| Orion Optics (UK), SPX250/4.8 newt on a pier mounted Mountain Instruments MI-250 w/ Starlight SXV-H9, FLI filter wheel (Astronomic LHaRGB filters), Orion (US) ST80 piggybacked guide scope w/ SXV guide cam. This setup is used for "moderate sized" DSO photography, generally galaxies. |
| The Equipment that I Use |
The photo below shows the new planetary imaging train (as of Oct 1, 2007). I've replaced the
dual usb1 Atik webcams with a usb2 Lumenera Skynyx camera and filter wheel (Astronomik
type2 LRGB , NIR & Schuler UV filters), added a right angle "flip mirror" to help with getting
the planet framed on the ccd (very difficult with nothing but the 7X50 finder on the Mewlon,
and the telescope at an effective focal length of 10000mm), a disperion corrector (for work
below 45 deg el.) or equivalent length spacer, and a X2 barlow. The extension from barlow
to ccd provides a multiplication of X3.33, giving me the eFL of 10000mm (FR of f/40).
dual usb1 Atik webcams with a usb2 Lumenera Skynyx camera and filter wheel (Astronomik
type2 LRGB , NIR & Schuler UV filters), added a right angle "flip mirror" to help with getting
the planet framed on the ccd (very difficult with nothing but the 7X50 finder on the Mewlon,
and the telescope at an effective focal length of 10000mm), a disperion corrector (for work
below 45 deg el.) or equivalent length spacer, and a X2 barlow. The extension from barlow
to ccd provides a multiplication of X3.33, giving me the eFL of 10000mm (FR of f/40).
As of Jan 2008, the 100ED is retired, the 80ED is the imager, with the
H9 looking through the filters in a FLI CFW filter wheel and a TV
flattener/reducer. I'm using my Stellarvue AT1010 (80mm) as the guide
scope with the SXV guide head. Both scopes use fixed rings mounted
on the CGE, now on a permanent steel (west) pier. The pier is much
more stable than the heavy CGE tripod (something that was a bit of a
surprise to me). This setup is used for widefields, large nebulas and
galaxy formations
H9 looking through the filters in a FLI CFW filter wheel and a TV
flattener/reducer. I'm using my Stellarvue AT1010 (80mm) as the guide
scope with the SXV guide head. Both scopes use fixed rings mounted
on the CGE, now on a permanent steel (west) pier. The pier is much
more stable than the heavy CGE tripod (something that was a bit of a
surprise to me). This setup is used for widefields, large nebulas and
galaxy formations
Here is the Mewlon 250 on the pier mounted CGE, with the planetary
imaging train recording a sequence of Jupiter shots. The wooden
deck (floor for the future obs. building) will be the next project.
imaging train recording a sequence of Jupiter shots. The wooden
deck (floor for the future obs. building) will be the next project.
The 80ED and 100ED, on a Celestron ASGT/CG5 mount was used for
a few years. The difficulties associated with the ASGT poor RA
tracking (~40" PE), asynchronous noise (RA tracking errors not
related to the basic worm cycle period), large backlash and
sticksion (break away torque), especially in the Dec axis, required
continual attention to its performance while taking a photo
exposure. This low level of performance was not acceptable to me,
so I went with the much more capable CGE mount, and sold the
ASGT to a visual observer (who finds it to be perfectly acceptable).
a few years. The difficulties associated with the ASGT poor RA
tracking (~40" PE), asynchronous noise (RA tracking errors not
related to the basic worm cycle period), large backlash and
sticksion (break away torque), especially in the Dec axis, required
continual attention to its performance while taking a photo
exposure. This low level of performance was not acceptable to me,
so I went with the much more capable CGE mount, and sold the
ASGT to a visual observer (who finds it to be perfectly acceptable).
I started using the CGE on its very heavy field tripod (3" legs, 50+ lb).
It works well, and is about as bulky as anyone would want to carry out
to a dark site for portable use. Since I use my equipment in the
backyard, I decided to improve the stability by going with a heavy
steel pedestal bolted to a heavy column of concrete (in the ground). I
presently use the CGE to hold the Mewlon or the 80ED/guide scope
stack. The newt is on the MI-250.
It works well, and is about as bulky as anyone would want to carry out
to a dark site for portable use. Since I use my equipment in the
backyard, I decided to improve the stability by going with a heavy
steel pedestal bolted to a heavy column of concrete (in the ground). I
presently use the CGE to hold the Mewlon or the 80ED/guide scope
stack. The newt is on the MI-250.
The photo to the right, shows the lightbox that I use on the 10"
newt and cassegrain to light the aperture for flats. It contains
four 12" lighttubes (powered from a 12Vdc source) at the back
end, four layers of 1/8" thick light diffusers, each separated by
3/4" of air, with a fifth "white clouded" diffuser on the outside.
The box is made of a light wooden frame with 1/2" foam core on
all sides, and a foam gasket to allow a tight fit over the scope.
Certainly not a heavy construction, and I better not drop it, or
else, but it works well.
I use a small (5"X 7") slide viewing light tray as a source for
flats on the 80mm scope. It would also work well on most
100mm scopes. It provides a precision 5000 deg K flat source
across the 5X7 area. I also use a smaller (4"X 5") version to
view 35mm slides (it would work well on a typical 60-70mm
scope). A much larger version is also available, but is rather
expensive (that's why I built the lightbox).
newt and cassegrain to light the aperture for flats. It contains
four 12" lighttubes (powered from a 12Vdc source) at the back
end, four layers of 1/8" thick light diffusers, each separated by
3/4" of air, with a fifth "white clouded" diffuser on the outside.
The box is made of a light wooden frame with 1/2" foam core on
all sides, and a foam gasket to allow a tight fit over the scope.
Certainly not a heavy construction, and I better not drop it, or
else, but it works well.
I use a small (5"X 7") slide viewing light tray as a source for
flats on the 80mm scope. It would also work well on most
100mm scopes. It provides a precision 5000 deg K flat source
across the 5X7 area. I also use a smaller (4"X 5") version to
view 35mm slides (it would work well on a typical 60-70mm
scope). A much larger version is also available, but is rather
expensive (that's why I built the lightbox).
