A Rose by any other name...

In two nights, this setup so far has managed to get a confirmed mag 17.9 asteroid. I'd hope to get at least a magnitude dimmer if i can. Then who knows, I could be in the realms of discovery...

Dave,

Congrats on the new toy. I would also be interested to see how deep you can go with this camera. I just received the latest issue of S&T and was floored by the news article written by Robert Naye and the triple quasar discovered.

I followed up further and located presented papers at conferences to find that the third member of the triplet is around mag 23.4 .... it sounds very ambitious but I am rubbing my hands in anticipation in pursuing a multi-hour total exposure. Another challenge involving this triplet is the miniscule separation between the three componets which ranges from 3.4 to 5.2".

Anyway, you now see one of my immediate projects and perhaps it may be of interest to you as well. As an aside, this triplet was imaged using the Keck with additional data from one of the EOS VLT arrays.

Yes, we are in with some tough competition.

Anthony - I've a way to go before I get this system fully functional. I've only just received the correct adapters and a short cable set.

Now, I have the FLI, CFW and PDF fully connected and working. The short cable set is brilliant. One long power cable and USB cable from the camera - short cables from the camera to the PDF and CFW pwoviding power and distributing daya. Lovely.

I'm still waiting for a custom adapter to properly attach the units to the C14. Precise Parts shipped it yesterday. I'm hoping that as well as giving me a more robust connection, it will also help solve or at least reduce my vignetting issues.

Early images show I can easily hit mag 18 in about 10 seconds - with a half moon lurking around. Presumably, that means mag 19 should be attainable with possibly another half mag if I go long. If I go long and stack lots of images, mag 20 may be possible. But I fear the skies here may not support that.

I have the BVRI filter set installed too - a question for you. Would it be possible to turn a LBVRI set omages into something approaching LRGB?

Finally - you're hoping to get Mag 23? :shock: How attainable do you think that is?

Cheers

Dave

p.s - will be posting images of the FLI system shortly - you can drool over them.

Early images show I can easily hit mag 18 in about 10 seconds - with a half moon lurking around.

Not bad at all!!!

I need about 45 seconds for something similar if my memory is not failing me.

Presumably, that means mag 19 should be attainable with possibly another half mag if I go long. If I go long and stack lots of images, mag 20 may be possible. But I fear the skies here may not support that.

I feel quite comfortable in being able to hit mag 20 ... let's wait for the moon to get out of the way in about ten days and I hope to have some first results with a couple of quasars which are mag 20.4 and 20.6 respectively.

I have the BVRI filter set installed too - a question for you. Would it be possible to turn a LBVRI set omages into something approaching LRGB?

You got me on this one ... I do not have the slightest idea. Sorry!

Finally - you're hoping to get Mag 23? :shock: How attainable do you think that is?

I remember a blurb in S&T about two years ago about someone exceeding mag 24. I have premium optics, a premium mount and relatively good skies, good seeing and low light pollution. The cards are hopefully stacked in my favour ... let me see how easy (or difficult) things go with my two mag 20 quasars and hopefully we can extrapolate from there.

p.s - will be posting images of the FLI system shortly - you can drool over them.

Hehehehehe ... if only you knew of the new toy coming my way!

One of only six available units ... :lol:

Apart from the obvious blooming of the foreground stars which you already mentioned earlier Dave, you got a black and white winner there!

Seanie.

One of only six available units ...

Hmm - can't be the Mach 1. Could be the new monster Kodak chip? Or a Fairchild chip? Perhaps an AP Mak Cass? Wait, I know! An RCX400

You have me stumped.

Any clues?

One of only six available units ...

Hmm - can't be the Mach 1. Could be the new monster Kodak chip? Or a Fairchild chip? Perhaps an AP Mak Cass? Wait, I know! An RCX400

You have me stumped.

Any clues?

Well, your list of possibilities above DOES include the new toy!