ASI183MM-Pro picked up last Friday, might get first light today

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I got a second-hand, but good as new ASI183MM-Pro last Friday, and am looking forward to first light this evening. It is my first cooled camera, and it feels like a real luxury to be grabbing dark frames at a set temperature during daytime, rather than wasting precious clear skies on that chore. I have slotted an H-alpha filter in between the camera and the Sigma 50-100 mm F/1.8 zoom and will go for a target like the Flaming Star Nebula, or California Nebula. I hope the filter will cut out enough moonlight.

The darks show a little amp glow when stretched, but that was to be expected.

This is just a single dark, stretched.

 

[steppenwolf]

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I hope the filter will cut out enough moonlight.

What bandwidth is the Ha filter, Michael?

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The darks show a little amp glow when stretched, but that was to be expected.

Quite normal for this camera but it will process out 👍

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

2 minutes ago, steppenwolf said:

What bandwidth is the Ha filter, Michael?

I have a Baader 35 nm, but also a narrower Astronomik 12 nm, which I will use tonight. 

[steppenwolf]

I used to have an Astronomik 12nm Ha filter and had some great results from it but, of course, it won't be as much of a 'Moon defeater' as a narrower one would be but it all helps. I hope you really enjoy your new camera, cooling really does make a big difference.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

26 minutes ago, steppenwolf said:

I used to have an Astronomik 12nm Ha filter and had some great results from it but, of course, it won't be as much of a 'Moon defeater' as a narrower one would be but it all helps. I hope you really enjoy your new camera, cooling really does make a big difference.

I also wonder how well it will perform in such a fast lens. I might go for the Carl Zeiss Sonnar 135 mm F/2.8. I might want to ge the Baader F/2 rated ones.

Regarding the camera, it is also the first higher resolution monochrome CMOS camera I will be using on deep sky. I have an 8 position filter wheel (also ZWO), so I should be able to catch some nice sequences automatically. I like the way the camera has a built-in USB hub, which does cut down the cables.

[steppenwolf]

I used my 12nm Ha filter in a 200mm f2.8 prime lens but I guess it’s worth an evening’s experimentation to see how it pans out!

Yes, built in hubs do help with the inevitable cable tangle - I have quite an impressive ‘umbilical’ leading to my mount head and have had to go to some  great lengths to avoid friction!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

32 minutes ago, steppenwolf said:

I used my 12nm Ha filter in a 200mm f2.8 prime lens but I guess it’s worth an evening’s experimentation to see how it pans out!

Yes, built in hubs do help with the inevitable cable tangle - I have quite an impressive ‘umbilical’ leading to my mount head and have had to go to some  great lengths to avoid friction!

Things get worse if you don't have a permanent set-up, and you have to tangle/untangle the cables every time

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Just had a look at a list of likely targets, and the 200 mm F/2.8 L has the nicer framing of them, and isn't too fast for the Astronomik 12 nm H-alpha filter, so this will be the imaging combo this evening.