First light for SBIG STL-11000M and Takahashi FSQ-106N (single H-alpha exposure) - Page 2

Ric · #21 13-07-2010, 12:10 PM

Congrats on the first light H.

That's a lovely first up image and I'm looking forward to the colour versions when your filters arrive.

Cheers

Martin Pugh · #22 13-07-2010, 12:53 PM

Its a great combination Humi, you are going to love imaging with this and you have started off with a bang.

well done mate

Martin

alan meehan (Alan) · #23 13-07-2010, 01:21 PM

H should be VH cause you got to be very happy with that set up,well done cant wait to see some coloured shots
AL

Bassnut (Fred) · #24 13-07-2010, 01:42 PM

Excellent 1st light there Humi, very good indeed, its been a long time comming.

Alchemy (Clive) · #25 13-07-2010, 05:40 PM

What a combo !!!!!!
I can see you are happy with your new purchase.

strongmanmike (Michael) · #26 13-07-2010, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octane

Mike, I had a look on OPT's site earlier today. If you check out their Baader filter section, it's all backordered! There must be some serious demand for filters or the manufacturing facility just isn't big enough?

Cheers!

H

That's all well and good but to be made to wait many months for filters is still pretty pathetic IMO. Maybe you should just get another set?....

... hey I have a perfect but cheap set available

Mike

Peter Ward · #27 13-07-2010, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

That's all well and good but to be made to wait many months for filters is still pretty pathetic IMO.

I understand Baader had a death in the family, and filters from him have been nigh impossible to get since.

All Baader suppliers...Oz, USA nd Europe have had the same problem for months.

Sometimes you just have to wait.....

Hagar (Doug) · #28 13-07-2010, 09:52 PM

HongKong dealers has LRGB sets in stock and at very good prices. May be worth ordering from there.

gregbradley · #29 13-07-2010, 09:57 PM

I am not 100% sure Baader filters are the go. I have been using mine for a while now and they often give funny colour combines that are troublesome. They are not 1:1:1 for sure.

I am thinking of switching to Astrodon Gen 11's.

Greg.

desler · #30 13-07-2010, 10:01 PM

Hey H, Oh what a start!

Can't wait to watch your journey with this combo!
Glad it's all worked out so well, the filters will come!
If this is the result from a single 10 minute HA shot, first up with the new rig. it's almost scary what you will be achieving in the future!

Good luck and clear skies!

Darren

suma126 (Shane) · #31 13-07-2010, 10:15 PM

your a lucky bugger all this new gear. you know that its going to rain for a mouth now. nice shot

Peter Ward · #32 13-07-2010, 10:16 PM

The notion that a filter set can be chromatically balanced and still deliver a 1:1:1 exposure ratio without regard to the spectral QE of a particular sensor is frankly, pure spin.

Helmholtz did the grunt-work 200 years ago, and frankly not much has changed since.

Claiming a filter set is 1:1:1 is something of a nonsense, as all you are doing is allowing a red, green or blue flux to leak into the exposure of an adjacent channel, which simply desaturates the signal in that part of the spectrum.

I've used a number of different filters (Wratten, Hoya, CS, Astro-Don and Baader) but, for me at least, it was A/R coating quality and hardness that I found to be for more important than less than optimal transmission curves. I've found Baader's filters to be excellent value for money with well controlled reflections and good spectral transmission.

Octane (Humayun) · #33 13-07-2010, 10:26 PM

Doug, Trevor, Rich, Troy, Rolf, Greg, Bert, Robin, Carl, Jase, Ric, Martin, Alan, Fred, Clive, Darren, Shane (it's raining right now!) and Peter,

Thank you all so much for your very kind words!

Greg -- thank you for the tips regarding temperature and focusing. All taken on board.

Bert -- thank you for the link to that little gadget. I'll keep that in mind definitely. For the time being I do have a Kendrick Firefly dew strap regulated by the Dewbuster system. Will see how I go.

Jase, Martin, Doug, and Peter -- your FSQ images have been an impetus and catalyst for me taking the step that I have. For that, thank you.

Peter, thanks also for clarifying why there's a delay. My profuse apologies for the pesky emails over the last few months. I understand it's out of your hands and I'm fine with that. Considering that it's been a little while now, and the nature of the delay may mean several months yet, I'll wait patiently for the order to be fulfilled, but, perhaps go another route in the mean time. After all, I did buy the gear to use it!

Thanks, everyone.

H

toryglen-boy (Duncan) · #34 14-07-2010, 02:07 PM

nice one mate, i expected great things from your first CCD image ... and i wasnt dissapointed

peeb61 (Paul) · #35 14-07-2010, 04:44 PM

Humayun,
Very nice first light, smooth, stars nice and tight, I could go on!
I will be watching out for more...

Paul

leon · #36 14-07-2010, 09:24 PM

Cool Tak,

and superb image H, enjoy.

Leon

I have PM'D you

telemarker (Keith) · #37 15-07-2010, 03:53 AM

I'll add a cheer to the chorus. Look forward to more from the dream setup (sans filters). Patience.....

rat156 · #38 15-07-2010, 07:58 AM

Hi Humi,

Looks sweet so far, bit too widefield for my liking, all your stars are square!

Should produce some beautiful images though. Best of luck with it.

Cheers
Stuart

Peter Ward · #39 15-07-2010, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octane

..........
Peter, thanks also for clarifying why there's a delay. My profuse apologies for the pesky emails.....

No apology necessary.

The premium astro-equipment world has (relatively) few suppliers...and unfortunately sometimes things get delayed as there is literally no-one else to fill their shoes.

Clearly if nothing even looks like being resolved, a cheque will be in the mail...but I don't think that will be required

...thank you for your patience!

wysiwyg (Mark) · #40 15-07-2010, 11:41 PM

Hi Humi,

Great first light shot and great choice in gear.
I also image with an STL11000M and FSQ106N combo, and these two were made for each other.
You are going to be very happy with your results that is a promise.

I have been using a robofocus unit on my setup for a while in conjunction with focusmax and I must say that the robofocus struggles to provide consistent results for me. Due to the weight of an STL with a 8 filter wheel the robofocus struggles sometimes to haul the gear up.
The rack and pinion focuser on the TAK is not ideal either.
I am now opting to change my focusing mechanism to either an Atlas FLI or a Clement bellerephon, this will give the rigidity I need in the focusing train as well as repeatability. As mentioned the FSQ has a very small critical focus zone of just 55 microns and is very susceptible to temp change.
At least that is what I have found in my experience.

I wish you all the best with your new equipment and looking forward to some great images from you!

Cheers
Mark