ian_bird

I don't know. It might be tight to get a F/W in there but I think someone (Gerd Neumann, maybe?) made a slide drawer for CCD to camera lens. This is only going to work sweetly for CCDs with very small pixels. I used a Geoptik CCD-Lens adapter and it can take filters, but involves a full disassembly to change filters. I know someone who's done this but it would be a step too far for me. Cameras with integrated filterwheels (QSI and some Atiks) might have a short enough backfocus requirement. In fact I think they do but this would need checking.

Olly

Hi Olly

Were you using the Atik 4000 with the 200m Canon when you felt that the pixels were too big? I have both - I was going to give them a try - but if you don't think they are a good combination I might give it a miss.

Out of interest - how does having too big a pixel size show up in the image? Or to put it another way - how can you tell?

Cheers

Ian

Rubber kitchen gloves. You don't need to wear them - place one on a firm surface - then your adapter - then the second glove. Press down with your palm and twist.

Works every time for me so far. Even on really tightly bound adapters.

Hopefully I wont need this trick again. I have joined the boot polish camp.

Cheers

Ian

It does have the advantage of costing nothing! ;-)

Let me know how you get on with the defocus technique.

Cheers

Ian

See. Told you. No one every picks up on the defocus technique! ;-)

Cheers!

Ian

I keep saying this - but no one ever seems interested.

You don't need an illuminated reticule eyepiece. Just defocus until the target star is showing as a large donut. Then center that. Has the added advantage that only the brightest star will show.

Once you get it vaguely centered - defocus even more so that the donut pretty much fills the FOV. Then refine that.

It is so much easier and quicker than any other way of centering a star.

Hope this helps. But I don't hold out much hope - no one ever picks up on this technique.

I got it from one of the mods on the cloudynights forum. One of the best bits of advice I ever got.

Cheers

Ian

Thanks Merlin.

Thought it was just me!

Cheers

Ian

Hi

Call me a Dufus - but I have got a Baader T2 Delrin Spacer Ring Set from FLO - and can I get them on? No.

On the thread - not on me - just in case you are smutty minded!

Do I need to heat them up?

Cheers

Ian

Come - let's be honest. Maxim can't even guide whilst it downloads. Multi-Threading anyone?

Sigh!

Cheers

Ian

Hi

If your obsy computer has enough grunt - try vmware.

http://www.vmware.com/download/player/download.html

Cheers

Ian

Why boot polish? Is it better than say vaseline?

Scott - great image! How dark are your skies!

How did you get focus at 18mm? I struggle at 200mm!