First light TEC180mm Fluorite 15:20 hours

[gregbradley]

Hi Mike.

You're right, I actually did 14 versions but whose counting!

Alnitak wan't a problem at all. Perhaps the baffling in the scope handled that. I did have a few subs where the framing shifted a bit during focusing and I didn't pick it up and it showed Alnitak starting to cause a small reflection. I was surprised by the lack of light rays and I put it down to the excellent baffling as well as excellent anti reflection coatings and extremely black absorbing paint. No doubt the fluorite element has an impact on that as well with less scatter.

Yuri uses this extremely black super absorbing paint to paint the interior of the tube. He researched what was the blackest most absorbing paint around. It is blacker than both my Tak scopes and the AP.
He posted images of it compared to other black paints and it is really black.

Greg.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Hi Mike.

You're right, I actually did 14 versions but whose counting!

Alnitak wan't a problem at all. Perhaps the baffling in the scope handled that. I did have a few subs where the framing shifted a bit during focusing and I didn't pick it up and it showed Alnitak starting to cause a small reflection. I was surprised by the lack of light rays and I put it down to the excellent baffling as well as excellent anti reflection coatings and extremely black absorbing paint. No doubt the fluorite element has an impact on that as well with less scatter.

Yuri uses this extremely black super absorbing paint to paint the interior of the tube. He researched what was the blackest most absorbing paint around. It is blacker than both my Tak scopes and the AP.
He posted images of it compared to other black paints and it is really black.

Greg.

Sounds pretty good.

When you use the bigger chip it might be a different story though..? Hope not. While not usually a big issue in the scheme of things, off field flares are a pain really. I never had them with my small SXV-H9 chip (9mm X 6.7mm) and the Starfire but the bigger chip seems to pick'em up much more often. Might be the inner surfaces of the extension pieces I use though..?

Mike

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Sounds pretty good.

When you use the bigger chip it might be a different story though..? Hope not. While not usually a big issue in the scheme of things, off field flares are a pain really. I never had them with my small SXV-H9 chip (9mm X 6.7mm) and the Starfire but the bigger chip seems to pick'em up much more often. Might be the inner surfaces of the extension pieces I use though..?

Mike

Perhaps.

I installed a aperture mask over the CCD chamber that Apogee provided. If you look into the CCD chamber you can see most likely lots of shiny aluminium parts and soldered connectors that could easily cause reflections.

These then bounce off the flattener that you must use for large chipped cameras and you get your reflections perhaps.

Your AP scope undoubtedly has excellent baffling and coatings so perhaps making a mask out of black thin cardboard that is about the same size as the chip and putting it over it may help.

There was a long thread about this on the Apogee group that culminated in Apogee issuing a free mask to U16M camera owners. The guy there who pioneered it showed images with and without his black cardboard mask and it definitely made a difference.

Another thing that may help is to blacken the edges of your filters.

Time will tell Mike but I haven't seen significant reflection problems with the U16M yet on any scope. It is one main reason I chose the Baader filters as they had the best results on reflections on big chip cameras.

Greg.

[marc4darkskies (Marcus)]

Well done Greg - looks like that 180's a keeper!! 15 hours is well into mega data territory too - hats off to you.

Can't help feeling though that with 450 mins Ha you should be able to bring out some more contrast in the streamers without adding noise/artifacts. How are you blending in your Ha?

Yes, I'd say the baffling is pretty good not having to deal with flare from Alnitak. Interesting what you say about masking the chip and blackening the edges of the filters - haven't heard that before. My Tak showed 4 greenish semi circularish refection flares - but they were fairly easy to process out.

Again, well done - look forward to more!

Cheers, Marcus

[gregbradley]

Hi Marcus,

The Ha didn't turn out that well. I am not sure why. Perhaps this camera isn't that sensitive to Ha - too early to tell. I have done a lot of Ha before with an STL and RCOS 12.5 inch and that was equally dim if not dimmer.

How did your Ha turn out for similar exposure time?

The clear filter images had tremendous detail. I notice Russell Croman's Horsehead doesn't use Ha at all. I was planning to not use it but it did add some detail to the dark areas and more richness to the red coloured areas.
Clear filter or no filter at all is the way to go.

I blended it using screen mode and about 50%.

Greenish flares are probably from your green filters which if they are Astrodons tend to reflect most in the green filter I noticed with mine.

Greg.

[AlexN]

Not having to deal with Alnitak is definitely a sure sign of an awesome telescope..

In my very limited experience with imaging the horsehead.. I've found that Ha data does more for the outer nebulosity, and the darker dusty areas below and surrounding IC434, and the tonal differences in B33 itself, however IC434 seems to respond well to a no filter (by no filter, Im referring to the UV/IR filter on my QHY8)..

I dont know if thats the normal experience or something unusual in my system... But yeah, Ha definitely strengthens the dark dusty areas, where as just UV/IR filtering and RGB imaging brings out the most detail in IC434..

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by AlexN

Not having to deal with Alnitak is definitely a sure sign of an awesome telescope..

In my very limited experience with imaging the horsehead.. I've found that Ha data does more for the outer nebulosity, and the darker dusty areas below and surrounding IC434, and the tonal differences in B33 itself, however IC434 seems to respond well to a no filter (by no filter, Im referring to the UV/IR filter on my QHY8)..

I dont know if thats the normal experience or something unusual in my system... But yeah, Ha definitely strengthens the dark dusty areas, where as just UV/IR filtering and RGB imaging brings out the most detail in IC434..

I agree. That's how it worked out with this image. It was worthwhile but not a lot of bang for your buck so to speak.

Greg.

[gregbradley]

Thanks very much for your kind comments Alex, Marcus, Barry, Lester, Louie, Jeanette, Alan, Gary, Marc, Doug, Renormalised, Ian, Matt, Bert and Leon.

Cheers,

Greg.

[Alchemy (Clive)]

lovely image.

your remote imaging location, 8 nights out of 10 clear for imaging..... it sure isnt located here in melbourne

[Paul Haese]

That is without a doubt superb work Greg. So much detail in the mane and the head. Incredible detail in blue area below and to the left. Excellent work. Definitely and APOD submission.

Very nice work.

[peeb61 (Paul)]

Hi Greg,
I'm speechless! Just beautiful....

15hrs and 20min....omg

Paul

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by Alchemy

lovely image.

your remote imaging location, 8 nights out of 10 clear for imaging..... it sure isnt located here in melbourne

Hehe. Yes clear skies can be a surprisingly rare thing at times.

Originally Posted by peeb61

Hi Greg,
I'm speechless! Just beautiful....

15hrs and 20min....omg

Paul

Thanks Paul.

Greg.

[beren]

Congrats Greg on the TECs first light image, top image must be very exciting using a instrument of that class and size, look forward to many more.

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by beren

Congrats Greg on the TECs first light image, top image must be very exciting using a instrument of that class and size, look forward to many more.

Thanks Beren. Yes it has made the whole game of imaging exciting.

Greg.

[Virgs]

Simply one of the best HH taken from Australia..

[gregbradley]

Wow, thanks Virgs.

Greg.

[bluescope]

Well you get what you pay for in this business and that is one fine scope and camera combo Greg .... well done.

By the way what is your occupation to pay for all these goodies ... doctor ? lawyer ? golfer ?

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by bluescope

Well you get what you pay for in this business and that is one fine scope and camera combo Greg .... well done.

By the way what is your occupation to pay for all these goodies ... doctor ? lawyer ? golfer ?

Thanks Steve,

The camera/scope are working out very nice.

Apogee makes a version of this 8300 camera as well for US$3995. I hear it cools quickly and also gets -50C below ambient. So that camera would be similar. Still a lot of money but in the CCD camera world that is "cheapish".
Hopefully the Aussie dollar will recover ground again one day in the future.

Greg.

[CoolhandJo (Paul)]

One word comes to mind. Glorious!

[gregbradley]

Originally Posted by CoolhandJo

One word comes to mind. Glorious!

Thank you Dr Paul!

Greg.