Short Observation session tonight(11 Feb 2004)

[weixing]

Hi,
I'll be having a short observation session tonight(11 Feb 2004) at 20:00 on the grass patch near Tampines Stadium car park.

Tonight objective will be mainly testing my DIY Hartman mask. Hope that it will work.

Those interested are welcome to join me.

Have a nice day.

PS: Hope that big cloud in the north move away as soon as possible.

[VinSnr]

Hi,

Tonight objective will be mainly testing my DIY Hartman mask. Hope that it will work.

what are you using to see the merging of the star? through the camera LCD or laptop?

[weixing]

Hi,
I will use the camera LCD to check first. When it is too close or dim to be detectable through the camera LCD, then I will "shoot" (lucky it is digital ) and check the focusing using the image. It just time and battery consuming...

Anyway, I will post the result here after the test.

Have a nice day.

[VinSnr]

Hi,
I will use the camera LCD to check first. When it is too close or dim to be detectable through the camera LCD, then I will "shoot" (lucky it is digital ) and check the focusing using the image. It just time and battery consuming...

Anyway, I will post the result here after the test.

Have a nice day.

Trust me, it will be dim. I have a Kendrick QwikFocus that has 3 holes and I had a hard time deciding the merging point. A triangle hole could be better but it will be still difficult if it's dim. Furthermore, wind and other vibrations will make it even harder. Using it on the laptop will be easier because of the larger screen.

I have long threw that Qwikfocus away. Now I am using a Stilletto Knife-edge focuser by Stellar technologies and is way easier. I tested it 2 days ago and it worked like a charm on the Canon 10D.

Anyway good luck on your try. It will be a good hands-on experience

[weixing]

Hi,
I know that it will be very dim. So my idea was to use it to focus on a very bright star. Then I will make my my eyepiece adapter (WO-4337 or the ScopeTronix WA14mm) on Parfocal with my eyepiece using my extera helical focuser. I wonder will it work?? :?:

Anyway, thanks for your advice. I will need all the luck I can get..

Have a nice day.

[weixing]

Hi,
Yesterday night was quite a clear night and not much cloud. But the seeing is not good, lots of atmosphere turbulence. Anyway, I didn't observe for long, just test out the hartman mask.

The result of the test is quite encouraging. Initially I can't see any image in the camera LCD, but once the focus is near, three little triangle start to appear on the camera LCD. When in focus, the three little triangle merge and form a dot.

The focusing is now very easy, but the problem is that I can't make it on Parfocal with my other eyepiece. As a result, I can only take images of objects that can be seen in the finderscope.

Anyway, waiting for a night with good seeing to take a few images of M42 and compare it with my previous effort.

Have a nice day.

PS: I will upload the images of my Hartman mask and the test star image result in the personal gallery:
http://www.singastro.org/album_personal.php?user_id=30
Take a look if interested in making one yourself.. it is easy to make.