QHY9 First Light

WingnutR32 (Sam) · #1 04-10-2011, 10:25 AM

Hi IIS,

Finally had my first light with the QHY9 through a brand new WO FLT 98.

It was a very very quick attempt just to get a result before leaving Orbost. I didn't really do any polar alignment, just a quick 2 star align on the HEQ5Pro.

I have a field flattener/reducer for the FLT98, a very nice looking P-Flat4 from William Optics, but found out too late that I need about 6mm of T-thread spacing to mate it up to the QHY Colour Filter Wheel. This has now been ordered, so progression is happening.

Anyways, for a first attempt at anything CCD, Mono, Cooled, "Refractor'd", "Triplet'd", I am pretty happy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/w1ngnut...in/photostream

Cheers
Sam

WingnutR32 (Sam) · #2 05-10-2011, 09:19 AM

After reading another thread, I managed to get it under 200k to attach up here on IIS

TheDecepticon · #3 05-10-2011, 04:00 PM

Well done, you're on your way!

Focus looks good and longer exposures will give you some great benefit.

Next curve is the processing.

WingnutR32 (Sam) · #4 05-10-2011, 04:22 PM

Thanks,

I have a focusing mask on the way for the scope to make it better, I did that one by eye. So it can definitely improve.

As for processing, I used DSS to align the LRGB images using the Lum as reference and have been using PS CS5 and StarTools for the curves/levels. But yes, very big learning curve.

Erg · #5 05-10-2011, 05:41 PM

Great first effort with the new gear. That was only 15 mins or so wasnt it?

Erg

WingnutR32 (Sam) · #6 06-10-2011, 09:44 AM

Cheers Pete,

It was 5 minutes per channel. So 20 minutes of exercise, but still only 5 minutes worth of combined exposure.

WingnutR32 (Sam) · #7 11-10-2011, 12:49 PM

Reworked the same raw data in StarTools (Thanks Ivo).

Here is the attached effort, I reckon the colour is much more correct.

midnight (Darrin) · #8 11-10-2011, 10:12 PM

Good going Sam! You'll also need to work on your framing/presentation (ie positioning the target in a position to grab the viewer's attention).

Looking forward to seeing more.

Good luck!

Darrin...

WingnutR32 (Sam) · #9 12-10-2011, 08:32 AM

Thanks Darrin,

Yeh, definitely need to work on my framing. In this one, I was happy to get it in the field of view since I hadn't polar aligned and only did a ruff 2 star alignment on the HEQ5.

More will certainly be coming too, I am half way through my ROR ob build.