11 January SOL - AR1944 - and i broke my ASI120MM

[h0ughy]

this was the last image run i got on my ASI camera. that black crap surrounding the sensor deposited more crud this morning so i tried to clean it off - well its like i haven't done this 100's times before. i now have crap on the actual sensor under the glass slip, and the slip is now cracked i think - bloody stupid thing:mad2::sadeyes:

its cropped to miss the broken crappy bits:question:

also there is some prom action

[Larryp]

Nice sharp images, David :thumbsup:

[RB]

Very nice detail in that first shot Davo !
So sorry to hear about your broken camera mate?
Far out.

:sadeyes:

[tornado33]

Bummer re the camera, gee the proms are very detailed, and so many tiny sunspots around the big ones.
Scott

[acropolite]

Nice detail there Dave, bummer about the camera, although I suppose it's better to trash the ASI120 than something more expensive. I wonder if ZWO do repairs, or is that glass user replaceable?

[sheeny]

That's great detail in that first shot, Dave! The proms aren't bad either.

Sorry to hear about the camera. I hope you can get a satisfactory repair.

Al.

[h0ughy]

:thanx:

yeah not happy - but you get what you pay for sometimes. the DMK is rock solid, but the speed and very pedestrian....

yeah its pretty busy up there



i may just leave it for a guide camera - cost more to ship it than its worth:sadeyes:

I just wish it was made without that black crap inside it

[allan gould]

I would ping ZWO about it to see what can be done. Worth a try Mr Clumsy.
Allan

[h0ughy]

ok

[shahgazer]

Nice detail there! Impressive! :thumbsup:

So sorry about the cam though! :sadeyes:

[h0ughy]

thanks for the sentiment;)

[gregbradley]

Great shot Houghy. I have read CCD sensors are pretty tough. They are not easily scratched etc. I would remove the cover slip carefully and try to blow off dust etc. Try to put a UV lens protector over the whole thing so it doesn't get dust on it. Dust would be the problem. My FLI cameras don't have cover slips. Its an option. It increases QE a tad and reduces some minor haloing. It also improves performance in a fast system.

Greg.

[h0ughy]

what the images look like now

[astronobob]

Magic details within them sun spots David !
That black stuff looks a bit like expansion joint for concrete ? what ever, its flaking everywhere, so understand your frustration.
Can you take that out at all, maybe spray with some flexible sealer, smear over with rubber glue or silicone to keep it from fragmenting etc ?

[h0ughy]

not too sure why it there but i would love to get rid of it

[jsmoraes]

David, I don't know what they are, my ASI has these whatever since I received it. And I gave up to clean. I tried all. And when I say all, I want mean really ALL !

Some times I think that I can move them on surface. Some times they stay there forever. I lost more time cleaning the ASI sensor than using the camera. Now I use it only as guiding camera.
I don't like ASI camera to imaging. It is not a good camera to do this task. I never will buy their products, again. I hate ASI! :mad2:

[Solar]

David are you sure that these thing are really under the glass.
In any case they can be simply removed by using a flat.
It does look like a rat has been living in there.

[h0ughy]

wet cleaning with isopropol OH doesn't remove them:shrug:

[Solar]

Hmmm I just checked mine, no sign of any crap in there at all.
I do remember a long streaky mess like in your shot once but it cleaned off.
The motes are easy checked. Take a flat, inside after tea using a 3x Barlow.
Then carefully mark the position of the camera on the Barlow, remove the camera and clean it, try not to over wet the area using a cotton bud. Replace the camera in the same position, as marked, and take another flat. Same settings.
Process them and blink compare them in PS. If there is little or no change the issue is under the glass plate. If they have altered position, gone or got worse the problem is out side and can be cleaned.
BTW I do not think, in fact I know, that the long streak is NOT a crack.

[PacoYepes]

Ufffff, making fantastic

regards

[Poita]

Can the black foam layer just be completely removed?

[h0ughy]

i was told it couldnt be removed:mad2:

[Solar]

Hey Dave did you try the flats yet.

[bird]

Bad luck Houghy... but all is not lost... when I got my ASI120MM last year there was no optical window at all, and the sensor was very dirty, I spent some quality time cleaning it with q-tips and demineralised water... and without any window I've had to repeat that process a few times in the last 12 months.

Anyhow, Sam sent me an optical window just after christmas, and I've fitted that now so hopefully no dust gets back on there. I discovered that the thread for the optical window is a normal 1.25" filter thread, so you can screw a filter cell on there with the window fitted inside the cell to move the window a few more mm up and away from the sensor, this puts any dust on the window even more out of focus and less annoying.

I had to do this, as the normal location of the optical window was too close to the sensor, and any dust on the window was still easily visible.

Not sure if any of this helps, but I'd suggest only using demin. water for cleaning, not any kind of alcohol the might dissolve the plastic bits, and maybe consider fitting the optical window in via an unused 1.25" filter cell to get it up and away from the sensor a bit.

cheers, Bird

[h0ughy]

no but have been using the plastoc bag to suffocate my woes away;):P

i trick i have not done yet but will try, just there is so much lost with the crap and those two marks on or close to the sensor

[h0ughy]

well here is the kicker - i use a tube adapter with a UVIR filter on the end of it -i dont remove it for anything unless i swap over to the vixen 2.4 barlow. even with starting with a clean slate, i can be watching the screen and i watch the black crap fall onto the sensor window - and thats with no air movement or exposure. I just cant follow it. i use a 40/60 mix of alcohol and OH distiled water, but i have the neat water so can just try that. I fear that i have however etched the sensor proetcive cover slip with the continual cleaning:sadeyes::thanx: