Space Journey - RH200 First Light

[dvj]

Several months ago I took delivery of the Officina Stellare RH200 F/3. I've not given up on the fabulous FSQ, as this is mostly more about my interest in very fast systems going back to my long exposure Schmidt camera days. After a multitude of fine adjusments to collimation and tip tilt, I got this official first light last night before the latest storm.

http://imageshack.us/a/img577/4026/rh200horseheadbetatest.jpg


12 x 600s accumulated exposure time
6nm HA filter bandpass.
SBIG STL 11000
San Jose, California

This image was shot within San Jose city limits among about a million streetlights. The camera is a first gen STL 11000 and so is the 6nm AD Ha filter. Sky transparency was very hazy. Meaning, that much better contrast and detail are possbile from a dark site, and certanly a 3nm high transmission bandpass would isolate finer structures in the ionization curtain behind the Horsehead.

The telescope mechanics benefit greatly with the incorporation of a tip/tilt back plate, as f/3 is unforgiving of any array tilt. In a way this little instrument is paving the road for the AP 12" Riccardi-Honders due later this year.

cheers

jg

[Stevec35]

Looks extremely promising John. Lovely image.

Cheers

Steve

[Peter.M]

This is excellent, great stars across the field!

[Mighty_oz]

Great image lots of fine detail there :) Almost as good as your fsq hey lol

[DJT]

That's a fantastic image. The detail is great. Fov is interesting. Crop or as is with the 11000?

[acropolite]

Beautiful image, incredible detail and depth John.

[gregbradley]

A great first image John.

Have you been notified of an AP RHA or is that what you are wanting?

Greg.

[dvj]

Thanks, It's the full STL 11000 frame, no crop.

[dvj]

Yes, I would say almost. I have some fine tuning yet to do on the tilt plate although I am 1% tilt right now. The RH200 has half the image circle of the FSQ, numerous optical surfaces, and a big central obstruction. 5 minute RGB with unassisted tracking is goal for remote operation. With some Paramount tuning, we'll get it up to 10 minutes for point and shoot narrowband.

Here is the scope on the 1200 test mount.

jg

[alpal]

That's a really sharp horsehead & you have nice stars in every corner of the FOV.

Bert - who posts here - had to make a bracket to hold his camera
but you seemed to have done well even without a bracket.

cheers
Allan

[dvj]

Easy answer to that one Allan. Bert's imaging train is the FLI Proline 16803, CFW, and FLI Atlas focuser. The SBIG STL 11000 is about 1/3 total weight of Bert's imaging train and connects to the standard focuser with matching threaded adapter. My focusing is done with the RH200 focus motor option.

Let me also add that the addition of tradational tube rings vs. the single dovetail support on the bottom of the OTA took care of flexure in the total system. I later discovered that my STI autoguider bracket was loose and that eliminated the rest of the differential flexure I was experiencing.

cheers,

jg

[strongmanmike]

Well done John, that looks to be performing nicely indeed...looking very Italian too... compared to Berts Steam-Punk look :lol:

Mike

[alpal]

Good luck with your new system.
You're getting great results without flexure.

[Octane]

Good grief -- that is absolutely stunning. :O :O :O

Congratulations on the new toy. :)

H

[Peter Ward]

Just sublime. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Poita]

So you removed the dovetail and fitted tube rings as per the picture?

They are sexy looking tube rings.

[gregbradley]

Do you have an image of the same area with FSQ? I am curious how it compares. Come to think of it you just posted a mosaic of that area. I'll have a look. Its a great image but what is the advantage over the FSQ? You get there faster? Reminds me of the Tak Epsilon 180ED F2.8 versus FSQ106 comparisons.

Greg.

[CoolhandJo]

very nice

[Larryp]

Awesome!

[dvj]

Hi, sorry for the late response, I'm here at CES, Las Vegas.

Yes, these are available tube rings from Officina Stellare as an option. THe dovetail exhibited tube flexure. Easy to remove the dovetail mounting points.

jg

[dvj]

Hello Greg, yes faster is the story, not necessarily better image quality. The Tak has a larger image circle and the advantage of adding a reducer if you have one of the new Tak FSQ ED's. According to Bert, the RH200 has an effective 170mm clear aperture. As I wait for the AP 305, I wanted to explore the Riccardi-Honders design. I do find the RH200 much less temperature sensitive than the FSQ.

I still consider the FSQ to be the finest short refractor for imaging.

jg

[gregbradley]

Thanks John.

Greg.

[Ross G]

Great looking photo John.

Good luck.

Ross.