Flame Nebula

Hi Dweller, Yes, interestingly, I used to think my sharpness maxed out at 35 per inch with my 80ed, but only 30 per inch with the 127mm mak. 30-35 per inch SEEMS to be common( unless super apo. 😁)

Hi vlaiv, Thanks for this. So, if I understand what you are saying, 290x multiplication is needed to magnify the best resolution that the 200mm scope can offer, to a level where someone with excellent eyesight can discern that detail? And if you can't discern 1', then you would need to push the magnification higher, aperture and seeing permitted? Or something like this? 🤔

Thanks Scarp15. Do you usually view high mag without a Barlow? Just wondering if a 7mm, with Barlow would have matched the view.

Hi, So, I'd like to hear the experiences from newt users, past and present, regarding how far you've been able to push the magnification on your scope. I am particularly interested in any experience with 8" Newts. So, details can hopefully include 1. Scope aperture, F ratio, and mirror quality (if known) 2. Target(s) 3. Seeing, if you remember. 4. Bortle sky number, if remembered I think that should do. 👍🙂 Thanks Mark

Thanks for this useful info. Based on your comments about the eaf, given it's £200, I'll hold off on that. 👍 You mentioned doing stacking on the PC,rsther than let the air do it, and I like the idea of learning sharpcap/nina, which I assume would be the capture options on PC? I've seen different opinions on these : some people use both, sharpcam for planetary, nina for dso, but I've seen some people who use sharpcam for planetary and dso like galaxies. I've also seen one comment that which one to use can be affected by whether dslr or imaging camera is used. In my case initially it would be dslr for dso, asi224mc planets. Best wishes Mark

Thanks Elp, Initially, I'll be spreading myself out with some AP planetary (I've timed my saving plans over the last three years, to get ready for Jupiter this year, although obviously, other astronomical objects are available with the kit I have planned 😉). For DSO, you'll never guess what the first two targets will be?😁 For DSO long integrations, I'm planning to be able to control the capture from inside the house too, if it's really cold, as apparently the air plus can do that, if I have the zwo electronic focusser. So, that's on the list now! Very good reviews. (The hours of research I've put in, has been ridiculous, but it's paying off now) I have to investigate the capture software too. I believe zwo has their own software, but at present, my education on sharpcam, nina, etc etc is minimal. Plenty of time to brush up over summer though, 🙂. So, I just hope my 10 Yr old dell T430 is up to things. Apparently, it can connect wirelessly to the air plus and stack images live. Amazing if it can. It's been refurbished to 16Gb Ram, and I have two 500Gb external ssd drives, I can connect to it via usb3.0. I have access to adobe PS on creative cloud, so that's sorted. I really need now to draw some kind of flow chart, from capture kit to sub-capture process (workflow). I'm holding back on an expensive imaging camera for DSO for now . The one you mentioned looks nice, I think it was the 585,although the 533 seems highly recommended too. But, ive budgetted for the bargain 224mc for planetary. Anyway, excuse my ramblings! Assuming you are still awake? Thanks Mark

Thanks Vroobel

Thanks Elp

Hi, I've read that the zwo ir/uv cut filter is useful, for planetary AP, possibly also for guidescopes to reduce haze(?), but I'm less clear on the essential filters for dso AP. I live under bortle 6 skies (according to a couple of sources, but not confirmed in my exact location), so wondered what would be recommended for countering this level of LP? Not sure if it helps but ssume, dslr D7000 and SW ed80, potentially also SW 200pds. Hopefully you can advise. Thanks Mark

Hi A quick question to the planetary imagers. Do any of you use the ASIAIR PLUS for your imaging, and if yes, do you use the 256Gb version, or simply use high capacity SD cards in the standard 32Gb version? It seems to me that it might be cheaper to get a 1Tb SD card use that on the standard version. And, in a typical session of planetary imaging, how many Gb do you typically use? Thanks Mark

Hi happy kat, Thanks for your suggestions. The 200pds is primarily being acquired to get some nice planetary AP, visual observations of objects which I can't see in my 80ed(or 127mm mak), like the e/f stars in trapezium. Obviously it can do DSO as well, but I will most likely start with the ed80/D7000 combo on the az-eq6 mount. This will give me much longer exposure times than I can get now. I need to also investigate guide camaras too.

Hi radiofm🙂 It might seem strange, but I'm actually looking forward to collimating my F5 reflector(or rather my future, 90%+ probability 🙂). I'm also brushing up on upgrading my optics theory too. Very interesting. I have a 5" apo refractor on my list of possible future buys, most likely used, and as John and others have said, the SW 120ed looks like a solid scope with lots of good history behind it, in terms of quality. I saw a used one for £700 the other day, so in future I'll be watching out for these bargains.

Which I think adds further weight to why I've deviated away from choosing a sct for visual, at least in uk seeing. Thanks John, Mark

Hi Elp, Thanks for all the useful suggestions. Yes, I'd read about the aspect ratio of the 585 not being to everyone's taste. But, I've also seen some fantastic images with it too! I was wondering about the asiair pro a while ago. It does look useful. Can you see what the camera is seeing (on your phone/pad) when you use the asiair? In terms of planetary imaging I did have the 224mc in mind with an ES 5x focal extender, as I've seen great images with this combo and the 200pds. The 224 costs about £200-250. The 585 if I recall is around £350, and £650 for cooled version on FLO. If the 585 can do both, then it might be more cost effective. Thanks Mark

Hi Paul, I'm gathering information at present. I have an ed80 and nikon D7000, but I'm planning to get an az-eq6 and an SW 200pds. So, I'll have plenty of options I hope. I've pretty much thrashed the scope choice to death, so I don't see me changing from the 200pds to compliment my ed80. Hope that helps Thanks Mark

Hi, Just gathering information on equipment for dso AP, which I suspect is a bit more complex than planetary AP (excuse my ignorance, if I'm wrong). I'm hoping to start doing dso imaging properly (I've only dabbled so far) What camera would you recommend as a good step up from a apc-s dslr, for bortle 6 skies, would you advise using any filter(s) or do you use post capture processing to sort out issues (I suspect some can't be fixed, therefore filter essential?). And for processing, previously I have used DSS for a trial test after 5x 1 min set of exposures on a wide angle dslr shot of ursa major (I don't yet have an equatorial mount so wanted to keep star trails to minimum) , and it seemed simple enough to use, albeit as you'd expect, a pretty boring result. I could see the constellation, but nothing more. What post capture software would you recommend? When taking the image, do you use Sharpcam? Or alternative? Or none? 🤔 Sorry, lots of questions I know, but I'm hoping to benefit from the experience of the imagers on SGL, 🙂👍 Thanks Mark

So, the light pollution map also indicates bortle 6.

Do you have experience of how exposure time and number of exposures are affected by changing bortles? Or know of a link to such info?

Thanks, Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Preferably done at new moon and when days are shorter?

The app is incompatible with my phone. The app must be using older version of Android or be ios only. I have a Samsung galaxy ultra with latest Android version, so it must be some other reason. Edit: apparently I've found other people who say it no longer works when they upgraded to a Samsung S24. Same as my phone. 🤔 Anyway, not to be easily beaten, I expected a browser version, and voila! 🙂 My skies are shown as bortle 6, which seems about right, based on other references. I hope this is dark enough to use normal colour cameras.

Thanks! 🙂

This is something I've never really looked into before, but will be important for dso AP So, do any of you have any easy ways to go outside, and determine the bortle number of your sky? I've looked at several websites, downloaded a couple of apps, but I suspect many of you guys can give me some good practical ways to determine it. Depending on how light polluted my sky is, will potentially influence what type of imaging route I take. Colour or mono. The latter being much more expensive from what I can see. Of course, if any of you have experience of imaging in light polluted skies with colour cameras and lp filters, please tell me. Based on what I've read on different sites, my sky could be anywhere from 4 to 7! I feel I need some advice. I live on outskirts of Nottingham, if that helps. Thanks Mark

An excellent example 👍

Nice account! 👍

Hi John, Just stories, not advice. I'm interested in what difference it can make. Thanks Mark