First Light For My New Camera...

[fatwoul]

I thought about posting this in the equipment review section, but this isn't a sensible review, just pictures I've been working on this week.

I sold my Atik 314L+ Mono a few weeks back, and that lovely little camera is now in the capable hands of someone at NLO. I was cameraless for a while, but my replacement arrived last week.

I'm now the owner of an Atik 4000 Mono.

I've been lucky to have a few clear nights since then, so here are the first few results:

All of these were made of 600s exposures through either L (globulars and galaxies) or HA (nebulae), some binned 1x1 and some 2x2. Calibration frames of varying quality and number were used.

As you can see, I have a lot to learn (or re-learn) with this new camera. It's heavier, less sensitive, and a lot noisier. Darks are essential, and the fan is almost as loud as my dehumidifier...

...but it's so much more fun.

I think what I love about the 4000 is that, whilst it makes you work harder, and forces you to learn things you never needed to before (speaking for the lazy student in me), it rewards the hard work in a noticeable way.

[Yoddha]

Great images! Congratrulations for the new camera

[Spikey]

Great FOV, was this with the mn ?

[Gina]

Great images Now you just need some filters and a filter wheel

[todd8137]

Great images and great new camera it's do in the bizz

[fatwoul]

Great FOV, was this with the mn ?

Yep, the FoV with this this combination is lovely. I found the 314/MN190 combo, whilst more sensitive, to be a little confining for a lot of DSOs. But now, so many objects sit nicely in the frame, with a little space around them, I doubt I'll need to do many mosaics anymore.

Great images Now you just need some filters and a filter wheel

Check my sig, Gina - I've been using the EFW2 with 1.25" narrowbands and LRGB since I first got my 314L+. So far this new camera has only pointed through L or HA. I'm an HA junky, truth be known, and a lot of the time I'm happy without any colour at all. Once I've got the swing of the new camera, I'll probably add some OIII and SII into the mix.

I can confirm that 1.25" filters just about work with the 4000, but I think I'm pushing my luck with f/5.3 - vignetting happens, but can be dealt with using flats. My next scope will be much more problematic (you'll see what it is in a few weeks time), and then I'll probably have to make the jump to 2" filters. If you see a bunch of 1.25s appear on AB&S, you'll know why!

[Gina]

I should have checked your sig - yes I realised later that since you'd had a 314 you'd already have a filter wheel and filters. I hoping to get a 314L+ in a year of two when I've saved up enough. I'm making my own filter wheel and thinking of 1.25" filters which seem to be OK with the 314L+.

[ollypenrice]

Great pictures.

I love the Atik 4000 and am surprised we don't see more of them, though they are not cheap. I use mine with 1.25 filters at F3.9 in the Tak. No problem, though you do need flats. If you can jam the F/W right up to the camera it helps.

The square chip means you are rarely tempted to rotate so your flats are durable, which is good. It also makes the most of any telescope's light cone.

You're obviously enjoying it, just as I did when I made an equivalent move.

Oh, I find darks work for ages, too. Maybe nearly a year.

Olly

[fatwoul]

...I hoping to get a 314L+ in a year of two when I've saved up enough. I'm making my own filter wheel and thinking of 1.25" filters which seem to be OK with the 314L+.

Off topic, but how are you getting on with the focal reducer? Did I already ask you? I think I saw a pic or two you'd done through it when you first received it.

Great pictures.

I love the Atik 4000 and am surprised we don't see more of them, though they are not cheap. I use mine with 1.25 filters at F3.9 in the Tak. No problem, though you do need flats. If you can jam the F/W right up to the camera it helps.

The square chip means you are rarely tempted to rotate so your flats are durable, which is good. It also makes the most of any telescope's light cone.

You're obviously enjoying it, just as I did when I made an equivalent move.

Oh, I find darks work for ages, too. Maybe nearly a year.

Olly

Yes, I really am enjoying it.

As I just mentioned to Olly via PM, I blame him for the move to the 4000. Not just cos his images always inspire, but because the FoV and the square sensor will mean, as he says, that I doubt I'll ever need to move the camera. In fact, until today, the camera had been attached to the scope ever since it arrived. Since the dome humidity is kept at around 30%, I didn't think that would be a problem.

The only snag is that the POD, being plastic, lets light through, so at this time of year darks are only possible in-situ between 10pm and 4am.

I'm not really sure how many darks to collect, either. Based on the exposures I have been using for DSOs, I'm doing darks at 300, 480, 600, 900 and 1200 seconds, 1x1 and 2x2 binned, at -20C for now. That should keep me going for the summer, and I can try gathering some colder ones in the autumn. I'm hoping that about 10-20 darks will be suitable. Sound about right?

[ianaiken]

You've made good use of the few clear nights you have had. Great work! Looks like a nice FOV you are getting with your combo.

[fatwoul]

Thanks, Ian. Doesn't look like I'll have any more of those for another week.

[Viv]

Nice one !!

Lovely first images with the new camera.

I love new bits, that pushes the old grey matter into use, shows what you & the equipment can do ..............

Enjoy

[AndyUK]

Very nice indeed! If I could afford a 4000, I'd have one tomorrow, (but being greedy I'd want it as well as my 314L+...!)

I totally agree with your comments about the 314L+ though - Whilst it's an excellent camera and can certainly get in REALLY close, you have to resort to a mosaic for the larger objects. Whilst there's some benefit in doing this, it obviously takes more nights to capture... and is more challenging to process . The prospect of having a lovely big square chip to play with must be very nice...

[You really don't need that new scope you know !]

[Tom OD]

Good collection of pics there. You've been busy with your new toy. I got a lot of nights out with Ollys one.

Tom

[fatwoul]

[You really don't need that new scope you know !]

Haha let's be honest, none of us really need any of this stuff...

...BUT I WANT IT.

[Gina]

Off topic, but how are you getting on with the focal reducer? Did I already ask you? I think I saw a pic or two you'd done through it when you first received it.

I've only had a couple of clear nights sine I got it but it's great, thank you. The camera is much more secure with the way everything connects and the image sharp right up to the corners. The reduced focal ratio helps with getting more data in the time too Very pleased with it

[fatwoul]

Great. Was a pleasure to deal with you, and I'm glad it's finally getting some use.

[Gina]

Great. Was a pleasure to deal with you, and I'm glad it's finally getting some use.

Thank you I had fun unwrapping it - very well protected Arrived in perfect condition

[earth titan]

Lovely images. Pics like these make the purse strings twitch.

[ollypenrice]

How many darks? This is much debated but since I can easily see the difference between 30 lights and 40 lights I tend to think the same will apply to darks so I go for 41. The odd number was because I used to use median combine but Nik made the good point in Astronomy Now recently that darks can take gamma ray hits and Sigma will remove them.

You do have an alternative, maybe. Yves' camera (SXH36) doesn't respond well to darks so I use a Bad Pixel Map (a dark with 2000 ADU clipped off the bottom) plus a master bias as a dark. I do this in Astro Art and it works well. Ideally you should dither guide and use Sigma on a stack of at least 10 or 12 lights. I've not yet tried this routine on our 4000s.

I agree that you need to be in the dark for darks! Somehow the light just gets in.

One tip; read up in the manual on how to activate the chip window heater. Unless Artemis has changed you can't do it from the capture window. I have it noted on a bit of paper in case I need it, which is once or twice a year at most.

Olly