First light AP RHA 305 F3.8 REPRO

[gregbradley]

I spent several days at my dark site using this new scope. Its not fully setup yet as I am waiting on some adapters to fit a FLI Atlas focuser and a spare part for the filter wheel.

But I was able to focus manually in the meantime (it tricky as the critical focus zone is very small compared to other scopes I have used but it does snap to focus and the graph spikes suddenly, fine adjustments though are very hard to do with just the microfocuser).

Also there was some tilt that showed up in one corner with the Proline (may be from the filter wheel) that has to be corrected.

Tracking from the mount was not as good as it was last with the lighter AP140 so again an updated Polar Alignment and TPoint model should help there.

Having said all that the results were very good. This a small crop of a much wider field. The Proline is somewhat undersampled so I may reprocess this one and use Drizzle integration to round out some of the undersampled stars (not really visible unless you really zoom in).

I am impressed by this scope. It also works well with the small pixelled Sony camera (perhaps even better). Tilt tip sort out using CCDInspector and adjustments to the tilt/tip adapter is on the agenda.

This is only a 3 hours and 15 minute image (95 Luminance 40 mins RGB each).

Ideally a 10 hour image on this scope and these cameras should be very deep. So given reasonable weather that will be the type of image I will be going for 8-12 hours on a typical target. F3.8 is a blast that way. Exact focus, perfect squareness of components, exact autoguiding are the things that need to be done on this setup for it all to work and take advantage of the sharp optics.

Also on this image I did not have the fans going so perhaps that makes a difference as well. Its all a learning curve and its a good start.

I took an LRGB image of 5 minutes each filter and I was surprised at how deep and detailed the resulting image of 20 minutes is. This is why I wanted this scope to be able to take advantage of my dark skies but not being remotely controlled I need to get a bright image fast. I also have a galaxy image that I like and I took a Ha image that I also liked and again its pretty deep for only a 3 x 20minute 1x1 binned image.

I notice on this image there are some little diffraction spikes on some brighter stars, that seems to be from the microlenses. I don't see them on the Trius images.

This image is about 1/3rd of the full image so the Proline is not the best choice for a galaxy image and shows how sharp the optics are that they stand up to that much of a crop.

Taken from my dark site observatory in Bigga NSW.

http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/159922874/original

http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/159922874/large


Photos of the A RHA 305mm F3.8 setup:

http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/159928675/large

http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/159928686/large

And of course an Eta Carina 1st light test image of only 20 minutes total (LRGB 5mins each). Keep in mind there is no Ha exposure in this image even though it looks like there is:

http://www.pbase.com/image/159931632/large

12 inch aperture F3.8 as Mike knows gets a lot of signal fast. The quickest imaging scope I have ever used.

Greg.

[Stevec35]

Well to say the least that looks extremely promising Greg! Congratulations on your new acquisition.

Cheers

Steve

[gregbradley]

Thanks Steve. There's always a learning curve with new gear but as you say its very promising.

Greg.

[RickS]

As expected, the RH certainly sucks down the photons, Greg!

[gregbradley]

It sure does. It doubles as an excellent widefield scope but also with a small chip camera an excellent galaxy imaging scope much like your Ceravolo. I have a galaxy image I'll post later which I was happy with especially considering the exposure time (5 hours 20 minutes).

Greg.

[Slawomir]

Nice one Greg, I like how the halo around the Galaxy shows up very clearly.

It surely will be an exciting journey fine tuning the rig, and it will only add to your experience as an astrophotographer.:thumbsup:

[gregbradley]

Thanks Slawomir.

Ideally it would be longer exposure time. The Trius 694 is better suited for galaxies as it is a bit undersampled. I had the Proline setup and it was running so I let it go for a while. A 1/4 moon was still up for some of this as well.

Greg.

[omegacrux]

Been following your progress
Sweet scope & good looking first light

David

[OzEclipse]

Greg,

Very nice image especially given you are still in shakedown mode, and fast setup too. A friend of mine bought a 12" Planewave CDK a few years ago. Took him more than a year to iron all the bugs out of it before he got first light. In the end, Planewave sent him a swag of new parts and he had to do a major remachine at the back end. If I recall, the focusser was not concentric or something.

You must really be looking forward to this coming winter.

I hope you realize you have just guaranteed all of us in NSW/ACT of having the motherload of cloudy nights all winter.
Look forward to seeing more of your work.

Joe

[gregbradley]

Thanks David.



Ouch on the Planewave. My CDK17 has been trouble free except for a bit of off axis bright star streaks that got corrected with some free baffles they sent me.

I am hoping the heavy rain the purchase induced has already subsided with that heavy rain about a week ago. But one can't be certain when AP telescopes have been purchased!

I should have a steady stream of images given the fast F3.8 and renewed interest a new scope often brings.

Greg.

[strongmanmike]

Hmm? Meeeah..well,the scope sure looks beeeautiful! But not sure the first two images are showing us what it should be capable of Greg :shrug: As you say you have some more shaking down to do and have some better adapters coming, so I look forward to what I am sure will eventuate :thumbsup:

Mike

[gregbradley]

First 2? Its a shakedown cruise and for 3 hours its not bad. Ideally I'd use the Proline for widefield shots I think.

Greg.

[strongmanmike]

NGC 6744 ;) oh of course, shaking down takes time I know :thumbsup: yes the Proline on the Honders will rock for the bigger things :)

Mike

[LewisM]

The reflecting refractor delivers the goods!

Exceptional.

[Peter Ward]

Not bad, but sorry no cigar...a galaxy would not have been my first choice...;)

but...you go after what *you* like, after all, it's your scope!

It took me about 6 months (of spotty efforts) to get the Honders, camera, CFW and AO lined up to within a few microns...in a perverse way, you'll find the optics are so good, they'll let you know often enough when something is off.

It really sings when you get the orthogonality of the focal plane sorted...particularly with a 16803 chip.

But isn't it great to have first light through such a special instrument!

Bon voyage!

P.S.

We still need to have a conversation about the weather :)

[alpal]

Hi Greg,
that's a great first light & I can't wait to see you do a nebula with that scope.

cheers
Allan

[gregbradley]

Right.



Thanks Lewis. Its a start and promising better things.



Exactly right Peter. That is what I have noticed so far. Not quite square and it shows up. Its reassuring to hear that and confirms what I thought.

Yes a galaxy wasn't what I intended either. But my filter wheel needs repair and I am waiting on a part. It misaligns after a few filter changes losing more and more of the FOV as it does. So I did tend to concentrate on narrower targets because of that. I should have it fixed this next week as the part is on its way.

This image isn't meant to be the best it can do but an output from it that starts the refinement process. Which is fun in itself really. Its a fiddly sort of pursuit.

Sorry about the weather.

Greg.

[gregbradley]

Thanks Allan.

I have done a quick image of a couple. The weather was clear for most of 2 nights one of which was a late clearing. The 3rd night it was clear but very windy so no go.

The weather forecast is improving so more time to work on it.

Greg.

[Paul Haese]

Bit of a shake down yet but you're well on your way Greg. I look forward to your updates.

[gregbradley]

Here's the 1st test image I took with the Honders.

I was blown away by the depth of this quick exposure. This is only a single 5 minute exposure of LRGB for a total of 20mins yet it shows a fair bit of detail.

It was good to see the snap to focus when its close even if touchy manually.

More wide field Proline images next time once my filter wheel is fixed
and the filters don't progressively go out of alignment costing more and more field of view.

Eta Carina naturally. Keep in mind there is no Ha in this exposure even though its picking a lot of it up.

http://www.pbase.com/image/159931632/large


Greg.

[gregbradley]

Cheers Paul. A few items to smooth out but yes all very promising.

Greg.

[strongmanmike]

That one looks alright Greg...you were quite lucky with the weather :thumbsup: This is gunna be good watching your progress :painting:

Mike

[gregbradley]

I drove out of Sydney and it was overcast and patchy rain. Arrived at my dark site to perfectly clear skies horizont to horizon with no wind. An amazing sight.

The Trius was in particular out of alignment as I had been monkeying around with it trying to fit an OAG to it for the CDK and reducer with no luck. It was better on the 2nd night as I squared up the tilt/tip adapter during the day but still not perfect. As Peter said the scope really shows up deficiencies in the squareness of things. I am sure you've been though this with your AG12. They are not that dissimilar as an RHA uses Newt type mirror shapes.

The thing that impressed me about the Cent A image was not so much that its a super image as its not, but how good it was considering how widefield the original image is. Its cropped very heavily and I think it holds up detail remarkably well considering this.

Next trip it'll be more widefield - Scouts Honour!

Greg.

[cometcatcher]

Wonderful first light! May there be many more from this great scope.

[gregbradley]

Thanks Kevin. Appreciated.

Greg.

[Eden]

That's awesome, Greg...if that's what you can pull off in 20 minutes, your long exposures will certainly be something to brag about! :thumbsup:

[Rod771]

Very nice scope Greg! Looking forward to your progress with it. :thumbsup:

[rustigsmed]

nice one greg, good to see it up and running - quite a FOV it has too!

[Andy01]

Nice to see the new toy in operation - watch out APOD when you get it all sorted to your satisfaction :)

[gregbradley]

Widefield is where the scope will be strongest but its also no slouch with a small chip for galaxies as Mike has shown 12 inch F3.8 is a potent formula.



Cheers Rod. Its not a bad start eh?



Yes it is quite a wide field. Not quite FSQ but close.



Well that would be cool, I have yet to get one of those. I think its pretty competitive these days.

Greg.

[Leonardo70]

Congrats Greg, for image and the new telescope, a dream for me !

All the best,
Leo

[gregbradley]

Grazie Leo. I like your recent Leo Triplet image as well.

Greg.

[jase]

Congrats on your new rig Greg. A real performer! :thumbsup: I've reading the equipment post updates. For shake down images, they're pretty good but look a little rushed and abrupt. Explainable, as I would be just as excited to show it off. Should be better once you get things dialed in. Don't forget, its not what you have, its what you do with it that counts. ;)

[gregbradley]

Thanks Jase.

Greg.

[gregbradley]

I've done a repro of this image. Looking at it with fresh eyes it had a yellow bias and had some left in it. Also a plus I am noticing with the Honders image they seem to take post processing very well compared to other scope's images I have used over the years. Stronger signal to noise ratio I take it. What I find impressive about this image is the depth of the image for so little exposure, so little noise and also how the sharpness held up from such a heavy crop (it really is quite a widefield image and this is probably only a 1/4 of it).
Centaurus A

http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/159922874/original large (looks best)

http://www.pbase.com/gregbradley/image/159922874/large


Greg.

[Ross G]

What a beautiful photo for a "first attempt".

Congratulations on the new telescope Greg.

Good luck....I'm sure some amazing photos are coming!

Ross.

[gregbradley]

Thanks Ross. You are always so encouraging. Thanks for that.

Greg.

[Placidus]

Repro is even better colour-wise. The relativistic jet is very clear.

[gregbradley]

Thanks Mike
Its nowhere near as good as your one but its a good start.
I have another galaxy image that I am happy with
Greg