First light ZWO2600MC -> M42

[tooth_dr]

As luck would have it I got a couple of hours under the sky when the camera arrived.

Paired with my Sharpstar 94EDPH and 0.8x FR, this is two hours of data in 300s subs and a few 30s subs to fill in the trapezium region.

Its a bit noisy in the dark areas, to be expected with the short integration time, and stars are bit big (processing and focus), but otherwise promising 👍🏻

C+C welcome

Adam  

 

[paul mc c]

Brilliant fella, is the new camera a osc camera? 

[peter shah]

You have to be pleased with that....nicely controlled core and very deep

[smr]

Excellent first light. Already showing a lot of dust with just two hours integration time. So f 4.4 then? 

[tooth_dr]

1 hour ago, paul mc c said:

Brilliant fella, is the new camera a osc camera? 

Thanks Paul. Yes it’s a OSC CMOS camera. I didn’t thing I’d go to OSC but the results on here were what convinced me it’s the way forward with faster systems.

1 hour ago, peter shah said:

You have to be pleased with that....nicely controlled core and very deep

Thanks Peter. I am happy with the results.  I think I have a lot to learn with processing etc and lack of skill is a little frustrating at times. 

1 hour ago, smr said:

Excellent first light. Already showing a lot of dust with just two hours integration time. So f 4.4 then? 

Thanks 🙏 yes it’s reduced to 413mm at F4.4. 

[Sp@ce_d]

Thats a very nice first light!

I'm still sitting on the fence about a OSC CMOS. Although going by how you've started off, I suspect I'll have succumb by next season. Once I've seen some more of your results no doubt  

[Andy R]

Nice Image Adam, how are getting on with Sharpstar 94? I bought one about the same time as you. Due to the weather mines only been out the box for the occasional admiring glance and daydream. 

[tooth_dr]

Just now, Andy R said:

Nice Image Adam, how are getting on with Sharpstar 94? I bought one about the same time as you. Due to the weather mines only been out the box for the occasional admiring glance and daydream. 

Thanks Andy. I should definitely write up a bit about it.  Stars aren’t good with a full frame sensor, certainly not at the correct 55mm spacing for the reducer.  I’ve gradually increased the distance to 57mm, which has improved things but the stars are still triangular.   I’d say the focuser is also not great. It came setup loose such that it would unwind itself under the weight of a camera and EFW.  I adjusted the tension but now there is springiness to the slow motion control. The shaft where the slow motion control attaches doesn’t have a flat area so if the focuser is tensioned for heavy kit it simply spins on the shaft and doesn’t move the focuser because the screw that holds the knob had nothing to bite onto.  I’ve fitted a deepskydad AF3 motor focuser to it and this has allowed me to set it up better. But without this, it’s not a great focuser to be honest 

[Scooot]

Great start Adam, I’ve just bought one but haven’t used it yet. Did you use either of the recommended gain settings, zero or 100.  

[tooth_dr]

56 minutes ago, Scooot said:

Great start Adam, I’ve just bought one but haven’t used it yet. Did you use either of the recommended gain settings, zero or 100.  

Thanks Richard.  I used it on 100 gain.  There recommendations for both, so I'll maybe try 0 next time.

[tomato]

That’s a might fine Orion Nebula. I had a go at M42 the other night with the RASA  and QHY version but committed a basic error of not refocusing after the meridian flip. The RASA mirror stability is good but it’s not that good...

[Graham Darke]

Very nice first image with the new camera. 

[gorann]

Yes, you must be very pleased with that first light Adam! It is an amazing camera. Did you use darks and if if you did do you think they made a difference?

[tooth_dr]

28 minutes ago, gorann said:

Yes, you must be very pleased with that first light Adam! It is an amazing camera. Did you use darks and if if you did do you think they made a difference?

Thanks Goran.  I did use darks, dark flats, bias and flats!  That is my usual routine but I am not sure if this is correct with the CMOS cameras.  I know bias can change and be unstable?  I didnt have enough data to really make a serious effort on the processing, if I get more I'll experiment with the calibration data.  Tonights forecast is clear, but with a hefty moon.  I might try anyway unfiltered, as my NBZ filter hasn't arrived yet, or maybe I should put an Ha filter into the holder?

[gorann]

7 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

Thanks Goran.  I did use darks, dark flats, bias and flats!  That is my usual routine but I am not sure if this is correct with the CMOS cameras.  I know bias can change and be unstable?  I didnt have enough data to really make a serious effort on the processing, if I get more I'll experiment with the calibration data.  Tonights forecast is clear, but with a hefty moon.  I might try anyway unfiltered, as my NBZ filter hasn't arrived yet, or maybe I should put an Ha filter into the holder?

I would put in a Ha filter - if dual band works so well then single band would work too.

[tooth_dr]

Just swopped over to Ha after MF.  This is a single 300s subs at gain 100, with a 2" Baader 7nm filter in a ZWO filter drawer

 

1 hour ago, gorann said:

I would put in a Ha filter - if dual band works so well then single band would work too.

 

 

 

[gorann]

Looks very very promising Adam! Hope your sky remains clear. Here there is some hope later in the week.

[AstroNtinos]

This is one of the most perfect M42 images i've ever seen. Great work.

[mackiedlm]

These are looking really good. Looking forward to seeing more images as you work with the camera (Especially since I'm due to take delivery of an ASI2600MC pro this week. )

[orion25]

Great first light images! You're going to produce lots of more fine images with your new camera. I can't wait to see more!

Regards,

Reggie

[MartinB]

Well that was a successful first light!  Looking forward to seeing more.

[Sunshine]

WOW it certainly is a wonderful shot!

[Allinthehead]

Nice first light Adam, how did you find the ha filter? I'm looking for a way to image with the moon about and as I only have a duo band filter I was considering an Antlia 3nm to pair with my 2600mc with one eye on possibly using it with a mono Imx571 in the future. My only concern is whether 3nm is too narrow at f/3.3.

[tooth_dr]

3 hours ago, Allinthehead said:

Nice first light Adam, how did you find the ha filter? I'm looking for a way to image with the moon about and as I only have a duo band filter I was considering an Antlia 3nm to pair with my 2600mc with one eye on possibly using it with a mono Imx571 in the future. My only concern is whether 3nm is too narrow at f/3.3.

Thanks Richard, the stars are much larger than I expected in my first light, so am just trying to get to the bottom of that.  I dont think it was focus because I rechecked it twice during the run.  I've ordered the standard field flattener to see if it fair out better, perhaps it's just too much at F4.4.

As for the Ha data - it was OK, but the moon was just too overpowering and too close.

 

[tooth_dr]

Does anyone have any idea what is causing these unusual spikes?