dawson Posted May 6, 2013 Share Posted May 6, 2013 Here is the first image of Saturn with my new 180 Mak on the AZEQ6. I'm struggling with focus, so I'm going to order a Bahtinov. 10 frames / second, 60 second avi, accepted 60% of the best frames. Very rough and ready tweek in Registax 5. Clearly focus isn't great. I'll work on this. Now I need a fancy CCD. I'm thinking a colour DFK one. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teslar Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Excellent first the IMGOH is an excellent camera for the Mak180 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 That's an awesome shot James-nice one!! Some great detail in the bands and the Cassini division. Really good stuff Personally I have tried using a bahtinov mask to help with focus on planetary and it hasn't helped I posted a thread a while back asking about it and general consensus was that focusing by eye was better. I true focusing on a nearby star and then going to the planet and the resulting images were terrible. I have found that focusing by eye has worked out better for me. Takes ages but the results have been better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted May 7, 2013 Author Share Posted May 7, 2013 I found the Bahtinov mask was useful with my 127 mak, so i'll give it a go, what's another £17.99? I'll have a look at that camera online. Thanks for the nice comments. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 (edited) The IMGOH was the one I was telling you about James. I have been looking at it for a while. Seems like a good intro to all kinds of AP as it does long exposure,guiding and planetary and its cooled too Edited May 7, 2013 by catman161 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wayne Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 That's brilliant mate. Very nice :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philjay Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 As Felix says a bhartinov mask wont really help with planetary, focus by eye on the screen is more accurate. The secret im told is to take loads and loads if frames, and the dmk, imgoh cams do just that, I personally like the Imgoh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted May 7, 2013 Author Share Posted May 7, 2013 Thanks. I'd use the bahtinov to focus on a star then slew to saturn; it worked well for me with he old mak. I feel a bit more acurate with the mask. Some of the dfk's have bigger sensor sizes than the 0.25" one felix and philjay are promoting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest devil74 Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Excellent shot J...nice cassini division in there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T A WOW Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Very nice. Your new Mak arrived quickly! Put up some pics so I can perv on it!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted May 7, 2013 Author Share Posted May 7, 2013 Arrived quickly? I had to drive to kettering! Ok i'll take some now. Jd T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted May 7, 2013 Author Share Posted May 7, 2013 Just for Tobias; and only because he smells so fresh. Between the hundreds of other things I've done today, I've put on the crayford style focuser and so going to have a quick play with that with Saturn tonight, but certainly not staying up late as I'm still recovering from Saturday night at Wymeswold as I haven't had masses of sleep since and got an early start tomorrow. JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Looking good James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Nice one of Saturn - some excellent features in there showing the optics must be good. Focus is sometimes hit and miss, but is tricky - and even worse if anyone has OCD (focus, change your mind, go back, refocus, go forward, come back refocus arghhhhhh). You could focus the way you have, then, go back a touch on focus (-ve) - quantitatively (if that's possible, say by marking a scale on the draw tube or attaching some kind of travelling vernier), record a new video, then go forward to the original focussed position (marked - if possible), then go forward a touch, again quantitatively, and run a third video. That way, if one of the videos is out of focus, one of the others may be closer to focus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 Thanks Derek. Yeah, all the top planetary imagers say focus is the key. I find it very difficult by eye alone, which is why I've ordered the Bahtinov mask, which has been dispatched apparently so should be with me soon. It would get boring if everything went to plan, solving these little (and sometimes big problems) is half of the fun. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T A WOW Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Nice. That OTA looks more at home on the mount. Looking forward to getting a look through it. FYI, if you'd prefer a straight through finder I've got my Skywatcher one if you want to swap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 I got a straight through chunky finder with the tatty old reflector which I could use, but to be honest I've not used the right angled one enough yet to know if I like that or not, it seems good so far as I haven't had to do much bending; no smart comments please Felix! JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman161 Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted May 14, 2013 Author Share Posted May 14, 2013 The new camera arrived in the post just: http://www.zwoptical.com/eng/Cameras/ASI120/index.asp Decided on this one after a fair bit of online research, but the final nail in the purchase coffin was an email from Damian Peach saying this was the camera I should go for given my requirements; he is using the mono one at present and all his recent images are taken with it. Ordered it on Friday, and the German-based company requested the camera to be sent to me directly from Shanghai. Speedy or what! Parents have just arrived for the day too, so I'll have to play with it later. Is there an easy way to use the mini CD ROM in my laptop which only has a slot and I can't get them in... James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xanthic Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Will look forward to seeing some images from that Pop over with the CD, I'll copy it to a full size disk for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chapsterjohn Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Here is the first image of Saturn with my new 180 Mak on the AZEQ6. I'm struggling with focus, so I'm going to order a Bahtinov. 10 frames / second, 60 second avi, accepted 60% of the best frames. Very rough and ready tweek in Registax 5. Clearly focus isn't great. I'll work on this. Now I need a fancy CCD. I'm thinking a colour DFK one. James Great picture mate, I was gazing at Saturn on Saturday night, not achieved a photo yet though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawson Posted May 14, 2013 Author Share Posted May 14, 2013 (edited) Never thought of copying it onto a full sized disk! Doh, I'll have a go at that now. Thanks John. It's still very amateur and clearly not focused well. Watch this space though. James Edited May 14, 2013 by dawson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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