ST80 Mods for Imaging

[Gina]

Well the atmosphere isn't perfectly clear but I may be able to get something.  I haven't got the second ST80 working as I can't find a power plug for the camera   Thought I had several but it seems not   Anyway, I have the Esprit capturing OIII and an ST80 capturing Ha both using 460EX cameras.  The second ST80 is ready, complete with SII filter and 314L+ camera but no power to the camera

[Gina]

Patchy fog here now.  Very thick at ground level but there seems to be holes in it higher up   I'm actually getting some data from the Pacman Nebula would you believe   Ha with an ST80 and OIII with the Esprit, both taking 10m subs binned 2x2.  Astrodon 5nm Ha amd 3nm OIII NB filters.

[Gina]

Here's 17 5m Ha subs binned 2x2 from the ST80, stacked in DSS and processed in Photoshop.  Cropped and saved in PNG format. 

[Tinker1947]

How bads that, less than £100 for the scope, guiding and the mount help but its pretty good....

[Gina]

ST80 Pacman Ha 19x5m + 4x10m 2x2 up to where PHD gave up guiding due to the fog

[Chris]

I so see sales of ST80's going up for narrow band imaging, well with a few alterations to the focuser maybe.

Congrats Gina, I really wouldn't have known it wasn't taken with an ED scope

[Gina]

Matching Esprit OIII - 13x5m + 2x10m subs binned 2x2.  Stacked in DSS, processed in Photoshop, cropped and saved in PNG format.

[Gina]

I so see sales of ST80's going up for narrow band imaging, well with a few alterations to the focuser maybe.

Congrats Gina, I really wouldn't have known it wasn't taken with an ED scope

Thank you Chris  

Narrow band imaging doesn't need an APO scope and a small sensor makes an image that would appear curved in a large sensor only imperceptively curved   I rather thought this might be the case but I'm very glad to have proved it

The focuser is fine except for being rather coarse - a slomo drive would be a help but a large spur gear and tiny pinion on a geared stepper motor works well for remote focussing

[Gina]

Finally for tonight...  Combined Ha and OIII to form an HOO colour image.  Aligned with RegiStar and combined and further processed in Photoshop.  Cropped to remove margins and saved in PNG format.

[astro mick]

That's interesting Gina,especially for a modest scope.(Long live the Achromat).

Seriously though,i,m sure you can improve on this,as you go forward.

Glad you got some clear weather.

Mick.

Nice image.

[Gina]

Thank you Mick   I do have a few little modifications to make.

[Astroscot2]

An interesting read Gina, good to see your getting results with the ST80, im not sure they are a good match for your SW frac even for narrowband.

[Tinker1947]

So would 4 ST-80's work Red. Green, Blue Filters plus what ever goes in the 4th, or will colour filters not work....???

[Gina]

I'll probably try an ST80 for RGB sometime but I think the CA would show.  A possibility might be ST80s for RGB and an Esprit for L.  Of course that would then need 4 cameras   And with the 460EX not far off two grand, that ain't cheap   OTOH anyone who knows me will know I rule nothing out!   LRGB can use lower res RGB even 2x2 binning with the Luminance unbinned.  I often do that for galaxies.  Most galaxies have a rather small subtended angle for a short FL like 400mm and I use the MN190 for most galaxies in LRGB.  When galaxy season comes round again I might give a multi-scope rig some thought.

[Earl]

Seems clear above here so I'm setting up on the Pacman - see what I can get.  Having a laptop problem ATM amd just waiting for it to reboot before trying again.  The EQMOD ASCOM drops out sometimes and then it needs rebooting to clear it.  One day I might find out why

I get that to, it looses the mount and needs a reboot to see it again

[Gina]

Not just me then

[Gina]

Set up again and see if I can catch a few more hours of clear sky.  Have the second ST80 with the 314L+ capturing SII but judging by what I can see (or not) I don't think this camera is going to get much   Anyway, I've ordered a third 460EX - got fed up waiting

[Gina]

There is some SII in the Pacman   Here is a single sub with some processing in PS.  5m with 314L+ mono CCD camera, binned 2x2 so not much resolution - this is all of it.

[Gina]

I am not satisfied with my alignment mechanisms.  Stiff to operate yet not firm enough so I shall be having a re-think

Cloud about now and my imaging run has ended for now.  Looks like it might clear again so I'm staying set up.

In stopping the run I noticed I hadn't re-enabled the guiding so the last 4 sets of subs are unguided   That's why the stars in the SII sub above are not round!

[Starlight 1]

Well done Gina, you are working it out ,good to see the photo from the work you are putting in.

[Gina]

Sky's clear again and I'm off on another imaging run   The SII has slipped a bit out of alignment but the Ha and OIII seem well enough lined up.  I'll probably get onto a new alignment mechanism design tomorrow.

[Gina]

SHO Hubble Palette from earlier.  5x5m binned 2x2 on all wavelengths.  Ha and OIII with 460EX cameras and SII with 314L+.  The latter set the overall resolution - can't wait for the third 460EX   I need to get the alignment much better too.

[Gina]

This is a HOO version - doesn't suffer from a displaced image   Again 5x5m subs binned 2x2 but just Ha and OIII.

[Gina]

Just realised that I forgot to turn guiding back on - again   Good job the target is near the pole ATM   This is just a part of the imaged cropped (ie. pixel for pixel).  15m unbinned single Ha sub from the ST80.

[Stu]

Great to see you churning out some images Gina, looking good :-)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk