M42 Acromat QHY8 as requested

[Gama]

As requested, i imaged M42 with a Saxon 102mm f5 (fl=500mm) Acromat refractor and the QHY8 6 Mpixel One shot Color CCD Camera.
I used a Baader fringe remover to help with the blue halo around bright stars, exposures were 16x90 secs (Total or 24 minutes). No Flats etc etc.
Aligned, then stacked, plus i also made a duplicate and done DDP on it and converted to monochrome to make a Luminance copy.
Then i split the color into RGB, i then used the Low pass filter to smooth the noise on the RGB images, then combined them again but added the Luminance image by using the LRGB function.
Then processed in Photoshop, plus i again used the Luminance image to further enhance the image in Photoshop, finally cropped to remove field curvature and used Noiseware to smooth and binned 3x3 for size reduction.
The camera (QHY8) even with a simple acromat telescope shows just how good it can be used with any scope, and the price is within the reach of many of us now.
PM me if you need further info on the camera.
Thanks.

[Garyh]

quite impressed with how much blue halo is rmoved with the fringe killer! I had one of these scopes a while back and was horrified at the size of the blue haloes in images...I soon sold it and upgraded. You have shown what can be done...
Do you have any darkframes (long exposure ones) to post for the QHY8....just curious about noise levels etc in say 10min exposures?
Cheers Gary

[Gama]

Oops, missed your request Gary, sorry.

A bit late, but here is the dark you wanted.
You should look at the darks from the other cameras, you will get a shock. I did when i seen the STL11000 darkframe.
Anyway, its a 10 minute dark, stretched in contrast for clarity.

This is why most people, even me, dont really need to use dark frames.

[[1ponders]]

Not bad at all Gama, not bad at all. I must have missed this post initially. :confuse3: Could you pm me some detail on the camera or supply a link to a site selling it? Thanks

[Gama]

Done, sent a PM.
To asnwer your question for anyone else, i am the Aussie distributer for the QHY's cameras. So if you need any info, let me know. With me you have a proper Tax invoice and 1 year local Warrantee. No need to send it back and forth if anything happens.I made sure i kept the prices the same as if you imported the camera yourself. But you have the added benefit of a local dealer and warranty.

Anyone else needing info, please just PM me.
On any of his camera's.

[Garyh]

Gee, thats a nice darkframe...when my canon gets a bit older or dies...I would be very interested in one of these...but will have to save for a while...thanks Gama.
Cheers Gary

[FOOTPRINT]

Hi Theo,
Like your dark frame, but would like to see a Pix. of M-42 taken with an Apo scope, ED or Fluorite, with/without DF removal, Its a one shot colour Camera and taking a picture with an Acromat dosent show much of its good attributes, only how processing can make imaging through an acromat look reasonable, I think what we are all looking for is what it will do against a Canon DSLR Camera (modded) and imaging with a Mirror or APO Scope, and in the case of the Canon, matched DF removal, M42 is not the best subject being quite a high Mag. and with good surface brightness, but we would love to see a Pix. anyway, The Rosette nebula would be a much better subject, We all understand that cooling is the way to go (longer exposures, less noise) but results from a modded Canon with DF removal are hard to beat, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, We all want to buy one but would like to justify the expenditure, make it so.

regards.....Jim

[Striker]

Gama,

If your unable to take some serously long exposures it may be worth while loaning 1 to a member localy for testing purposes and to show the results on this forum

I think there would be some serious interest if they could see some 10 or 20 minute exposure's done on some fainter objects.

[Gama]

First to jim, you cant compare the cooled camera with a DSLR, first because of the Dynamic range and the resolution will be a major player. 12 bit as to 16 bit does have an effect on quality of the image. Further, the noise level is a killer, the cooled camera as to a non cooled camera is huge. You are talking about 2 different systems. Any modded camera with DF removed is STILL no match for a cooled camera. That doesnt mean you cannot get excellent images from a DSLR, you cant compare the 2, they are in different catagories. Noise reduction as temperature decreases is significant.
The QHY8 is cooled to approx -30 deg C, this is why noise is near kapoot.
I used the QHY with the 14" RCX, then was asked to image with normal man's telescopes, so i chose a simple Achromat, which near everyone has. Now i'm asked to again use a quality APO system, sheees. Many of these cameras are out there now, a simple search will start the ball rolling on finding these images. Here are a few images that were taken by one user, so i hope it has something you wanted to see.

http://www.pbase.com/gbachmayer/image/38950763/original
http://www.pbase.com/gbachmayer/image/74254913/original
http://www.pbase.com/gbachmayer/image/73313547/original
http://www.pbase.com/gbachmayer/image/73313602/original

Like i said, theres plenty of images out there, some have been in use for months, not weeks like me.
This CCD sensor is the same sony SuperHad as in the Starlight Xpress SXV-M25, and thats been around for many years, and pictures available everywhere.
I should start having some longer exposures soon, as soon as the weather permits.

[FOOTPRINT]

Hi Theo,
Thanks for your reply, and pointing us to the pictures taken by Gerhard, which are very good and with the details given show what can be done, I dont think anyone who does astroimaging would use an acromat unless they want to do the LRGB seperate/filter wheel type imaging, If one wants good results ,a single shot colour camera + acromat dont equate, results yes-good no, we all understand what the cooling bit does and the need for it, but it is nice to see the end product before buying, I think youve got a good product there, ill be phoning you with my order today.


regards......................Jim

[Gama]

Thanks Jim, but the ONLY reason i used an Achromat, is that i was asked to use a less expensive telescope. Cant be less expensive with that !. Of course a nice Apo, or anywell corrected scope will make an art design of any object, but the goal was to bring attention to the cameras ability.
I use my RCX for imaging, and it provides excellent results. But when others request something from you, well, you do it.
Anyway, im glad you did your footwork on the subject. You obviously know what you are talking about. Look forward to hearing from you.


Theo.