A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
- Gordon Ewen
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A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
Now I understand the link to flickr I have some pictures I got last week. All taken with Lunt 152 DSII. The full disc's were taken with ASI174MM and the detailed views with the ASI290MM.
Sun 13 July by Gordon Ewen, on Flickr
Mid solar latitudes by Gordon Ewen, on Flickr
Sun 2 pane by Gordon Ewen, on Flickr
Noctilucent Clouds over Bedfordshire by Gordon Ewen, on Flickr
The last image is of noctilucent clouds that appeared on 23 July. I had got up as It was too hot to sleep and I looked out and saw these to the north northeast. At first I couldn't work out what they were in the half light, but a quick photo showed clearly that they were NLC. Never seem them before and they had an ethereal quality to them. Shame about the focus I know, but it was dark and I was half asleep................
Regards
Gordon
Sun 13 July by Gordon Ewen, on Flickr
Mid solar latitudes by Gordon Ewen, on Flickr
Sun 2 pane by Gordon Ewen, on Flickr
Noctilucent Clouds over Bedfordshire by Gordon Ewen, on Flickr
The last image is of noctilucent clouds that appeared on 23 July. I had got up as It was too hot to sleep and I looked out and saw these to the north northeast. At first I couldn't work out what they were in the half light, but a quick photo showed clearly that they were NLC. Never seem them before and they had an ethereal quality to them. Shame about the focus I know, but it was dark and I was half asleep................
Regards
Gordon
Lunt 152 DSII Ha scope, Orion Optics 12" ODK, C9.25
Skywatcher EQ8 x 2
Lunt 1 1/4" Herschel Wedge, 2x,3x Barlow, 5x Powermate, Baader Ca filter and solar film.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74614447@N02/
Skywatcher EQ8 x 2
Lunt 1 1/4" Herschel Wedge, 2x,3x Barlow, 5x Powermate, Baader Ca filter and solar film.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74614447@N02/
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
A very nice haul Gordon, glad you sorted the linking to flickr.
I have never seen NLCs so always nice to see a photo.
Best wishes,
David
I have never seen NLCs so always nice to see a photo.
Best wishes,
David
Making the possible difficult and the difficult impossible.
Photos : https://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddench/albums/
Photos : https://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddench/albums/
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
Great images Gordon
Pedro Re'
https://pedroreastrophotography.com/
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
Wow!! superb detail in the solar shots and on the NLCs I've never seen them, I have looked on every clear night for the last 4 years and never seen them over Cheshire.
Alexandra
Alexandra
- Gordon Ewen
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
Val, David, Alexandra, Pedro, thanks for your comments.
I switched to a ZWO ASI290 MM camera which has 2.9 micron pixels, a bit smaller than the ASI120MM. It is a good match for the focal lengths I use and the increase in resolution is quite apparent. It has a back illuminated chip which may also make a difference compared to the ASI120. Anyway, I am very happy with it.
Gordon
I switched to a ZWO ASI290 MM camera which has 2.9 micron pixels, a bit smaller than the ASI120MM. It is a good match for the focal lengths I use and the increase in resolution is quite apparent. It has a back illuminated chip which may also make a difference compared to the ASI120. Anyway, I am very happy with it.
Gordon
Lunt 152 DSII Ha scope, Orion Optics 12" ODK, C9.25
Skywatcher EQ8 x 2
Lunt 1 1/4" Herschel Wedge, 2x,3x Barlow, 5x Powermate, Baader Ca filter and solar film.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74614447@N02/
Skywatcher EQ8 x 2
Lunt 1 1/4" Herschel Wedge, 2x,3x Barlow, 5x Powermate, Baader Ca filter and solar film.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74614447@N02/
- grimble_cornet
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
The new camera seems to be delivering the goods Gordon as does the DSII - great image detail.
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
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Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
- Gordon Ewen
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
Thanks Mike. I feel like I have a good set up now and its nice to not have to keep swapping scopes, reducers etc; now it's one scope and 2 cameras and much simpler.
Regards
Gordon
Regards
Gordon
Lunt 152 DSII Ha scope, Orion Optics 12" ODK, C9.25
Skywatcher EQ8 x 2
Lunt 1 1/4" Herschel Wedge, 2x,3x Barlow, 5x Powermate, Baader Ca filter and solar film.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74614447@N02/
Skywatcher EQ8 x 2
Lunt 1 1/4" Herschel Wedge, 2x,3x Barlow, 5x Powermate, Baader Ca filter and solar film.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74614447@N02/
- Davidm
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
Hi Gordon,
Some lovely shots there. I was wondering if you felt the image with the DSII was 'softer' than in single stack mode? At moderate to fairly high magnifications in my setup (e.g. using a 2x or 3x barlow) the live view through the camera does not seem quite as sharp with the DSII as in single stack, though it is hard to tell as the seeing conditions could vary during switchover. I accept that high-res images would be softer due to longer exposure times, but I am a little concerned that there might be something awry. There is a little bit of play with the position of the DSII when you add it to the setup. I try to ensure that the unit sits in the middle of this range, but I wonder if even a slight lateral offset from the ideal position might affect the optical train? Your images look nice and crisp (not sure what barlow magnification you are using, it would be good if I could try to reproduce the sharpness of your images under reasonable seeing conditions).
Cheers,
David
Some lovely shots there. I was wondering if you felt the image with the DSII was 'softer' than in single stack mode? At moderate to fairly high magnifications in my setup (e.g. using a 2x or 3x barlow) the live view through the camera does not seem quite as sharp with the DSII as in single stack, though it is hard to tell as the seeing conditions could vary during switchover. I accept that high-res images would be softer due to longer exposure times, but I am a little concerned that there might be something awry. There is a little bit of play with the position of the DSII when you add it to the setup. I try to ensure that the unit sits in the middle of this range, but I wonder if even a slight lateral offset from the ideal position might affect the optical train? Your images look nice and crisp (not sure what barlow magnification you are using, it would be good if I could try to reproduce the sharpness of your images under reasonable seeing conditions).
Cheers,
David
Lunt LS152T (DSII and CaK module), Coronado Helios 1, Grasshopper 3 2/3" CCD
- Gordon Ewen
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
Morning David. The mono image was taken with the ASI290MM camera and a 2x Barlow, and the colour 'mid latitudes' with a 1.6x Barlow lens. I can't honestly say I have noticed a loss of sharpness with DS over SS, but, as you say, the need to use longer exposure times will likely lead to slightly softer images. I also wonder whether the slightly higher resolution afforded by the ASI290MM (2.9 micron pixels) could lead to the impression of somewhat improved sharpness.
I haven't thought about the exact position of the DSII wrg the optical axis, I'll have a look.
On focus, I use a Lakeside focuser with the Feathertouch focuser. Focusing manually was a nightmare and I find the motorised focuser allows a rather more refined way to achieve focus. In poor seeing (which is often the case here) I sometimes do several videos of the subject of interest with slight changes to focus as one will be the 'best' focused image. At least at night Bhatinov masks or FWHM calculation helps get to best focus, not so easy on the sun!
Be interested to hear if you can improve your results.
Regards
Gordon
I haven't thought about the exact position of the DSII wrg the optical axis, I'll have a look.
On focus, I use a Lakeside focuser with the Feathertouch focuser. Focusing manually was a nightmare and I find the motorised focuser allows a rather more refined way to achieve focus. In poor seeing (which is often the case here) I sometimes do several videos of the subject of interest with slight changes to focus as one will be the 'best' focused image. At least at night Bhatinov masks or FWHM calculation helps get to best focus, not so easy on the sun!
Be interested to hear if you can improve your results.
Regards
Gordon
Lunt 152 DSII Ha scope, Orion Optics 12" ODK, C9.25
Skywatcher EQ8 x 2
Lunt 1 1/4" Herschel Wedge, 2x,3x Barlow, 5x Powermate, Baader Ca filter and solar film.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74614447@N02/
Skywatcher EQ8 x 2
Lunt 1 1/4" Herschel Wedge, 2x,3x Barlow, 5x Powermate, Baader Ca filter and solar film.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74614447@N02/
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
Great images, Gordon. Like Alexandra, I also check for NLCs on every favourable occasion. Nothing so spectacular yet!
Looks like you're fine tuning your Ha set up.
Stu
Looks like you're fine tuning your Ha set up.
Stu
H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
I had wondered about adding a motor to the focuser because it is more difficult to focus with the DSII. I will look into that, thanks. Just need to wait for my replacement blue glass to turn up for my blocking filter as it had fogged again.
Lunt LS152T (DSII and CaK module), Coronado Helios 1, Grasshopper 3 2/3" CCD
Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
Hi Gordon,
great shots!
Did you quit your experimentation with the quark for doublestacking? Well I did so too and added a DS II System but it just always drives me crazy when thinking about the price of this piece of hardware with it´s "little" etalon! I mean I could get a used Coronado 90mm front etalon for about 50% of this sucking internal DS unit... - it´s a shame! So I better don´t think any futher about this thing...
As for Davids question I can not see any weaker image when adding the DS etalon - only the picture gets dimmer - but I compensate that by using a tuned blocking filter with another bluefilter glas what results in a much brighter image. It´s nearly too bright for SS (just usable) but with DS it´s perfect at about the same level the normal SS picture is.
Because I´m often too lazy to bring out the complete setup I bought the above mentioned Coronado SM90 front etalon (pre Meade) which I got this week. With adapter I fix it to the front of a Megrez 90FD what works perfect and gives a very compact little scope that is ready to use in a minute. I was very suprised how good the contrast is with this SS solution! Resolution is of course not on the LS152 niveau but quit very good (especially compared to the 60mm system).
cs
Chris
great shots!
Did you quit your experimentation with the quark for doublestacking? Well I did so too and added a DS II System but it just always drives me crazy when thinking about the price of this piece of hardware with it´s "little" etalon! I mean I could get a used Coronado 90mm front etalon for about 50% of this sucking internal DS unit... - it´s a shame! So I better don´t think any futher about this thing...
As for Davids question I can not see any weaker image when adding the DS etalon - only the picture gets dimmer - but I compensate that by using a tuned blocking filter with another bluefilter glas what results in a much brighter image. It´s nearly too bright for SS (just usable) but with DS it´s perfect at about the same level the normal SS picture is.
Because I´m often too lazy to bring out the complete setup I bought the above mentioned Coronado SM90 front etalon (pre Meade) which I got this week. With adapter I fix it to the front of a Megrez 90FD what works perfect and gives a very compact little scope that is ready to use in a minute. I was very suprised how good the contrast is with this SS solution! Resolution is of course not on the LS152 niveau but quit very good (especially compared to the 60mm system).
cs
Chris
"Keep it square!"
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
Excellent shots Gordon! I've not seen any NLC so far this season, fingers crossed I will before too long.
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
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Re: A few shots from last week Lunt 152 DSII
Mark, thanks for your comments.
Chris, I gave up with the Quark DS'd with the Lunt, in fact I sold it. I just wasn't happy with the results - uneven illumination mainly. The Lunt DS set up seems to be much more consistent and I am much happier with it. I also like the fact that DS'd the fl is still 900mm vs the Quark with its in built 4x Barlow lens. It is an expensive add on but that comes with the territory in solar astronomy - I did get mine for an excellent price from my local dealer though.
Gordon
Chris, I gave up with the Quark DS'd with the Lunt, in fact I sold it. I just wasn't happy with the results - uneven illumination mainly. The Lunt DS set up seems to be much more consistent and I am much happier with it. I also like the fact that DS'd the fl is still 900mm vs the Quark with its in built 4x Barlow lens. It is an expensive add on but that comes with the territory in solar astronomy - I did get mine for an excellent price from my local dealer though.
Gordon
Lunt 152 DSII Ha scope, Orion Optics 12" ODK, C9.25
Skywatcher EQ8 x 2
Lunt 1 1/4" Herschel Wedge, 2x,3x Barlow, 5x Powermate, Baader Ca filter and solar film.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74614447@N02/
Skywatcher EQ8 x 2
Lunt 1 1/4" Herschel Wedge, 2x,3x Barlow, 5x Powermate, Baader Ca filter and solar film.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/74614447@N02/