anything better for imaging planetary than a c8 edge hd

[iwols]

hi all just wondering if there was anything any better for planetary than a c8 edge hd below £1000 or any recommendations thanks

Edited August 8, 2019 by iwols

[Freddie]

You don’t need the edge for planetary so that would save a bit.

[iwols]

hi freddie unfortunately i already have one just not impressed

[vlaiv]

C8 (EdgeHD or not) if properly collimated should give you very good results.

What seems to be a problem with your images? Maybe something in your workflow is limiting the potential of the setup to deliver.

In answer to original question, if I was in the market for planetary imaging scope under £1000, this would be my weapon of choice:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p10753_TS-Optics-8--f-12-Cassegrain-telescope-203-2436-mm-OTA.html

and possibly second hand C9.25 if it could fit within budget (new one without tax at FLO is now discounted at about 1225e, but after shipping, local import fees and taxes it would be about 50% over the budget).

Aperture rules, and I would even consider the largest possible newtonian that would fit that budget on EQ platform - but that would be quite difficult to "operate" in imaging role.

[Ibbo!]

You should be able to get a decent image with the C8

Leave the x5 in the box at the moment.

Check collimation.

Planets are very testing at the moment as they are so low down.

[johninderby]

The GSO 8” Cassegrain is available under a number of different brands.

 

[Freddie]

41 minutes ago, iwols said:

hi freddie unfortunately i already have one just not impressed

I did check your sig. before posting that but didn’t see it listed. As others have said, the C8 is a nice scope for planetary but they are a bit on the low side for decent images. Have you compared your results with what other C8 users in the North of the northern hem. are getting?

[Stub Mandrel]

What sort of results are you getting? Unless you have both a good night and an ADC you won't get particularly good results with any scope at the moment from the UK.

The C8 is, ironically, more susceptible to bad seeing than smaller scopes.

[iwols]

so is an adc needed?

[iwols]

4 hours ago, Freddie said:

I did check your sig. before posting that but didn’t see it listed. As others have said, the C8 is a nice scope for planetary but they are a bit on the low side for decent images. Have you compared your results with what other C8 users in the North of the northern hem. are getting?

like this

[Stu]

Have you used it visually? If so do you get sharp images with detail? I've been using an 8" scope on Saturn recently and whilst ot is not amazing due to the low altitude, there is still detail to be seen in the belts and on the surface. The C8 Edge I had was capable of similar so I suspect collimation, cooling or seeing is at fault.

[Stub Mandrel]

29 minutes ago, iwols said:

like this

I don't think that's the fault of the C8.

For a start, it isn't debayered - it's actually a colour image:

The blue at the top and red at the bottom shows the need for an atmospheric dispersion corrector at the moment - you will lose all fine detail otherwise.

The colour balance is way off as well, unsurprising as it hadn't been debayered:

I  think the focus is poor - try focusing on a relatively nearby star, Altair at a push.

I think this is a single frame? The hot pixel suggests it is, if so it's possibly a bit over-exposed as well.

Finally, I would aim for 5,000 frames with as short an exposure as you can get away with - use maximum gain and rely on stacking 500-2000 frames to get rid of the noise.

Don't give up of the C8, but if you want to swap it for my 150PL... this is what I've got this year, the C8 ought to be able to beat this.

Edited August 8, 2019 by Stub Mandrel

[iwols]

ide be more than happy with that,not got my head round debayering yet

[Stub Mandrel]

Perhaps all is not as bad as you think.

I did an RGB align in registax on the colour balanced version. It still isn't brilliant but some colour detail on the disc is appearing.

So sharpen in Astra Image and there's even a hint of stuff in the rings. Is the original one frame from a video or a stacked image?

[Stub Mandrel]

2 minutes ago, iwols said:

ide be more than happy with that,not got my head round debayering yet

What is your workflow?

I suggest:

Put into PIPP using the settings for 'planetary' just accept the defaults for now, but make sure:  'debayer raw image frames' and  'debayer monochrome frames' are checked on the 'input options' tab and  'stretch histogram white point' and 'equalise R,G and B channels individually' are checked on the 'processing options' tab.

Put the resulting AVI into Autostakkert!3.

Run analyse, then tell it to put alignment points on, then stack a percentage of frames. AS!3 shoudl do an RGB align to minimise the dispersion.

Processing shoudl be a combination of sharpening and contrast enhancement, maybe with some colour balancing.

 

(PIPP and Autostakkert are both free).

[iwols]

wow all is not lost its from a frame from a  video

[iwols]

1 minute ago, Stub Mandrel said:

What is your workflow?

I suggest:

Put into PIPP using the settings for 'planetary' just accept the defaults for now, but make sure:  'debayer raw image frames' and  'debayer monochrome frames' are checked on the 'input options' tab and  'stretch histogram white point' and 'equalise R,G and B channels individually' are checked on the 'processing options' tab.

Put the resulting AVI into Autostakkert!3.

Run analyse, then tell it to put alignment points on, then stack a percentage of frames. AS!3 shoudl do an RGB align to minimise the dispersion.

Processing shoudl be a combination of sharpening and contrast enhancement, maybe with some colour balancing.

 

(PIPP and Autostakkert are both free).

using sharpcap,but do i select raw 8 and avi?

Edited August 8, 2019 by iwols

[iwols]

and im using an asi178 colour ccd

[Stub Mandrel]

4 minutes ago, iwols said:

using sharpcap,but do i select raw 8 and avi?

May as well, more than 8 bits won't bring you any benefits.

What do you have at the moment?  You should be able to get something from your data if that's a single frame.

Download PIPP and install it, if you haven't already and then ltry an follow my instructions

[iwols]

thanks neil its given me a little light at the end of the tunnel

[knobby]

Been watching this with interest as I have a C8 edge and have the same problems with living in built up area surrounded by  neighbours hot roofs.

Seeing is always naff, planet jumps around and wobbles during capture.

Here's one I managed with the same scope on the 2nd so don't give up.

From memory it was a 2 minute avi around 0.7 secs and 300 gain ( ZWO 224mc) and a 2 X barlow

 

Edited August 8, 2019 by knobby
Spelling

[iwols]

do you capture as avi, and the file was a single png image now ive looked

[iwols]

3 minutes ago, knobby said:

Been watching this with interest as I have a C8 edge and have the same problems with living in built up area surrounded by  neighbours hot roofs.

Seeing is always naff, planet jumps around and wobbles during capture.

Here's one I managed with the same scope on the 2nd so don't give up.

From memory it was a 2 minute avi around 0.7 secs and 300 gain ( ZWO 224mc) and a 2 X barlow

 

my faith is returning thank you

[iwols]

is an adc the right way to go?

[Stub Mandrel]

Just now, iwols said:

do you capture as avi, and the file was a single png image now ive looked

Do you have more PNGs? If so you can throw them all in PIPP.

If you use 'quick capture' you can set it to grab 5,000 frames.