Took this one tonight of 75 x 1 min images with 20 darks taken with an ATIK 428EX OSC ccd cooled to ~-15°C on my C11 at f6.3 (focal reducer). An initial debayer and stack in Maxim-DL then some stretching in photoshop. Hope to get some flats tomorrow and then rework it but comments most welcome. Now some sleep
Curiously, I also have an ATIK (320E)and a Celestron SCT (9.25) - and took a similar image. Interesting to compare results.
Mine was a rough 5 x 5min plus darks.
Wow - very similar. I plan to process a bit more using flats and bias frames I took this afternoon, I want to try the Ring Nebula next (but cloudy at the moment). Perhaps we can compare some more soon. I would like to see my stars a bit sharper so not sure what to do there (why I kept the exposures so short). Nice image.
Part of the problem with the stars with mine is the size of pixels on the ATIK 320E compared to the relatively long focal length (1480mm). Impossible to get tiny stars with that combination. The ATIK 320E suits a short refractor.
My Atik is meant when I use my scope with a Fastar which I reaslly enjoyed so this was my 1st go with it at F6.3 so that makes sense. I am wanting to get a CCD for it at F6.3 and F10 but thought I would try this first. A big $$$ jump for my next one - thinking of a monoschrome 11000 ccd with self-tracking (my orion short-tube focuser tube wobbles a lot). Any suggestions or recommendations?
