Famous Five

Thanks folks. I was reticent to post the image given the quality. Of 50 minutes imaging, only 12 were usable. Still, it gives a good indication of what is possible on a good night. With 50 or 60 minutes worth of luminance, I'd expect to get a cleaner image with better resolution.

After checkin Aladin, I've certainly got down to 1st red mag 18.65. I'm really not to sure how that calculates to visible light magnitude. I think there may be a calculation that can be done, but I personally don't know it - unfortunately the USNO catalogues don;t give visual magnitudes acrose the visible range - just red, blue and infrared.

Tracking wasn't as good as I'd hoped. It may have been due to the postion I was imaging but I'll have to go through the polar alignment routine again to double check. Luckily, AP (are you watching Anthony) are going to release software that will modify the tracking rate of the stepper motors depending on where the mount is pointing ('the sky' moves at different rates didn't you know!). They are saying that unguided exposures of more than 30 mintes will be possible :shock:

With that kind of tracking, I'd expect a much better image.

Cheers

Dave

Jeez Dave, its hard to find fault with the tracking on that one!! The only thing i can suggest is to use some kind of IR blocker to reduce the size of the star images, that would make an already great image, freaking extraordinary!!

Dave - the only Issues I have yet to resolve on the AP are actually down to money believe it or not...

To get the PEC to work to arcsecond precision, I need an imager that'll work with CCDSoft - and the DSI ain't supported. Also, with a CCDSoft compatible imager, I'll also be able to start using TPoint to get polar alignment and tracking bang on.

Now, the image below is taken without PEC - imagine what I can get with it working and with bang on alignment. I'll be able to take unguided exposures of 30 mins, and when AP come out with the new software, who knows...

Star bloat is a bane. The IR filter shipped with the DSI adds so much guff to the image (and no amount of cleaning gets rid of it) that I got totally fed up with it. I tried the UHC filer from lumicon in the hope it would help, but it didn;t. It didn't however add too much guff to the image. So, I'm in the market for a good quality 1.25 inch threaded IR filer... Any suggestions?

In summary, better tracking, longer images, an IR filter and of course, exquisitely clear night and I'd say I'll have a good image to post

Cheers

Dave

Dave, I have a Baader 1.25" threaded IR rejection filter. It seems to be pretty good.

I also here the lumicon minus violet filter is very good. Might be worth considering too.

Heres a question for you Dave. With that babe of a mount of yours. I suppose you intend to put some serious kit on top of when you manage to buy your sould back from the devil? Any thoughts on what you're aiming for?

I'll do a trawl on those two and get prices/specs. Thanks for the tips!

As for future plans... Of course, the AP has me spent up for the year. But next year, my priorities seem to be a dewheater system (probably Kendrick), electronic focuser (Finger Lakes or Optec - must be temp controlled) and a better imager (used SBIG ST7 or .

If I bought the OTA I want at the mo, I'd be cleared out for another year and a half so I'm going to try and stick to my guns and get the three items above whilst sticking with the C8. Its a great OTA optically and I can get mag 18 supernovae . So I'm happy enough with it for the mo.

Of course, taking my own advice, I need to match the OTA and CCD. I have my eyes on the 16" version of the Cape Newise that was at Whirlpool. And I was given a good deal. But I'm also keeping my eyes on Phil Lardner's Stevick-Paul. At any rate, whatever OTA ends up on Kylie, it won't be 'til next year and I'll be very careful about the choice. It'll be the only OTA I'll buy unless I win the lotto! But then I'll need another CCD and possibly a guidescope (I'll use the DSI as a guiding CCD).

But then, the fly in the ointment will be if I get my call for the AP160 StarFire refractor (Anthony has one). I'll have a major decision to make then. Refractors are super instruments but second best for photometry, which is my goal. I'd assume with the AP160 its a close second, but still a second place. Unfortunately. But it would be a dream setup all the same <sigh>

After that, it'll be all filters, filter wheels, an equipment rotator, dome, laptop, software, software, software................ One expensive hobby, as you know

Cheers

Dave

Dave,

sounds to me like you have your priorities well organised. The C8 is no doubt, a top OTA. I'm so happy with my C9.25", I wont be changing that for a long long time.

As for the DSI as a guider, I read that Steve Barkes is including support for the DSI in his next revision of guidedog, so you'll be sorted when it comes out. The starfire sure is one hell of a scope, but like you say, one hell of a price too!! If its not compatible with your aims then dont do it man. It's too much money if its not exactly what you want.

The reason I asked the question is because I've been giving a lot of thought to these strategic questions. Definitely priority number one on my list is a weather proof observatory. I've pretty much decided on buying a galvanised steel prefab shed and then lining it with polystyrene board and plywood skin. It will have a rool off roof which I would hopt to motorise too. I should be able to quadruple my observing/photography time with not having to setup each time.

After that all I really want is one of those wide field semi-apos. As for the imaging instrument, I'm actually very happy with my 300D. I'm gonna mod it over the christmas and I think that will inject a whole new lease of life into it. I may go for a thermo cooled monochrome CCD at some point but I'm not too worried about that just yet.

A set of narrowband OIII, H-Alpha, and SII filters will definitely be on the shopping list at some point and maybe a filter wheel too.