Dark frame issue?

[Jannis]

I'm having some problems taking my dark frames manually when camera's attached to scope. i think i do at least...

they look very weird, and i'm not really sure if i can use them?

I thought it was because of light comming in through the scope, so today i threw a black carpet over the camera, scope and everything, while it was still dark outside (well, getting brighter, but..), and still they look like this...

Any idea on qhat i shuod do? or is it normal that they look like this? They look nothing like this with a normal camera lens on at least.

[Jannis]

This is how it looks. first is with the darks included, 2nd is without...

[Jannis]

Any thoughts on this? Anyone else with the explorer 200 PDS or similar with same problems?

[RobH]

It does rather look like light is getting in.....a dark frame should be black, with just a few hot pixels etc showing.

This is a dark from my 16HR CCD camera.....I've not done one with my DSLR yet, but it should be similar, and not look like yours

Cheers

Rob

[GrantEb]

What you could try, is after imaging, remove the camera from the scope, close up the end of the camera (cap on coma corrector for example). This way you reduce chances of light getting in.

Also make sure your camera's viewfinder is blanked off.

HTH

[RikM]

Here is a dark from my 1000D on a 150P with the scope dustcap on. Have you checked that there are no LEDs on the Camera that could be reflecting off something?

[Jannis]

Hmm, but then, can i take my camera off the scope, put on the cover in front instead of the scope or a lens, and take the darks like that?

I don't know any other way i can posseboly take the darks, as i've already tried with both the front cover on teh scope, and even with a black carpet covering teh whole scope, camera and pretty much everything but teh tripod.

[Jannis]

What you could try, is after imaging, remove the camera from the scope, close up the end of the camera (cap on coma corrector for example). This way you reduce chances of light getting in.

Also make sure your camera's viewfinder is blanked off.

HTH

I completly forgot to cover the viewfinder on the camera...

Darks turned out fine with a normal camera lens on and viewfinder uncoverd though, weird. But I'll give it a try at least.

If not, i'll give it a try to take off camera, put on front cover, and take darks liek that.

RikMcRae: no leds on anywhere, but i'm standing only like 5 meters from a street light, so it's not an ideal location.