Imaging with the 130pds

[al-alami]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first picture with the telescope, am having issues with the mount, but am happy so far

 

Fakhri

[al-alami]

Still a work in process, but I couldn't stop smiling for hours after I look this! My first nebula  

[Uranium235]

Erm.... Orion already?! Not fair!

We have to wait unit November before we get a good go on it.

[al-alami]

Uranium235, I only had about 30 minutes before the predawn started having an affect .. and given that my mount is having some personal issues I'm glad I got 1 or 2 sharp images  

[halli]

Hi

Had a go at IC1848 with the 130pds and Atik 383l+  .  

Around 10x1000s HA and 5x600 secs RGB

Processed in PI (HaRGB) - thinking of how to introduce HA in the red channel as well without washing the star colours out - any advice on this welcome - star mask does not appear to work !

 

[AlastairW]

After a few years imaging I've taken the plunge and moved to CCD (QHY IMG2PRO) from DSLR. First light from last night. 4 x 10mins. No calibration (yet). Spacing is a bit off but for a first CCD image I am fairly happy. Clear skies folks :-)

[Thalestris24]

1 minute ago, AlastairW said:

After a few years imaging I've taken the plunge and moved to CCD (QHY IMG2PRO) from DSLR. First light from last night. 4 x 10mins. No calibration (yet). Spacing is a bit off but for a first CCD image I am fairly happy. Clear skies folks :-)

 

Even though I like colour, there's something very satisfying with mono imaging

Louise

[al-alami]

I need to get myself a nice mono camera, I think my 130PDS would greatly enjoy it

 

[Adam J]

On 18/08/2016 at 07:05, al-alami said:

I need to get myself a nice mono camera, I think my 130PDS would greatly enjoy it

 

You asked about narrow band filters earlier in the thread in the context of your DSRL. I have had some good results recently using both Ha and OIII with my canon 1000D. Problem is that to get that to work well I had to cool my camera down to negative temperatures using a cool box, allowing me to grab low noise 20 min exposures. I am guessing that Jordan is pretty hot, even at night? What ambient temps do you get? The most important thing for you may be that CCD cameras are cooled as opposed to mono per say, although mono is almost always the way to go in my opinion. Personally I would not rush into CCD as there is always allot to learn at first and CCD' being a little more fiddly than DSLR (harder to focus, needs filter wheels etc) can actually get in the way of the learning process when you are starting out. Allot can be achieved with a DSLR given a little patience and good technique.    

http://www.astrobin.com/260459/

Edited August 19, 2016 by Adam J

[Gerry Casa Christiana]

On 10 March 2014 at 18:38, HenryW said:

Not great pics from me, but this is what i got so far since beginning with AP in august this year. No guiding and maximum time of expousures 30 sek.

Please can you confirm you did these on a EQ5!!!! I'm just in the process of buying a telescope. Great pictures

[al-alami]

16 hours ago, Adam J said:

You asked about narrow band filters earlier in the thread in the context of your DSRL. I have had some good results recently using both Ha and OIII with my canon 1000D. Problem is that to get that to work well I had to cool my camera down to negative temperatures using a cool box, allowing me to grab low noise 20 min exposures. I am guessing that Jordan is pretty hot, even at night? What ambient temps do you get? The most important thing for you may be that CCD cameras are cooled as opposed to mono per say, although mono is almost always the way to go in my opinion. Personally I would not rush into CCD as there is always allot to learn at first and CCD' being a little more fiddly than DSLR (harder to focus, needs filter wheels etc) can actually get in the way of the learning process when you are starting out. Allot can be achieved with a DSLR given a little patience and good technique.    

http://www.astrobin.com/260459/

Hi Adam,

Honestly I've read all about this stuff, but of course reading isn't the same as doing. Temperature wise, hmmmm I guess as a ball part figure in the summer its in the 20-24 centigrade range at night, while in winter it can get into the minuses (but that isn't the usual). So I guess as I get better (and solve my mount issues and start guiding) then the long exposures will become a major problem because of sensor heat.   When I said mono ccd I am sort of  leaning towards the Atik 383L+ (if I can find the money).  My biggest problem with ccd is that I hope at one point to make large prints from the pictures so I would need a might megapixel one.  Also one of the reasons I am leaning towards the ccd (apart from the better quality and all that) is that I am finding it a real pain to focus through narrowband filters.  I can't see anything through the viewfinder or on liveview, so for the time being I've just put them on the side till i can work out how to do it.

[Adam J]

3 hours ago, al-alami said:

Hi Adam,

Honestly I've read all about this stuff, but of course reading isn't the same as doing. Temperature wise, hmmmm I guess as a ball part figure in the summer its in the 20-24 centigrade range at night, while in winter it can get into the minuses (but that isn't the usual). So I guess as I get better (and solve my mount issues and start guiding) then the long exposures will become a major problem because of sensor heat.   When I said mono ccd I am sort of  leaning towards the Atik 383L+ (if I can find the money).  My biggest problem with ccd is that I hope at one point to make large prints from the pictures so I would need a might megapixel one.  Also one of the reasons I am leaning towards the ccd (apart from the better quality and all that) is that I am finding it a real pain to focus through narrowband filters.  I can't see anything through the viewfinder or on liveview, so for the time being I've just put them on the side till i can work out how to do it.

Yes, focusing. I cant say that I have had an issue with that myself, which is not to say that it is easy. I use Backyard EOS and it lets you mess about with the live view settings lots more / integrate multiple exposures, so that its easier to see a bright star while using narrow band filters. You can download a one month trial for free.

I start by finding a bright star, say Alpha Lyra or similar. I then focus on it with no filter to get it around about right. I then lock the focusing tube off nice and hard. I remove the camera and place my 2" narrow band filter (OIII/H-A) 7nm onto the nose-piece. I then turn up the gain / integration Backyard EOS frame and focus to say 4x video frames and ISO1600 on live view and with the star centered on the view adjust using the Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) tool.  7nm wide filters are the narrowest that this will work with, 12nm is much easier, astrodon 3nm would not be possible in my opinion (while using live view). Someone jump on me is I am wrong here but as I understand it you dont focus a CCD with live view or an equivalent. You have to take multiple short exposures and use a FWHM tool or a bahtinov mask. In general as I understand it focusing is a little harder with a CCD than with a DSLR.

I would try the free Backyard EOS trial to help you focus easier than with EOS Utility...i think I remember reading you have a canon...if not Backyard Nikon for Nikon cameras. If that will not work you could try a bahtinov mask on a bright star.

You will notice significant noise reduction between summer and winter by the sounds of it. Noise halves every 6-7c so a 21c drop in temperature would give you a noise reduction to about 1/8th of the original value and would let you do longer exposures with the DSLR making the narrow band filters worth while. But in summer, unless your willing to mod the camera with cooling the value of narrow band is questionable in my opinion, though I would still have a go in BYEOS though as you have the filters why not?

[al-alami]

1 hour ago, Adam J said:

Yes, focusing. I cant say that I have had an issue with that myself, which is not to say that it is easy. I use Backyard EOS and it lets you mess about with the live view settings lots more / integrate multiple exposures, so that its easier to see a bright star while using narrow band filters. You can download a one month trial for free.

I start by finding a bright star, say Alpha Lyra or similar. I then focus on it with no filter to get it around about right. I then lock the focusing tube off nice and hard. I remove the camera and place my 2" narrow band filter (OIII/H-A) 7nm onto the nose-piece. I then turn up the gain / integration Backyard EOS frame and focus to say 4x video frames and ISO1600 on live view and with the star centered on the view adjust using the Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) tool.  7nm wide filters are the narrowest that this will work with, 12nm is much easier, astrodon 3nm would not be possible in my opinion (while using live view). Someone jump on me is I am wrong here but as I understand it you dont focus a CCD with live view or an equivalent. You have to take multiple short exposures and use a FWHM tool or a bahtinov mask. In general as I understand it focusing is a little harder with a CCD than with a DSLR.

I would try the free Backyard EOS trial to help you focus easier than with EOS Utility...i think I remember reading you have a canon...if not Backyard Nikon for Nikon cameras. If that will not work you could try a bahtinov mask on a bright star.

You will notice significant noise reduction between summer and winter by the sounds of it. Noise halves every 6-7c so a 21c drop in temperature would give you a noise reduction to about 1/8th of the original value and would let you do longer exposures with the DSLR making the narrow band filters worth while. But in summer, unless your willing to mod the camera with cooling the value of narrow band is questionable in my opinion, though I would still have a go in BYEOS though as you have the filters why not?

Thanks Adam for all that   will definitely give it a try  and yes I have a Canon  one of the big things about the filters is it would mean that I can shoot at home from the roof (at least as far as I understand).

Let me put a question out there, I'm trying to work out which would be better for guiding my 130PDS, would a finderscope with a camera on it do? or should I go down the St80 route? I'm on a HEQ5.  Am still trying to choose a guider as well, leaning towards the QHY5 at the moment (even they have many different type of it as well)

[Adam J]

2 minutes ago, al-alami said:

Thanks Adam for all that   will definitely give it a try  and yes I have a Canon  one of the big things about the filters is it would mean that I can shoot at home from the roof (at least as far as I understand).

Let me put a question out there, I'm trying to work out which would be better for guiding my 130PDS, would a finderscope with a camera on it do? or should I go down the St80 route? I'm on a HEQ5.  Am still trying to choose a guider as well, leaning towards the QHY5 at the moment (even they have many different type of it as well)

I use the Orion 50mm finder guider with my QHY5L-II (pictured) it gets the job done just fine at the 130P-DS focal length. I mounted it to the back of the tube to get it to balance, it wont balance if mounted to the front of the tube. I eventually added a 33cm dove tale to move the center of gravity backwards further. I did need a noise piece extension to get focus mind you, Orion designed it with the older guide camera in mind. I have no guiding issues with it, in my opinion the ST80 is just adding more weight for no real guide quality advantage. I can run my setup with a single weight using the finder guider, it would need two with the ST80.

[al-alami]

3 minutes ago, Adam J said:

I use the Orion 50mm finder guider with my QHY5L-II (pictured) it gets the job done just fine at the 130P-DS focal length. I mounted it to the back of the tube to get it to balance, it wont balance if mounted to the front of the tube. I eventually added a 33cm dove tale to move the center of gravity backwards further. I did need a noise piece extension to get focus mind you, Orion designed it with the older guide camera in mind. I have no guiding issues with it, in my opinion the ST80 is just adding more weight for no real guide quality advantage. I can run my setup with a single weight using the finder guider, it would need two with the ST80.

always great to get feedback from someone who is actually using it and trying to sell something
its also funny that the st80 and the orion 50mm finder are very close in price  

 

[Thalestris24]

Hi

As you have a Canon then do download APT - it has several useful focusing aids as well as lots of other features. If you can buy or make a Bahtinov mask then combined with APT facilitates getting good focus 

Louise

[Susaron]

Dear all,

The  5'' flange to use a Moonlite focuser with our beloved 130 is already available. Contact directly with Ron if you are interested. As soon as I'll get mine one I will post a picture here.

Cheers

 

[Dbswales]

+1 for APT. Makes focusing really easy with a Bahtinov mask. I have an ST80 as a guide scope, Canon 600D and still manage to use the 1 weight without any problem. Granted my setup doesn't look at good as Adams above but it does the job I want it to.

[al-alami]

On 8/20/2016 at 17:04, Thalestris24 said:

Hi

As you have a Canon then do download APT - it has several useful focusing aids as well as lots of other features. If you can buy or make a Bahtinov mask then combined with APT facilitates getting good focus 

Louise

Hi Louise,

Thanks for that, I will look into it  I guess summer nights are short so we can experiment and be ready for winter (cause winter is coming), mind you with 20 degrees at night here I can't wait  I already have a Bahtinov mask, its just sometimes I can barely see through the camera to focus.

Fakhri

[Thalestris24]

2 minutes ago, al-alami said:

Hi Louise,

Thanks for that, I will look into it  I guess summer nights are short so we can experiment and be ready for winter (cause winter is coming), mind you with 20 degrees at night here I can't wait  I already have a Bahtinov mask, its just sometimes I can barely see through the camera to focus.

Fakhri

Hi

 The APT Bahrinov tool gives you a clever, magnified depiction plus text and numeric help

Louise

[al-alami]

3 minutes ago, Thalestris24 said:

Hi

 The APT Bahrinov tool gives you a clever, magnified depiction plus text and numeric help

Louise

Hi Louise,

Am downloading APT now, I guess I can try it out from the balcony till the moon starts behaving

Fakhri

[StamosP]

Here is one of my latest images, M8-M20, taken at the 10th Panhellenic camp of amateur astronomers.

It was held at Mount Parnon, 25km outside Sparta.

Dates: July 30, 2016

Frames: 26x300" ISO1600

Integration: 2.2 hours

Darks: ~12

Flats: ~40

Bias: ~100

[al-alami]

20 hours ago, StamosP said:

Here is one of my latest images, M8-M20, taken at the 10th Panhellenic camp of amateur astronomers.

It was held at Mount Parnon, 25km outside Sparta.

Dates: July 30, 2016

Frames: 26x300" ISO1600

Integration: 2.2 hours

Darks: ~12

Flats: ~40

Bias: ~100

simply beautiful  

[Adam J]

Wanted to put this in here as 6-months back this is the thread that inspired me to get a 130-PDS and start out in astro-imaging.

Its been a month long project...for only three nights of images. But last night got 7 x 20min frames with the OIII filter. So for the last time this year (baring the inevitable revision) here is the witches broom. 16 x 180s CLS filter (RGB), 8 x 1200s H-alpha 7nm Baader 2" filter (Red), 7 x 20min OIII 8.5nm Baader 2" (Blue). 130PDS, HEQ5 Pro, QHY5L-II and 50mm finder guider, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma corrector, Canon 1000D Cooled to -3c with my custom cool box. Lots of hard work and staying up till 4am but I am really happy with it and think it was worth the effort.

Thanks for the inspiration guys.

Compression makes it look blurred click on it lol

Edited August 30, 2016 by Adam J

[Stub Mandrel]

My latest batch of 130P-DS images are here: