10 replies to this topic

[Cotts]

I won this device at the Peach State Star Gaze and was thinking of using it to make video of Double Stars for eventual stacking and measurement...    I wonder how it compares to my Canon 60Da in its video mode....  Sensitivity especially...

 

From what I can tell the Orion's fastest frame rate is 15 fps (variable to 12.5 fps and 7.5 fps) and it seems not to have any way to  change the ISO setting (although it does have a 'brightness" control.   By comparison my Canon 60Da shoots at a fixed 60 fps and fully variable ISO's from 100 to 6400.   The Orion's pixels are 3.6 microns square as opposed to the Canon's 4.3 so I would gain a bit of plate scale and resolution with the Orion.   Out put files are .avi from the Orion while the Canon yields .mov files which a lot of science software does not like....   The Orion must have a laptop attached while the Canon DSLR works 'stand-alone' in the field.

 

What experiences might folks here have with the Orion in the field for Planetary work (skills in planetary imaging are 100% transferable to double star imaging....)?

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[PiotrM]

If you want photometry just use Canon and shoot few RAW images, not movies. SSSI 4 is "basic" planetary camera, not even as good as dedicated cameras where you can set gain (ISO) and in general get better image quality. If you want to go photometry route you should be looking for a mono cooled DS camera, even with relatively small sensors. And you don't need extra resolution (unless you want to resolve some tight stars, but Barlow can do that too if needed. For less bright stars longer exposures and quite likely guiding will be needed).

[Cotts]

Piotr, I wasn't clear.  I will be measuring separation and position angle for the binaries, not photometry of their brightness...     I need very large plate scale - around 0.15" per pixel and good sensitivity....

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[PiotrM]

Then you need something like mono ASI 120MM/QHY5L-II or alike. One of the top planetary cameras.

[Dr.Don]

My experience with the Orion StarShoot solar system IV is awful.  I can't get any useful images at all of anything at night.

I did notice that it could split Castor.  I was impressed by that.

[Cotts]

Yesterday I hooked it up to my C90 and it seemed to produce a nice image of some trees a couple of hundred yards away through my bedroom window.  It works, at least.  I'll try it on the sky when the temperature gets well above freezing and it is clear..    so, in July or something...

 

Dave

[dlreese]

I have used the Orion Starshoot 4 for planetery photos.  Works when for bright objects.  But when the object you are trying to image is dimmer than 1 to 2 magnitude the camera record no image.  Only seemed to work with bright object.  Would not work on Saturn with my sct 8 inch at f25, would work at f10.

Attached is one of my last pictures with Orion Starshoot 4  10/24/2013

Dave Reese

[dlreese]

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[Cotts]

I have used the Orion Starshoot 4 for planetery photos.  Works when for bright objects.  But when the object you are trying to image is dimmer than 1 to 2 magnitude the camera record no image.  Only seemed to work with bright object.  Would not work on Saturn with my sct 8 inch at f25, would work at f10.

Attached is one of my last pictures with Orion Starshoot 4  10/24/2013

Dave Reese

Dave, this is the kind of factual feedback I was seeking.  Thanks.  Since I wanted to video double stars down to 8th -9th magnitude (which I can do now with my Canon 60Da.....) it seems the Starshoot is superfluous to my needs.  I'm going to sell it.

Dave

[WarmWeatherGuy]

I have used the Orion Starshoot 4 for planetery photos.  Works when for bright objects.  But when the object you are trying to image is dimmer than 1 to 2 magnitude the camera record no image.  Only seemed to work with bright object.  Would not work on Saturn with my sct 8 inch at f25, would work at f10.

Attached is one of my last pictures with Orion Starshoot 4  10/24/2013

Dave Reese

The camera has a "feature" where it will black out the entire image if there isn't much light. You can improve your ability to see dimmer images by making sure you are in focus. Focus the camera on something bright and then slew to the dimmer object. You can demonstrate this effect by turning the focus knob on something that you can see. When it goes just a little out of focus the image will go blank where another camera would just show some noise.

 

I've posted about this camera before.

Question on Orion Starshoot Solarsystem IV

Problem With Orion Starshoot Solar System Imager 4

[dlreese]

The camera will not image 8 and 9 th magnitude stars.  I tried many methods when focusing using mag 2  stars, only time it would turn on is when I would shine a flashlight down the telescope tube.

Dave Reese