What Do You Think About This Unique Way Of Observing The Night Sky?

[SIDO]

A link explaining the use of image intensifier tubes with the Hubble Telescope, an interesting read I thought to share.

http://hubblesite.org/news_release/news/1990-06/56-hubble-telescope

[SIDO]

For those stumbling on this thread wondering what the basic tenants of image intensification are here is a link to a pdf containing a brief explanation and graphic outlining it's construction and function.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.photonis.com/uploads/literature/iit/How-an-Image-Intensifier-Tube-Works.pdf&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjT7LPt3pjdAhXH7IMKHUS9CzEQFggLMAA&usg=AOvVaw1ynaf2-GlOPpG4sJR2iC-I

[refractordude]

1 hour ago, SIDO said:

For those stumbling on this thread wondering what the basic tenants of image intensification are here is a link to a pdf containing a brief explanation and graphic outlining it's construction and function.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.photonis.com/uploads/literature/iit/How-an-Image-Intensifier-Tube-Works.pdf&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjT7LPt3pjdAhXH7IMKHUS9CzEQFggLMAA&usg=AOvVaw1ynaf2-GlOPpG4sJR2iC-I

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks

[refractordude]

20 hours ago, alanjgreen said:

refractordude,

It is a revolution to visual observing (as long as you have deep pockets).

Here are a few of my (many) observing report posts...

 

 

 

Gavin has posted plenty of "phonetography" posts in the observing reports section too.

Are you based in the UK?

- If so, then your options to purchase the latest Night Vision technology are limited (as export of the latest Night Vision technology from the USA is illegal) and therefore expensive! Gavin and I both imported our hardware from Luxembourg...

We are using "Photonis 4g INTENS" white phosphor Night vision tubes should you wish to Google it...

Please do ask any questions?

HTH,

Alan

Thanks very much.

[refractordude]

20 hours ago, alanjgreen said:

refractordude,

It is a revolution to visual observing (as long as you have deep pockets).

Here are a few of my (many) observing report posts...

 

 

 

Gavin has posted plenty of "phonetography" posts in the observing reports section too.

Are you based in the UK?

- If so, then your options to purchase the latest Night Vision technology are limited (as export of the latest Night Vision technology from the USA is illegal) and therefore expensive! Gavin and I both imported our hardware from Luxembourg...

We are using "Photonis 4g INTENS" white phosphor Night vision tubes should you wish to Google it...

Please do ask any questions?

HTH,

Alan

Started the topic to get some understanding of what the Youtuber was doing. Could not understand what he was saying. Thanks for your reply. 

[refractordude]

16 hours ago, alanjgreen said:

To me it was a clear choice...

Question1: Do I want to see the objects in the Sharpless catalog - Yes/No?

Question2: Do I want to see spiral arms of our local galaxy neighbours (this is on my bucket list) - Yes/No?

If you see my activities as "articifial" then I wont lose sleep over it but I would ask you to consider "What do you want to see before you die?".

Your point about the "dark clear sky" is irrelevant, I live with a dark clear sky too but NV has taken my observing to another level (whatever you can see from your location will increase 10 fold! ). I can see directly at the eyepiece what otherwise could only be seen in images taken over many hours.

Alan

What about all the tiny flashing lights? 

[refractordude]

http://pwang.io/hobbies/astro/nightvision/#Devices

http://www.televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=36

[SIDO]

2 minutes ago, refractordude said:

http://pwang.io/hobbies/astro/nightvision/#Devices

Interesting gen2 can be used but afocally, now I can research this further as afocal imaging is were I tend to dabble. I will say it helps though to describe the link you post as it will get more attention this way and thanks for posting this I have an interest in NV just not a wife that shares it ? 

[refractordude]

Here is another video. This Youtuber uses a white phosphor device. Much better than the green or blue.

 

[alanjgreen]

2 hours ago, refractordude said:

What about all the tiny flashing lights? 

That is "scintillation", the tube is suffering from light starvation. The better tubes can survive with less and less light before scintillation occurs.

With my tube, scintillation occurs when I add a 6nm Ha filter to the light path for serious nebula viewing. With the filter attached the amount of light reaching the tube is drastically reduced. The pvs-14 device has a "gain" knob that can be turned up or down. If you turn down the gain (which increases the signal to noise ratio) then scintillation is reduced (but the image gets dimmer too) - you adjust to the best position as you see it live.

Cheaper tubes will not even work with a 6nm filter as the amount of light will just not be enough for the tube to be effective.

NV tubes work at f1.2 focal ratio, the user needs to try to match this speed as best we can to get as much light into the tube as possible (for brighter image without scintillation). 

NV tubes can take an exit pupil of 20mm of light so this is where we target.

I use f3.6 dob and now f5.6 Borg as my scopes of choice - because they are fast scopes.

I use Televue 55mm plossl in front of the NVD because this generates the larger possible exit pupil to get as much light into the tube. The Americans are now using 80mm plossls!! 55/3.6 = 15mm exit pupil.

Lastly, all tubes are unique (they have a spec sheet) and will perform to their full but fixed potential. Unless you know the spec of the tube in the video then we cannot say if it is a "good" one or not.

Search for "understanding night vision tube specs" on here, I wrote an article on tube selection...

HTH,

Alan

[refractordude]

7 hours ago, alanjgreen said:

That is "scintillation", the tube is suffering from light starvation. The better tubes can survive with less and less light before scintillation occurs.

With my tube, scintillation occurs when I add a 6nm Ha filter to the light path for serious nebula viewing. With the filter attached the amount of light reaching the tube is drastically reduced. The pvs-14 device has a "gain" knob that can be turned up or down. If you turn down the gain (which increases the signal to noise ratio) then scintillation is reduced (but the image gets dimmer too) - you adjust to the best position as you see it live.

Cheaper tubes will not even work with a 6nm filter as the amount of light will just not be enough for the tube to be effective.

NV tubes work at f1.2 focal ratio, the user needs to try to match this speed as best we can to get as much light into the tube as possible (for brighter image without scintillation). 

NV tubes can take an exit pupil of 20mm of light so this is where we target.

I use f3.6 dob and now f5.6 Borg as my scopes of choice - because they are fast scopes.

I use Televue 55mm plossl in front of the NVD because this generates the larger possible exit pupil to get as much light into the tube. The Americans are now using 80mm plossls!! 55/3.6 = 15mm exit pupil.

Lastly, all tubes are unique (they have a spec sheet) and will perform to their full but fixed potential. Unless you know the spec of the tube in the video then we cannot say if it is a "good" one or not.

Search for "understanding night vision tube specs" on here, I wrote an article on tube selection...

HTH,

Alan

Cool