ASKAR FMA180 40mm aperture apochromatic telescope.

[Phillyo]

4 hours ago, PadrePeace said:

My latest effort with the Askar180. Still mounted on the iOptron SGP with a mono Atik 460EX and EFW loaded with NB filters. It’s just over 23hrs of integration. Enjoying this wonderful little scope a lot.

Awesome image. I'm in Lincoln too (washingborough), so I would love to know where you managed to find any clear nights to capture your data lol. Nothing but clouds here, or full moon!!

On another note, what would be the difference between this little scope and the Samyang 135mm (other than the focal distance ofc). 

Phil

[PadrePeace]

Hi Phil, thanks for your kind comments. 

I’m out Horncastle way. It’s been very hard this year as you have found. The NB filters (mostly Ha) help a lot when the moon’s up but I always try to get out before it gets too high so much of my imaging is in 1-2 hr sessions. You have to be on top of the forecast and I use Sat24 web site to see what the cloud is doing. The real world is king.

I thought about getting a Sammy 135 as I do use other lenses occasionally. It’s speed (from F2.8) is very attractive when time is limited. That said, the Askar 180 is a cracking small telescope as this thread is recognising. See AdamJ’s comments on it which are authoritative and backed up by the science behind his deductions. 

Clear skies to you

[Rjbram]

Hello all. I'm new to Stargazerslounge and new to astrophotography in general. Really enjoying the sport, so far. Jumping in to this thread to share my initial set up, which includes the Askar FMA230 i saw mentioned earlier in this discussion. I like it quite a bit. Although I'm too much of a newbie to be authoritative, I think the images it gives are nicely in focus and it is very easy to use. Here is what my setup looks like (from a car camping trip I was on a few weeks ago). Best regards and clear skies to all, from up north.

 

[Adam J]

4 hours ago, Rjbram said:

Hello all. I'm new to Stargazerslounge and new to astrophotography in general. Really enjoying the sport, so far. Jumping in to this thread to share my initial set up, which includes the Askar FMA230 i saw mentioned earlier in this discussion. I like it quite a bit. Although I'm too much of a newbie to be authoritative, I think the images it gives are nicely in focus and it is very easy to use. Here is what my setup looks like (from a car camping trip I was on a few weeks ago). Best regards and clear skies to all, from up north.

 

Very nice and welcome to SGL, would be great to see some of your images taken with this setup. 

Adam

[Rjbram]

9 hours ago, Adam J said:

Very nice and welcome to SGL, would be great to see some of your images taken with this setup. 

Adam

Well, I'm a bit sheepish to upload images at this point since I am a rank beginner at all steps involved. But I guess the good thing is it's only up from here, presumably. Nonetheless, here are two attempts at stacking some shots from my backyard. I don't quite have guiding down yet. Also am planning to purchase a light pollution filter. Also i need to learn how to take Flats. etc etc

 

[Adam J]

38 minutes ago, Rjbram said:

Well, I'm a bit sheepish to upload images at this point since I am a rank beginner at all steps involved. But I guess the good thing is it's only up from here, presumably. Nonetheless, here are two attempts at stacking some shots from my backyard. I don't quite have guiding down yet. Also am planning to purchase a light pollution filter. Also i need to learn how to take Flats. etc etc

 

Really nice images especially m31, yes you need to get those flats working and some sort of light polution gradient removal tool but you have the fundamentals spot on here. Focus is good, framing is good, stars are round.

From the number of pixels in the image I am going to guess this is from a ASI294mc pro. I am not sure I would waste too much time on a LP filter for braud band targets like galaxies, to be honest it makes a mess of colour balance and with LED lights wont really help you much. From what you have here the solution is to get flats working and to get a LP gradient removal tool. I use Astro pixel processor for that.

When you come to shoot emission nebula targets a duel narrow band filter is the way to go.

Your optics look good / well colimated.

Lots of fun times ahead for you and a great choice of scope to start out with.

Adam

Edited December 3, 2021 by Adam J

[PadrePeace]

Rjbram
It’s clear theses images come from good solid subs. I don’t see any guiding issues in either image. The ‘blemishes’ are all normal and will be cleaned up with calibration frames. I suggest you watch any of the many YouTube videos on how to gather Flats, Dark Flats and Darks and how these are applied to your subs during stacking which will transform your stack. 
 

Which stacking and processing software are you using?

[Rjbram]

23 hours ago, Adam J said:

Really nice images especially m31, yes you need to get those flats working and some sort of light polution gradient removal tool but you have the fundamentals spot on here. Focus is good, framing is good, stars are round.

From the number of pixels in the image I am going to guess this is from a ASI294mc pro. I am not sure I would waste too much time on a LP filter for braud band targets like galaxies, to be honest it makes a mess of colour balance and with LED lights wont really help you much. From what you have here the solution is to get flats working and to get a LP gradient removal tool. I use Astro pixel processor for that.

When you come to shoot emission nebula targets a duel narrow band filter is the way to go.

Your optics look good / well colimated.

Lots of fun times ahead for you and a great choice of scope to start out with.

Adam

Correct on the camera type! Thanks, I really appreciate the advice. I will go for a simple UV/IR cut filter and also the optolong dual-band filter. Just need to settle on a filter size, I suppose. I read the 294MC can take a 1.25" size. 

[Rjbram]

6 hours ago, PadrePeace said:

Rjbram
It’s clear theses images come from good solid subs. I don’t see any guiding issues in either image. The ‘blemishes’ are all normal and will be cleaned up with calibration frames. I suggest you watch any of the many YouTube videos on how to gather Flats, Dark Flats and Darks and how these are applied to your subs during stacking which will transform your stack. 
 

Which stacking and processing software are you using?

Yes, I agree, definitely worth learning from the youtube tutorials.  the software has not been the easiest. I am on a Mac (and run the camera using raspberry pi) and I know there is not as much astrophotography software for Mac OS. I have tried SiriL, which seems to crash or just fail to complete the process too much. Affinity Photo has a stacking routine which I am experimenting with, and getting mixed results. Colors look odd. The best, in my hands so far, is the ASI studio software, which is extremely basic, but seems to produce the best colors by default. I am considering purchasing a modest Windows laptop or mini PC, to see if the windows world is going to cause more joy in the long run. 

[Adam J]

30 minutes ago, Rjbram said:

Correct on the camera type! Thanks, I really appreciate the advice. I will go for a simple UV/IR cut filter and also the optolong dual-band filter. Just need to settle on a filter size, I suppose. I read the 294MC can take a 1.25" size. 

It can but you would need to remove the camera to exchange filters. @PadrePeace is a much better source of information than me on this though as he has that camera. 

[Adam J]

27 minutes ago, Rjbram said:

Yes, I agree, definitely worth learning from the youtube tutorials.  the software has not been the easiest. I am on a Mac (and run the camera using raspberry pi) and I know there is not as much astrophotography software for Mac OS. I have tried SiriL, which seems to crash or just fail to complete the process too much. Affinity Photo has a stacking routine which I am experimenting with, and getting mixed results. Colors look odd. The best, in my hands so far, is the ASI studio software, which is extremely basic, but seems to produce the best colors by default. I am considering purchasing a modest Windows laptop or mini PC, to see if the windows world is going to cause more joy in the long run. 

Yeah trying to use a Mac for astronomy is only going to limit you. But don't go too modest trust me you don't want to stack 1000 X 30s subs on a duel core processor with 4 gig of ram.

[PadrePeace]

20 hours ago, Rjbram said:

Correct on the camera type! Thanks, I really appreciate the advice. I will go for a simple UV/IR cut filter and also the optolong dual-band filter. Just need to settle on a filter size, I suppose. I read the 294MC can take a 1.25" size. 

I have the Optalong eExtreme for dual band and a SVBony UV IR cut filter when shooting RGB. Both are 1.25” and mounted in the 11mm extension that accepts the filter mount (all comes with the camera). As AdamJ says you will have to remove the camera to change filters out but given that you are either Narrow or Broad band imaging that would be an initial set up action and won’t change until you have finished a project. I will warn you now that with that narrow band filter you are going to get some very odd blemishes in your subs and flats due to it being dual. This took me some time to find a way to get rid of those blemishes in post processing as dual band flat won’t hack it. Working with a Mac you will run into issues I’m sure as the software available is just miles away from what you can get for windows much of which is freeware. That’s all for another time I guess but just a heads up. Here to help if needed of course. 

[rnobleeddy]

I managed to get one of these 2nd hand (after also getting a Samyang - I'll compare and contrast, and sell one at some point!).

Any recommendation on an L3 filter?

[Adam J]

2 hours ago, rnobleeddy said:

I managed to get one of these 2nd hand (after also getting a Samyang - I'll compare and contrast, and sell one at some point!).

Any recommendation on an L3 filter?

Only astronomik make such a filter to my knowledge. 

[rnobleeddy]

1 hour ago, Adam J said:

Only astronomik make such a filter to my knowledge. 

Thanks - that at least makes it a really easy choice!

[900SL]

On 06/12/2021 at 22:40, rnobleeddy said:

I managed to get one of these 2nd hand (after also getting a Samyang - I'll compare and contrast, and sell one at some point!).

Any recommendation on an L3 filter?

I have both. The Samyang is a keeper. I'm hoping to get some good images with the FMA180 next time out. If I can deal with the (still) edge of field star aberration and blue halo I'll likely keep it too, as it is a very compact and light travel scope

[rnobleeddy]

Any views on a baader fringe killer instead of an astronomik L3 filter? 

Aside from the weird behavior in the lower wavelenths, it doesn't like the baader would be terrible?

Asking only because FLO is out of stock on the L3, and whilst it'll inevitable be cloudy when I get there, I want to take it with me for the holidays!

[PadrePeace]

2 hours ago, rnobleeddy said:

Any views on a baader fringe killer instead of an astronomik L3 filter? 

Aside from the weird behavior in the lower wavelenths, it doesn't like the baader would be terrible?

Asking only because FLO is out of stock on the L3, and whilst it'll inevitable be cloudy when I get there, I want to take it with me for the holidays!

AdamJ is your man for this one…..

[Adam J]

3 hours ago, rnobleeddy said:

Any views on a baader fringe killer instead of an astronomik L3 filter? 

Aside from the weird behavior in the lower wavelenths, it doesn't like the baader would be terrible?

Asking only because FLO is out of stock on the L3, and whilst it'll inevitable be cloudy when I get there, I want to take it with me for the holidays!

It will greatly reduce the blue bloat thats for sure but it may also kill your blue channel in the process making something like M45 or other reflection nebula more difficult than they need to be. Its also not cutting the near IR so well as the L3. My opinion is that you should wait for an L3.

Adam

Edited December 14, 2021 by Adam J

[rnobleeddy]

21 hours ago, Adam J said:

It will greatly reduce the blue bloat thats for sure but it may also kill your blue channel in the process making something like M45 or other reflection nebula more difficult than they need to be. Its also not cutting the near IR so well as the L3. My opinion is that you should wait for an L3.

Adam

Advice taken!

 

I've managed to get my first subs with this OTA tonight. All looking good overall.  With the default backspacing for a DSLR, I definitely need a little extra spacing so will get some rings. Also to invest in a better canon t-ring adapter, as I'd guess there's a little tilt too. But a good start.

[Clarkey]

I have been reading this thread with interest, in particular related to the blue bloat issue. I have got an fma180 and I have not really noticed a significant amount of false colour. Yes there is a very small amount if you look hard, but it easy to remove in processing. I'm not sure about the need for additional filters to deal with it.

Just my opinion. Maybe I just have a 'good' example.

Edited December 16, 2021 by Clarkey
Spell check fail!!

[Adam J]

1 hour ago, Clarkey said:

I have been reading this thread with interest, in particular related to the blue bloat issue. I have got an fma180 and I have not really noticed a significant amount of false colour. Yes there is a very small amount if you look hard, but it easy to remove in processing. I'm not sure about the need for additional filters to deal with it.

Just my opinion. Maybe I just have a 'food's example.

maybe you can share from images or an unprocessed stack?

Also which camera are you using with it?

Adam

Edited December 16, 2021 by Adam J

[Andrew_B]

On 04/12/2021 at 01:02, Rjbram said:

Yes, I agree, definitely worth learning from the youtube tutorials.  the software has not been the easiest. I am on a Mac (and run the camera using raspberry pi) and I know there is not as much astrophotography software for Mac OS. I have tried SiriL, which seems to crash or just fail to complete the process too much. Affinity Photo has a stacking routine which I am experimenting with, and getting mixed results. Colors look odd. The best, in my hands so far, is the ASI studio software, which is extremely basic, but seems to produce the best colors by default. I am considering purchasing a modest Windows laptop or mini PC, to see if the windows world is going to cause more joy in the long run. 

I use Astro Pixel Processor on my Mac which does a great job of stacking and has really good processing tools that can work wonders at getting rid of light pollution, gradients, vignetting, and Moon glow. For final enhancement I've found Affinity Photo works really well and does the same stuff I did with Photoshop but at a fraction of the price.

[Clarkey]

20 hours ago, Adam J said:

maybe you can share from images

I don't have much as I have only had the scope a short while. At the moment I have only used it with a Canon 600D. This attached image is a low res jpeg, but it is all I have on this PC. I have also included a single sub from another image. Looking closely there is some blue colour in the sub, but this is in part due to the spacing needing to be better. I guess if I was being really picky there is a little blue bloat - but maybe I am used to cheap glass!

LIGHT__2021-12-02_04-45-24__300.00s_1x1__800_FMA180.cr2

[Adam J]

19 hours ago, Clarkey said:

I don't have much as I have only had the scope a short while. At the moment I have only used it with a Canon 600D. This attached image is a low res jpeg, but it is all I have on this PC. I have also included a single sub from another image. Looking closely there is some blue colour in the sub, but this is in part due to the spacing needing to be better. I guess if I was being really picky there is a little blue bloat - but maybe I am used to cheap glass!

LIGHT__2021-12-02_04-45-24__300.00s_1x1__800_FMA180.cr2 19.9 MB · 0 downloads

Depending on which filters you removed when you modified the 600D then you may actually already have an effective UV/IR cut in place. 

Here is another example of someone else coming to the same conclusion as me in respect to the blue bloat. L2 left and L3 right. 

I tried to link their original post on an German astronomy forum but I cant get it to work. 

You will probably notice the effect more on your mono camera which has a much greater sensitivity in the deep blue. 

Adam