Flew in from Jakarta and arrived around 10 p.m. The sky was hazy but I could see stars, so figured might as well.
First light for my Frankenstein newtonian (with extended, riveted tube).
17 x 5 minutes, guided, AT8IN imaging newtonian with Type 1 Paracorr (cheap!), ST8300M @ 3 Celsius, guided with a 50mm finder guider.
NGC 6888 from the balcony
- orly_andico
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Re: NGC 6888 from the balcony
very nice image. St8300 is now working?
- orly_andico
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Re: NGC 6888 from the balcony
It still is dewing up. Shows up as cold pixels. I discovered an option in Deep Sky Stacker to remove cold pixels and replace with median.
Anyway I should be collecting my two large bags of molecular desiccant from Sigma-Aldrich tomorrow or next week. That should be good enough for several years.
I had to extend the tube of the AT8IN so that the focuser doesn't need to be racked out so much:
So now, no more need for an extension tube or the Feathertouch focuser base extension. I may put the base extension back in so that the drawtube isn't extended so much..
Before I lengthened the tube, the focuser stack looked like this (very ungainly):
Thing is, the AT8IN (and 6- 10- and 12-inch versions) seem to have been designed for a DSLR without any coma corrector. So with a CCD and Paracorr, an extension tube is required and the focuser has to be racked out a lot. This causes instability. So my mod improves stability, but makes the scope incompatible with a bare DSLR (it still reaches focus with a DSLR and Paracorr).
Something to keep in mind if you're planning on getting one of these imaging newtonians and will use it with a CCD.
Anyway I should be collecting my two large bags of molecular desiccant from Sigma-Aldrich tomorrow or next week. That should be good enough for several years.
I had to extend the tube of the AT8IN so that the focuser doesn't need to be racked out so much:
So now, no more need for an extension tube or the Feathertouch focuser base extension. I may put the base extension back in so that the drawtube isn't extended so much..
Before I lengthened the tube, the focuser stack looked like this (very ungainly):
Thing is, the AT8IN (and 6- 10- and 12-inch versions) seem to have been designed for a DSLR without any coma corrector. So with a CCD and Paracorr, an extension tube is required and the focuser has to be racked out a lot. This causes instability. So my mod improves stability, but makes the scope incompatible with a bare DSLR (it still reaches focus with a DSLR and Paracorr).
Something to keep in mind if you're planning on getting one of these imaging newtonians and will use it with a CCD.
Re: NGC 6888 from the balcony
Nice pointy stars!
- orly_andico
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Re: NGC 6888 from the balcony
Thanks.. The Paracorr even though it's a lowly Type 1 that I got used for less than $150, is amazing.
Re: NGC 6888 from the balcony
Looks like a giant Brain in space! Tough one to capture?
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- orly_andico
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Re: NGC 6888 from the balcony
Tough due to haze, frost on my sensor, and horrible light pollution. But it is a fairly bright object and imaging is never a headache with a good mount.
- Airconvent
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Re: NGC 6888 from the balcony
Very nicely down Orly! And that Balcony looks very convenient...Stars above, scope on target, beer, snacks and toilte within reach ...haha.
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Re: NGC 6888 from the balcony
Nice DSO and AP setup pics! Looks like cabbage to me!
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email: gary[at]astro.sg
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"The importance of a telescope is not how big it is, how well made it is.
It is how many people, less fortunate than you, got to look through it."
-- John Dobson.
email: gary[at]astro.sg
twitter: @astrosg
"The importance of a telescope is not how big it is, how well made it is.
It is how many people, less fortunate than you, got to look through it."
-- John Dobson.
Re: NGC 6888 from the balcony
Nice shot, nice set up & nice balcony Orly,