Eta Carina

[JohnH]

Well the clear nights disprove the theory about new astro gear....shot this last night to test my new guidescope....this is shot through it but I also tested guiding with it...very pleased.:D I can focus tons better than with the old saxon and as a result guide better on fainter stars, and as you can see it makes a good widefield imaging scope to, plus it is very portable....original is much bigger/shaper, I must setup a gallery site one of these days...

The scope is a WO ZS66 SD. Those who have followed my trials with guiding will know I was looking for small/light/high quality guidscope that I could use for widefield imaging also, I think I might have found it....

[Itchy]

John

That is very nice indeed. Congratulations, you have found a winner.

Cheers

[RB]

Very nice indeed John.

[Phil]

Great shot John you have got alot of detail which i like . What guide CCD are you using.
Phil

[Robby]

Very nice indeed. Lovely composition.
Well done!

[Daniel Beringer]

Very nice image John....well done

[JohnH]

Hi Phil,

Was testing the guidescope so this is a stack of unguided images taken with the canon 20d, currently use a meade LPI for guiding....with GuideMaster v1.3.

[Lester]

Like the colour variation in the Nebula.

Is the WO ZS66 SD a APO? Star Images are very good corner to corner.
What f ratio is the scope?

[JohnH]

Lester,

It is an F5.9 Semi APO, see here:

http://www.william-optics.com/wowebs/prod_tel/zssd66/specifications.htm

There are three similar models, a Petzval ED semi, the one I have and an ED Triplet APO.

And I cropped out the outer 25% of the image where the field curvature started to be noticeable - I should have said that in my notes.

There is a review of this family in the May Sky and Telescope, so far my view is 100% positive...

[tornado33]

yes nice shot. Round stars no tracking errors there. Any chance of posting up a shot of your new rig.
Thanks.
Scott

[JohnH]

Scott,

New setup photo is here

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...&postcount=170 (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showpost.php?p=110078&postcount=170)

Very Happy!

[JohnH]

Of Eta Carina image is here:

http://www.william-optics.com/wo_gal/catalog/images/zs66sdapo_ngc3372_houton_apr06.jpg

[tornado33]

Thats a good looking rig John. I hear the Sphinx is a good mount. I guess it has an autoguider port where you can plug an autoguider (in this case the LPI) in and away you go?
Scott

[JohnH]

Yes and no - the Sphinx Starbook has an autoguider port yes, but it takes SBIG control signals to drive it (that can be changed to accept AGA if desired). The other way to go is to connect it up to a PC via the ethernet port and guide that way - which is how I use the LPI with the excellent Guidemaster program.