troypiggo
18-08-2018, 02:21 AM
I'll preface this by stating that I'm lazy and an idiot.
I've had a 10" reflector for around 8 years, and set it up for imaging with a lovely Moonlite stepper focuser and so on, but have only ever used it for very occasional visual on a dob base. When I first got it I had a play with imaging, but got frustrated trying to get a flat field, never sure if it was my inexperience at collimating, or if the MPCC wasn't doing its job, or if it was the spacing between camera and MPCC and so on. I put it in the too hard basket and never persevered.
Got back from Astrofest and the clear nights have continued, so set up mount at home, but just for something different, instead of putting my usual refractor (TMB92SS), I decided I'd tinker with the 10" and see if I can get some successful images out of it. First tried some planetary stuff since they're all in the sky at the moment.
Tonight I thought I'll try to deep sky. Had a play with the MPCC and some different spacings for the camera, and wouldn't you know, second attempt at a spacing, I think it's pretty good - enough for me anyway.
Here's a quickie M7 from tonight's tinkering, and also the centre and corners for star shapes. I can't believe this big fella has been sitting idle all this time because I'm a lazy idiot.
Think I'll be playing with it a bit more from now on :D
100% image on my Flickr. (https://flic.kr/p/2a77vDC)
I've had a 10" reflector for around 8 years, and set it up for imaging with a lovely Moonlite stepper focuser and so on, but have only ever used it for very occasional visual on a dob base. When I first got it I had a play with imaging, but got frustrated trying to get a flat field, never sure if it was my inexperience at collimating, or if the MPCC wasn't doing its job, or if it was the spacing between camera and MPCC and so on. I put it in the too hard basket and never persevered.
Got back from Astrofest and the clear nights have continued, so set up mount at home, but just for something different, instead of putting my usual refractor (TMB92SS), I decided I'd tinker with the 10" and see if I can get some successful images out of it. First tried some planetary stuff since they're all in the sky at the moment.
Tonight I thought I'll try to deep sky. Had a play with the MPCC and some different spacings for the camera, and wouldn't you know, second attempt at a spacing, I think it's pretty good - enough for me anyway.
Here's a quickie M7 from tonight's tinkering, and also the centre and corners for star shapes. I can't believe this big fella has been sitting idle all this time because I'm a lazy idiot.
Think I'll be playing with it a bit more from now on :D
100% image on my Flickr. (https://flic.kr/p/2a77vDC)