CCD-Freak

Out in the "boot heel" of New Mexico doing some imaging this week. Here is the Sharpstar 150mm F2.8 Hyper Newt riding on an AP900GTO mount under the Bortle-1 DARK sky doing it's thing. "Life is good" !!! John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Here is another SS15028HNT / ASI-533MCP image from New Mexico. I just did a quick process of the B33 Group (B33, IC434, NGC2024, NGC2023, IC431, IC432 and IC435) 60 x 60seconds (1 hour total) I am looking forward to adding more subs and doing a more careful process. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Another image from New Mexico. IC5070 Pelican Nebula. 80 x 60 seconds (80 minutes total) I plan to add some more subs tonight before I reprocess with all the calibration files. Gotta love Bortle 1 sky !!! 😀 John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Here is another quick stack of some image data I took last night. IC5070 Pelican Nebula 80 x 60 seconds (80 minutes total) I plan to shoot more subs tonight and I will reprocess later with all the calibration files. The combo of the ASI-533MCP and the SS 150 F2.8 Hyper Newt is proving to be much fun. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

It will do that but you have to use the 2015 Atlas data set selected in the upper right corner to get SQM readings. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Arrived in the "Boot Heel" of New Mexico yesterday and had a great first night under clear Bortle 1 sky. Six more to go. 😀 Here is a quick stack of some M42 data I captured last night. 180 x 15 seconds for a total of 45 minutes with an ASI-533MCP and a 6" F2.8 Hyper Newt. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Here is a quick stack of some M42 data from last night under Bortle 1 sky. I will be tweaking the collimation a bit today as I search for the sweet spot. This OTA is a "photon sponge" ... 180 x 15 seconds for a total of 45 minutes with an ASI-533MCP and Astro Art 7. Still need to take Flats and Darks for calibration. Six more nights to go! 😀 John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

We will be arriving in New Mexico tomorrow....."Gentlemen....Start your imagers" John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Was it this one? https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=3.04&lat=54.3547&lon=2.7220&layers=0BFFTFFFFFFFFFFFFF It has multiple data sets and the ability to get SQM readings for any spot you click on. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

There is no substitute for DARK sky.....I have become a "Dark Sky Junkie". You have not lived until you spend some time under Bortle 1 or 2 sky. Next week some buddies and I are heading out to the "boot heel" of New Mexico for a week of imaging under Bortle 1 (SQM 22.00) sky and low humidity. We planned this trip since the Okie-Tex star party (Bortle 1) was cancelled this year due to the Covid 19 outbreak. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

I sure hope they come out with mono versions of the IMX533 based cameras. I would like to pair one with my ASI-533MCP. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

I agree...Astro Art 7 gradient removal routines are great. I have been using AA since v2 when I got my first commercial camera...the mighty MX-516 🙂 which replaced my DIY Cook book 245. AA just keeps getting better and better. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Thanks....It is a bit more messy down around the power distribution box and the USB hub. I do try to keep things fairly neat. 🤪 John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Almost everything in the sample I got is OK....the screws are tight the spider is good and tight and in collimation. The primary mirror pads on the retaining ring are a bit too thin and not placed close enough to the edge to make proper contact with the mirror edge. It was easier to fix the pads than fool with sending the scope back for repair which would take way more time and shipping costs. This was a simple quality control issue and once I get it the way I want it I am documenting what I did and I will send a Message to Sharpstar to make them aware of the issue. Hopefully they will address it for future customers. I think I am really going to like the scope once I get to play with it more. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

The collimation adjustments seem pretty secure so if the scope is handled carefully I don't think it will require much tweaking after travel. I will know more after I drive 850 miles to New Mexico for a new moon imaging trip. I am looking forward to using this fast scope under the clear, dry Bortle 1 (SQM 21.99) skies of the NM "boot heel". John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

I had to work on mine a bit to secure the primary mirror but everything else has been OK. There is an old saying (origin unknown)..."Every telescope is built twice....once by the maker and again by the astronomer" This seems to apply here. I have never had any telescope that did not require some tweaks to get it to do I wanted it. It does bother me that after paying almost "2 Kilo Bucks" I had to work on it but I think I will be happy with it now I have tuned it up. Test image of NGC6992 30 x 2 minutes (1 hour total) Gain = 100 at -5°C Bortle 4 skies with smoke and haze. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

If you can find a premium mount that you like grab it !!!! You will be glad you did. Getting a premium mount has been one of the best things I have done to improve my kit. My AP900 just takes the mount and tracking out of the equation. It carries anything I put on it and tracks great. I wish I had been able to get one many years earlier. The precision of the mount is great and that is why they command the price. As massive as it is it breaks down into manageable parts for portable operations. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Hi Dave Good info about installing the felt on the ring. I may take mine apart again before my trip to do it the way you did. I am not sure if the cell is anodized or not. It looks more like paint or possibly powder coated. Thanks for your input and ideas. Looking forward to seeing some of your images once the weather lets you get out. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Hi Dave Those screws you indicated were tight on mine as all the others have been. Several were very tight and a bit hard to break loose. I will see if I can find some of that silicon dissolver to clean the screws but I will have to test a spot to make sure it doesn't take off the black paint on the other parts. How did you cut the pads for the retaining ring? Did you just stick the stuff on and then trim it with an Xacto knife? John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Hi Dave All the screws were tight and and many had that silicon or whatever it is under the heads. I installed some felt pads on top of the factory strips that don't reach the edge of the mirror and adjusted the position of the rings to get just the right amount of presure to secure the mirror without pinching it. This is temporary to get me through my trip out west and I will make more permanent mods when I get back. I will lay out and cut some arcs out of cardboard or something similar to replace the undersized pads like you did. BTW...How did you cut the pads you installed? I may also install some cork pads to replace the little copper studs the mirror sits on now. The primary mirror does not tilt in it's cell now and the scope holds collimation as I change positions. I would also like to clean the stuff off the screws but acetone did not seem to phase it at all....any ideas? John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Good info Dave. I plan to take the cell out of mine today to see if I can secure the primary mirror. Your pictures give me a better idea of what I will be doing and I think I have some flocking material on hand if I need to replace it. I will take pictures to document what I do. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Good to know...So far, all the screws I have checked have not been loose. I will report what I find. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

Thanks.....I remember that thread and was going to go back and read it again as it might save some time. The shift is not huge but any shift on an F2.8 system is significant. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

The square look is caused by the diffraction effects of the spider. The original size image doesn't show the square that much but when I resampled the image 3x3 to make it a smaller size for posting it got a bit blocky. I think I need to try different software for resizing the image. I am still working on getting the 15028HNT dialed in. The collimation is shifting around a bit and it looks like the primary mirror is shifting slightly in it's cell so I will be working to fix that and I also will be working to find the optimum spacing. Once I get it dialed in I think it will be a very capable imaging scope. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX

I love New Mexico and I have been going out to the "Boot Heel" the last couple of years. We will be at the base of the Chiricahua Mountains with Bortle 1 or 2 skies and LOW humidity. John Love CCD-Freak WD5IKX