Twin Scopes

[wolfman_55]

Hi All,

 

Not posted for a bit, bad weather and trying out new things to blame. Any way, I've been trying to emulate Sara Wager's twin scope set up on my limited budget. However, before I lash out on buying another scope, I wanted to be sure it would work.

 

So I've set up a dual rig:

TS-65 Quad astrograph and ST80 scopes

G2-8300 and QHY8L cameras

Off axis guider

 

I'm just using a Ha filter with the TS-65 and using the QHY8L to produce a colour image.

 

The difficulty is combining the Ha image with the colour image as they're different size pixels, different number of pixels and the image scale is different.

 

I'm currently using Pixinsight on a 45 day trial and I've used this. I split the colour image into RGB. Then I aligned the red with the Ha and recombined the Ha, green and blue into a single colour image.

 

To be honest, the ST80 doesn't produce the crispist images, but the final image does at least prove a point.

 

This is my twin set up:

 

 

and this is the image of the Bubble Nebula:

 

 

Grabbing data this way makes better use of the few clear nights we get. Now just need to convince Mrs Rose that I need another TS-65.

 

All comments and suggestions gratefully received.

 

Dave

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2017 by wolfman_55

[Smithysteve]

Looking good Andy! a very nice image too!

Do you have a roll off shed or do you have to build up/strip down etc each time?

[wolfman_55]

I have a quick release barrel:

 

 

The mount is permanently set up, I just need to remove the scope(s). Takes no more than five minutes to attach the scope(s) and connect the few wires to the camera(s). All the leads are left in place and are connected to a computer in the shed next door.

 

Dave

[Smithysteve]

Ingenious! ?

[wolfman_55]

So Mrs Rose has signed off on the additional TS-65, so it's now on order. Now downloaded APP on a free trial to combine the images from the QHY8L and G2-8300.

 

Can't wait.

 

Dave