First light with FLI ML8300 - IC59 in Ha

[GordonH]

Hi

I got my new ML8300 a couple of weeks ago but as usual the purchase of new astronomical equipment seemed to coincide with a sudden and prolongued increase in cloudy weather (I'm thinking of calling this "Haynes Law"). Anyway, I managed to get out on Sunday night and do 4 hours of data on IC59 in 30 minute sub frames before thin cloud interupted the session just after I did a meridian flip.

It was taken with my FSQ106ED at f5 on a Paramount ME with autoguiding done by a Lodestar and OAG using dithering with a 5nm Ha filter.

I was also committing the terrible sin of trying out new software as well as I have upgraded my Maxim DL to version 5 and Photoshop to CS5. I have to admit, that although Maxim DL v5 is a better program and more up to date, I don't care much for the user interface and found the old one much easier to use. That being said everything went without a hitch.

I shot all the dark frames the previous week indoors with the camera cooled to -35c which it had no problem doing (less than 5 minutes to cool)

All the dark frames and light frames were shot with RBI annihilator set to 2 seconds/2 flushes. The flats and corresponding darks had no RBI tool used.

The processing was fairly simple as it only involved levels and curves ( several iterations of 'S' shaped contrast curves)and some selective contrast adjustments, no sharpening, gradient removal or noise reduction was used.

The ML8300 that I purchased from FLI has no cover slip which slightly increases the sensitivity and also helps reduce reflections further

This is the first time I have imaged this nebula properly and it is dim, I may add some RGB to it later as it doesn't respond very well to OIII and SII as far as I am aware.

There is a full size high resolution version at the following link

IC59 photo - Gordon Haynes photos at pbase.com

Thanks for looking

Best wishes

Gordon

[Cordulegaster]

Nice image. Can you give us a summary of your decision to buy the FLI?

Glyn

[GordonH]

Hi Glyn

Thanks for the comments, regarding my criteria for choosing the FLI here goes

1. Faster downloads than other similar chipped cameras which is essential when taking sky flats (try doing successful sky flats when the download time is in excess of 20 seconds)

2. Deepest cooling at -60c below ambient (mine will probably go -5c below that courtesy of a mod), other cameras may only go as low as -40c below ambient and every 5-6c reduction in cooling equates to half the noise

3. Speed in reaching specified temperature of 5 minutes and less compared to over 40 minutes with some cameras means more valuable imaging time

4. Stability of temperature once it gets there. I spent 18 hours continuous indoors taking dark frames at 5, 10 and 30 minutes with the camera set at -35c (-54c below ambient) with the cooler power at just less than 90% and the temperature never wavered. I have heard of issues with other cameras at keeping the desired temperature stable

5. RBI annihilator as standard with all cameras, admittedly some cameras may not need it but it is there and gives a sure fire solution to the problem without having to resort to such unrealistic advice such as switching the camera off and waiting for an hour before switching it on again (and then wait over 40 minutes for it to reach temperature, how realistic is that), using RBI annihilator can add up to 30 seconds to each image with the flooding and flushing, for me that amounts to about 10 to 20 minutes in a typical nights imaging.

6. External shutter which is user serviceable if need be, I know SX puts the shutter inside the sensor chamber, personally I'm not keen on the idea as any risk of a contaminant could ruin the sensor

7. Bomb proof construction with hermetically sealed chamber purged with an inert gas to prevent fogging

8. Choice of not having a cover slip on the chip (makes the camera slightly more sensitive and further reduces risk of haloes and reflections)

9. Customisable chip height

10. Choice of shutter

11. Choice of optical window

12. Lastly, I met up with Gregory Terrance and Jim Moronski from FLI at NEAF in New York last year and discussed my needs with them, not once did they try and sell me a product (quite frankly they didn't need to as the product speaks for itself), instead they advised that when I was ready to think about upgrading to ring them and they would discuss all available options to get the best out of the camera and equipment

Best wishes

Gordon

[peter shah]

I have to admit, yes FLI are slightly more expensive, the extra expense is worth it for all those extra features that are quite often overlooked....they make a fantastic camera!

[GordonH]

Hi Peter

You are absolutely spot on, at the end of the day you get what you pay for and yes, FLI do appear to be more expensive although some of the offerings from Apogee and SBIG can work out more expensive in the long run eg buying a new filter wheel and new filters for the SBIG16803 as 2" filters won't work because of the in camera guiding chip.

In my opinion FLI offer the best facilities, build and performance for the money

Best wishes

Gordon