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Cédric's Astro Blog

Astrophotography, automation, and the endless quest for clear skies

Sep 1, 2025 • Observatory and Automation

Setups 2025
Sep 15, 2024 • Photos

My Astrobin Gallery: Come See My Deep Sky Shots!
Aug 27, 2024 • Observatory and Automation

Unveiling My 2024 Astro Setups
May 20, 2024 • Tests and Misc

My Takahashi FS60-CB: The End of an Era (Sold!)
May 18, 2024 • Observatory and Automation

Roll-Off Roof Upgrade: A Fresh New Top!
May 8, 2024 • Observatory and Automation

My Observatory Pier Upgrade: Part 2
Apr 22, 2024 • Observatory and Automation

A Fresh Coat of Paint
Apr 18, 2024 • Observatory and Automation

Level Up! My New Office and Storage Setup
Apr 17, 2024 • DIY

My Flat Panel Just Got an Upgrade!
Apr 16, 2024 • Observatory and Automation

My Rolling Roof Observatory Gets a Makeover!
Apr 15, 2024 • Observatory and Automation

ZigBee and Home Assistant: My Smart Home Journey
May 18, 2020 • Tests and Misc

Guiding with PHD2: A Deep Dive
May 18, 2020 • Tests and Misc

Voyager: The Smart Way to Automate Your Astrophotography
May 14, 2020 • Observatory and Automation

AAG Solo and Cloudwatcher: My Automated Observatory Brains
May 13, 2020 • DIY

My Custom Mounting Plate, Now with a Brake Disc!
May 1, 2020 • Photos

First Light in Chile: The Carina Nebula
Mar 16, 2020 • Memories and Events

Mikel's Setup: Up and Running in Chile!
Feb 26, 2020 • Photos

A Quick Spin with My New Mount: The EQ8-R
Feb 22, 2020 • Observatory and Automation

My Deep Sky Setup: An Updated Look!
Feb 7, 2020 • Observatory and Automation

EQ8 Out, EQ8-R In: My Mount Upgrade!
Jan 25, 2020 • Memories and Events

Mikel's Setup: Off to Chile, Too!
Nov 12, 2019 • Memories and Events

The Day Mercury Crossed the Sun
Nov 7, 2019 • Memories and Events

Unlocking the Chilean Sky with My Modified Canon 6D
Oct 29, 2019 • Memories and Events

A Week Under the Chilean Stars!
Jul 28, 2019 • Tests and Misc

Sir Isaac's Legacy: My Optics Experiments
Jul 19, 2019 • Observatory and Automation

IPX: Leveling Up to V4!
Jun 21, 2019 • Memories and Events

Marian's Setup: Live and Kicking in Chile!
May 30, 2019 • Observatory and Automation

A New Floor for the Observatory!
Apr 15, 2019 • Memories and Events

Deep Sky Chile Takes on NEAF 2019 in the Big Apple!
Nov 15, 2018 • Memories and Events

Deep Sky Chile in Paris for RCE 2018!
Jun 15, 2018 • DIY

My 500mm Dobson: Good as New!
Apr 6, 2018 • Memories and Events

Thomas Pesquet: An Astronaut's Visit to Montpellier
Mar 8, 2018 • Memories and Events

Deep Sky Chile!
Sep 28, 2017 • Observatory and Automation

Fresh Optics for Teenie Galilei!
Sep 25, 2017 • Tests and Misc

QHY Polemaster: Is It the Ultimate Polar Alignment Solution?
Sep 9, 2017 • DIY

My NEQ-6 Gets a Fresh Dovetail!
Sep 7, 2017 • DIY

Exploring the ZWO ASI 120 Clone
Sep 2, 2017 • DIY

3D Printing & Astro: My DIY Journey!
Aug 18, 2017 • Observatory and Automation

A Fourth Column?! The 'Why' Behind My Design
Jul 28, 2017 • Observatory and Automation

Franck's Out, Marian's In: The Great Gear Shuffle
Jun 9, 2017 • Observatory and Automation

My Observatory's New Backbone (and a Fresh Coat!)
Feb 18, 2017 • Memories and Events

Jantar Mantar: Jaipur's Astronomical Marvel
Nov 10, 2016 • DIY

FSQ106: Hitting a Snag!
Nov 6, 2016 • Observatory and Automation

FSQ106 & Moravian: Our Observatory Just Got an Upgrade!
Oct 26, 2016 • Observatory and Automation

EQ8: Welcome to the Dome!
Jul 16, 2016 • Memories and Events

Unearthing the Sunstone
May 28, 2016 • Memories and Events

My VLT Adventure!
Mar 29, 2016 • DIY

An All-Sky Camera for Under €70!
Mar 2, 2016 • Observatory and Automation

Meet My New Weather Station!
Mar 1, 2016 • Observatory and Automation

Introducing My New Outdoor Camera!
Feb 21, 2016 • Observatory and Automation

Meet the Newest Member of the Team!
Feb 7, 2016 • Observatory and Automation

Observatory Renovation: The Work Begins!
Nov 22, 2015 • Memories and Events

Our New Home: The 18h39 Observatory
Sep 30, 2015 • Memories and Events

Capturing the September 2015 Super Blood Moon Eclipse
Sep 27, 2015 • Memories and Events

Heads Up! Lunar Eclipse Tonight!
Aug 26, 2015 • DIY

Let's Track the ISS and Satellites!
Aug 1, 2015 • Tests and Misc

Parallel Guiding: A Good Idea... Or Is It?
Apr 13, 2015 • Observatory and Automation

IPX800V3: My Electrical Wiring Overhaul
Mar 27, 2015 • Memories and Events

My Black Hole Talk in Montpellier
Mar 25, 2015 • Memories and Events

St-Jean-de-Védas: My Stargazing Sessions!
Mar 20, 2015 • Memories and Events

Playing Hide-and-Seek with an Eclipse!
Mar 19, 2015 • Memories and Events

Capturing the Solar Eclipse!
Mar 18, 2015 • Tutorials

Let's Talk Autoguiding!
Sep 8, 2014 • Tutorials

Mastering Flats with MaximDL
Sep 8, 2014 • DIY

Slider Hyperlapses: My New Obsession!
Sep 5, 2014 • Tests and Misc

Unlock True Colors: Monitor Calibration for Astrophotography
Aug 31, 2014 • Observatory and Automation

The Canon 60D Meets the Taka FS-60CB
Aug 31, 2014 • Tests and Misc

My SXVR-H18 Camera: It's Gone! (Sold!)
Aug 31, 2014 • Memories and Events

Witnessing a Coronal Mass Ejection!
Aug 31, 2014 • Observatory and Automation

My All-IP Astro Setup: Mounts and Telescopes
Mar 26, 2014 • Memories and Events

Mother Nature Had Other Plans...
Mar 26, 2014 • Tests and Misc

My New Starlight Xpress Trius-H694: First Light & Initial Tests!
Sep 21, 2013 • Memories and Events

Chasing Stars in Angola
Jun 30, 2013 • Memories and Events

Haziak 1: Our Stratospheric Balloon Adventure — Mission Accomplished!
May 13, 2013 • Memories and Events

The Film 'Those Crazy About Astronomy' Is Here!
Mar 15, 2013 • Photos

Chasing Comet Pan-STARRS C/2011 L4
Feb 6, 2013 • Observatory and Automation

Lights, Camera, Observatory! A Video Tour
Jan 6, 2013 • Observatory and Automation

Giving My Observatory New Bones: The Beam Replacement Project
Sep 15, 2012 • Photos

First H-Alpha Light with the New Setup!
Sep 15, 2012 • Memories and Events

Stargazing with the Ancient Maya!
Sep 1, 2012 • Memories and Events

A Week Under the Stars: My 2012 Edition!
Jul 8, 2012 • Memories and Events

ASCOM Mission 2: My Pic du Midi Quest
May 20, 2012 • Observatory and Automation

My Outdoor Pier: Going Permanent!
Apr 20, 2012 • Observatory and Automation

Seletek Armadillo: My Automated Focus Upgrade!
Mar 25, 2012 • Observatory and Automation

Bringing a Starlight Xpress SXVR-H18 CCD to the Observatory
Feb 26, 2012 • Photos

NGC2264 - The Cone Nebula with my 1100d
Feb 24, 2012 • Photos

C/2009 P1 - Garradd: A Comet Story
Feb 24, 2012 • Photos

M101 - The Pinwheel Galaxy: A Galactic Whirlwind
Feb 24, 2012 • Photos

M81 & M82: Galactic Neighbors in Ursa Major
Feb 23, 2012 • Photos

NGC2244: The Rosette Nebula – A Cosmic Bloom
Feb 23, 2012 • Photos

NGC 4631 - The Whale Galaxy: A Cosmic Spectacle!
Feb 22, 2012 • Photos

NGC5907 and Her Galactic Friends - Deep Sky Gems in Draco
Feb 22, 2012 • Photos

M45 - The Pleiades: A Star Cluster So Bright, It's Almost Cheating!
Feb 21, 2012 • Photos

M65, M66, and NGC3628 - The Leo Triplet
Feb 21, 2012 • Photos

NGC2359 - Thor's Helmet: A Celestial Headpiece
Feb 20, 2012 • Photos

M46: Double Feature! An Open Cluster and Planetary Nebula in Puppis
Feb 20, 2012 • Photos

NGC869, NGC884 - The Double Cluster in Perseus: A Stellar Spectacle!
Feb 19, 2012 • Photos

IC434: The Horsehead Nebula – An Astrophotography Icon!
Feb 18, 2012 • Photos

NGC 1333: A Reflection of Beauty
Feb 17, 2012 • Photos

IC59 & IC63: Gamma Cass's Ethereal Neighbors
Feb 15, 2012 • Memories and Events

Round Two at Pic du Midi: My Second CLIMSO Mission!
Feb 15, 2012 • Photos

M35 and NGC 2158: Open Clusters in Gemini's Embrace
Jan 25, 2012 • Photos

Unveiling NGC2174: The Monkey Head Nebula
Jan 24, 2012 • Photos

IC1805: A Big Winter Heart (and a Long Exposure Journey!)
Jan 23, 2012 • Photos

IC405: The Flaming Star Nebula - A Deep Dive!
Jan 22, 2012 • DIY

My Affordable All-Sky Camera
Jan 18, 2012 • Photos

M78 - Orion's Ghostly Cloud
Jan 15, 2012 • Photos

M42 – My Astrodon 1100D's First Light!
Jan 5, 2012 • Tutorials

My Canon EOS 1100D Astro Mod: DIY for Deep Sky
Dec 30, 2011 • Photos

NGC2264 - Unveiling the Cone Nebula
Dec 29, 2011 • Photos

NGC 2237 - Unveiling the Rosette Nebula
Dec 29, 2011 • Photos

Unveiling the Pelican Nebula: NGC7000
Dec 28, 2011 • Photos

IC443: Unveiling the Medusa Nebula
Dec 28, 2011 • Photos

M31 - Andromeda: Our Galactic Neighbor
Dec 28, 2011 • Photos

NGC1499 - California Dreamin' (of Nebulae!)
Sep 7, 2011 • Observatory and Automation

The Fall Upgrade: My New Astro Setup (and a Fond Farewell to My C11!)
Sep 7, 2011 • Memories and Events

First CLIMSO Mission: My Pic du Midi Adventure!
Sep 6, 2011 • Tests and Misc

My Celestron C11 Setup: Sold and Off to New Skies!
Aug 18, 2011 • Memories and Events

My 2011 Week Under the Stars: The Astrophotography Journey Begins
Aug 8, 2011 • Memories and Events

I Walked on Mars!
Jul 20, 2011 • Memories and Events

Taking ASCOM to the Top: My Pic du Midi Mission
Jul 1, 2011 • Tests and Misc

My Adventures (and Misadventures) with the LodeStar
Jun 16, 2011 • Photos

That Epic June 15, 2011 Total Lunar Eclipse!
May 28, 2011 • Tests and Misc

Lunatico: You Nailed It!
May 20, 2011 • Memories and Events

St. Louis, Senegal: My Starry Quest!
May 1, 2011 • Memories and Events

Haut Vivarais Star Festival: My Stellar Experience!
Mar 8, 2011 • Observatory and Automation

Making the OAG Leap: Plus Other Astrophotography Goodies!
Feb 28, 2011 • DIY

Astrophotography: It's All About the Details!
Feb 26, 2011 • Tutorials

Right Ascension & Declination: Your Celestial GPS
Feb 24, 2011 • Tests and Misc

Diving Deep with the Celestron Off-Axis Guider
Feb 22, 2011 • Tests and Misc

SkyMéca T-Rings: Precision Adapters for Astrophotography
Feb 22, 2011 • Tests and Misc

Starlight Xpress Lodestar: My Guiding Star!
Jan 24, 2011 • Tests and Misc

EQMod & GPS: The Ultimate Time-Saving Combo
Nov 24, 2010 • Observatory and Automation

Observatory Facelift: Time for a Fresh Coat of Paint!
Aug 22, 2010 • Memories and Events

Exploring Montpellier's Botanical Garden Observatory
Aug 18, 2010 • Photos

Deep-Sky Astrophotography with My C11
Aug 11, 2010 • Memories and Events

A Night Under the Stars at Pic du Midi
Jun 14, 2010 • DIY

Connecting Sky and Earth!
Jun 11, 2010 • Observatory and Automation

Automation: It Finally Works!
Jun 11, 2010 • Tutorials

Building My Portable Flat Panel
Mar 31, 2010 • Memories and Events

My Blog Featured in Espacio Magazine!
Mar 31, 2010 • Observatory and Automation

Illuminating Your Flats: My Deep Dive into EL Panels
Mar 31, 2010 • Observatory and Automation

My Final Tweaks Before Automating Everything
Mar 8, 2010 • Memories and Events

Snow Day at the Observatory!
Feb 28, 2010 • Observatory and Automation

My SQM-LE: Measuring the Night Sky's Quality
Feb 19, 2010 • Observatory and Automation

New Toys: Motorized IP Cameras!
Feb 17, 2010 • Observatory and Automation

ASCOM-Controlled DSLR Rotator: My Latest DIY Build!
Feb 14, 2010 • Observatory and Automation

ASCOM Driver for the Roll-off Roof: It's Live!
Feb 3, 2010 • DIY

Vixen & Losmandy Dovetails: Your Essential Guide to Dimensions and Specs
Jan 18, 2010 • Memories and Events

AIP Workshop: Pure Joy!
Dec 10, 2009 • Memories and Events

Our Observatory Just Got a Brand New Plate!
Sep 9, 2009 • Memories and Events

Astro Show Alert: St Jean Edition!
Aug 31, 2009 • Memories and Events

Trillions of Worlds, Right Here in Monaco!
Aug 27, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

Meet My New Guide Scope!
Aug 26, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

My AAG Cloudwatcher: Up and Running!
Aug 25, 2009 • Tests and Misc

Buying a Star, Naming a Star... It's a Total Scam!
Aug 24, 2009 • Memories and Events

One Week to Change It All!
Aug 23, 2009 • DIY

EQ6 Resurrected: The Bypass That Saved My Mount!
Aug 23, 2009 • DIY

My SPC900: A Little Too Much 'Flash'?
Aug 23, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

My Observatory Just Got Smarter: Open/Closed Sensors Are In!
Aug 23, 2009 • DIY

Power Up Your Canon 350D: My DIY 12V Adapter!
Aug 20, 2009 • Tests and Misc

Startrails: Your Go-To for Effortless Star Trails!
Aug 16, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

Parked Mount Sensors: A Deep Dive
Aug 11, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

The Rolling Roof Gets a Motor! (Finally!)
Aug 11, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

My Air-Conditioned Tech Command Center
Aug 11, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

My Dual-PC Setup: One Keyboard, One Mouse, One Screen!
Aug 11, 2009 • DIY

My CG5 Hand Controller Bit the Dust: Time for a Custom Replacement!
Aug 11, 2009 • DIY

Go Red: My Screen Filter for Astrophotography
Aug 11, 2009 • Memories and Events

Google Celebrates the 2009 Perseids!
Aug 5, 2009 • Tests and Misc

Baftrack: Automate Your Mount Parking!
Aug 4, 2009 • DIY

My Custom Dovetail for DSLR & Lens Astrophotography
Jul 29, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

IPPower 9212 Delux: Your All-IP Control Powerhouse!
Jul 1, 2009 • Memories and Events

Night Vision: My Journey into the Cosmos
Jun 23, 2009 • Tests and Misc

My First Light with the QHY5 (aka PL1M)
Jun 2, 2009 • Tests and Misc

Astrometry: Simple, Fast, and Seriously Effective!
Jun 1, 2009 • Tutorials

Hacking My Canon EOS 400D for Astrophotography
May 25, 2009 • Memories and Events

Back to Borobia: A Stellar Encore!
May 19, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

My Webcam's Gone: Hello IP Camera!
May 2, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

Weather Station Online!
Apr 25, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

My First Remote Session: It Works... Mostly!
Apr 13, 2009 • Tutorials

WOL: Remotely Powering Up Your Observatory PC
Apr 10, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

N-EQ6 and C11 Carbon: My Astrophotography Dream Team!
Apr 6, 2009 • Memories and Events

Party Under the Toulouse Sky!
Apr 6, 2009 • Memories and Events

And the Winner Is... Us!
Mar 30, 2009 • Observatory and Automation

First Test Drive: My New Surveillance Camera!
Nov 10, 2008 • Memories and Events

A Star Is Born!
Nov 1, 2008 • Observatory and Automation

Shoutout to Blanca!
Nov 1, 2008 • Memories and Events

Catching Solar Flares with Julio: A Coronado PST Test Drive
Nov 1, 2008 • DIY

Canon 350D Mod: Double the Astro Fun!
Jul 18, 2008 • Tutorials

My DIY Canon EOS 350D Astrophotography Mod
Jul 17, 2008 • DIY

Mission Accomplished: My 350D Astro Mod!
Jul 11, 2008 • Tests and Misc

Dithering, Shift & Add, Drizzle: What's the Difference?
Jul 11, 2008 • Tests and Misc

The Baader Filter Mod for My Canon 350D
Jun 24, 2008 • Memories and Events

An Unforgettable Evening with André Brahic in Montpellier
May 28, 2008 • Memories and Events

Get Your Name Orbiting the Moon!
Apr 24, 2008 • Photos

My Little M51 Made It Into Astronomy Magazine!
Apr 7, 2008 • Tests and Misc

DeepSkyStacker: The Free Preprocessing Powerhouse!
Apr 6, 2008 • Tests and Misc

Digital Development: Demystifying DDP
Apr 6, 2008 • Tutorials

Pinpoint Focus: Precise, Simple, and Budget-Friendly!
Apr 6, 2008 • DIY

Build Your Own Hartmann Mask for Perfect Focus
Apr 6, 2008 • Tutorials

Schmidt-Cassegrain Collimation: Your Guide to Pinpoint Stars
Apr 5, 2008 • Tutorials

Polar Alignment with the King Method: A Deep Dive
Apr 5, 2008 • DIY

Unlocking Advanced Control for My Canon 350D with the TC-80N3
Apr 4, 2008 • Tests and Misc

Seeing Red: Why Your Headlamp is a Stargazer's Best Friend
Apr 4, 2008 • Tests and Misc

Conquering Dew: DEW NOT and DEW BUSTER
Apr 4, 2008 • Tests and Misc

Green Lasers: Pointing to the Stars, Mind the Law
Apr 4, 2008 • Tests and Misc

Importing Astronomy Gear: Your Essential Guide
Apr 4, 2008 • Tests and Misc

ADM Guide Rings: My Upgrade for Stable Guiding
Apr 3, 2008 • Memories and Events

An Hour Before the Ring of Fire: October 3, 2005
Apr 3, 2008 • Memories and Events

Julio's Laser Test: The Jedi Return!
Apr 2, 2008 • DIY

My Philips SPC900NC Astrocam Conversion
Apr 2, 2008 • DIY

Building My Own Dome Controller!
Apr 2, 2008 • DIY

Modding My Coronado PST!
Apr 2, 2008 • Tests and Misc

ASCOM: The Unsung Standard for Astronomy
Apr 2, 2008 • DIY

Build Your Own Cable Release for Canon 350D, 300D, 400D
Apr 2, 2008 • Tests and Misc

PHD2 Guiding - Smart Autoguiding for Astrophotography

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