Dewy moonlit first light for STL11K

[RickS (Rick)]

First test of a new (secondhand - thanks, Stuart) STL11K last night on a damp moonlit night from the inner burbs of Brisbane. Scope was a Tak FSQ-106ED. I really love the FOV of this camera compared to my old KAF8300 chipped camera!

I didn't expend much effort on the processing because the data is, unsurprisingly, not that great. There's a bit of tilt too which I hope to fix with a new adapter...

Image is here: http://rickstevenson.smugmug.com/Astro-Photography/2012-06/23698680_zhPM7k#!i=1936188884&k=5TC Mqqr

Cheers,
Rick.

[DavidTrap (David)]

That's definitely got potential! A well proven combination.

Hopefully the weather gods will be kind for a few nights. I'm hoping to get some collimation and focusing sorted tonight.

DT

[Octane (Humayun)]

Welcome to the FSQ-STL marriage made in heaven.

H

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by DavidTrap

That's definitely got potential! A well proven combination.

Hopefully the weather gods will be kind for a few nights. I'm hoping to get some collimation and focusing sorted tonight.

DT

Yes, looks very promising, David. Can't wait to get this combo to a dark site. Good luck with the weather. I'm going to try a few more tests and maybe collect some Ha over the next couple of nights.

Originally Posted by Octane

Welcome to the FSQ-STL marriage made in heaven.

H

Thanks, H! I'm looking forward to finding out what the pair can do. I might even have a go at a mosaic.

Cheers,
Rick.

[allan gould]

Rick, that is a solid image and really nicely processed.

[DavidTrap (David)]

Originally Posted by RickS

Yes, looks very promising, David. Can't wait to get this combo to a dark site. Good luck with the weather. I'm going to try a few more tests and maybe collect some Ha over the next...
Cheers,
Rick.

Fingers crossed for 20/21 July (with 13/14 as plan B)

Already have my rig polar aligned in the backyard. Will attend to focusing and collimation after I've read the 6yo her bed time story

DT

[RobF (Rob)]

Looking good Rick. Bit too pink/magenta if I'm going to by picky, but only because I'm green with envy

Certainly a great combination of scope and camera.

[Martin Pugh]

Nicely done nevertheless Rick.

well done
Martin

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by allan gould

Rick, that is a solid image and really nicely processed.

Thanks, Allan.

Originally Posted by DavidTrap

Fingers crossed for 20/21 July (with 13/14 as plan B)

Already have my rig polar aligned in the backyard. Will attend to focusing and collimation after I've read the 6yo her bed time story

DT

Fingers crossed indeed. Hope you're making progress tonight, David. Very dewy again, but at least the sky is clear.

Originally Posted by RobF

Looking good Rick. Bit too pink/magenta if I'm going to by picky, but only because I'm green with envy

Certainly a great combination of scope and camera.

Thanks, Rob. I just did a 1:1:1 colour combination. Hope to get a G2V calibration done some time tonight.

Originally Posted by Martin Pugh

Nicely done nevertheless Rick.

well done
Martin

Thanks very much, Martin.

[SkyViking (Rolf)]

That's a very good image I think, and you didn't spend much effort on the processing...

[Tandum (Robin)]

Good to see you got it all plugged in Rick. I'm sure you'll be happy with the camera.

[peter_4059 (Peter)]

Sure is a nice wide field Rick. Hopefully things dry up a bit here. The last two nights have been very dewy.

[Paul Haese]

Looks good Rick. Like the colours and you have all three objects nicely in the field.

[atalas]

Nice work Rick and congrats on the new camera.

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by SkyViking

That's a very good image I think, and you didn't spend much effort on the processing...

Thanks, Rolf. I might spend some of my limited dark sky time grabbing some better quality data. There's a bunch of fainter nebulosity in there somewhere!

Originally Posted by Tandum

Good to see you got it all plugged in Rick. I'm sure you'll be happy with the camera.

All going well so far, thanks Robin! I like everything except the long download time.

Originally Posted by peter_4059

Sure is a nice wide field Rick. Hopefully things dry up a bit here. The last two nights have been very dewy.

I have to go out on Monday and Tuesday nights, so they will probably be better, Peter

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

Looks good Rick. Like the colours and you have all three objects nicely in the field.

Thanks, Paul.

Originally Posted by atalas

Nice work Rick and congrats on the new camera.

Thanks, Louie. IIRC, you had problems with the focuser on your Baby Q? I think that's where my tilt is coming from too. I'm using an Atlas with the focuser racked in as much as possible (still need a spacer to achieve that with the new camera). Ultimately, I think I'll bite the bullet and spend the big bucks required to replace the focuser with a Precise Parts adapter.

[Ross G]

A nice wide photo Rick.

You have a great combination of equipment.

Ross.

[atalas]

Originally Posted by RickS

Thanks, Rolf. I might spend some of my limited dark sky time grabbing some better quality data. There's a bunch of fainter nebulosity in there somewhere!



All going well so far, thanks Robin! I like everything except the long download time.



I have to go out on Monday and Tuesday nights, so they will probably be better, Peter



Thanks, Paul.



Thanks, Louie. IIRC, you had problems with the focuser on your Baby Q? I think that's where my tilt is coming from too. I'm using an Atlas with the focuser racked in as much as possible (still need a spacer to achieve that with the new camera). Ultimately, I think I'll bite the bullet and spend the big bucks required to replace the focuser with a Precise Parts adapter.

Hi Rick

An improvement since the BabyQ's return from Tak,and certainly less of an issue with a light camera like the QHY8 mate.

I've owned a FSQ106ED/FSQ106N and the Baby and they all showed signs of slight tilt.....the ST1100 is a big camera so,an after market focuser would be worth the money for your combo.

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by Ross G

A nice wide photo Rick.

You have a great combination of equipment.

Ross.

Thanks, Ross.

[Stevec35 (Steve)]

Nice work Rick. That's a very nice first light image.

Cheers

Steve

[RickS (Rick)]

Thanks, Steve.