NEW StellaMira 90mm ED Triplet Refractor

[Gary Clayton]

 

The Soul Nebula (Westerhout 5, Sharpless 2-199, LBN667) is a large emission nebula located in the constellation Cassiopeia, 96 x 5 minute subs for a total integration time of 8 hours taken last night in the HOO palette.

Drizzled in Astro Pixel Processor then finished in PixInsight

StellaMira 90 with 0.8 reducer/flattener

Antlia golden dual band 5nm filter

Altair Astro Hypercam 26C Camera

Ioptron CEM40G equatorial mount

[scitmon]

I'm having issues with my ZWO EAF tonight... It refuses to pull the draw tube back in altogether.  I can hear it attempting but its not budging.  It also seems to give up at random points pushing out too, but far less frequently.

 

I presume it should be able to handle a 294MC pro, filterwheel and the stellamira reducer, so any ideas?  I'm not using the draw tube locking screw so its not that.

[mareman48]

1 hour ago, scitmon said:

I'm having issues with my ZWO EAF tonight... It refuses to pull the draw tube back in altogether.  I can hear it attempting but its not budging.  It also seems to give up at random points pushing out too, but far less frequently.

 

I presume it should be able to handle a 294MC pro, filterwheel and the stellamira reducer, so any ideas?  I'm not using the draw tube locking screw so its not that.

Check the flexible coupling, sometimes they seize up.

[Gary Clayton]

13 hours ago, scitmon said:

I'm having issues with my ZWO EAF tonight... It refuses to pull the draw tube back in altogether.  I can hear it attempting but its not budging.  It also seems to give up at random points pushing out too, but far less frequently.

 

I presume it should be able to handle a 294MC pro, filterwheel and the stellamira reducer, so any ideas?  I'm not using the draw tube locking screw so its not that.

It's been extremely cold the last few night's, iced up maybe, -10C here in North Yorkshire

 

[scitmon]

Well I've been testing it on the bench today.  Didn't work on first try, so took it off to check in isolation.  It worked under no load, so reinstalled it and works perfectly.  Perhaps  a grub screw came loose? No idea but will keep an eye on it.  Thanks for all the input.

[Spaced Out]

My first attempt at M31 with the SM90, still learning the ropes with processing.

SM90 + ZWO ASI 2600MC

60x 120secs (+ darks, flats and dark flats) stacked in DSS and processed in Photoshop.

[Mr Spock]

Top quality M31 👍 Very nice indeed.

[scitmon]

Despite my EAF malfunction, got a result I am happy with!

[Hairbear]

On 17/09/2022 at 13:00, Anthonyexmouth said:

Ok, first full night with my new SM90. Just wondering if there's any way via 3d printing or something else to get a graduated ring for the rotator on one of these. Never had a rotator before and now I've got 2 on the same scope. 

When framing in NINA it would be nice to check the rotation needed on screen and then apply the same accurately on the scope.

I created the attached and printed it out on white sticky back acetate sheet. It fits exactly around the ring just forward of the rotator. I actually have a TS Optics CF APO-90 which is identical to the Stellamira except it doesn't have a carbon fibre tube. FLO have confirmed this to me, and I use the Stellamira 0.8 reducer/flattener. 

360 degree linear scale for telescope.odg

360 degree linear scale for telescope.odg

Edited January 10, 2023 by Hairbear

[Gary Clayton]

I managed to get 2.9 hours worth of data last night on the Horsehead and Flame nebula, shot in narrowband.   

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Gary Clayton
replace pic

[Gary Clayton]

Heart and Fish Head nebulas taken last night, just 3 hours worth of data

[Tangoringo]

For those folks with the SM90 could anybody comment on the quality of the focusser? I have an ageing WO Megrez 90 which I love but am getting increasingly frustrated with tilt in the optical path due to excessive play in the focusser as well as AF issues so the SM90 could come in to the equation if the chancellor plays ball. 🫣

Edited January 19, 2023 by Tangoringo

[Gary Clayton]

14 hours ago, Tangoringo said:

For those folks with the SM90 could anybody comment on the quality of the focusser? I have an ageing WO Megrez 90 which I love but am getting increasingly frustrated with tilt in the optical path due to excessive play in the focusser as well as AF issues so the SM90 could come in to the equation if the chancellor plays ball. 🫣

The focuser seems to be well made and I have no discernable play in mine, you can adjust it via the set screws around the tube and under the focus knobs if you need to. 

[Tangoringo]

Thanks Gary. Thats good to hear.

[SAW]

My first real go at a narrowband image. Done a combination of sho and forax pallette. 49x300s ha, 45x300s oiii & 48x300s sii. Ioptron Gem45, Stellamira 90mm triplet with 0.8 reducer, ZWO183MM, Optolong 38mm filters, ZWO filter wheel, ZWO120MM guide camera, Astro Essentials 50mm guide scope, ZWO EAF. Software capture is APT. Stacked and processed in Pixinsight.

[Gary Clayton]

Nice first narrowband image

[Anthonyexmouth]

On 10/01/2023 at 12:38, Hairbear said:

I created the attached and printed it out on white sticky back acetate sheet. It fits exactly around the ring just forward of the rotator. I actually have a TS Optics CF APO-90 which is identical to the Stellamira except it doesn't have a carbon fibre tube. FLO have confirmed this to me, and I use the Stellamira 0.8 reducer/flattener. 

360 degree linear scale for telescope.odgUnavailable

360 degree linear scale for telescope.odg 34.24 kB · 9 downloads

That's awesome. ordering some self adhesive paper on amazon right now. 

[Gary Clayton]

Tadpoles and Spider nebula in the Foraxx palette, 4.8 hours total integration time and taken last night.
Stacked and drizzled in Astro Pixel Processor then finished in PixInsight (Foraxx  palette)

After a few minor issues this scope is turning into a great imaging rig with a APS-C size sensor and it certainly collects a lot more of those ancient photons than my 70mm,  quite surprised at the difference between the two. 

[Anthonyexmouth]

2 hours ago, Gary Clayton said:

Tadpoles and Spider nebula in the Foraxx palette, 4.8 hours total integration time and taken last night.
Stacked and drizzled in Astro Pixel Processor then finished in PixInsight (Foraxx  palette)

After a few minor issues this scope is turning into a great imaging rig with a APS-C size sensor and it certainly collects a lot more of those ancient photons than my 70mm,  quite surprised at the difference between the two. 

I just wish field rotators weren't so expensive, would make my SM90 setup perfect with one of those. 

[Gary Clayton]

1 hour ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

I just wish field rotators weren't so expensive, would make my SM90 setup perfect with one of those. 

Yes a motorised one would be nice, I am thinking about replacing the manual one that it came with for the William optics M63 version, has anybody tried it?. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/williams-optics-focusers/william-optics-camera-angle-rotator-for-25-m63-focuser.html

[Anthonyexmouth]

1 hour ago, Gary Clayton said:

Yes a motorised one would be nice, I am thinking about replacing the manual one that it came with for the William optics M63 version, has anybody tried it?. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/williams-optics-focusers/william-optics-camera-angle-rotator-for-25-m63-focuser.html

Does the SM one unscrew off the draw tube? Be awesome if it did. Although its not a cheap mod to get a scale. 

[SAW]

NGC 2264. 15x300s Ha, 44x60s Red, 58x60s Green, 44x60s Blue. Ioptron Gem 45, Stellamira 90mm Triplet, 0.8 Reducer, ZWO183MM, Optolong 36mm filters, ZWO EAF, ZWO 120MM Mini guide camera, Astro Essentials 50mm Guide Scope. Captured in APT, processed in Pixinisght and Affinity Photo.

 

Edited January 26, 2023 by SAW

[Gary Clayton]

25 minutes ago, Anthonyexmouth said:

Does the SM one unscrew off the draw tube? Be awesome if it did. Although its not a cheap mod to get a scale. 

Yes it does unscrew leaving an M63 thread on the end of the focus tube, mine has some play in it causing camera tilt when repositioning the camera for better composition of the target. It's something that I had not noticed until imaging more than one target per night.

[Gary Clayton]

Just a heads up guys to let you know that the William Optics camera Rotator fits and works on the SM90's focus tube, it's about 5 mm thinner than the SM90 version which is easily compensated for with the available focus tube travel.

[Anthonyexmouth]

12 minutes ago, Gary Clayton said:

Just a heads up guys to let you know that the William Optics camera Rotator fits and works on the SM90's focus tube, it's about 5 mm thinner than the SM90 version which is easily compensated for with the available focus tube travel.

Such a missed step not having a graduated one on the SM90 to start with. Now do I buy one of these or save for a field rotator. 

Edited January 28, 2023 by Anthonyexmouth