First Light - Astro-Professional ED102

[RichieJarvis]

Ssssssh! My Wife is on a night shift tonight, so I snuck out the ED102 from its hiding place for a quick test

Anyway - I must say, I am extremely pleased so far. Visually, I cannot see any issues at all - focusing is easy, and the stars exhibit look pin-sharp.

I have hooked up my SXV-H9 to it, and it is currently taking images of the Cocoon Nebula - IC5146.

Here is the first Ha sub through the ED102 - its 10 minutes of Ha data, dark subtracted, and DDP applied.

(click to enlarge)

There are some interesting spikes on the stars - not sure whats that due to? It might be the baffles in the SXV-H9 1.25" adaptor tube. Any thoughts?

[Whippy]

You naughty boy Richie! If she finds out... :shock:

I remember reading a review of the 80mm APO that Telescope House are selling and it was noted that too had 'spikes' from images. In that particular case it was from the spacers in the lens cell protruding into the light path thus causing diffraction spikes. Not saying that this is what's wrong here but it is a possibility.

Tony..

[steppenwolf]

I am imaging this very object as I write but at a very different image scale! The star spikes should be checked out as this could be 'pinching' of the primary lens - try an out of focus shot to check the shape of the 'intra' and 'extra' Airy Disks just in case. Alternatively, it could be a moisture issue, it sure is damp out there!

[RichieJarvis]

Funnily enough....

An out-of-focus disk shows 4 notches.... I wonder whether I have over-tightened the scope-rings on the OTA?

Back in a bit - going to play.... I'll post some images of out-of-focus stars to show what I discover!

[thing]

Looking good Richie, haven't you lot got frosted out yet? I had to come in, the dew and frost were getting silly. Those diffraction artifacts look like German crosses. You may have started a new trend.

[RichieJarvis]

Ok chaps - here is an out-of-focus image clearly showing the notches.

Notches.jpg is the pre-adjustment. Notches2.jpg is after I removed the heavily baffled 1.25" nose-tube from the SXV-H9, and replaced it with my 2" nose-tube.

Its definately better, but still there....

[thing]

Can't think what it might be but the 2" is obviously an improvement.

[RichieJarvis]

Nah - regular goes with the hairdryer seem to be doing the trick.... I suspect the weather will come in before I get bored! :laughing2:

It was scheduled to rain here this evening, so god knows where all this clear sky came from!