Capture – Calibrate – Stack – Edit

1. Use a a planetarium app or star chart to plan your imaging session.  Ensure sufficient hard drive space, power, horizon and tree clearance, etc.
2. Allow the telescope to reach ambient temperature before attempting to focus.  Ensure there are no tube currents.
3. Study the AstroClock to determine best cloud cover, best seeing, and whether dew control may be needed.Polar align.  PoleMaster and SharpCap work well for polar alignment.
4. Point the telescope north with counterweights down, and apply power.
5. Connect AP computer to the main camera, mount, and focuser.  Start cooling the camera. Connect Guiding system to guide camera and start Loop function.
6. Slew to a bright star near the first target.  Bright stars have a common name (e.g. Vega, Sirius, etc.), or are identified starting with alpha, beta, or gamma (e.g. alpha Lyra).
7. Capture the sky wherever the telescope is pointing, plate solve, and synchronize.  Reslew to the bright star.
8. Insert the filter to be used for this target, fit the Bahtinov mask in place, and focus.  Remove the Bahtinov mask.
9. Either slew to the object, or use “Goto++” in APT to locate the object with high accuracy.
10. With the Guiding system, choose a star (ALT-S) and start guiding.
11. Set the gain for this target (recommend Unity Gain; see manufacture’s specification).  
12. Try various exposures to find one where the left lump of the histogram is just clear of the left histogram edge.
13. Check that guiding is working well.
14. Start imaging session of 40 to 60 exposures at best exposure.
15. Monitor guiding, star focus, cloud cover, dew, and mount; adjust as needed.
16. When finished, disconnect hardware in applications, close applications, turn off equipment, and disconnect cables.