M20

[bert]

Hi all,

Trying to sort out collimation on my VC200l, this is the first scope I have collimated, talk about jumping in the deep end! It still isnt quite there....

This image was taken 21/8/10 when the moon was very close to the object. Only 10* 10 min subs. M20 is such a beautiful object, it nice to see it come round every year, and it fits nicely in the ccd frame.

so;

VC200l @ 1800fl
st4000xcm
Eq6

Thanks for looking.

Brett

[Alchemy]

Like the colors Brett, the core stars really give it that illuminated from the centre feeling.
Til I saw your shot I forgot I actually owned one of these vc200 scopes, I couldn't get over how lightweight it was, although it was reputed to be for imaging, I let it go due to aperture fever.

[renormalised]

Nice shot Brett:)

Like the colour:)

[gregbradley]

Ripper shot Brett. Your stars are so tiny!

Fabulous. Needs more exposure time or no moon but under the conditions a great result. I'd say your collimation is very good.

Greg.

[strongmanmike]

Yeh Brett that's a great shot of an ol favourite :thumbsup:

The colours are rich and you have revealed the central stars nicely.

Mike

[multiweb]

Great shot - beautiful res in the center stars. :thumbsup:

[Doomsayer]

Nice image. Looking forward to seeing shots with the VC in better conditions.
guy

[leinad]

Great shot Bert. Good to see the VC200L out :)
Were you running with AO ?

[bert]

Thanks Clive,

The standard vc is incredibly light, mine......err..... isn't. See here http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=55042&highlight=carbon+truss

Carl,

Thanks, that means a lot, as you are one of the people who can explain what is happening in the image...:thanx:

Greg,

Photoshop is my friend when it comes to star reduction, I'm pretty sure the collimation is still not right. Have a lokk at some of the lighter stars in the background... they are slightly triangular. This is not tracking as they are the same in every sub. Before I started the collimation they were far more triangular, still got a ways to go. It kinda like sorting out a Paramount for the first time.:lol:

Muscles,

Thanks, been working on getting the stars right, The colour technique was suggested by Louie (atalas). Works a treat (saturation was not used in ps).

Froggy,

Thanks heaps for teaching me the basics of collimation!!!!:thumbsup:

Guy,

Looking forward to posting more, you built a great scope. I probably havent told you this yet but it had my new vixen fl102 (f9=long and an insanely heavy moonlite focuser) on its back for this image, I had an eyepiece in it and was having a look as the exposures where running. It didnt flex at all, even with all that weight on top.

Dan,

Yeah, ao was running, its the only guider I have now. It even dithers automatically for me...

Brett

[Alchemy]

Thats a bit of hardcore modifying you have had done, looks spectacular.