Flat Panel Recommendations

[EC48675 (Euan)]

Hey all,

I have a C8 Edge HD and I'm looking for an effective white led panel to take flat frames rather than using a white t shirt and having to take them just before my imaging session.

I have seen Wanderer Astro have flat panels which would be the right size but of course they have the astro tax on them.

Does anyone use a relatively inexpensive white led panel for this sort of thing that they could recommend?

Cheers

[Startrek (Martin)]

I’ve used a Hiuon dimmable A3 and A2 LED tracing panel for years to take Flats with my 8” and 10” carbon Newts

Back then they were only $65 now $120 but still very cheap compared to retail Astro flats panels like Pegasus and similar which are $250 to $350

https://www.dicksmith.com.au/da/buy/...6930444800079/

I did add a layer of 3.5mm opal acrylic diffuser ( Bunnings ) to dim it slightly for some filters ( I can’t remember which ones ). Taped with cloth tape around outside edge of panel. Took half an hour.

I also cut a piece of thin black cardboard ( office works ) with a hole to match size of OTA and taped it to flat panel to eliminate excess glare around focuser and scope. Took 10 mins to do.

Have no issues at all with my ZWO 2600MC with Dualband and ZWO 2600M and Antlia LRGB and 3nm SHO filters

Just slew the scope vertical , turn tracking off and take them. The dimming control works well and after using it for a while you know roughly where the illumination settings should be for each filter ( they don’t need to be exactly the same each time ) The only adjustment after that is the ADU target range.I can have all my flats done in under an hour. I usually take them on a cloudy night when not imaging to maximise imaging time. I don’t reuse flats , I take new flats for each project.

I use Flat Aid in APT

Cheers
Martin

[EC48675 (Euan)]

Thanks so much! You've been a huge help.

That's a really good shout, I'll be going with that!

Cheers

[Startrek (Martin)]

Glad to help
If you find you need an extra layer of Opal Acrylic sheet because you can’t reach ADU target at lowest dim setting on Huion panel , these guys below do custom cut A3 and A2 pieces for reasonable prices.
Bunnings only sell the larger 600 x 900 pieces of opal acrylic ( I used Bunnings before I found out about these guys below )

https://www.acrylicsonline.com.au/pr...-acrylic-sheet

Depending on your rig and set up , you may not need an extra layer of opal acrylic ??

Cheers
Martin

[Leo.G (Leo)]

I also cut a piece of thin black cardboard ( office works ) with a hole to match size of OTA and taped it to flat panel to eliminate excess glare around focuser and scope. Took 10 mins to do.

Have no issues at all with my ZWO 2600MC with Dualband and ZWO 2600M and Antlia LRGB and 3nm SHO filters

That sounds like a magnificent idea Martin, I must try that, I have an 8" GSO f5 Newtonian and an 8" RC, plus a 6" refractor and 2 light panels (cheap junk but they work), I can make one for the 8" scopes and one for the 6" refractor and smaller (maybe a bracketed slide in system so it's interchangeable, easy done with light aluminium c channel/angle, or plastic stuff and Gorilla brand super glue (it glues most plastics)
because my cheaper light panels (both Aldi I think (A3)) don't have a great range of dimming, very bright but some times way too bright.


I'm going to look into the opal acrylic diffuser too, I had no idea Bunnings sold it. I've needed it before for copying slides projected from a slide projector onto a white door and photographed with a digital camera (good overall results on NASA Apollo 14 launch from NASA staging area).