Starting out imaging - Help with ASI533MC Pro

[rojach78]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice as i have only been observing until now, i'm awaiting a delivery of a HEQ5 Pro to get in to imaging, this will be a while as no-one has any stock, i have a 10" Dobsonian now and i have bought an ASI533MC Pro so my question is if i take short exposures of the Moon to star practicing imaging, will i need to use any special filters as i know the ASI is not a regular camera and i don't want to damage the sensor. Thanks.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Can confirm there are no problems imaging the Moon, it's just the Solar imaging that requires special filters and careful handling.

[rojach78]

59 minutes ago, Knight of Clear Skies said:

Can confirm there are no problems imaging the Moon, it's just the Solar imaging that requires special filters and careful handling.

Thanks for that, would there be any filters that you can recommend for imagery? for planets, DSO's? 

[Richie092]

Hi.

Have recently started using the 533mc myself, it is a great camera.

All the research I did for my LP level (Bortle 5/6) led me to try without any filters at all. I was very pleased with the results. I have just purchased an IR/UV blocker but not tried it yet.

This is M42 32 x 3 min subs very basic processing.

I am told the IR/UV will cut the star bloat a little but I'm pretty happy with that kind of result as a beginner. What is your light pollution like locally?

[PeterCPC]

You definitely need an IR Block filter with the 533.

[vlaiv]

Depends on the scope.

Refractors will require some sort of UV/IR cut filter as lack of it creates bloated stars. These scopes can't properly focus UV and IR light if visible is focused.

For reflectors - you don't need one. In fact - when you image DSOs - there is a benefit of not using one. Many targets have significant portion of their signal in IR part of spectrum - this boost signal and thus SNR.

Color processing is a bit harder when not using UV/IR cut filter - so that is something that needs to be considered as well.

[rojach78]

2 hours ago, Richie092 said:

Hi.

Have recently started using the 533mc myself, it is a great camera.

All the research I did for my LP level (Bortle 5/6) led me to try without any filters at all. I was very pleased with the results. I have just purchased an IR/UV blocker but not tried it yet.

This is M42 32 x 3 min subs very basic processing.

I am told the IR/UV will cut the star bloat a little but I'm pretty happy with that kind of result as a beginner. What is your light pollution like locally?

Love the picture, that's exactly the type of image i want to be able to get, i'll invest in the uv/ir blocker, i'm in Bortle 5 so i get a descent view, also our street lights go off at 1am so i'll be doing quite a lot of early morning imaging! I'll be interested to see how you get on with the blocker if you can let me know. Thanks.

[Starflyer]

1 hour ago, vlaiv said:

For reflectors - you don't need one. In fact - when you image DSOs - there is a benefit of not using one. Many targets have significant portion of their signal in IR part of spectrum - this boost signal and thus SNR.

Is this true for reflectors with a coma corrector?

[vlaiv]

1 minute ago, Starflyer said:

Is this true for reflectors with a coma corrector?

I'm not 100% sure, but I think so.

CC is refractive element but situated much closer to focal plane and bends lights minimally (just corrects for coma rather than bend light to focus it).

Although there will be refractive effects - I think that they are too small to be noticeable, even on images (who cares if star bloats 1/10th of a pixel due to CC, right?).

[Richie092]

42 minutes ago, rojach78 said:

Love the picture, that's exactly the type of image i want to be able to get, i'll invest in the uv/ir blocker, i'm in Bortle 5 so i get a descent view, also our street lights go off at 1am so i'll be doing quite a lot of early morning imaging! I'll be interested to see how you get on with the blocker if you can let me know. Thanks.

Cheers. Will do, just trying to work out how to get it in my imaging train. Have filter slider draw but of course, threads dont match, adapters are loose etc. usual stuff.