Before session
Check weather, moon altitude, target altitude, focus plan, cable routing, storage space, and time synchronization.
Observing plan
Targets selected for steady follow-up
The schedule favors objects that can be revisited across multiple nights, compared against public images, and explained without relying on a single dramatic frame.
| Target group | Best window | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planetary nebulae | Late evening | Color and narrowband comparison | Useful for testing filter balance and star color calibration. |
| Open clusters | Early night | Photometric reference | Bright stars make focusing and plate solving reliable. |
| Edge-on galaxies | Moonless nights | Dust lane contrast | Requires stable transparency and careful gradient removal. |
| Bright comets | Twilight margin | Motion and tail structure | Short sessions can still be useful when ephemerides are current. |
During session
Record exposure settings, rejected frames, meridian flip timing, temperature drift, wind, and guiding behavior.
After session
Back up raw frames, update calibration inventory, plate solve key images, and write short notes before memory fades.
Nightly decision rule
If the sky is transparent but seeing is poor, prioritize wide-field targets and open clusters. If seeing is stable but transparency is uneven, prioritize compact bright objects and avoid faint dust structures. If both are poor, review archive data instead of collecting low-value frames.