Ngc 3372

[atalas]

Hi again all

This shot of ETA was taken over the New Year weekend out at Magellan Observatory and although, not mega data still not too shabby. :)

Exposure: 30 x 4 minutes

Telescope: FSQ106ED

Camera: SXVF-M25C

Guide: ZS66SD/QHY5

Mount: AP600E

http://www.atalas.net/components/com_expose/showpic.html?img=expose/img/img_1232348604_257_lg.jpg&caption=NGC%203372&date=&location=

[Octane]

Louie,

Beautiful.

Regards,
Humayun

[peeb61]

Very nice indeed Louie, just blows your mind.

Paul

[TrevorW]

Louie would you mind posting a low res image for me as we've used our broadband quota for the month and it takes forever to load a full size image

Thanks

[strongmanmike]

Louie! man that's a sweet outfit you have used :eyepop:..I'm jealous :P

2hrs on Eta is quite a lot!

This is an excellent one shot camera image, the colour balance is excellent and the stars are perfectly round too!

To me though it looks ever so slightly out of focus...? Is this possible? Or am I just used to using twice the FL with a mono CCD perhaps...? :confuse3:

Mike

[RobF]

Love it - thanks for posting.

R

[Dennis]

Hi Louie

Wow – that is a cracker of an image of Eta Carina! I loved just panning around and looking in all the nooks and crannies at the various celestial features scattered across the entire frame. Top stuff!

Cheers

Dennis

[atalas]

H,Paul,Trevor,Mike,Rob,Dennis,thank s for the feedback guy's!you too kind.

[atalas]

Ah,yes Big Mike!a touch soft on focus...need to check focus every hour, and yes I feel for you having to put up with a 6"Ap apo ,NJP mount and a FLI CCD ! :lol:

[spearo]

Lovely shot!
great FOV
I cant see the focus issue, that's what you get from working with a DSLR...
very nice work there
cheers
frank

[gregbradley]

Wonderful image Louie. I just love the FSQ106ED and the 106N. It such an incredible scope.

Focus looks very close to me but yes that is one thing you have to watch with the FSQ. It will lose focus with temperature shifts. More than 2 degrees C and it will be out of focus slightly. I have been surprised.

Correct focus on an FSQ is when the stars kind of look like fine sand.

Roland Christen advises to check focus with every 1 degree C shift.
Depends on the scope really. The air spaced quadruplet shifts focus at a different rate to the aluminium tube.

I have yet to install mine but I got a Robofocus with a temperature compensating sensor for this purpose. I think it also may need a specialised mounting bracket.

Greg.

[atalas]

Thanks Frank!

[atalas]

Thanks Greg ! yes mate,I am aware of the focus shift with the focus lock and do do as you suggest with a half lock...does help.

The focus shift I had here was due to temperature drop and I should of re-focused after the first hour so,must make sure next time.

Must look into Temperature Compensating Robofocuser !

At the moment that "captains wheel" is a worry dude...should get a CAA for It.

[gregbradley]

At the moment that "captains wheel" is a worry dude...should get a CAA for It.[/quote]

The Captains Wheel was a mistake by Tak. I notice the baby Q reverted to the more successful focuser arrangement of the FSQ106N which was rock solid. The TEC has a similar locking mechanism but it works well and is easy to open and tighten. My AP140 also has a larger mechanism but it is too big and is not easy to open or tighten but if you had to you can to rotate the focuser for framing an image etc. The BRC has a captains wheel but that works fairly well.

The CAA is an amazing piece of gear. I don't have one on my FSQ106ED but have used them on other scopes before.

Greg.

[atalas]

Yes Greg,they are mate! I had one on the FS102 I had and now have one on the FS60c,very nice piece of gear.

[renormalised]

Louie, I was wondering, whereabouts did you get your SXVF-M25C camera from??.

[atalas]

Here's a link mate....http://www.astrovid.com/