ic1396 Ha

[ChrisLX200]

This is a first light image with my new Moravian G4-16000 camera. Conditions were poor and I only managed to capture 5 x 15mins on this one. A lot of new stuff to learn operating this camera - not least the fact it has heated CCD chamber window (which I forgot to switch on. Duh.). This camera has a large Kodak 16803 sensor, so it's noisy and needs deep cooling, but the wide fields it can capture are superb. I just need to get used to using it and also processing the data (which needs a different technique to that from the Atik490EX it seems). I still have some issues to sort out, I suspect there is some tilt between camera and OTA - hardly surprising given the weight of this camera.

Scope: TV NP127is @ 660mm f/l

CCD: Moravian G4-16000

Filters: Chroma 3nM Ha.

Mount: 10-Micron GM2000HPS-II

Guide: unguided

Data: 5 x 900s Ha

To see full resolution click on image and click (+) icon within PhotoBucket.

The rig earlier tonight before it went dark:

ChrisH

[seo]

Hi Chris,

I saw your image in full resolution in Photobucket. Very nice detail and surely wide FOV ! Enjoy your new big CCD !

[Herra Kuulapaa]

I just need to get used to using it and also processing the data (which needs a different technique to that from the Atik490EX it seems). I

Very nice image! Just out of curiosity, what kind of differences there are between those cameras what comes to the image processing?

[ChrisLX200]

Hi Chris,

I saw your image in full resolution in Photobucket. Very nice detail and surely wide FOV ! Enjoy your new big CCD !

Thanks Dimitris, there are two versions up there now, the first was not so good ;-)

ChrisH

[ChrisLX200]

Very nice image! Just out of curiosity, what kind of differences there are between those cameras what comes to the image processing?

Many thanks!  Well the 490EX doesn't need Darks for a start, and the flat field frames are not so critical (there is significant drop-off using the 16803 sensor). I'm also under-sampling the stars using the 16803 because the pixels are much bigger - 9uM compared to 3.7uM. The 100,000e well-depth on the 16803 means there is potentially a huge dynamic range available, compared to the paltry 17,000e on the 490EX, bright stars don't get burned out so keep their colour but you need to work with HDR tricks so the nebula shows well. There are other differences I'm sure.

ChrisH

PS, clicking the image doesn't get you the PhotoBucket version... maybe this link will http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/ChrisLX200/Astro%20-%20Images%20G4-16000/ic1396_900sec%20ST%20002_zps5fvcpeor.jpg

[lensman57]

Lovely image Chris. Shame about the airline light trail.

A.G

[ChrisLX200]

Thanks A.G., yes - they were all making a bee-line for whatever the scope was pointing at ;-)

ChrisH

[Freddie]

Looking good. That's also a nice FOV to have.

[ChrisLX200]

Thanks Freddie, looking forward to testing it properly now I know it works :-)

ChrisH

[laudropb]

Very nice wide field image. Thanks for posting.

[Martin-Devon]

Looking good Chris, lovely wide-field, and considering the conditions that's a decent first light for the new big frame CCD. 

Martin

[ChrisLX200]

Thanks Laudropb and Martin.

Another snippet of info about this camera, it's power requirements are huge - I have an ammeter liked to the main rig PSU and noted that it draws slightly over 7A max @ 12V, the rest of the gear draws another 3-1/2A so I'm glad I have a big 30A power supply for it! This doesn't include the mount either (which runs on 24V and uses a separate PSU).

ChrisH

[Herra Kuulapaa]

Thanks Laudropb and Martin.

Another snippet of info about this camera, it's power requirements are huge - I have an ammeter liked to the main rig PSU and noted that it draws slightly over 7A max @ 12V, the rest of the gear draws another 3-1/2A so I'm glad I have a big 30A power supply for it! This doesn't include the mount either (which runs on 24V and uses a separate PSU).

ChrisH

A perfect portable imaging solution then