Search found 70 matches

by c8er
Wed Nov 10, 2021 8:06 pm
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: SolarMax II 60 imaging difficulties
Replies: 12
Views: 1982

Re: SolarMax II 60 imaging difficulties

What camera settings are you using Chris? Can you post a picture that way we can see what you mean. Thanks Mark. From memory the ASI174MM camera would have been at a few to about 10 or 15msecs exposure, gamma 50 as recommended by ZWO, and a lowish to medium gain, nothing particularly different to t...
by c8er
Tue Nov 09, 2021 7:36 pm
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: Small pixel camera for short focal length solar ha imaging
Replies: 11
Views: 2414

Re: Small pixel camera for short focal length solar ha imaging

marktownley wrote: Tue Nov 09, 2021 5:24 pm I would totally avoid the 183 because of the fixed pattern noise in Ha.

I would go for an ZWO1600 and barlow up to full frame.
Thanks Mark, I hadn't thought of that option of a much larger sensor and barlowing to make up for the somewhat larger pixels. I like that idea.

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Tue Nov 09, 2021 7:19 am
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: SolarMax II 60 imaging difficulties
Replies: 12
Views: 1982

Re: SolarMax II 60 imaging difficulties

Did you get anywhere with this? I have very similar issues with my Solarmax II 60 with BF15 blocking filter, with it double stacked or single stacked. I can however put the DS unit from it on the front and blocking filter on the rear of a different but same focal length refractor and get a halfway d...
by c8er
Tue Nov 09, 2021 6:38 am
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: Small pixel camera for short focal length solar ha imaging
Replies: 11
Views: 2414

Small pixel camera for short focal length solar ha imaging

I am looking for ideas for a small pixel camera (about or smaller than than 3μm pixels - but with a not tiny sensor size) to use for solar ha imaging with some short focal length refractors, including full disk imaging without needing to do mosaics. I have used a ZWO ASI174MM for several years ,whic...
by c8er
Tue Dec 01, 2020 6:12 am
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
Replies: 43
Views: 23568

Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount

I've been using mine with no problems for a good length of time now, an excellent little solar mount that tracks really well, for hours, and always auto finds the sun quickly and accurately for me at the start of a session. Definitely needs a better tripod, but at the price point that isn't unexpect...
by c8er
Mon Jun 08, 2020 10:48 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Sunspot region AR 2765 today from New Zealand
Replies: 6
Views: 532

Sunspot region AR 2765 today from New Zealand

First solar ha light for my APM 140/980 refractor. Poor seeing with quite a stiff breeze. Daystar Quark Chromosphere and ZWO ASI174MM camera with a Rowan Astronomy camera tilter between the two, all on a 10Micron GM1000 HPS mount. I'm not really satisfied with this image, but the seeing was poor and...
by c8er
Sun Feb 23, 2020 12:35 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Need a Travel Scope Recommendation for New Zealand
Replies: 9
Views: 7278

Re: Need a Travel Scope Recommendation for New Zealand

Hello Jack, I can tell you that Starsense alignment works well here in New Zealand, because I was the Celestron early adopter and beta tester who some years ago found that it didn't work at all in this southern hemisphere at first, which they quickly fixed with some urgent firmware changes!! I have ...
by c8er
Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:43 pm
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
Replies: 43
Views: 23568

Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount

I'm hoping that my new 10Micron GM1000 HPS GEM mount will have good solar tracking year round and at most altitudes as 10Micron say in the manual that if you use the mount's "Follow Object" tracking method (different from the usual standard solar/sidereal/lunar rates also in the hand contr...
by c8er
Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:08 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Coronado SME-60 DS and SMF-60 front etalon/tilters. The same thing?
Replies: 1
Views: 10234

Coronado SME-60 DS and SMF-60 front etalon/tilters. The same thing?

Can anyone here tell me if the SME-60 product that Coronado sell as a Double Stack front mount etalon/tilter as an add-on for the SMII 60 scope, is the same thing as the standalone front mount single stack 60mm Etalon/tilter they sell as product SMF-60 as a combo including a blocking filter to put o...
by c8er
Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:43 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: 10Micron mount daytime setup for solar session
Replies: 2
Views: 946

Re: 10Micron mount daytime setup for solar session

MAURITS wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 7:49 pm Chris this is a dream mount, so beautiful.
Thanks Maurits. I'm very much looking forward to it. Certainly a major upgrade from my Celestron AVX.
by c8er
Mon Nov 18, 2019 7:27 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: 10Micron mount daytime setup for solar session
Replies: 2
Views: 946

10Micron mount daytime setup for solar session

A question for 10Micron Eq mount users if there are any here. I have ordered a 10Micron GM1000 HPS mount which is on its way to me, and I am wondering if anyone can tell me what the daytime mount setup process is for solar sessions (in a portable, not permanent set up, from scratch for each session)...
by c8er
Fri Dec 14, 2018 9:53 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Combo Quark on Refractor
Replies: 2
Views: 821

Re: Combo Quark on Refractor

Many thanks for that Mark.
by c8er
Thu Dec 13, 2018 8:07 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Combo Quark on Refractor
Replies: 2
Views: 821

Combo Quark on Refractor

If using a Combo Quark on a refractor where in the chain of optics should my telecentric barlow(s) go? I would be using a rear mounted uv/ir filter for energy rejection. Are there any problems with using a combo quark on a refractor other then getting the f ratio in the right range with barlows? Obv...
by c8er
Thu Sep 13, 2018 3:02 am
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
Replies: 43
Views: 23568

Re: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount

Agena Astro have asked Skywatcher USA if they will be selling it, and told me the answer was, no they won't.

Chris M
by c8er
Wed Sep 12, 2018 9:04 pm
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: New Skywatcher Solarquest mount
Replies: 43
Views: 23568

New Skywatcher Solarquest mount

Has anyone tried the new Skywatcher Solarquest mount, which claims to find and track the sun automatically? If it works as advertised its inbuilt solar auto-guiding/tracking could make it a useful mount for lightweight solar setups (stated load capacity of 4kgs). Link here to APM telescope's webpage...
by c8er
Sun Aug 12, 2018 8:07 am
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: What camera do you use?
Replies: 13
Views: 6647

Re: What camera do you use?

Has anyone tried the ASI178mm (2.4um pixels) for a short focal length Ha scope? I've been trying my ASI174mmm on a solarmax II 60 and its not working well. I think the pixels are I think just too big for decent resolution at that f/6.7 ratio,. and I;m looking for small pixel option, preferably under...
by c8er
Sun Nov 05, 2017 7:59 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Maksutov Newtonian with Quark
Replies: 1
Views: 866

Maksutov Newtonian with Quark

Hi All, Just after people's thoughts on my idea of perhaps trying my 152mm f/4.8 Explore Scientific Comet Hunter Mak-Newt with my Chromosphere Quark (a standard Quark, not a Combo Quark). Currently the largest aperture scope I have used my Quark on is my cheapie Synta 102mm Achromat. Obviously I'd n...
by c8er
Tue Nov 03, 2015 9:30 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Ca-K options:
Replies: 8
Views: 1395

Re: Ca-K options:

Hi Michael, Daystar are advertising the imminent release of a new Quark filter that works in the Ca-H line band rather than the Ca-K line band. I know nothing about that Ca-H band but that might be worth taking a look at. Daystar suggests that the Ca-H band works better for visual observation by old...
by c8er
Mon Nov 02, 2015 8:55 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Sunshine, but probably the last
Replies: 24
Views: 2363

Re: Sunshine, but probably the last

Thanks folks :) For the flat: I take my video with the Quark, then pop a piece of cling film over the front of the scope and take 500 frames with cling film (not changing anything). I then create the master flat in Autostakkert2 with the cling film video, then process the original with 'load master...
by c8er
Mon Nov 02, 2015 7:03 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Solar Flare timelapse animated gif. Quark
Replies: 8
Views: 1528

Re: Solar Flare timelapse animated gif. Quark

Thanks Alexandra. :)
by c8er
Mon Nov 02, 2015 7:00 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Sunshine, but probably the last
Replies: 24
Views: 2363

Re: Sunshine, but probably the last

Lovely images thanks Alexandra. How do you do your flats for the Quark images? At the moment (Quark and ASI174MM camera on 102mm f 6.5 achromat) I use a short defocused centre of disk capture (about 1 cm of focuser travel away from focused) and then build the flat in Autostakkert 2. I sometimes stac...
by c8er
Mon Nov 02, 2015 6:52 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Episode 2. Directly from my observing site. 150mm SS
Replies: 8
Views: 1005

Re: Episode 2. Directly from my observing site. 150mm SS

Wonderful as always Valery.

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Mon Nov 02, 2015 9:34 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Solar Flare timelapse animated gif. Quark
Replies: 8
Views: 1528

Re: Solar Flare timelapse animated gif. Quark

Thanks Mark, Stu. I only saw the plasma plume after I processed it all, as that wasn't apparent when capturing the flare. Seeing wasn't great so the live view was pretty wobbly, and there were a few very thin hazy cloud patches coming across the fov during the captures, hence the very variable brigh...
by c8er
Mon Nov 02, 2015 3:03 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Solar Flare timelapse animated gif. Quark
Replies: 8
Views: 1528

Solar Flare timelapse animated gif. Quark

First time imaging for two months and I captured this nice little flare that fired up for about 3 or 4 minutes yesterday afternoon, Sunday 1st Nov. Captured using Daystar Quark, very basic "el cheapo" 102 mm f6.5 Nova brand Achromat on Celestron AVX mount with a GSO reducer and ZWO ASI174M...
by c8er
Sun May 31, 2015 10:25 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: 30-05-2015 Quark Chromosphere
Replies: 12
Views: 1250

Re: 30-05-2015 Quark Chromosphere

Ewan wrote:
c8er wrote:Great shots Ewan. What scope and mount? I'm assuming from the fine detail shown that it's a fairly large aperture OTA?

Cheers,
Chris M
Thank you both.

Chris it's an 80mm EDT while using a 0.5FR at the Quark end.
Thanks for that Ewan.

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Sun May 31, 2015 10:08 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: 30-05-2015 Quark Chromosphere
Replies: 12
Views: 1250

Re: 30-05-2015 Quark Chromosphere

Great shots Ewan. What scope and mount? I'm assuming from the fine detail shown that it's a fairly large aperture OTA?

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Sun May 31, 2015 10:03 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Timelapse of yesterday's large looping prominence.
Replies: 14
Views: 1751

Re: Timelapse of yesterday's large looping prominence.

Beautifully done. I took notes on your technique. Yet to try anything like this! Hi Nick. I'm very much a beginner at these solar timelapses too. You certainly don't need to be very experienced at it to get a half decent result. I think this is only the third one of these animations I've tried. The...
by c8er
Sun May 31, 2015 10:53 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: 3-D view of the sun spot. Thin filament structure. 150mm
Replies: 7
Views: 785

Re: 3-D view of the sun spot. Thin filament structure. 150m

Wonderful detail Valery. Thank you.

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Sat May 30, 2015 9:58 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: The large filament
Replies: 6
Views: 769

Re: The large filament

Lovely images thanks George.

Cheers,
Chris Morriss
by c8er
Sat May 30, 2015 9:56 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Solar Thursday 28th May
Replies: 12
Views: 1256

Re: Solar Thursday 28th May

Nice stuff thanks Mark. We all need some luck with the weather in dodgy/shifting conditions. When I did my timelapse of the big prom, over the two hours it mostly clouded over but somehow a clear hole remained in just the right place for me to image through and get every one of the 120 5 second avis...
by c8er
Sat May 30, 2015 9:50 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Sunrise with Corvus
Replies: 7
Views: 841

Re: Sunrise with Corvus

Beautiful images thanks Derek.

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Sat May 30, 2015 9:49 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Today's SUN (20150530) - BIG PROMS
Replies: 11
Views: 1134

Re: Today's SUN (20150530) - BIG PROMS

Nice images thanks Pedro, and nice to see your observatory setup too.

I'm always intrigued by Ca K images.

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Sat May 30, 2015 9:45 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Timelapse of yesterday's large looping prominence.
Replies: 14
Views: 1751

Re: Timelapse of yesterday's large looping prominence.

Thanks for the nice comments everyone. It was very flukey that I got it as I was heading to have a look at the big filaments rather than any proms, but as I got the Quark heated up to working temp I did a quick check of the Gong Ha webpage and saw that enormous prom there so away I went with the two...
by c8er
Sat May 30, 2015 3:19 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Timelapse of yesterday's large looping prominence.
Replies: 14
Views: 1751

Timelapse of yesterday's large looping prominence.

Attached is an animated gif of a timelapse I made of yesterday's huge prominence. This is 2 hours worth of the action in the prom, from around 1 pm to 3pm (New Zealand time). I captured 120 5 second avi files a minute apart using Firecapture's "Autorun" feature, stacked each avi to one ima...
by c8er
Sat Feb 28, 2015 9:31 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Latest with new ASI174MM
Replies: 20
Views: 2539

Re: Latest with new ASI174MM

Hi Luke, Mark, Thanks for that idea on the shorter nosepiece and 1.25 inch reducer alone Mark. Luke, good to hear the glasspath and reducer works for you. When I tried your suggestion of a small barlow lens screwed on the standard ASI174's nosepiece before a x0.5 reducer I actually got a net barlow ...
by c8er
Fri Feb 27, 2015 8:24 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Solar images with the ASI174 -27th Feb.
Replies: 14
Views: 1182

Re: Solar images with the ASI174 -27th Feb.

Great shots George. Looks like you are getting to grips with the 174 very well already. Lovely clear still morning here in Bay of Plenty and I'm about to go out and experiment with reducers/small barlow lenses using Luke Stacey's suggestions, to see if I can get some reduction with the big sensor 17...
by c8er
Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:55 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Latest with new ASI174MM
Replies: 20
Views: 2539

Re: Latest with new ASI174MM

Hi Chris, Ahem, silly me, I completely forgot that I have already found one solution to get full frame with ASI174 and Quark with some reduction and no vignetting... :roll: :oops: I tried the original longer nosepiece with a combined 1.25 inch 0.5x reducer and 1.6x barlow (!), reducer threaded firs...
by c8er
Thu Feb 26, 2015 7:38 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Latest with new ASI174MM
Replies: 20
Views: 2539

Re: Latest with new ASI174MM

Thanks Derek, Alexandra, Jim. Thanks for that Luke, and I got your PM as well. I'll let everyone know how I get on with getting rid of reducer vignetting with this big sensor once the extra t thread spacers I have on order have arrived. The Baader glass path corrector is something I knew of but hadn...
by c8er
Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:58 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: What can be extracted from the VERY BAD seeing.
Replies: 25
Views: 1901

Re: What can be extracted from the VERY BAD seeing.

Wonderful images as always Valery.

You might be getting bored with a quieter sun, but you and your images certainly aren't boring!

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:52 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Latest with new ASI174MM
Replies: 20
Views: 2539

Re: Latest with new ASI174MM

Thanks Mark, Walter.

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Thu Feb 26, 2015 8:50 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Latest with new ASI174MM
Replies: 20
Views: 2539

Re: Latest with new ASI174MM

Chris, when did Sam place the new drivers on his site. I placed the drivers that appear on his website last Saturday. I had to place Sam's drivers so that Firecapture would recognize the ASI174 camera. The the sun appears to have very little contrast. At what level do you have your USB Traffic set ...
by c8er
Thu Feb 26, 2015 2:33 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Latest with new ASI174MM
Replies: 20
Views: 2539

Latest with new ASI174MM

Hi All, Latest images using my new ASI174MM, Daystar Quark Chromosphere, El Cheapo 102mm f/6.5 Achromat, and no reducer. Like George Ionas I am finding I need the gain a lot higher than with my other cameras, but so far I am happy with the results given that I am still very much finding my way with ...
by c8er
Sat Feb 21, 2015 9:02 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: First light image with my new ZWO ASI174MM camera
Replies: 12
Views: 1711

Re: First light image with my new ZWO ASI174MM camera

Thanks Walter, Alexandra, and Luke. Thanks for that on the barlow/reducer combo Luke. A 2 inch x0.5 reducer arrived today, which will screw into my 2 inch to t-thread adapter, and I have a Daystar 2 inch eyepiece holder for the Quark coming. Once that lot is all here I'm hoping that will give me a n...
by c8er
Wed Feb 18, 2015 10:40 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: First light image with my new ZWO ASI174MM camera
Replies: 12
Views: 1711

Re: First light image with my new ZWO ASI174MM camera

marktownley wrote:Good first light, looking forward to seeing more images. Try running that frac at 80mm to get higher contrast.
Thanks Mark. Good idea. I'll try it stopped down to 80 at some stage.

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Wed Feb 18, 2015 9:14 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: First light image with my new ZWO ASI174MM camera
Replies: 12
Views: 1711

Re: First light image with my new ZWO ASI174MM camera

A very nice result for the very first light and such a condition and el chipo telescope. The Quark seems to be of a very good sample. Valery Thank you Valery and Michael. Your comments are much appreciated. My Quark was from batch 4 and it does look as though I got a good one. It doesn't have blotc...
by c8er
Wed Feb 18, 2015 6:59 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: First light image with my new ZWO ASI174MM camera
Replies: 12
Views: 1711

First light image with my new ZWO ASI174MM camera

My ASI174MM arrived here in New Zealand yesterday, with very fast delivery by Sam as usual, and even arrived on a clear sunny day, even if it was a day with terrible seeing. That seeing, my only moderate level of expertise with solar ha imaging, and the fact the camera and Quark were mounted on a ve...
by c8er
Wed Feb 18, 2015 2:25 am
Forum: Commercial Solar Filters/Cameras/Hardware
Topic: New ZWO large sensor camera
Replies: 21
Views: 6311

Re: New ZWO large sensor camera

Pulled the pin a few days ago at the beta tester price and my ASI174MM arrived here in New Zealand a few hours ago. Hope to have first light images soonish but so far it seems at first try to be working fine with latest betas of both firecapture and sharpcap. It is running using USB 2 on a very unde...
by c8er
Tue Feb 10, 2015 9:45 am
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Huge filament Solar Ha and firstlight for new 102mm OTA
Replies: 9
Views: 1270

Re: Huge filament Solar Ha and firstlight for new 102mm OTA

Thanks Walter and Derek. I'm happy with it for a first light session with the new OTA.

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Mon Feb 09, 2015 10:40 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Huge filament Solar Ha and firstlight for new 102mm OTA
Replies: 9
Views: 1270

Re: Huge filament Solar Ha and firstlight for new 102mm OTA

marktownley wrote:Great images!
Thanks Mark.

Cheers,
Chris M
by c8er
Mon Feb 09, 2015 10:39 pm
Forum: This is SolarChat !!
Topic: Sunday Fun With The Quark 8th february
Replies: 29
Views: 1927

Re: Sunday Fun With The Quark 8th february

Thanks for that on the PST Etalon - Quark tweak Mark! A smart and very simple mod.

Cheers,
Chris M