Basic imaging with the StarQuest 102 R & ASI120mm

[Chris]

Hello all. I've put together a video which might be useful for anyone starting out imaging with basic entry level equipment? In the video, after I initially setup the StarQuest out the box and attach the motor drive, I set about imaging Venus and the Ring Nebula (M57) with a ZWO ASI120mm guide cam. 

I just wanted to show you don't absolutely need the recommended HEQ5 plus ED80 to have fun imaging and capture something you can enjoy and share. You probably won't get an APOD imaging with a cheap achromat and guide cam, but it's still lots of fun.

Total cost for everything used here was £370 (£270 for the SkyQuest 102R & motor drive from FLO, and £100 for a second hand ASI120mm)

 

[Bobby1970]

I really enjoyed that, good work.

Just shows that you don't need to spend thousands to view and capture some awesome sights.

 

 

[alacant]

5 hours ago, Lockie said:

5 hours ago, Lockie said:

don't absolutely need the recommended HEQ5 plus ED80

+1. 

Well said. 

Thanks for posting.

 

[Cosmic Geoff]

Good video. It should help any newbie who buy one of these.

I have a Startravel 102 f5 which seems to be the same telescope, and I have an ASI120MC camera. Actually I have mostly used the superior ASI224MC with this scope, plus a SLT alt-az GoTo mount.  The results don't match what some can do with expensive gear, but I was pleasantly surprised with what it could do from my urban backyard.

Highlights include:

Image of starfield including an identifiable Pluto

Image including a faint galaxy I couldn't see at a dark sky site with my C8

Images of a couple of comets too faint to find visually here.

Image of M33 - never seen it visually from anywhere

Some pretty images of star clusters and globular clusters.

Some of the above are posted in "EEVA Reports".

Scope nerds may note that the Starquest 102 has a dovetail bar screwed to the tube, while the Startravel has the conventional tube rings + dovetail bar;  probably a longer bar.

[happy-kat]

The ST80 has a terrestrial flavour which has a dove bar instead of tube rings, my ST is of that flavour.

[Chris]

2 hours ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

Good video. It should help any newbie who buy one of these.

I have a Startravel 102 f5 which seems to be the same telescope, and I have an ASI120MC camera. Actually I have mostly used the superior ASI224MC with this scope, plus a SLT alt-az GoTo mount.  The results don't match what some can do with expensive gear, but I was pleasantly surprised with what it could do from my urban backyard.

Highlights include:

Image of starfield including an identifiable Pluto

Image including a faint galaxy I couldn't see at a dark sky site with my C8

Images of a couple of comets too faint to find visually here.

Image of M33 - never seen it visually from anywhere

Some pretty images of star clusters and globular clusters.

Some of the above are posted in "EEVA Reports".

Scope nerds may note that the Starquest 102 has a dovetail bar screwed to the tube, while the Startravel has the conventional tube rings + dovetail bar;  probably a longer bar.

That's a brilliant haul of captured objects there Geoff, nice one! I had a bit to say about the dovetail on the Starquest too, mainly that it was fixed and short which could be problematic for balancing heavy accessories, but of course it's totally acceptable for the budget entry level telescope it is. All this made the cutting room floor as I whittled an hours footage down to 19 minutes in an attempt to keep things vaguely 'snappy'  

[happy-kat]

Personally I think the word 'entry' is nicer cheap and budget can sound negative, or mix up the use of the words as cheap was repeated. Your mono camera has advantages as wouldn't pick up the chromatic aberration like a colour one would.

[Chris]

54 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Your mono camera has advantages as wouldn't pick up the chromatic aberration like a colour one would.

Yeah I don't mind using a mono camera with an Achro so much. I guess technically mono picks up everything, only you don't see the CA as bright purple so it's not in your face like it is with OSC cameras. Some of the stars with my Ring neb capture were pretty large, so I put it down to the light being spread out more (CA) only they just look like big stars in mono, and they don't drawer the eye as much as the dreaded purple fringing   

Edited May 24, 2020 by Lockie

[alacant]

45 minutes ago, Lockie said:

you don't see the CA

Hi

You do, but it's grey. As you say, less noticeable.

Put a cheap #8 yellow filter before it hits the sensor and lose the grey corresponding to the aberration. It should tighten the stars considerably.

Great project you have going. As a victim of the €2000 ed80 route, I just love this hands on approach.

Cheers.

Edited May 24, 2020 by alacant
terrible english

[Chris]

5 minutes ago, alacant said:

Hi

You do, but it's grey. As you say, less noticeable.

Put a cheap #8 yellow filter before it hits the sensor and lose the grey corresponding to the aberration. It should tighten the stars considerably.

Great project you have going. Love this sort of hands on:)

Cheers.

Cheers, I have a wanted ad for fringe killers so we're on the same page. I'm on the look out as I'm keen to experiment with different filters and imaging. 

"you don't see the CA" Hey! lol if you had quoted me a bit more broadly I actually said "you don't see the CA as purple" lol 

[alacant]

29 minutes ago, Lockie said:

quoted me a bit more broadly

Ahhgghh. As my better half will gladly verify, I just don't listen/read/pay-attention. 

Entirely my bad!

[alacant]

23 hours ago, Lockie said:

SkyQuest 102R & motor drive

We have several bashed around st80s and always someone wanting to borrow something to try alone at their location. 

I had a quick look to see if the mount was available separately, but it seems not. Any ideas otherwise?

Cheers

[Chris]

1 hour ago, alacant said:

We have several bashed around st80s and always someone wanting to borrow something to try alone at their location. 

I had a quick look to see if the mount was available separately, but it seems not. Any ideas otherwise?

Cheers

You know what, it's such a great little versatile easy to use mount, I'm wondering if @FLO would consider the possibility of looking into whether or not it would be possible to sell the mount separately?