M15 with new scope

[Tiny Small]

M15 with my new Altair 60EDF. It's my first time using a refractor in anger and I think I have some learning to do.

 

[peter shah]

always great to get the first image out of the way with a new scope....great result stars look real good

[celestron8g8]

Yep looks good . 

[Anne S]

That's a good image. What camera did you use?

I've got that telescope to use for starparties. I've only managed 50mins with it due to lack of opportunity. I'm hoping SGL18 will give me another opportunity.

[Tiny Small]

27 minutes ago, Anne S said:

That's a good image. What camera did you use?

I've got that telescope to use for starparties. I've only managed 50mins with it due to lack of opportunity. I'm hoping SGL18 will give me another opportunity.

I used the ZWO 178 mm-cool. The 6 Mp one. So far, it seems like a decent little scope.

[Anne S]

I was using the Hypercam version of that camera, the one with a fan but no other cooling. I had a problem with the starburst amp glow though. I've had issues processing it out, my first attempt with scope and camera! I normally use ccd cameras. I got a reasonable M82 with 50*60 sec exposures. Just needed a lot more of them.

[Tiny Small]

The amp glow can be a pain. In fact, it's the biggest weakness of this camera and depending on the length of subs, the darks have to be stacked in different ways. It takes a bit of playing about but it's a solvable issue. I've only had major dramas when going to 900 seconds, but you don't really need to go that long with this camera. These days I only ever really go to 300 seconds. Occasionally 600 for some narrowband stuff.

For most stuff with this camera I stack 30 darks, and at least 30 lights, but upto 100 if I have time. This image is something like 60 Lum at 300s, 30 Lum at 30s then 40 each of RGB at 180s.

[Anne S]

Thanks for that. I've been trying out 60 sec darks this afternoon in Maxim dl. I wondered if the fact that I was using it on USB2, so I did some darks using a usb3 port in an express card. The usb2 ones were better. Unfortunately I don't have a decent laptop with usb3. I mostly use the Hypercam for solar imaging with a Lunt 50. This is the first time I've tried deepsky with it.

I used 20 lum and 30 rgb before it clouded over but only took 15 darks. Maybe I need more. In any case, this camera will be used for adding ha to a one shot colour camera's images. My travelling setup.