First light with Atik CCD (KAF-8300) - Crescent Nebula

[tooth_dr]

So here it is! @Craney

After a very smooth transaction and plenty of 'after-sales' advice from @Jkulin (cheers John), I started acquiring darks and bia, then finally got first light this week.

 

Firstly my spacers havent arrived yet, so ignore the star shapes.

Secondly I dont have any filters per se but I did manage to Blu-Tac a 12nm H-alpha EOS clip filter to the inside of the M48-T2 adapter.

 

Details of image:

6 hours of data in 300s subs at -15oC, taken over two nights 2nd/3rd/4th July; darks, flats and bias used for calibration; stacked in DSS, processed in PS using some NC actions.

 

Pointers and comments welcome.  Early doors yet but a promising start.

 

 

Best wishes

Adam

 

 

 

 

 

[Davey-T]

Excellent first image Adam and creative thinking, well done.

Dave

[Craney]

Great start Adam.      Lovely cloud detail in the mid-frame.    I do miss the 'wide-field' of my Canon, but then again the Moon would have put the Hoodoo of any attempts over the last few nights.   What scope / lens did you use ?

For me, getting those   'ripple' shock wave  structures inside the crescent was the big Wow!!  moment on first light with my mono.   I would usually have to wait for 2-3 hours of DSLR imaging (under excellent conditions) before  they showed up. The ATIK brought them out in minutes.

At the moment I am going around the popular classics, a few frames of each filter, and enjoying the compositional side of putting the frames together.   It is quite exciting to see the final image emerge from the mono.

Are you using any type of plate-solving to get future frames aligned ??    (it is something I will have to comtem "plate"    ).   I feel I will have to raise my level of computerisation to take full advantage of the 'mono' mind set.

Looking forward to the next step..... (sans blu-tack).

oooooooh!!..... and we have more clear nights coming up.  As exciting as a penalty shoot-out.

 

[swag72]

Looking good - This sensor is considered old in the tooth and has it's doubters if you read the internet, but I love it and think that there is plenty of mileage left in it yet ....... I'm sure you'll love this camera!!!  

[tooth_dr]

5 hours ago, Davey-T said:

Excellent first image Adam and creative thinking, well done.

Dave

 

Thanks Dave.  It's also a bit larger than a 1.25" filter so less vignetting too.

 

4 hours ago, Craney said:

Great start Adam.      Lovely cloud detail in the mid-frame.    I do miss the 'wide-field' of my Canon, but then again the Moon would have put the Hoodoo of any attempts over the last few nights.   What scope / lens did you use ?

For me, getting those   'ripple' shock wave  structures inside the crescent was the big Wow!!  moment on first light with my mono.   I would usually have to wait for 2-3 hours of DSLR imaging (under excellent conditions) before  they showed up. The ATIK brought them out in minutes.

At the moment I am going around the popular classics, a few frames of each filter, and enjoying the compositional side of putting the frames together.   It is quite exciting to see the final image emerge from the mono.

Are you using any type of plate-solving to get future frames aligned ??    (it is something I will have to comtem "plate"    ).   I feel I will have to raise my level of computerisation to take full advantage of the 'mono' mind set.

Looking forward to the next step..... (sans blu-tack).

oooooooh!!..... and we have more clear nights coming up.  As exciting as a penalty shoot-out.

 

 

I used an ED80 with a FF 0.85, so about 520mm focal length and F6.3ish.  I dont think this camera is anywhere near as sensitive as yours at all.  I couldnt really see much in the 5 minute subs, but it was there when stretched and stacked.  I've attached my previous attempt at this object a few years ago with a DSLR and a 250px.

.

I used APT and plate solving to align with previous nights.  I typically save the position I used on the first night, which may be deviated from the standard goto position to improve the framing, and then request that saved position on subsequent nights. I label them as AJ IMAGES, so that I can easily find the targets I've imaged in the past, and can easily revisit them at any time.  I wouldnt consider not using it now, it is a game changer.  No three star alignements etc.  I just take a image with it in home position, then plate solve and sync the mount to this.  Next I choose any target and within a few minutes it's perfectly centred, just as the camera is cooling down.

4 hours ago, swag72 said:

Looking good - This sensor is considered old in the tooth and has it's doubters if you read the internet, but I love it and think that there is plenty of mileage left in it yet ....... I'm sure you'll love this camera!!!  

Thanks Sara, if I'm honest your review/info/comparisons on this sensor swayed me in buying this over a new ASI1600MM.  So far so good!

[MarsG76]

Very nice camera and image...  

[tooth_dr]

35 minutes ago, MarsG76 said:

Very nice camera and image...  

 

Thanks MG ??

[MarsG76]

21 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

 

Thanks MG ??

You're welcome, keep'em comin'...

[newbie alert]

Blu tack...what a great idea Adam...like your blue Peter thinking...might have to borrow that idea...

Great image..hope we see some more soon

[tooth_dr]

False colour image in PS using NCs actions.  Tried to get some Oiii last night but there was high cloud then total cloud!

 

 

[johngm]

On 04/07/2018 at 10:03, tooth_dr said:

So here it is! @Craney

After a very smooth transaction and plenty of 'after-sales' advice from @Jkulin (cheers John), I started acquiring darks and bia, then finally got first light this week.

 

Firstly my spacers havent arrived yet, so ignore the star shapes.

Secondly I dont have any filters per se but I did manage to Blu-Tac a 12nm H-alpha EOS clip filter to the inside of the M48-T2 adapter.

 

Details of image:

6 hours of data in 300s subs at -15oC, taken over two nights 2nd/3rd/4th July; darks, flats and bias used for calibration; stacked in DSS, processed in PS using some NC actions.

 

Pointers and comments welcome.  Early doors yet but a promising start.

 

 

Best wishes

Adam

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Adam,

This is an old thread, but i am in exactly the same position as you. Iv'e just taken delivery of my SX 694 Pro Mono, and i also purchased the 36mm 7 pos filter wheel along with a set of Baader LRGB filters, but unfortunately, they haven't any Narrowband filters in stock, and speaking with FLO, it don't look like they are having a delivery anytime soon, and all vendors appear to be out of stock. However, like you, i do have A couple of astronomik Clip filters, the 12nm Ha, and 12nm OIII. I have Just tried them in my M42 - M48 adaptor, and with a bit of ingenuity (thanks to you  ) they should work, good ole blue tack !!. .Its amazing, as i was also planning the Crescent nebula, because from my garden, around midnight It will be in a perfect position. Hopefully, the forecast is for 4 clear days, so i'm hopping i can do 2 hours a night. 4 hours Ha, and 4 Hours OIII. I'll keep you posted how i get on.

Cheers again for the Tip

John

[tooth_dr]

14 minutes ago, johngm said:

Hi Adam,

This is an old thread, but i am in exactly the same position as you. Iv'e just taken delivery of my SX 694 Pro Mono, and i also purchased the 36mm 7 pos filter wheel along with a set of Baader LRGB filters, but unfortunately, they haven't any Narrowband filters in stock, and speaking with FLO, it don't look like they are having a delivery anytime soon, and all vendors appear to be out of stock. However, like you, i do have A couple of astronomik Clip filters, the 12nm Ha, and 12nm OIII. I have Just tried them in my M42 - M48 adaptor, and with a bit of ingenuity (thanks to you  ) they should work, good ole blue tack !!. .Its amazing, as i was also planning the Crescent nebula, because from my garden, around midnight It will be in a perfect position. Hopefully, the forecast is for 4 clear days, so i'm hopping i can do 2 hours a night. 4 hours Ha, and 4 Hours OIII. I'll keep you posted how i get on.

Cheers again for the Tip

John

No bother John, 2 years since I first used it, and would have no intention of letting it go!  Looking forward to your first light with your new camera!

 

 

[johngm]

Fingers crossed Adam. I also have the same scope, the Skywatcher ED80 and dedicated flattener/reducer.

John

[tooth_dr]

5 minutes ago, johngm said:

Fingers crossed Adam. I also have the same scope, the Skywatcher ED80 and dedicated flattener/reducer.

John

Still use the ED80 myself 😎 no need to change a good thing 

[johngm]

1 minute ago, tooth_dr said:

Still use the ED80 myself 😎 no need to change a good thing 

Fantastic scope.👍 I wouldn't let mine go either.