Meade sold them up as mini-Hubbles, and they aren't - but there are a lot of people who do some pretty good stuff with them - but it takes a lot of work. I don't think most people with an SBIG get fantastic results on night one either....
Thats something they ain't for sure. But, having said that, thanks to the advice from you guys on here, I have at last managed to get a decent terrestrial image from the DSI.
Today the backyard, tomorrow the cosmos !
One thing that will help - before you start to image something - focus on a bright star nearby to your target, faint DSO's are damn hard to focus on. I use a Hartmann mask with Nebulosity's fine focus feature.... works well....
You have a very valid point there Peter. I'm used to a webcam and thought the DSI was similar, which it isn't. Paul and Lee set me on the right path and progress is being made, and its fun again
Great guide cameras, or digital frming reticles, thats what I use mine for. and I guess good entry level digital imagers , I mean you get what you pay for, I bought four of em for 90 buck each, and IMHO thats about what they are worth, maybe a bit more....
Yeah I swooped on the runout sale , for myself and a good freind...
Hi Bill, the DSI can be a tempermental little beggar at first but as you get the hang of them they are a quite a decent little camera.
I usually image in either Envisage or MaximDL and always focus with a Hartmann mask usually on a mag 3 to 4 star.
I've attached one of my efforts of Omega Centauri. I am still learning as well and have a long way to go before I can match the efforts of some of our seasoned members who really do put out some brilliant images.
Nice omega centauri Ric.....
I eventually found the helix last night, after the G-11 missed it the other week..... This is 15x1min luminance frames. I should be guiding hopefully soon (probably in time for full moon!) and can push out to longer subs..... need to bump up its signal-to-noise ratio.....
You can get some recognizable images Glen.....stick with it!
Nice pics guys . Yep, a bit of patience and perseverance is paying off, at least I can get reasonable terrestrial shots now. Have to work on the polar alignment, tracking is way off. Can you use the crosshair reticle in Nebulosity for drift alignment ? With the trees and street lights around here, no chance of seeing the SCP. Mrs is getting new batteries for her wheelchair this week so I'm having the old ones for taking out in the field. 2 x 12v 33 Ah, all the power I could want
You could use the crosshair reticle in Frame/Focus mode in Nebulosity - you just need to get it very clear in your head which way is which before you start - ie line up camera so RA/DEC drift follows the crosshairs, work out which way is west by watching which way a star drifts with the RA motor off etc etc
I've already sussed all this with my eyepiece, so haven't used Nebulosity for drifting but would be worth a try.....
Gave the drift thingy a try today with the only star available (good old Sol), was just getting the hang of it when a tree got in the way and the clouds rolled in. Made a rough and ready reticle with a bit of clear plastic and plugged it temporarily into the 25mm eyepiece, have to get a real one soon, illuminated of course. If things clear a bit tonight I'll give it whirl with Nebulosity.
so haven't used Nebulosity for drifting but would be worth a try.....
Hi All.
I have found that rather than drifting with the crosshairs, just expose the ccd for 30-60 sec.
The longer the exposure, the more accurate you can become.
Any drift will show up as trails.
Adjust just as you would to remove the drift normally.
Beauty is you do not have to re-center the faint star, there should be lots too choose from.
Hope this helps
Well after having spent another 2 hours outside just trying to get the DSI to actually show me a star I could set up on in Nebulosity, I have decided to get rid of it and save up for a REAL camera. If anyone wants the hassles of this useless object, its on the for sale section.
Have you tried centering up a darn bright star in an EP, like Canopus or Achernar, then putting the DSI in, set Nebulosity to 1 or 2 sec exposures and hit Frame and Focus, then rack the focuser from one extreme to the other - you should get a star then - then you have something to work with..... Mine comes to focus in the ED80 with a 35 mm extension piece, I'm sure it also will focus through diagonal.....
![[1ponders]'s Avatar](../vbiis/customavatars/avatar45_9.gif){kind=avatar}
.
