So close I can smell it

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

After the privilege of sharing in the excitment of using Houghy's new rich field setup with new you-bewt DSLR at SPSP, my own outfit is aaaaalmost ready

The weather is fickle in Newcastle today otherwise I was going to set'er up outside and workout balance and cable routing etc ready for first ..but didn't want to give her first instead

Here are some pickies of the new camera

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...proline_images

Here are some pickies of the ASA N12 with new camera attached all ready to be mounted on the NJP

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike20...ine_on_asa_n12

First light should be very soon...drum role....

Mike

[Astroman (Andrew Wall)]

Man thats an impressive setup.

[jase (Jason)]

Looking good there Mike. I'd be interested to see how you balance your DEC/RA. There would be some considerable weight with such an imaging train.

[Dr Nick (Nick)]

Cool, can't w8 'till 1st light...

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Hi Jase

Hopefully like this..?

This is a similar sized camera - the SBIG STL11000M mounted "underneath" an ASA N10 OTA (I have the larger ASA N12)

I was really hoping to play with the balance this afternoon but the weather was just too unsettled to risk it

Hopefully all will be ok?

Mike

[davidpretorius]

wow, that is impressive!

[davidpretorius]

and that last photo of the setup is also impressive!

[jase (Jason)]

I think you've got the right idea Mike. You'll need to face the imaging train down and possibly slightly offset to one side to help keep you worm/gear in meshed.

Certainly, many others with the ASA have the same concept - http://www.poigetdigitalpics.com/asaAstrograph.html

Eagerly awaiting the first light image... show us what you've got

[RB (Andrew)]

**DROOL DROOL **

Can't wait for first light Mike !!!

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by jase

Eagerly awaiting the first light image... show us what you've got

Sheesh me too!

Hey! I'm also looking forward to what "you" do with the FSQED too I'd love one of those scopes!

John Gleason (if you know him) has just spent a month in Australia up at Coonabarrabran with his huge ProLine 16803 (37mm X 37mm chip) on an FSQ106 and he is absolutely extatic with the performance. Again the focuser was a bit of an issue operating at near its practical weight limit he says.

I'm getting the 1.8X ASA extender when it becomes available next month but I might have to get the 0.75X ASA reducer too for my N12 giving me 850mm FL at F2.75 so I can go a bit wider, the standard 1080mm FL at F3.6 and 2050mm FL at F6.8? ...Sheesh, imagine a 12" F2.75 coupled to the ProLine

Any way lets not get too far aheah of myself, still gotta climb the ASAFLI learning curve yet

Mike
BTW your web site is excellent and I love the two options you have for observing sites - your a very lucky bugger!

[h0ughy (David)]

free bibs ---get your free bibs, drool all you like.

very nice teasing Mr Mike Strongman

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

These are good ones I believe Houghy?

http://www.baby-bib.com/category/646...Drool-Bibs.htm

[h0ughy (David)]

Lol

[Garyh]

I need a bib too!!!.....drool drool...
yeah getting all the gear balanced nicely will take a bit of practice I say.
How do you intend on balancing the OTA with such a heavy camera one end?
Some sort of sliding wieghts?

[jase (Jason)]

Hi Mike,

Really enjoy John Gleason's images. He does some incredible Ha work. I could imagine the original FSQ focuser would be at maximum capacity with the PL16803. Tak have "beefed up" the focuser on the new FSQ-106ED to circumvent this. The FSQ with an 88mm image circle would have no problems in handling the 37mm x 37mm chip. In fact the FSQ will accomodate the largest CCD chip available today - The Fairchild CCD595. Its an 85Megapixel camera with a chip size of 80.6mm x 80.6mm - http://www.fairchildimaging.com/prod...ea/ccd_595.htm

Does the PL16803 require square filters? Thats whats holding me back at the moment. As your chip gets larger, filters become extremely expensive (especially for narrowband work). I know Custom Scientific produce square filters, but they are double even triple the cost of a 50mm unmounted filter (which isn't cheap when you consider the CS 50mm unmounted 10nm Ha filters costs $A800).

Thanks for checking out the site - still work in progress.

I wish you some clear dark skies so you can get acquainted with your new setup.

[EzyStyles (Eric)]

great setup mike can't wait for first light.