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First Light SXV-H9

Ant

By Ant
in Imaging - Deep Sky

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Ant

Ant

Posted
Posted

Strange, new kit and clear skies.... must be a summer thing....

The purpose of tonight really was just to get the new cam attached to the scope, get focus sorted and make sure that everything talked to everything - you lot know what I mean.

I have loads of new stuff that I'm using (in anger) for the first time.

1. Powered USB2 Hub

2. QHY5 Guide cam

3. SXV-H9

4. MaximDL

So it really had the potential to go complety off the rails.

Im pleased to say that so far I'm quite impresed with all of it. The QHY5 (not being tested with Windows XP) decides it needs to re-install itself if you change USB port :) - but at least if you know you're prepared for that!!!

Everything else works a dream, the focus point for the H9 is almost exactly the same as the DMK - which is a result.

Maxim is a little strange to me, but I have plenty to learn and lots to read. Maxim seems to stretch/process the image on the screen, which really concerned me to start with, but it's only a display thing - the subs are still fine.

So I took 30 x 20 second subs of M57, then 20 x 60 second subs of M27 and now I'm taking 2 minute subs of the Veil.

I still think focus needs some work, it's close but no cigar. I need to learn about processing now and remember to polar align and add in the LP filter.

I'm sitting in the garden in shorts and a T shirt - it really is a lovely night! Jupiter has risen in the SE. Nice!!!

Ant

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Ant

Ant

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Cheers Rob.

Already I'm astounded on what it can do in such a short length of time.

Hi Richie,

Tonight I guided through the ED100 with the QHY5, and imaged through the ED80, not through design though - the QHY5 was already in the ED100 from last time...

This image of the veil (isn't very good) is 20 x 2 minutes. But it's more than I got with the DSLR with something like 40 x 6minute.

I haven't worked out if there are any camera controlls (gain, gamma etc) that I need to be playing with. Need to be doing lots of reading.

Cheers

Ant

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Tim

Tim

Posted
Posted

Looking good Ant, you gonna get some narrowband filters for it?

You really should get a bahtinov mask for focussing, cigar every time, in seconds :)

there'll be no stopping you now, you will notice a whole world of difference from the 300d

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MartinB

MartinB

Posted
Posted
Cheers Rob.

Need to be doing lots of reading.

And lots of asking! Maxim and an SXV H9 has a nice familiar ring! You are going to love it.

Focusing is a joy. Make a selection round a reasonably bright star. Adjust exposure time so it's not saturated. Then run exposures with the continous box checked. Click the inspect tab and tweak until the FWHM is as small as you can get it. Takes about 2 mins.

The screen stretch thing is odd at first, make sure you have the screen stretch window displayed so you can adjust it.

There are no camera controls other than binning. Gain is factory set and cooling is fixed at -20.

After a short while you will be as comfortable with Maxim as with an old pair of slippers.

PM me if you have any questions

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Paxo

Paxo

Posted
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Excellent first light Ant, I'm sure the set up will give you many hours of enjoyment. As Martin has said, once you get to know Maxim it is a doddle to use. Looking forward to seeing more from you soon.

Steve..

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daz

daz

Posted
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I have a big fat grin for you mate!!

Cracking first shots :) Maxim is pretty easy once you've used it a couple of times, and as Martin says, the camera is dead easy to use.

Looking forward to seeing more :headbang:

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Ant

Ant

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Cheers guys.

I'm sure I'll be asking lots of questions.

The screen stretch did worry me quite a lot to start with - untill I stacked some FIT's just to see what I had. It was then that I realised that Maxim was displaying a stretched image.

Cheers for the tips, and I will be asking lots of questions :)

I'm assuming that Maxim will stack the FIT's, although I've not found that part yet.

I remember Roger showing me Maxim many moons ago, and Maxim seemed to do it a lot quicker than DSS - so again more work needed there. But at least that part I can learn on cloudy evenings.

Thanks again for all the encoragement. :headbang:

Ant

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barkis

barkis

Posted
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Blimey Ant. You really are striding out with seven league boot on now. This H9 seems a very popular buy at the minute. SX or FLO are not having a sale are they?:)

Come the long dark clear nights, (Too much to hope for?) you will really be doing the biz.

Great test shots you've done, so it's looking GOOOoooood.

Ron.:headbang:

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steppenwolf

steppenwolf

Posted
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This CCD and MaximDL make a really good combination as you are already discovering. MaximDL is a very powerful tool that does take some learning which is why I opted for the printed manual version so I could read up on it! Much of the automated options in MaximDL work very well straight from the box and as Martin commented, the screen stretch can be a little quirky but does in fact work very well inded with a great option to 'magnify' the histogram view to make minute alterations.

You are gonna have fun!

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daz

daz

Posted
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I'm assuming that Maxim will stack the FIT's, although I've not found that part yet.

Process --> Align

There are options for how Maxim aligns the stars, and you can reject any images manually

Process --> Combine

Again, options for different algorythms (?) here. Have just started playing with these, so sure others can offer advice

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