nfotis

Probably it shows as a generic USB Webcam to Sharpcap and other apps? The page mentions that it works under Windows/Mac/Linux, but it doesn't mention if they use their own software (does it support raw format?) I would ask the developers of Sharpcap/Firecapture if this sensor/camera is supported before ordering. The IMX464 sensor in PlayerOne is also quite intriguing (double the amount of pixels of the IMX462, if you accept colour sensors). N.F.

Looks like an interesting sensor. It remains to be seen if it's suitable for astrophotography (it isn't cooled, so it's rather limited to moon mosaics?) N.F.

Thanks, with temperatures reaching forty Celsius in midday it takes some effort to carry the whole equipment two floors above to the rooftop (and I think that I'll wait a few days to let the heat wave pass) EDIT. Forgot to add, the C9.25 is thicker and heavier than the Skymax 180, so it's a bit more of a handful if you carry the OTA alone. The Skymax is more easy to handle, I think (slimmer and a little lighter). Usually, this Maksutov is better than the C8 for lunar/planetary and quite consistent in quality (it's very rare to hear complaints about bad optical quality, probably the optical design is quite easy to manufacture consistently in a high enough quality). The C9.25 usually offers a bit less contrasty views, but for imaging (usually) "aperture is king" (if we take into account manufacturing variations, which may throw the final score towards the one or the other side) N.F.

I bought my first mount (a HEQ5 Pro) used, for 550 EUR a year ago. It's considered the minimum for long exposure astrophotography, and quite practical for planetary imaging (I loaded it with a C9.25 SCT, 2x Barlow and an ASI462 planetary camera). In general, astrophotography is not a cheap hobby. And the recent price increases by Skywatcher stung quite a bit. For wide angle astrophotography, a Star Adventurer is adequate with a camera lens and exposures up to half a minute or so with a relatively long lens. Remember, the mount will set the limits on the rest of your system. Avoid loading a small mount/tripod with a heavy scope/camera combination. N.F.

Quite happy with their 7-21 zoom EP myself. I am eyeing one of their refractor ED scopes, and there is discussion about a cooled camera too. N.F.

It's my understanding that only a pricey UV filter offers some detail on the disk 9f Venus, but I am not an expert on planetary imaging. At worst, you can try to get details at infrared. N.F.

Availability for both types seems a bit... iffy? I am wondering for such a refractor as a a visual and solar instrument mostly (for moon and planets, I have a Skymax and a C9.25 already) I guess that's not ideal for photographers, I suppose? It seems that for shooting with OSC you want at least a triplet lens. For monochrome sensors, I understand that's not a big deal, since you can refocus on every colour separately? N.F.

As I was looking idly at the SVBONY site (aren't we all? 🙂 ) , I noticed that the SV503 family got a new member: https://www.svbony.com/sv503-102F7-ED-doublet-refractor/ To tell the truth, it looks interesting. The 80ED has a good reputation, as far as I know. N.F.

For long focal distance scopes (above 1500mm or so) it's suggested to use an OAG. There's a rule of thumb that for guiding you need the guide scope to be not much shorter than 1:4 in focal length (so, for a 2000mm imaging scope, you would want a 400-500mm guide scope or so). There's also the matter of the combined weight and center of gravity if you add a large guide scope. The OAG requires that you first focus your imaging camera, *then* your guiding camera should be positioned at the same distance from the OAG prism as the imaging camera (it's not much fun, I am informed). And the prism should not intrude into your imaging camera field of view. The good thing is, you can move the whole train to another scope as a unit, and it will always work at a common image scale. There's also the ONAG method, if you want something different: https://skyandtelescope.org/wp-content/uploads/ONAG.pdf N.F.

So, it seems that Synta engineers made one compromise by raising the central obstruction in order to offer a more usable telescope with 2" eyepieces and looking at the moon. Well, I can live with that (I hope to go tomorrow at the rooftop with my Skymax 180). Obsessing over theoretical values doesn't add to the enjoyment of using it. N.F.

Very good for lunar and planetary imaging (the Skymax 180 is even better, if you can handle it). For lunar/planetary imaging, you can add a 2x Barlow and an IMX462 camera. You can also use an APS-C dSLR (via a 1.25" nosepiece) and shoot lunar/solar disks (the latter requires a suitable solar filter in front of the telescope) N.F.

If you have already a 2" nosepiece, that's OK. You shouldn't have any trouble with 2" filters (this sensor is quite small, even in the IMX464 version) The price of 1.25" IR cut and IR pass filters is quite reasonable. If the QHY version includes these already, that's a plus. The IMX464 is quite intriguing, if you want to make Moon mosaics as well as planetary shots, I don't know if the software support is good though: https://player-one-astronomy.com/product/neptune-c-ii-usb3-0-color-camera-imx464/ N.F.

My impressions from an IMX462 are quite favourable (got the ZWO version, but I guess that most editions will be comparable). I use the ZWO IR cut and IR 1.25" pass filters. If you want a larger sensor, the IMX464 offers double the megapixels (and it would be very useful in Moon mosaics etc), at least Player One sell a planetary camera based on this sensor. N.F.

Went down that hole recently in a light polluted city (Athens) - even being ten km away from the city center means that you can barely discern many stars with naked eyes. Started with using a Skymax 127 Maksutov scope, first on a camera tripod (barely adequate), later on a HEQ5 mount (the minimum for astrophotography). Setting up is a little involved, because I have to make at least five trips to the rooftop for the scope, the mount, the counterweights, the bag with eyepieces, power supply etc. and the chairs, before doing a polar alignment and setup. I budget approximately a hour for setting up, and half a hour for removing the equipment. I *may* make a semi-permanent set-up, moving only the scope up and down (at the moment, I am usually going up every 3-4 weeks, for watching the moon, the planets and some double stars). Galaxies etc are only possible via a camera and lots of exposures and filtering, as far as I can understand (I have got a planetary camera for shooting the moon and the gas giants mostly). If you want a minimum set-up, and Alt-Az manual mount for your scope might be a good idea (be careful to get a stiff enough tripod so your views aren't shaking much). Personally, I am for equatorial mounts, despite their costs and set-up requirements, because they let you just enjoy the view and do photography as well. Another approach could be an automated system like the AstroFi - some people prefer automation instead of searching themselves the skies. And there's always the binoculars approach. N.F.

Quite a practical gift. Do I see some screws for stabilizing at the end position near each wheel? N.F.

Maybe curved vanes could mitigate the intense diffraction effect? Like some RASA users doing this trick: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/691031-very-simple-rasa-cable-management/ N.F.

At least in CN there are users of their IMX571 camera: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/739387-risingcam-imx571-camera/ https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/747251-risingcam-touptekaltair-imx571-sharpcap-sensor-analysis/ I am tempted by this, because the price difference with the ZWO/QHY offerings is quite large. Maybe during the Chinese Black Friday... N.F.

By the way, as far as I know, the Altair models are exactly the same as the Touptek/RisingCam/Omegon cooled (or not) cameras. Note that RisingCam offers also a one-stage cooled version of some cameras (not the TEC two-stage cooler, which is substantially cheaper) N.F.

I would also like to suggest a zoom EP: SVBONY 7-21mm , very useful as an all around solution. Surprisingly good for a zoom EP with the Skymax. N.F.

You may want to check the possibilities with various targets (select "Imagine mode", your scope and the sensors, then check the various targets you have in your mind): https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/ N.F.

I suppose that you already tried insulating the tripod via anti-vibration pads? N.F.

If you aren't bothered by the square format and size of the IMX533, it's a very fine sensor. The IMX294 is a less modern sensor (has some amp glow), and it's a little larger. The ideal would be the IMX571, but besides RisingCam (via Aliexpress) the cost is quite high... N.F.

I don't own an LX200 SCT, but I propose you start with the simplest possible set-up. That is, an external focuser on the back of the SCT (probably Crayford-like) and add the camera direct on the focuser? Then, you do the rough focus on the original focuser, and the fine focus on the visual back? What's the thread of the visual back? 2", 3" or something else? Some example focusers for large SCTs: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ts-focusers.html N.F.

With an APS sensor, you can use up to 400mm focal length in order to get a tight framing of Andromeda. Another approach would be this: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/askar-telescopes/askar-fma180-f-4-5-astrograph-lens.html Or a 300mm lens, if you are shooting with Canon lenses. Check with the field of view calculator (select "Imaging mode"): https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/ N.F.

My suspicion is that Canon will try hard to push the R bodies (these will be used as "gateway drug"), with the slimmest margins possible. The greatest margins are always in lenses. And Canon doesn't offer low cost lenses, yet - they want to establish quality first, to prove that someone can shoot better technically photos than the EOS system and the classic EF lenses. Hence some unusual 'halo' lenses like the monster RF 24-70/2 , to tempt existing users into the R platform. N.F.