BRT (telescope.org) - poor image quality!?

[MartinFransson]

I´m very dissappointed right now. Signed up for a subscription to telescope.org to get some high quality (or so I thought) data for when I can´t image myself due to bad weather etc.

Today the first two images came in and I´m not going to use them for sure.

Firstly, the resolution is poor. 1056*1027 pixels... do they use a webcam? I would have expected at least an 8 Mp CCD but maybe I should have done my homework better? Couldn´t find any info on what equipment they use.

Secondly, there were ugly spike in the images. Not the kind I´m used to seeing in images from Newtonian reflectors but something even worse. Se attached screenshot where I have done a STF in PI. Without STF only the spikes are visible.

I unsubscribed right away and I won´t be going back there.

Are there any remote telescopes that offer high quality imaging at a reasonable price?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The spikes look like the kind of "bleeding" you get on some CCDs when the photosites saturate. Doesn't look nice I agree

[dph1nm]

Camera details here

http://www.telescope.org/infopage.php?title=Tenerife_Telescope_Hardware

The lines are indeed bleed trails (otherwise known as blooming) - most professional CCDs suffer from them to some degree.

NigelM

[MartinFransson]

A Paramount ME mount and a 1k * 1k CCD. OK. Isn´t that a bit like buying a Ferrari and using the tires from your old VW Beetle?

[ChrisLX200]

These are pro cameras, back-illuminated NAB with big pixels, designed for scientific studies rather than producing pretty pictures.

ChrisH

[Uplooker]

The BRT is actually more about teaching and understanding what can be done to control objects in remote locations rather than satisfying amateur astronomers desire for perfect images.

Sent from my Fone

[MartinFransson]

I see. Anyone have any suggestion for a remote telescope that offers "pretty-picture-performance"?

[JeremyS]

This is normal performance for this type of CCD camera. The BRT is a great instrument and is capable of scientific results. The CCD is very sensitive. But it is also capable of producing nice images. It's a matter of setting the exposure to minimise bleeding on bright stars. Some software can help you remove the effects as well.

[callump]

I see. Anyone have any suggestion for a remote telescope that offers "pretty-picture-performance"?

iTelescope.net

C.

[MartinFransson]

iTelescope.net

C.

Signed up there but couldn't get a single shot off. Scopes were either booked or down for maintenance. After a few months my account expired.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

[callump]

Depends on your choice of time / scope - but i've not had so much trouble getting time. I've actually had more problems with the weather!

C.

[Zakalwe]

As others have said, the spikes are known as "blooming" which is cause by a pixel well filling up with electrons and "spilling over" onto other photosites in the same column. Consumer grade cameras use anti-blooming gates which prevent this. The reason why professional grade cameras don't use these is that the ABG will cause the response of the pixel to become non-linear once they get near to saturation.  As these cameras are used for photometry the last thing that is desired is for a non-linear response which would skew the data.

Don't obsess too much about the resolution either. Many, many outstanding amateur astrophotos were 9and are) taken using cameras like the Atik 314+, which uses a 1392 x 1040 sensor

http://www.astrobin.com/gear/4770/atik-314l/

Multi megapixels are the domain of DSLR and mobile phone camera marketing departments......