Gina's Esprit 80ED Pro Unboxing and First Impressions

[sloz1664]

Hi Gina,

I think you will need a extra wide angled lens on your camera to show your new 4 x scope imaging rig     

Now I have a question? There has been a fair amount of discussion on various forums on the merits of dithering between

subs, especially when imaging in narrowband. Gina do you dither? (no puns intended)     If so, how will you combat this with multi imaging?

ps Can't wait to see your first lights and initial reports of the Esprit 80.

cheers

Steve 

[PARTY MARTY]

I struggle with just one imaging rig as it is!!! But 2 or more imaging rigs running at the same time that's just hardcore to be honest!!    

Gina I noticed that you got a FF/FR for the Skywatcher 80mm Esprit, how much is the Focal ratio been speeded up Gina you haven't explained the FR/RR in detail what's the reduction  on it ??? 

I noticed that the Esprit is F5, so I guessing you might be getting around F3.5 or F3 for the scope, that's incredibly fast, infact compared that my 8" Quattro Newtonian, my Newt is slower!!     

That must have superb FOV, I guess no need for a large CCD chip I guess???     

[Gina]

That would be an excellent imaging rig set-up for all scopes and CCDs altogether never need to disassemble equipment again Gina!! 

I guess this going to be your permenant set-up for an Obsy Gina??  The EQ-8 isn't exactly light??? 

That's the idea though I shall need to move cameras around as I haven't got enough to have all scopes with cameras on but that's a lot less hassle than moving scoped on and off the mount as I have been doing with the NEQ6.

Yes, this is a permanent setup.  The EQ8 with it's nice comfy handles is actually easier to take off and on than the lighter NEQ6 with it's awkward shape and relatively slippery paint.

[Gina]

Ingenious use of the F/W as a safety stop! Don't forget something at the other end. I'm sure you won't!

Olly

Actually, that an optical illusion - the FW is above the dovetail   Though It could go below.

[Gina]

Hi Gina,

I think you will need a extra wide angled lens on your camera to show your new 4 x scope imaging rig     

Now I have a question? There has been a fair amount of discussion on various forums on the merits of dithering between

subs, especially when imaging in narrowband. Gina do you dither? (no puns intended)     If so, how will you combat this with multi imaging?

ps Can't wait to see your first lights and initial reports of the Esprit 80.

cheers

Steve 

I'm hoping I can get it just in with the 18mm kit lens

No, I don't do dithering - well, not as yet anyway.  OTOH I guess I am a bit of a ditherer personally   (I've been dithering over lathes lately )

As for first lights.... you and me both (and others) - but me espaecially

[Gina]

I struggle with just one imaging rig as it is!!! But 2 or more imaging rigs running at the same time that's just hardcore to be honest!!    

Gina I noticed that you got a FF/FR for the Skywatcher 80mm Esprit, how much is the Focal ratio been speeded up Gina you haven't explained the FR/RR in detail what's the reduction  on it ??? 

I noticed that the Esprit is F5, so I guessing you might be getting around F3.5 or F3 for the scope, that's incredibly fast, infact compared that my 8" Quattro Newtonian, my Newt is slower!!     

That must have superb FOV, I guess no need for a large CCD chip I guess???     

You get used to setting stuff up and some of it is common to all cameras so saves a bit.

The Esprit has a field flattener - it is not a reducer.  So it's still f5 and 400mm focal length.  I think the FOV should be quite nice with the Atik 460EX and pretty wide with an APS-C size sensor which I expect to try later - it has a 33mm image circle so will cover that.  That size sensor needs 36mm unmounted filters which I have.  (In addition to the 1.25" I use with my Atik cameras.)

[PARTY MARTY]

Thanks Gina!!     

Still F5 is still better hard to beat!! F5 in a APO is pretty good to be honest Gina?? 

My Lunt 80mm ED APO F7 once fitted with a 0.8x FF/FR only comes close to F5.5!! 

I wonder if Skywatcher makes a FR for it, I'm sure that will be next plan from SW??? 

Love to see what the actually the Focal Ratio would be on the Esprit 80mm after a FR is fitted??? 

Edited November 3, 2013 by PARTY MARTY

[dmahon]

The TRF-2008 0.8x should work, and then there's the Riccardi 0.75x as well.

Edited November 3, 2013 by dmahon

[Gina]

If you don't mind a terrestrial shot I have a "first light".  I always like to set up and do a bit of testing in daytime on distant trees and houses.  These are on the next hill about a mile away and gives a good starting point for the focus on celestial objects.  I have aligned the finder scope so the cross hairs were on the centre of the camera image.  I also use the distant view to set the guide camera on the OAG to match the main image then the guide camera needs no more setting up.

So here we have photos of the Esprit 80ED on the EQ8 - one from each side and a daylight image I took earlier with the 460EX and Ha filter.

[Gina]

Although the focus may not be perfect - I focussed manually - I thought I'd post a couple of close-ups.  Firstly, the image rotated and cropped around the house and trees plus some contrast enhancement with curves and resized for upload.  Secondly the same image but cropped to make it small enough for upload.  So the second image is just cropped and not resized so this is pixel for pixel with the 460EX unbinned ie. this is a small section of a 2750 x 2200 image, with no other enhancement than curves.  Image size is just under 1200 pixels square.   I think this scope looks pretty good

[Gina]

And - just for fun - a colour rendition using Ha and OIII   I may play a bit more tomorrow and do an RGB set.

[JohnC64]

are you thinking of taking SII on this target??

[Gina]

are you thinking of taking SII on this target??

I already have done   Would you like to see a Hubble Palette rendition?

Edited November 3, 2013 by Gina

[Gina]

Yer tis   The red-brick house has become a yellow-brick house and the grass has turned blue

Edited November 3, 2013 by Gina

[kirkster501]

Looks great Gina.  Looking forwward to seeing what this rig can do.

Steve

[Gina]

Thanks Steve   Me too   It's currently blowing a gale with heavy rain - forecast is much better for tomorrow though so fingers crossed

[Grimmec]

Yer tis   The red-brick house has become a yellow-brick house and the grass has turned blue

Esprit 80ED First Light Terrestrial 05 Hubble Palette.jpg

Thats brilliant, at least we know that the narrowband images we are doing are actually fairly close to real colour :-) 

[swag72]

The spacing has been confirmed Gina, in case you miss it - 54.9mm from the mating surface - So again optimal for DSLR's

[Sp@ce_d]

Suspense is killing me... Cant wait for some stars & DSO Gina.. mixed blessings I didn't get mine from this batch though as I've only had one night of cloud in the past week up here...

[Gina]

Oh dear - my information was 75mm from the mating surface and that's what I've catered for (plus 1mm for Astrodom filters)   If that's wrong I'm in a spot of bother - I can only reduce the distance by 9mm not 20mm.  To lose more I would have to do without the OAG and use a separate guide scope.

Anyway, I hope to be be imaging soon - if this darn cloud goes away.  I have a nasty feeling that the cloud has come over early - it wasn't forecast until about 8pm

[Gina]

Suspense is killing me... Cant wait for some stars & DSO Gina.. mixed blessings I didn't get mine from this batch though as I've only had one night of cloud in the past week up here...

Me too!!!!!!!!!!  We had a clear though very humid night the day before I got mine - wet or cloudy ever since   And it now looks as it the forecast couple of clear hours tonight won't materialise.

I'm getting fed up   Other things have not been good either - lost two of our goats recently - one just this afternoon when the vet had to put her out of her pain :(

[JohnC64]

its not good news is it :-(  - i have some spacers on order that have been dispatched - on the back of confirmation from Skywatcher.  Guess we need to confirm what the distance is now

[JohnC64]

sorry to hear about your goats Gina(I keep sheep)  I enjoyed your test images of them when you were doing test shots on the debayering
John

Edited November 4, 2013 by JohnC64

[Gina]

sorry to hear about your goats Gina(I keep sheep)  I enjoyed your test images of them when you were doing test shots on the debayering

John

Thank you John   The goats are pets rather than farm animals and we feel the loss when they go

[dmahon]

Have to take a look at that Riccardi flattener/reducer after all Gina - I think that gives you an extra 15-25mm of useable space (and 0.75x reduction).

Me, I might just go back to saving for a Takahashi after all.