Focal reducers?

[Lebster31]

Hi, I recently purchased an Orion star shoot solar system 4 imaging camera for my Meade ETX 90. It works well but the moon was too big, someone said I need focal reducers. Does anyone know of any decent focal reducers that would work?

Thanks!

[Dave In Vermont]

Here's a good How-To on using FR's:

http://www.mallincam.net/uploads/2/6/9/1/26913006/focal_reduction_for_dummies.pdf

Though written around the venerable MallinCam line of video-astro-photo cams, the principles are good learning how-to these critters.

Clear & smaller skies?

Dave

[Cornelius Varley]

4 hours ago, Lebster31 said:

Hi, I recently purchased an Orion star shoot solar system 4 imaging camera for my Meade ETX 90. It works well but the moon was too big, someone said I need focal reducers. Does anyone know of any decent focal reducers that would work?

Thanks!

Another option is to take a series of overlapping images with your SSSS4 and then merge them together using Microsoft ICE. If you use a focal reducer to try and squeeze the moon to fit the size of the sensor you will reduce the resolution of the image compared to making a mosaic of images and also lose the fine details.