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Old 25-08-2008, 05:40 PM
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Davekyn (David)
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NARROWBAND IMAGING with an Achromatic Refractor…A cheap Alternative?

NARROWBAND IMAGING with an Achromatic Refractor…A cheap Alternative?
I’m having a hard time deciding, what’s the best way for me to go. I know I would like the option to do a bit if imaging and pretty much have been tending for the “Orion EON ED80mm”. I know this is a very good recommendation for a newbie like myself, with imaging in mind.
The reality is that I’ll have no cash left to do anything with it after making that purchase. Therefore I have tried to rethink the whole purchase. I was looking around to see if there was any info on the NET in relation to Imaging with Achromatic Refractors & I came across “Narrow Band Imaging” I don’t know the ins & outs yet, but just wanted to get some feedback on it.
I was also impressed with this review on the “Skywatcher 120/600 Achromatic Refractor”
http://www.licha.de/astro_review_skywatcher120_600.php

Once again, I know that there are a lot of draw backs going down this track, but if there is a chance I can still play with images this way, then I am all for it. I’ll have change to get a mount & possibly one with motorized gears and hand controller & even change for accessories.
Wide Field is all I am after as I am only using binoculars at the moment (10X50) and all I was using before that was an old 60mm Tasco that has now fallen apart..LOL.. I know what coma looks like visually and it never bothered me. Also the App on this thing will be TWICE what I am use to and I’ll finally get wider views that I never go with the tasco. I guess I am trying to hard here to convince myself of something…..

Obviously the images are not going to be anything great compared to others with REAL refractors…but if I can get close to that in the review above, I’ll be happy with that and thankful for the cheaper way of at least learning about Astrophotography. I guess It will still cost a lot, but I won’t mind doing it the old school way and possibly have a greater respect for the hobby by doing so.
So what do you think? Is it worth doing for those of us that really can’t afford a big outlay all at once? Is a cheap alternative like this possible?
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Old 25-08-2008, 05:51 PM
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It is not cheap as a decent set of narrow band filters will set you back about $1200 dollars. Where it is 'cheap' is that you can use an F5 150mm diameter achro that costs $850 as compared with a $10k to $15k APO of the same aperture.

See this thread.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=23971


There are others just do a search. Or ask.

Bert
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Old 25-08-2008, 05:53 PM
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Bassnut (Fred)
Narrowfield rules!

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Well, theres other problems with NB. The filters aint cheap (possibly more than an ED80 ;-), and you need a camera that has the frequency response. A cheapy unmodified DSRL wont do. Also, much longer exposures are required than RGB, which means hand guiding, although not impossible, will be mighty tiresome. What cam are you planning to use?, why are you so keen on NB?. An ED80 would do the job I think. I dont know what imaging experience you have, but if not much, youd be well advised to try RGB 1st.
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Old 25-08-2008, 06:00 PM
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Oh well...Thanks for the warning
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Old 25-08-2008, 06:01 PM
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Fred (Bassnut) is correct start off with piggyback DSLR colour and short focal lengths and work your way up. Astrophotography is the most difficult of the black arts and even when you know what you are doing is difficult.

Have you ever tried focusing through a narrow band filter? You cannot see a thing unless you are pointed at a very bright object or target.

Bert
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Old 25-08-2008, 06:03 PM
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I dont have a cam Yet...That the whole thing, I was just trying to make a Thousand go as far as I could was all. I was just thinking of getting things one after the other. Even using a Film SLR and YEA...Hand guiding.

I mean with all the hours I spent litraly guiding my tasco, I figure...what the Hell...I may as well do everything else the painfull way to save a buck.

Not to worry...thanks for the warning anyways.

Yes... I wil take your advice ...Piggy back may be the shot for me...I did start with Binos
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Old 25-08-2008, 06:29 PM
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Narrowfield rules!

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You make an interesting point there. If your willing to hand guide, you can do some awesome imaging without the usual edict spending on "mount, mount, mount". A cheap S/H scope, mount and 300D could be got for a grand or so.

Have a look at Tony Hitchcocks site.

http://www.itchysastro.net/Nebual_galllery.htm
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Old 25-08-2008, 07:22 PM
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Cheers Bassnut,
thanks for the Link...it's guys like that, that spur me on. I've pretty much done things the hard way all my life, but find all the hours I spent with my 60mm tasco quite pleasing.

I would have to anticipate when and where the next gust of wind was comming from, or when I was going to fart to compensate for scope gitters. I would even have to practice my breathing so as not to fog up the cheap eye piece or have it gitter on me. Moving the scope was like balancing on a wire between to sky scrapers. I simply just got used to it & while my wife would look out the window and see me do my balancing act, I was simply enthrawled with the things I kept seing & I would spend hours upon hours in the middle of winter "guiding my scope" till one day I finally got sick of adjusting the fencing wire I was using to hold it all togeather...LOL

So...yea...With a "NEW" mount of any kind...I reackon I could work wonders.
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Old 25-08-2008, 10:45 PM
Karls48 (Karl)
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Hi Davekyn. I have 120mm Skywatcher and I think that for its price $349 it is good scope. Especially if you are upgrading from 60mm Tasco I think that you would be quite happy with it. Sure, you cannot compare it to 120mm Apo, but you can still use it for imagining quite successfully. Minus Violent filter or at least IR blocking filter is a must for imagining. I use it with GStar CCD camera that got maximum exposure time of 2.5 seconds, for observing on computer screen. At same time I take image of what I’m observing. Stacking 50 to 100 images for the final image. Software I’m using (Astrovideo) does the stacking automatically. Although I used this scope on EQ3 (Andrew’s SkyView1) mount with RA drive only, I got now HEQ5 mount and it makes big difference in the tracking. But if funds are short EQ3 or EQ5 will do.
The images I’m taking with it will not win me any admiration or prize but it gives me satisfaction of having permanent records of my observations.
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Old 26-08-2008, 07:19 AM
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That’s definitely a more affordable. Andrews has some really great deals like that compared to a lot of competitors. Basically everything you mentioned with the way you operate that little scope are things I was thinking of trying with it. (And thanks for the shopping list J
May I ask, can you still move the by hand, whilst operating the RA drive?
I think you point about having mediocre photos for permanent Records bring the whole thing into perspective for me. As for the Pics you showed me… I don’t know that much about all the names, but I can clearly see Nebulosity Clearly with Huge stars that they themselves look well rounded (I don’t see that much coma in them at all?...Great Job…couldn’t care less about the rez with this type of gear. As for the other…Is that like a DARK DUST LANE…WOW…whatever you call it…Impressive.
You’ve just proven to me that I got heaps more to see & learn & I can get by with some of the gear you listed. That’s a God Send for me man.
Thanks All…That pretty much wraps it up for me!

PS...
For those interested in seeing where this topic leads, perhaps you would like to follow the topic here as well…I think I may end up with a sketch pad yet…

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/2601903/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1


Last edited by Davekyn; 26-08-2008 at 07:50 AM.
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  #11  
Old 26-08-2008, 07:24 PM
Karls48 (Karl)
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Yes, you can move EQ3 mount manually when it is fitted with RA drive. You just disengage the drive.
Images are of Eta Carinae and Centarus A galaxy.
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  #12  
Old 26-08-2008, 10:32 PM
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Terry B
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I use one of these scopes as my guide scope. I tried to image through it. With no filter the result is below. I didn't bother again.
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