Paton-Hawksley Star Analyser 100 (SA100)

[Merlin66]

Not sure the best place to post this...
Well I've just purchased the Paton-Hawksley Star Analyser 100 (SA100) transmission grating to add to my growing collection of astronomical spectroscopes.
This is a 100 line per mm, grating, blazed to increase the effeciency in the first order spectrum. Mounted in a standard 1.25" filter body and the grating is protected by non reflective glass slips.
Comes well packaged with a small 1.25" filter insert (to allow you to position the orientation of the grating in your adaptor - a nice touch!)
This screws into the nosepiece of a webcam/ CCD to give a bright spectrum. By varying the distance between the SA100 and the chip you can get better dispersion ( wider spectrum)
You also get an Instructional CD with .pdf files in English and French giving very clear illustrated instructions on how to set up the SA100 on your telescope, the types of objects it can be used on and examples of the spectra obtained. There's also a brief catalogue of the brightest Wolf Rayet stars( emission stars) and a listing of the the more prominent Hydrogen line positions in the spectra.
To analyse the resulting spectra from your webcam/ CCD you'll need some software. I'd recommend the freeware VSpec package; this combined with C. Buil's IRIS will quickly get you on the road to success.
It has been said that spectroscopy has lead to more than 75% of ALL discoveries made in Astronomy, and the SA100 allows the amateur to start along that road.
A nice piece of kit, and for the price, a bargain.

[sheeny]

They are a great way to get into spectroscopy!

Al.

[Glenpiper]

Ken,

Given that you already have a 200+ Baader grating is there any particular reason for adding the SA 100?

I'm interested as I lost my SA 100, but not my RO 200, in the bushfire and am wondering if I need a replacement. The only reason I previously had both was that I used the RO 200 with the 'large' ST8 chip and the SA 100 with the smaller DSI Pro II chip. Now that I have replaced the destroyed DSI with the larger chip Pro III I can get the full RO 200 spectrum on the chip.

[Merlin66]

Bernard,
There were two reasons for the purchase:
First was to actually "handle" and use the SA100, so I could do a full Review on in for other amateurs. Secondly, as you say to get the zero and full spectrum on a small CCD chip.
I find the Baader is excellent. No need to replace it.
I also had a RO, but ended up having to return it as it started to "fog" and de-laminate.

[Glenpiper]

Ken,
Sounds like pretty good reasons for the SA100.

How long did you have your RO before you had the fogging and delamination problems? I've had mine for over eleven years and, thankfully, haven't had any such problem yet.

[Merlin66]

I bought it s/hand and was told it was "4 or 5 years old".
Rainbow Optics, to their credit took it back, and offered a 60% refund on current price.