what do you think about my setup ?

[red dwalf]

hi all,

just gettings to grip with my imaging setup, i`m using a 6" sct f10 scope, would like a apo but saving up, but as i`m going to sgl6 i`m wanting to try some dso imaging, do you think i`ve set up the system o.k. or should i change some bits about. all comments welcome.

here it is.

[ollypenrice]

Looks right enough. The chip distance if you want to get f6.3 is 105mm, I think. ie from the back of the reducer to the chip needs to be this. You still get decent results either side of that , though, unlike fast apo reducers which are very strict on chip distance.

Olly

[philj]

Looks good to me Rob, as Olly says the chip distance is important but not crucial, Ive imaged with SCT and Apo reducers at all sorts of distances

Phil

[red dwalf]

thanks chaps,

the distance from the back of the reducer to the chip is 110mm,

it would be shorter if i didn`t use the filter wheel but the meade dsi filter slide seems harder to use and stiffish to slide when your aligned on an object.

[red dwalf]

also is it a must that i use a uv/ir filter on dso`s ? i do use in on planetary imaging with my webcam but not sure about dso`s.

[RobH]

Your setup looks fine.

Are you using the meade filters?

If so, and you can afford it, get rid of them and get a set of Astronomik filters.

It was the first thing I did when I started imaging, and it vastly improved the results. They often come up secondhand on UK Astronomy Buy and Sell.

Yes, you do need an IR blocker for DSO's.

The meade filters, apart from the luminance filter, are all non-IR blocking, so if that's what you're using, then having the IR blocker in front of the wheel is correct.

Astronomik filters, and many others, are all IR blocking, so you don't need another IR blocker when using them.

Cheers

Rob

[red dwalf]

the meade filters are what i`m using at the moment, but will look at upgrading in future, the filters you mention, i takr it there the type 2 versions ? if so will start saving some more cash !

on another note is there any order in with you should use the filters ?

[Psychobilly]

FWIW I have always used 110mm with the f6.3 reducer... 55mm via SCt-T adaptor and 55mm with the DSLR and T Ring...

Hmmmm......

This thread has actually got me to read the "manual" fro the Celestron Reducer and on a Celestron SCT......

It says... (slightly paraphrased)

For optimal focus for sharpest image in the center of the FOV by turning the knob counterclockwise and then turn the focus knob 1/24 of a turn clockwise?

Billy...

[RobH]

the meade filters are what i`m using at the moment, but will look at upgrading in future, the filters you mention, i takr it there the type 2 versions ? if so will start saving some more cash !

on another note is there any order in with you should use the filters ?

Yes, the type 2 are the ones.

There's no hard rule for filter order, but one thing that you can do is, when shooting colour, do your red and blue first.

That way, if you get weeks of cloud, like now, before you've finished getting your colour data, you can make a synthetic green channel

Cheers

Rob

[red dwalf]

thanks for the info, what would you surgest the maximum exposure time i could get when not guiding using a heq 5 synscan pro after aligning,

also how many exposures would i need ? i guess the more the better.

[RobH]

The more exposures you can get, the better the signal to noise ratio, and the more you can stretch the image in processing without running into noise issues.

With a DSI, make sure that you have darks that are taken at no more than 2 degrees temperature difference from your lights, or you'll get a right mess of an image (I know...I started with a DSI and leaned tha hard way!).

I'll be at SGL6 if you want any help.

Cheers

Rob

[red dwalf]

help allways wanted so many thanks for that,

one more question if you don`t mind regarding darks, how many darks should you take and should they be for the same length as the lights ?

[RobH]

Try and do 25 to 30 darks as a mimimum, and yes, they need to be the same length as the lights.

Cheers

Rob