Simple, portable, unguided widefield QHY-9 setup

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Hi all

I'm frankly a tad tired of lugging the whole G-11 monster around from place to place, so I've been fiddling with a simple to set up and highly portable widefield system that utilised my Tak P2-Z mount (no guide port, simple and accurate clock drive at sidereal rate) and my new QHY-9 attached to any of a range of short Nikkor lenses that I have. The whole lot fits into a couple of average Pelican cases and weighs a fraction of the main rig.

I needed the whole geometry to be ultimately adjustable in order to accommodate the various lens lengths and barrel diameters. Guide rings attached to Losmandy adjustable D-series blocks were an ideal choice. These let me also "lock" focus once achieved via a 52mm Bahtinov mask that works very well. The blocks also let me slide the complete assembly up and down the saddle to find good balance easily and quickly. I'll accommodate the CFW shortly, once if organise a 54mm to T-thread adapter.

It's outside right now doing some work - testing for the first time with my 105mm f/2.5 running at f/5.6. The QHY-9 is cooling at 51% power and maintaining a temp of -20C, a delta-T of 42 deg C without breaking a sweat at 22 deg C ambient.

Good fun indeed.



Edit: Here's the hi-res result of a stack of 10 x 30sec, 10 x 60sec, 5 x 120 sec and 5 x 240 sec. Totally unguided.

3.4Mb - http://macastro.org.au/gallery2/main...44e48f7ae439c5

[DeanoNZL (Adrian)]

Nice work Chris.
We should expect some lovely wide-fields from you!

[gbeal]

Looks the goods Chris, and I use a similar sort of set up.
Why the Bahtinov? Surely you would use the software focus assist?
Gary

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Thanks Adrian - more coming shortly

Gary - I find that using a Bahtinov is just simplicity itself. I can reach very good focus in seconds with them now. I'll use software-driven methods when I can drive the focus electronically.

Speaking of which....

[allan gould]

Nice setup Chris and looks like you will get some great widefield shots with plenty of detail. Stars are nice pinpoints and prove the validity of what you are doing.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Sometimes it's just too much hassle setting up a full rig.
If this allows you to get out imaging more Chris, then you've done well.
Looking forward to seeing the results.

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

nice little rig. if it did have a guide port you could have run a little finder guider like i do. Brilliant little piece of kit and weighs a measley 350 odd grams but in the end. such a wide field setup with such a good little mount.! you wont really need too much now will you.

Congratulations

[AlexN]

I've just done something largely the same Chris... GM8 - QHY8 - Canon 135 F/2L QHY5 in a finderscope as a guider.. Small, effective, accurate enough to do the job... The new rig will go to dark skies on occasion. but not for the 1 nighters.. It will go to Astrofest, Barambah etc.. Anything 2~3 nights or more.. its a lot of gear to move about for one night.

[Bassnut (Fred)]

Gaud, your such a wooze Chris, wheres the "no pain, no gain" he?.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by Bassnut

Gaud, your such a wooze Chris, wheres the "no pain, no gain" he?.

LOL Fred!

As much as I hate to acknowledge it, the damaged discs in my back are starting to catch up on me. I carry my G-11 out to the car and I'm sore for days. Right-royal PITA it is! It really gets in the way of a lifestyle. Time for a dome, a PME and a secure place to put it.

Thanks Allan, Nettie, Brendan and Alex - more development to come!

[Phil Hart]

love a good widefield setup :-)

what is your power supply for this setup?

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Nice looking setup, will be good to see what you churn out with it

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Thanks Adam and Philip

Philip - I always have 240vAC present - whether it be from a 380w PSW inverter in my 4WD (off a 120A/H deep cycle), a quiet Honda generator or house power. This powers the camera via its AC adapter.

From the same 240vAC I generate 13.8vDC via a Jaycar regulated power supply. This powers the heaters and drops to 6vDC via a DC-DC converter to power the P2-Z mount.

Sounds complex, but isn't really.