A Hybrid Swan

[avandonk]

Another relatively clear night. Took some Swan data with the modded 100ED.
640mm at f/6.4
Canon 5DH, 4x16min (all at 500 ISO) with Astronomic HA filter, 2x16 min O3 filter,
Recombined data thus
HA to RED
O3 green and blue to GREEN
Blue from LPR image to BLUE as cloud came in before I could get some Hbeta.

Large image 1.5MB
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~trlee8/SWAN.jpg

Seems to work. Tracking is working quite well since I drift aligned again.
Below is also an O3 image to show what you would typically see visually as your eyes sensitivity is a maximum at this wavelength.

Bert

[Astroman]

Brilliant image Bert, like the wide angle and colours look terrific. Do you have an image of the 100ED? After mods..

[avandonk]

Andrew here is a pic of the modded 100ED. I cut 100mm off the main tube and then fitted an Astro Physics 2.7 inch focuser with an Astro Physics Focal Reducer (0.67) first slotted thing. Then an AP 2 inch adapter (second slotted thing) followed by a Borg rotator (allows rotation without losing focus) and two Borg filter boxes and then a Borg Canon T-ring. This gives me a versatile experimental platform for filter and multiple filter exposures. This setup only very slightly vignettes the full frame 5DH. The only things that actually vignette are the 48mm filters.
You can see how well the AP FR flattens the field by checking out the corners of the image. The focal reduction and field flattening is controlled by adjusting the distance between the sensor and the FR. Borg bits are really good for this.

Bert

[Astroman]

Thanks Bert, you have the EQ6 nicely loaded there. Mods look great.

[avandonk]

Its an HEQ5 with Astromecanicca motors and it easily handles the weight. The motors are superb and they are belt drive which so far has no discernible backlash. I have the backlash correction on the Astromecanicca controller set to zero on both axes. This mount happily takes the TAL 200K+bits at 15kg+ and a focal length of 1800mm and not one crook image due to guiding.

I also have an EQ6 with belt drive stepping motors and I hope to use this for a 12 inch or bigger astrograph I have yet to build. Minimising weight and windage is the key. I am working on it!

Bert

[Dr Nick]

Wow! nice! ;)

[seeker372011]

fantastic amount of nebulosity you have captured and brought out...

[Garyh]

Thats very nice Bert!!
Love the mods you have done to the ED100!!!!
well done there!!

[tornado33]

Great shot there. Would be curious to see the H beta imagety when you can get it, Ive always wondered how much H beta modded DSLR's can pick up.
Scott

[Ric]

Great images Bert. The nebulosity and the detail within it looks fantastic.

Cheers