nfotis

Note that the price hikes are taking effect also in EU, not only in UK. A Skymax 180 is now 1300+ EUR in some stores... N.F.

Tonight, I processed one more video (Skymax 127, ASI462MC, IR pass filter, HEQ5 Pro mount). The head-on lighting on Tycho was more flat than the previous side-lit photo, and I think that I rode the highlight slider a bit much at the end? I used AS!3 again for the stacking, a really nice program (I am still trying to learn it, watching now the creator's interview on Youtube). Used different options on PIPP for the video conversion from the original 8 GB file to the 330 MB MPEG file for a Youtube upload, so the colors are more correct. The reddish images come from AS!3, while the color corrected one is due to Picasa. Converted to JPEG for faster upload/viewing. Suggestions and ideas are welcome. N.F.

Just saw the video, and of course I wondered how they did it. I had to press the link to the site... oh well. N.F.

Here's an announcement about the OEM: https://www.dpreview.com/news/2618699765/player-one-astronomy-releases-five-specialized-astrophotography-planetary-cameras N.F.

I think that's the OEM: https://player-one-astronomy.com/ I remember that some CN members are testing these? That IMX464 looks like the big brother of the IMX462, with double the resolution? N.F.

The good thing is, we can focus (literally) on lunar photography when the moon makes harder to shoot DSO objects. So, that's one more target to hit 🙂 After all, there are so many details to discern with the help of a long focal length scope. N.F.

Thank you, I am still learning AS!3, I tried stacking some dSLR images (converted via PIPP to an AVI file), but I am getting mixed results. How many pictures is a minimum to stack? Ten? Twenty? N.F.

From yesterday night, I experimented with my ASI462 and my Skymax 127 on a HEQ5 mount. Recorded 4000 video frames, used 15% of the frames in the second quarter of images with Autostakkert!3. Used a ZWO IR pass filter, getting a reddish hue of the video/stacked image, then I used Levels in GIMP to bring up the green and blue channels (I kept the red as is). The Youtube video shows the recording from the camera (I captured at 136-140 FPS on my Thinkpad T480, as RAW AVI video, so you should play it back as fast as possible, to get a sense of the air disturbances) The resulting stacked and sharpened images from AS!3 are below, together with the colour corrected version (exported as JPEG files from GIMP). Suggestions for improvement are welcome. Cheers, N.F.

Clouds and rain are my bane these days 😕 I feel that a larger sensor would be more easy to use for a panel, instead of 29 (my APS Canon 80D gives me 24 Mp, but no stacking. When the clouds part, I will try first with dSLR image stacking, then play with the 462C (I suppose that a 533 would be easier to make a panel, will see later) N.F.

Very nice. My only astro camera is a 462C, could I achieve a similar effect with my dSLR and multiple shots per panel? Mine main telescope is a Skymax 127, but I am awaiting a 180 as well. (and yes, it's cloudy and raining here in Athens for two days!) N.F.

I wonder if that comparison on dark current etc is valid. Since both cameras use the same sensor (presumably), there shouldn't be any difference in their specs, correct? To me, the weight/size differences and the software drivers seem to be the real difference (and the USB hub). Also, note the RisingCam/Rising Tech/Touptek version of IMX571 (I think that's being sold by Altair Astro?) N.F.

Looks real nice. Wishing a wonderful experience with it (are you planning to use for imaging or observation mostly?) N.F.

I feel that this topic should be a sticky. N.F.

I don't see any mount mentioned in the discussion, shouldn't we know that parameter as well? IMHO, the upper class of reflector mass production scopes for planetary imaging and observation are (the ones easily handled by a single person): C9.25 XLT and edge HD Classical Cassegrain 8" Skymax 180 And their little brethren: C8 XLT and edge HD CC6 Skymax 150 Since the OP has already the Skymax 127, I suspect that the 150 won't be a large step up to be noticeable? N.F.

Probably you have your laptop screen at a very high luminance? Better to use histograms when trying to understand the image luminance instead of your screen, because you can be misled. Usually, a histogram expanded to almost 80% of the full range should be light enough. See the following photo for a histogram of a moon photo I shot yesterday (lower left corner). Compare with the 'Auto Contrast' image, which expands the histogram to the limit (second image). Hope this helps, N.F.

I suppose that you covered the camera eyepiece before taking the photos? N.F.

Best of luck with your purchases (I suppose that the delivery won't be very late?) The mount is usually the limiting part, for astrophotographers the HEQ5 mount is usually the minimum (albeit a bit agrarian). But all these items will need enough time to exercise and be good with handling. N.F.

My current situation with the HEQ5 mount is that I need at least four trips from the apartment to the rooftop: - Carry HEQ5+tripod (no counterweights) - Carry scope in a shoulder bag - Carry a bag with power supply and other stuff - Carry counterweight and a director's seat (if you carry a C9.25, you need both counterweights, so add one more trip up the stairs) N.F.

A "rule of thumb" says that for imaging you should rate your mount at approximately 2/3rds of the observation load. So, a HEQ5 Pro mount (which is rated for 15 kg) should be expected to work well up to 10-11 kg. This depends also on size, winds etc. - a large tube Newtonian is harder to guide due to its higher moment of inertia (and it behaves like a large sail if it's windy). What's the heaviest OTA and accessories you may use? The HEQ5 Pro can carry up to a C9.25 or so, including a camera etc. N.F.

If I am not mistaken, this particular copy was just a few months old? If yes, it should be under warranty. N.F.

Everyone suggests to start DSO imaging with an 80ED or similar refractor scope. Diving directly into DSO imaging with an SCT is usually the hardest way to do it. N.F

I got a used C9.25 XLT from a forum member (my other is a Skymax 127). I feel that's about the limit of portability (I can carry it in an IKEA shoulder bag) For planetary observation and imaging, it's a very good match. If you have a camera up to 4/3rds or so (or maybe stretch to APS-C), you shouldn't have much problem with the image quality (depends on the particular specimen, of course, and the variety of quality). This particular model is a bit flatter than others, because the primary mirror is slower than a regular SCT from Celestron. Ed Ting has a nice comparison of the C9.25 with other SCTs: The Edge HD additional cost is acceptable if you are planning to do imaging of DSO objects and plan to use the whole image circle with a large sensor. Planetary imaging uses only the center of the circle, so no problem (it seems that the Edge HD are more consistently good, but I don't have numbers to prove it). If you are planning to use Hyperstar for imaging, the C9.25 might be better than the C8, if you can manhandle alone the package. A HEQ5 mount is enough for visual with the C9.25, and near the limits for long exposures with this OTA, from what I understand. N.F.

Well, entered a dispute as well (I guess that we speak about the same "dealer" with the descriptions in Spanish? Already gaining one-star reviews, I see) It's my first time with Aliexpress, and I admit that I am not thrilled by the experience... Oh well (also, one of my credit cards was blocked when I tried to pay this order, and I'll have to reissue one - it's no fun at all having to deal with automated voice phone systems) N.F.

Since you seem to have only EF-S lenses, going to a full frame camera is a bit of a problem (you will need a new lens for covering the full sensor, and EF-S lenses are precluded from being mounted on full frame bodies). Your budget doesn't permit getting both a full frame body and a suitable lens. On the other hand, you can even find astromodified 6D bodies for 400 pounds or so (I recall seeing an ad here). Personally, I have both an 6D and an 80D, and only full frame lenses shared between both bodies (most were bought since film days, so I am "married" to Canon bodies). N.F.

Starizona offers a (pricey) reducer/corrector for SCT. Availability is a problem, of course (and you could buy an RC8 for this price, I guess). You can crop the imx571 image and use the good center part (the C9.25 with the square imx533 is nice for galaxies). Guiding with an OAG is necessary, if you want good results. Due to f/10, it'll be a little challenging to collect enough photons. Check at Astrobin for images done with this OTA, to get a feel about its capabilities. N.F.