New stuff due on Tuesday

[Beauwulf]

Just getting started with a telescope and leaning toward astro photography (I am a fairly accomplished teresteral photographer). I have a Celestron 102 SLT on the way with a few other goodies to set up for DSLR capture. I'll be using a Nikon D5300 and a D7100 for prime focus use.

Anyone with tips for this particular scope, please sound off,  I'm sure I'll need some help with the pitfalls and best practices so I get off on the right foot.

Thanks

'Wulf

[kalasinman]

Hey, welcome. An idea, get a used d5100 body and install the Nickonhacker firmware. Having the filter mods on that would be great too.-Jack

[Beauwulf]

Hey, welcome. An idea, get a used d5100 body and install the Nickonhacker firmware. Having the filter mods on that would be great too.-Jack

So that's the mod to help with hydrogen gas imaging for DSOs? It removes the IR filter or something....

[kalasinman]

The camera body mod, yes. You can replace the stock sensor filter with a Baader type and get improved DSO performance, and still use it for everyday with a modified white balance. You can also get the stock filter replaced with clear glass which really opens up the performance for astro. Then you can use an on camera filter for everyday. The firmware upgrade improves the RAW image capture and liveview performance, amoumg other things. The d5100 and d7000 use a better sensor for astro than the earlier or later models. -Jack

p.s. you might be interested in Backyardnikon also, a great camera control software. It's in beta2b right now. I have it and works fine.

[Cornelius Varley]

The SLT mount isn't suitable for long exposure (DSO) imaging due to the way it tracks across the sky. Alt azimuth mounts, such as the SLT, track across the sky in a zig zag motion, with long exposures you will find that images begin to show rotation. A driven equatorial mount tracks in a smooth arc which follows the motion of the stars across the sky allowing for longer exposures. Exposures no longer than 30 seconds should help keep field rotation to a minimum.

[Beauwulf]

The SLT mount isn't suitable for long exposure (DSO) imaging due to the way it tracks across the sky. Alt azimuth mounts, such as the SLT, track across the sky in a zig zag motion, with long exposures you will find that images begin to show rotation. A driven equatorial mount tracks in a smooth arc which follows the motion of the stars across the sky allowing for longer exposures. Exposures no longer than 30 seconds should help keep field rotation to a minimum.

Yea... I'm aware the azi mount has limits. I'd like to start by using the 1920x1080 @60P video and stacking with R6.1. Down the road I may replace the 102 SLT with an Explore Scientific AR127 w/EQ mount...  as with most things, all it takes is cash!

[Beauwulf]

The camera body mod, yes. You can replace the stock sensor filter with a Baader type and get improved DSO performance, and still use it for everyday with a modified white balance. You can also get the stock filter replaced with clear glass which really opens up the performance for astro. Then you can use an on camera filter for everyday. The firmware upgrade improves the RAW image capture and liveview performance, amoumg other things. The d5100 and d7000 use a better sensor for astro than the earlier or later models. -Jack

p.s. you might be interested in Backyardnikon also, a great camera control software. It's in beta2b right now. I have it and works fine.

Both my cameras have no low pass filter from the factory. Is that the same thing?

[Beauwulf]

Here is one of my normal photos captured with a 500 mm on the D7100... just for comparison when the scope gets here...

[kalasinman]

Nice!

[Beauwulf]

All setup for "First Light" sitting on the porch normalizing..... Now if I can just get some clear skies.... and something to photograph.... :-) Still waiting on cables and camera mount stuff to get here but, this is enough for tonite. Pluto and Neptune might be visible.... Mars as well for a little while... Jupiter already set.

[Beauwulf]

Well... couldn't get the thing to align. Not enough openings between clouds to get far enough apart to get it aligned I guess. Will try again in the morning...

[Beauwulf]

Update:

The 102 SLT is not working properly.... A replacement is on the way. Looks like it has a bad position sensor to me. Won't align and won't track. B&H Photo is sending a replacement..... We'll try one more time but.... I may be upgrading sooner than I planned.

I've been looking at the Explore Scientific AR102 and AR127 on an iOptic  mount or possibly the Celestron Advanced VX mount. I can do the 102 w/iOptic mount for about $850 and the 127 w/VX mount for a bit over a grand. Is there a better solution around I should consider (in this price range) for imaging with DSOs as an eventual goal?

[kalasinman]

I've seen it said by those "in the know" here that it's better to put a cheap scope on a good mount than a good scope on a cheap mount. If you are willing to spend a grand, I'd take a look at the Ioptron ZEQ25GT. Keep the scope you've got for now. Later you can spend $500 on 8" reflector and it will track nicely with it. It has GOTO and GPS. You don't need to see Polaris for an easy alignment. When you want to add guiding,, it's got an ST4 port. At the current price point, there is nothing better.