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Message: <blockquote data-quote="PhilD41" data-source="post: 823651" data-attributes="member: 53543">Wow, thank you all for the greetings and comments. Let me see if I can work through them here. Given the dates on the threads I wasn't sure how active this group was.  First [USER=47518]@blackstar[/USER] , below is the first image, the later image, and the side-by-side EXIF data. I am not sure why some of the data is different formats, but I will blame DarkTable on my linux box and not the camera.[ATTACH]409754[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]409755[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]409753[/ATTACH]Second, I agree [USER=48483]@BF Hammer[/USER], an intervalometer makes a lot of sense, and it is on his list of equipment for future purchases. He (we) has been focusing on other items, like a good tripod, tracker, etc. He also has a 8" dobsonian telescope that takes up some of his expendable hobby budget. We were both hoping that the tracker could do what he needed... and I think it can. The actual image taking mechanics worked perfectly. He does control his tracker with his phone, It may be the same app. I can't recall the name of it. He has to put up with me being a Linux fan, meaning we don't have any PC in the house that isn't Linux or a Chromebook. That makes some of the control options a little more complicated. Oh, and you are correct, it is Andromeda. I am not sure why he dropped the ISO down to 2000. The images he took at 30" intervals were at 3200. For kicks, I the below image is what he ended up with after that session. He was hoping to add to it to provide a little more detail.[ATTACH]409757[/ATTACH]Third, [USER=46724]@TwistedThrottle[/USER], 300mm is a reach, and on a APS-C sensor it is actually 450mm. This is the first time we have seen this issue, yes. We have had others, but have worked through them slowly. Completely agree on the light pollution and clouds. Fortunately, our home is a Bortle 3. I am not sure if he uses ClearDarkSky or if Stellarium provides the same data, but he has an app on his phone to monitor and plan around clouds and atmospheric conditions. In this case, the fade began just 15 minutes or so after he started and he was still out there. The skys were clear till almost sun rise. It could be there was something we couldn't see, but the sequential dimming in each frame seem very odd and linear for a natural event.Forth, the point of due is relavent. The lens heater is also on his list. We thought about this as well, but it was almost 10 degrees above dewpoint when he started. the lens did have droplets on it by morning, but the first 2 - 3 hours of images should have been clear and they weren't. I even asked about fog, that is when we realized it dimming was happening 10's of minutes prior to him coming in for the night and conditions hadn't changed. Again, thank you all for the ideas and help. It is great to have others to troubleshoot with. Most of these we have thought of, but don't necessarily have the experience to know if they would cause this. To me, causes we have come up with so far don't explain the failure mode. Or I am just missing something. He was going to try again tonight with a slight delay between pictures. He may still, depending on when he gets back from his friends birthday gathering.</blockquote>

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