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M31 with Redcat 51

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Posts Made By: Charles Hakes

May 18, 2010 12:32 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

NGC 5177 with SN2010cr

Posted By Charles Hakes
I went out to image M100 and this was nearby, so had to grab a few frames.

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=203

May 20, 2010 05:45 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M100

Posted By Charles Hakes
Started a few days ago and additions will have to wait for the moon to go by. This is my first semi-success using the black art of deconvolution on the L channel. I don't quite have the magic down yet.

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=202

Charlie

May 29, 2010 11:07 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

DSI PRO question.

Posted By Charles Hakes
Has anyone found or made an adapter for the Meade DSI PRO that allows you to remove the filter holder? I am using this DSI PRO for autoguiding, so don't need filters. When you take off the sliding filter holder, there are only the four (tapped) holes in the face of the camera and no T-thread or other option. I prefer to just remove it an have one less thing to think about in the path. Any ideas or known solutions?

Thanks,
Charlie

June 7, 2010 02:18 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

water cooling?

Posted By Charles Hakes
Does anyone use water cooling on their SBIG camera? Now that we are getting some July temperatures here already I am wondering if this is worth the trouble for only a couple of months use.

Also, wouldn't any "garden" pump work?

Charlie

June 8, 2010 03:56 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Milky Way Time Lapse Video

Posted By Charles Hakes
I took this series a couple of nights ago while playing with some new toys inside the dome. Sorry for the oversized download, but I liked the reuslts.

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=204

Be sure to click on the link to the quicktime video.

June 10, 2010 12:57 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

AO-8 and another M101

Posted By Charles Hakes
Got an AO-8 to try some internal autoguiding! This has been on the wish list for a couple of years, and finally when it is in the budget it was out of stock for a while. It is having the same issues as the "regular" internal autoguider, in that it is a challenge to find a good guide star. However, it is much more successful for the LX200 once one is available. Here is a picture of the autoguider on the camera:

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=207

M101 is actually the second target, but the first light image of M99 is here:

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=205

Last night I got to concentrate on M101. I will need to get another adapter to "shorten" the distance to the focal reducer, since this extra stuff in the track makes the system ~f5.5 instead of f6.3. Opinions wanted - should I go back to 6.3? I think I can see effects on stars in the corners, but the extra FOV is useful. M101 barely fits here. The link also has a full resolution binned 1x1 version. That works out to ~0.58"/pixel.

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=206

As always, processing suggestions welcome. Thanks for looking.

Charlie


June 12, 2010 01:52 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Faster video download?

Posted By Charles Hakes
I took another time lapse, this time looking north. The video file is only 1.8MB this time, so the link at the bottom should load much faster.

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=208

I also added one of the smaller video links to my south-looking post from a few days ago:

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=204

Please let me know if there are any issues with the files. Thanks.

June 12, 2010 01:54 AM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

Time Lapse

Posted By Charles Hakes
I have taken a couple of time lapse sequences with my Canon 50D. There are links to videos at the bottom of the pages. Let me know if there are any issues viewing the files. Thanks for looking.

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=204

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=208

June 20, 2010 05:21 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

M14

Posted By Charles Hakes
Another globular. This target was selected because it had a good guide star and there is still lots to learn about the quirks of the AO-8. Got a shorter adapter to go to the focal reducer, so back closer to f6. Also added a water pump, so now it is easy to get to -35°C. Details are here:

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=209

June 21, 2010 03:52 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Extinction Scale Factors

Posted By Charles Hakes
This includes a printout of part of an Excel spreadsheet. As best I can tell, my images have not been blue enough. (!?)

http://www.fortlewis.edu/observatory/image_detail.asp?ID=210

Would a Java applet be useful? Comments?

In the mean time, I was planning on observing tonight, but the sky full of smoke does not show up on the Clear Sky Chart! sad

Charlie

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