The nice thing about a dual rig...

[wxsatuser]

Started collecting for the 'dual', second Atik 383 is on it's way.

Got to get another Samyang and adapters etc, knock up another focuser etc.

Looking at collecting all the gear by early next year and doing the conversion in the nebula off season.

So far no use of credit card, it's happy for the time being.

[Gina]

I had a triple imaging rig but it proved far to difficult to get working properly.  I had a lot of problems with the software.  I have considered other dual and triple arrangements since but I ended just going for a setup that could grab more data from a single system.  Who knows, I may yet set up a dual imaging system as and "in between" option.  Main problem is the price of astro cameras.  I think I have a better software system now.

[Gina]

A dual rig does seem a possibility.  For NB imaging this could be Ha and OIII.  My experience shows that capturing SII is hardly worth the effort as there is so little of it.  I think NII might be a better option.  I have two or three of most of the vintage lenses I have for widefield imaging as I was going for a triple imaging rig.  I think a multi rig would be a good option for UK skies as we have so few clear ones.

[DaveS]

I've been having a bash at the Witch's Broom, and finding almost as much [NII] as HII, certainly a lot more than [SII], which might as well not be there.

Only trouble is, the eye-watering cost of 3nm Astrodons.

Although I've thought a lot about a double or triple rig, the cost of multiple scopes and cameras has put me off, as has the software side of coordinating the capture from 2 or 3 cameras.

[Gina]

I have decided I'm going for a dual rig for narrow band widefield imaging for DSOs and have ordered a second ZWO ASI1600MM-Cool while FLO have their summer sale still on, saving me £139 - not a vast proportion but to quote a well known slogan "Every little helps" .  I shall be designing a suitable imaging rig.  One advantage is that I can have an Ha filter on one camera and an OIII on the other without needing a filter wheel.  This means I can get the two imaging systems as close as the two cameras will go.  The 3D printed dew shield can cover both lenses.

The software is no problem - I can capture images from both cameras at the same time using INDI/KStars/Ekos.  I can also remote focus both lenses as well as control the mount all with one Raspberry Pi 3.  This software also provides for auto-focus though unlike using a FW and changing filters, once set up the focus will probably stay put.  It would be useful to capture both Ha and OIII at the same time and make best use of every gap in the clouds.

[wxsatuser]

Been buying secondhand and saved a fair bit of money on cameras and filters.
Have got two Atik 383s now for just over a ton more than a one new.

[ollypenrice]

29 minutes ago, wxsatuser said:

Been buying secondhand and saved a fair bit of money on cameras and filters.
Have got two Atik 383s now for just over a ton more than a one new.

That's good. The dual rig is such a powerful tool. I've never been tempted by the fast astrographs. Way too much hassle for me.

Olly

[iapa]

One or two themes I have picked up in this thread include;

cost: have most of us not already put ourselves in the position where a significant investment has been made? Is cost really, in the long term, an issue? Before everyone jumps on e, consider the items that you have purchased and replaced

effort: pretty much as above, everything we’ve done has taken a significant amount time and experimentation/investigation.

benefit: taking the above into account, long term, a dual rig must should be worth any of the above to allow maximum data in shortest time?

<g,d & r >

 

[wxsatuser]

On 8/30/2017 at 16:50, ollypenrice said:

That's good. The dual rig is such a powerful tool. I've never been tempted by the fast astrographs. Way too much hassle for me.

Olly

Very powerful for us in these cloudier climes and with limited time on offer.

In the past an average session here would be 2>3hours.
For me there are various things that limit imaging time, clouds, sometimes I'm a bit knackered after work
and don't feel like it and other interests that take time.

If I can double the imaging time when allowed it's a win win.

[RichLD]

My dual widefield rig has made me a very happy bunny now it's all set up and tuned - the other night I got 7 hrs HA data on a target and was in bed for 1.00 am! 

[swag72]

Just working on getting the dual rig back up and running...... The latest Eagle2 has landed and I've put it all together.... Just need the mount and I'm ready to go

[RayD]

Yummy!........Now, all those old £1 coins have to be spent by the end of this month..........Maybe I could wash some cars........

[kirkster501]

On 8/16/2017 at 14:40, Alien 13 said:

Two or even more of those Samyangs/Atiks together would make a nice rig 

Alan

That'd make it two scopes/cameras you couldn't use because of the cloudy weather

[Gina]

Wanna buy 3 Atik 460EX Mono CCD astro cameras?   Coz I have 3 I'm not using   Always been in the UK so had very little use

Two grand new - I can do all three for just four grand (£4,000) including postage and packing in original boxes

[Allinthehead]

My second camera just landed. Twin f/2 rig in the making. ?

[carastro]

I love my dual rig, means I can capture a lot more data in what few clear skies we get here and the few opportunities I get to go to a dark location.   It took me a few tries to work out a workable rig and I have it sussed out pretty well now and it hardly takes any longer to set up than a single rig.  

I don't always use it though as my dual rig does not have matching telescopes and cameras, so depending on the target I sometimes swap the cameras around if I need a larger FOV and just use the one set up.  

Makes for a fairly flexible arrangement though.

Carole 

 

[Davey-T]

6 hours ago, swag72 said:

Just working on getting the dual rig back up and running...... The latest Eagle2 has landed and I've put it all together.... Just need the mount and I'm ready to go

Be interested in how you get on with the Eagle Sara, they seem a lot of money for what they do.

Dave

[swag72]

19 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Be interested in how you get on with the Eagle Sara, they seem a lot of money for what they do.

Dave

I've used an Eagle now for a Number of months..... this is the 2nd generation that PrimaLuceLab will update for free if you send them your old one! 

This Eagle2 is solely for the dual rig which I hope to have running by the middle of November.

[geordie85]

This thread makese so jealous 

[sloz1664]

No one has mentioned  the lack of dithering as one of the disadvantages of dual rigs. Is this a small price to pay for far more subs or is there a means to  get round this by processing?

Steve

[Jessun]

Dithering is great is you have a chip that truly benefits from it. But bad pixel rejection deals with most, and I found it's enough to revisit a target a couple of nights and with the odd flip thrown in will do just fine for the end result. I used to run three OTAs but have no cameras at all at the moment....

/Jesper

[ollypenrice]

As a minor aside to this thread I've started a new one here. 

I'm interested in whether or not we can meaningfully talk about 'effective focal ratio' in considering multiple rigs.

Olly

[andrew s]

3 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

As a minor aside to this thread I've started a new one here. 

I'm interested in whether or not we can meaningfully talk about 'effective focal ratio' in considering multiple rigs.

Olly

Rather you than me. We seem to have enough trouble with focal ratio with a single rig!

Regards Andrew 

[ollypenrice]

1 minute ago, andrew s said:

Rather you than me. We seem to have enough trouble with focal ratio with a single rig!

Regards Andrew 

[joelshort]

I'm taking a slightly different track with a dual imaging setup.  I am pairing a CFF 250 RC (working at f/6) with a Stellarvue SV80ST f/6.  The plan is to capture LUM data with the CFF and lower resolution RGB with the 80mm.  The image scale of the CFF is 0.82" and the image scale of the 80mm will be 1.61".  Since the effective FOV of the 80mm scope is about 1/3 to 1/2 larger than the CFF, I'm not worried about the scopes being super accurately aligned.  My imaging cameras are a Moravian G3-16200M and QHY163M.

What makes this possible is the advent of CMOS camras that allow for (and some would say need) shorter exposures, which will avoid many of the issues involving flexure between the scopes.  And in one 10min LUM image with the RC I can get 1 each of RGB at 3min each.  

I'm getting this set up soon and hopefully in another month I'll have an image to show for it!