Equipment for Astronomy

Results of processing my image of M42 from 4/1/2020 (Lichfield, UK)

Posted by Andrew Thornett

Processed version of my B&W photo M42 Orion Nebula from 4/1/2020 – lights and darks – I didn’t have any flats to hand.

This image has been taken with ca. 30 light frames only 5 secs long, showing how much more sensitive the Altair 183M mono camera is than my QHY10 one shot colour camera!

  • Altair 183M mono camera.
  • Sky Watcher Equinox Pro 80mm OTA.
  • EQ6 mount.
  • Astro Photography Tools (APT) software to take photos, Nebulosity 4 software to stack photos and some early processing, GIMP to do further processing.

Andy

 

This post follows on from previous post below:

First image of M42 – with Altair Astro 183M mono camera on EQ6 mount/Sky Watcher Equinox 80mm Pro telescope

First image of M42 – with Altair Astro 183M mono camera on EQ6 mount/Sky Watcher Equinox 80mm Pro telescope

Posted by Andrew Thornett

I have taken my first ever image of M42 tonight – using my new 183M camera

Due to problems with balance of the cameras on the scope I was limited to 20 sec exposures tonight (I just replaced QHY10 with 183M which did not work re: balance!)

So this is a stretched single frame without calibration frames.

Andy

Note that data from multiple sub-frames for above image was processed and published on this blog on 8/1/2020 – to view, click below:

Results of processing my image of M42 from 4/1/2020 (Lichfield, UK)

Laying of the stones to mark where to place astrophotography setup in garden

Posted by Andrew Thornett

Next step in my astrophotgraphy journey has been today to lay the stones in the garden to identify where to place the imaging setup for imaging sessions so that it is close to polar alignment – I can then use my QHY Polemaster to do the rest!

Angella and Alan took me to a reclamation yar last week where we chose 3 cobbles with a reasonably flat side on one edge.

I have laid them just below mower height in the grass.

Andy

Spacing between Sky Watcher reducer Corrector-0.85x/ED80 and QHY10

Posted by Andrew Thornett

The only post I can find in this subject in internet is on Cloudy Nights forum and the author stated that he achieved excellent focus with spacing 56.2mm. I have added in 5mm T2 spacer between the filter wheel and camera to achieved 36-37mm between camera and field flattener. The camera adds 20mm between sensor and end of flange so this makes total of 56-57mm, which should therefore be ideal. I will find out when I next have a chance to use it at night!

Andy

Changing field flattener on Equinox Pro 80mm OTA from Tele Vue TRF-2008 field flattener to dedicated Sky Watcher Reducer Corrector-0.85x/for ED80

Posted by Andrew Thornett

I’ve changed focal reducer for the dedicated Sky Watcher one – it came up on AB&S second hand. Reason for doing this is that the Equinox had great difficulty gripping the Tele Vue TRF-2008 field flattener and it kept slipping – this isn’t problem with TRF but rather with this particular combination. New field flattener grips tightly and daytime tests suggest comes to focus but I don’t have far enough away tree to know for sure whether enough back focus so I will find out next clear night……if not enough back focus then I will need to cope with TRF which will focus. Mind you this is the dedicated SW one so it should work!

I have connected the field flattener to the telescope using a bespoke 2″ nosepiece purchased from First Light Optics. I think the end of the focuser tube might unscrew to allow direct connection by screw thread of flattener to scope but I can’t get it to budge and I am worried that I might damage the scope if I try harder to get end off the draw tube on the focuser.

Andy