery I’ve been maintaining 64-90 ounces of water a day. I didn’t want to go broke buying bottled water or having to carry around cases of water. I bought one of the Brita self filtering water bottles and it worked out really well. I could fill it up anywhere and didn’t once have to buy water either on the road or in hotels.

Exercise … I thought about using hotel treadmills and that was always an option, but doing walk-in-place exercising for 30 minutes in the morning and again in the evening worked out just fine. Plus during this trip it was for work, so I’m on my feet a lot at photoshoots, so there was no shortage of being active. I was averaging 12k-14k steps per day.

Eating Out … obviously when we’re away from home we’re eating out a lot. The key takeaway is that I had to be sure to get my fiber. Breakfasts or Brunch always had oatmeal or blueberries or avocado. Lunches were often salads or included sweet potato fries. Dinners I’d have broccoli or beans (or both) or avocado or sweet potato in some form. It wasn’t hard to include something with fiber in it. And as mentioned, I had my fiber snacks with me, so could have one in the afternoon or evening if needed. All of this worked out just fine and kept me regular.

Pooping … we were away ten days and in that time I mostly pooped 2-3 times per day. Always in the morning before we left for the day, always in the evening when done for the day. Sometimes we’d come back to the hotel before dinner to do some work and email and I’d poop then too (maybe a little less than half the time). There was only one day I had an urgency to poop that needed to happen right away, and we found a public restroom (large gas station) where I could take care of business. I would have had the bucket otherwise 😂

Finally, It was so good to be traveling again. I felt like I was “smelling the roses” more if you know what I mean. I was sick quite a while, through the holidays and all before my surgery, and then recovering from the surgery itself… so this really felt good, to get back to our normal life and just enjoy the trip. We saw some really good sights: Atomic History stuff in Oak Ridge, Old Prison, amazing thrift store and record store, old school house, a bunch of Roadside America stuff and more. We met some nice people and ate some great food. I was finally just feeling like myself.

So that’s my four month check-in. If you want the previous episodes: Micro-perforation Adventure || Prep Day || Colonoscopy || The Surgery || Recovery from Home || One Month Since Surgery || Three Months - How It’s Going