Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b89429c566825f6ab32bcafbada449c9.jpg

EQ1 at 8 arcsecs per pixel: How long an exposure of Orion will I manage?


themos

With great Polar Alignment and guiding in RA, you won't make it past..  

17 members have voted

  1. 1. With great Polar Alignment and guiding in RA, you won't make it past..

    • 60 seconds
      4
    • 2 minutes
      2
    • 3 minutes
      0
    • 4 minutes
      0
    • 5 minutes
      3
    • 6 minutes
      2
    • 7 minutes
      0
    • 8 minutes
      0
    • 9 minutes
      0
    • 10 minutes
      6


Recommended Posts

Just to clarify, I am building an autoguider system for the EQ1 mount. This is to complement an astrometry-based Polar Aligning procedure that Stephane and I have developed that should take you within 5 arcminutes of the celestial Pole. Without guiding in RA, the periodic error of the EQ1 is about 180 arcseconds. I am hoping that I can guide (or PEC) that out to under 10.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just to clarify, I am building an autoguider system for the EQ1 mount. This is to complement an astrometry-based Polar Aligning procedure that Stephane and I have developed that should take you within 5 arcminutes of the celestial Pole. Without guiding in RA, the periodic error of the EQ1 is about 180 arcseconds. I am hoping that I can guide (or PEC) that out to under 10.

I'm going to be optimistic and vote for 10min.

btw, Stephane = Gonzo :)

Take a look at the following link for what we've achieved with the EQ1 so far.

Plots_function - eq-polar-alignment - plots images. - Rosedale Photo Polar Alignment - Google Project Hosting

It's a work in progress.... open for comments :icon_scratch:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And here it is: The humble EQ1 producing a 661 second exposure at declination 37 degrees, 8 arcsec per pixel, slight trailing visible at 100%. This was with a polar alignment error of about 5 arcminutes.

PHD settings: Calibration step 500ms, Dec guiding OFF, RA Aggressiveness 103, RA Hysteresis 10, Search region 50.

Standard 9x50 Skywatcher finder/guider, ordinary SPC900NC webcam as guide camera.

Astrometry.net solved field

I will try again another night with a target at the equator. It seems to me that if I can get a reliable 5-7 min exposure, that would be long enough for most things at this kind of image scale.

I think I might be spending my money on some nice lenses instead of portable mounts...:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I might be spending my money on some nice lenses instead of portable mounts...:)

Same here, I already have all the mounts I need (do a search on my posts and you'll find them).

Planning to buy a Voigtlander Nokton 25mm F/0.95 at some point this year :( to add to my lens collection.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I must say, i'm really stunned and amazed by that result from an EQ1! :)

I have an EQ1 (or 2? don't know witch one came with the skywatcher capricorn scope, lol) just gathering dust. Maybe i could use it for something after all, especially wide-field with just an SLR and a small 18-50mm lens...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

So, currently, I can pull consistently good 8 minute exposures at the standard that I set ( 8 arcsec per pixel, 0 declination). The 10 minute ones are still not quite up to scratch. But I can't see 10 minute ones being absolutely necessary unless one is doing H-alpha work in very dark skies...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

True! The Chinese think 8 is lucky...

I'll have another bash at the 10 minute one, taking care that cables are tidy and such like...can't see why it shouldn't work almost as well as the eights.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.