First Test at Deep Space with the ASI120MM Planetary Camera

[ArmyAirForce]

For some time now, I've been wanting to try the ASI120MM on some deep space targets. I'd seen some really good deep space images from the ASI, even with short exposures, so I thought it would be good to use in the summer on small targets, where the shorter exposures would reduce noise and heat.

I wasn't sure if it would fit my OAG, so didn't bother with guiding last night, just tried to get a good polar align and went from there. Finding small targets on a non-permanent set up was difficult to start with. With my DSLR, most targets are easy to locate on the centre of the sensor, but the ASI120 is only 1/3 of the size.

The first target I did find was NGC 6543, the Cat's Eye Nebula. This first shot was just a single 1.5 second exposure, and I was surprised at the detail captured in the centre.

M 27, 99 x 16 second un-guided exposures.

M57, the Ring Nebula. 30 x 16 second exposures.

OK, so they aren't masterpieces yet, but for an initial test in damp conditions, I was quite pleased. If I could guide the camera, it would be even better.

This morning, I had a look at the fitting on my camera and my TS 9mm OAG. It turned out that both were M42 threads. After a bit of unscrewing some bits and attaching others, the ASI120 and filter wheel screwed together. The filter wheel distance will probably help push the ASI sensor to a similar position as the DSLR, so I'm hoping the SX Lodestar focus position won't be far from its current position. I'm looking forwards to a guided attempt with the ASI now.

[David Smith]

Good results unguided bodes well for when you get guiding up and running.

[lensman57]

Well done, Asi 120 is a very capable camera as u demonstrated. I use mine mainly as a guide camera now but can't get it to come to focus  with my FLO,  OAG for some reason if a FF/FR is used.

Regards,

A.G

[ArmyAirForce]

Here's another shot, this time the Saturn Nebula, taken a couple of days after my first attempts that i forgot to post. This is 300 x 2 second exposures in luminance and 100 x 2 seconds each for RGB. I slightly misaligned the RGB, probably because I was processing it outside with cold fingers! I was very surprised with the detail in the small nebula from just 2 second exposures. Since this, I haven't tried again, but really do need to have another go, as there are so many small targets out there begging to be done. I've also started experimenting with cooling the camera.

[D4N]

Very nice, the small chip size certainly lends itself well to small objects, I imagine it will need some very accurate guiding with those tiny pixels though.

Should be easy enough to attach a chiller to it, I believe it is designed with this in mind.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ArmyAirForce]

My first cooling experiments was on Saturday evening, imaging the Moon. I got the camera sensor down to 4.5 Degrees C at its lowest, averaging about 6C, but in the end, fogged up the barlow with the cold! I had a bit of vibration from the fan, but have another to test and I also want to experiment with water cooling.

[ArmyAirForce]

I'm using an OAG to guide, but with short exposures, I don't think the guiding is too much of an issue. Only the Saturn nebula was guided so far, and even then, the exposures were only 2 seconds!