77 replies to this topic

[cnoct]

An updated picture of the SiOnyx Aurora in its telescope configuration...

 

 

View of the Sensor, inset lower right.

[Monsoon]

Just a little teaser, the astute should be able to piece together what I am working toward.

 

[cnoct]

 

 

To infrequently does something like your doing come along. Would like to see this build have it's own thread so it doesn't get lost and gets the exposure it deserves.    

 

This is a marriage that just had to happen, happy to be living to see this. 

 

 

[Solscud007]

Thanks for sharing cnoct. I managed to remove the factory lens. What did you do to hold the sensor in place? Or did you just shove everything back in place? I used the plastic trim and four screws to hold it all in place. But the four small screws that hold the sensor to the metal ring on the aperture ring is not installed.

More importantly, how do I switch to Night mode now that the selector ring is no longer installed? Are those copper contacts, inside that ring, what controls the hot mirror?

[cnoct]

Got you covered on the DM and PM  .

[cnoct]

The evolution continues...

 

Paired a Pro with a Litton 162mm NV lens, extremely impressive combination.

 

 

 

Single exposure of 1.5 seconds 

 

The photos aren't much out of the Aurora camera but the video footage with this combo is pretty incredible.

 

 

[PEterW]

What frame rate, I assume you needed to mount it for stability??
Peter

[cnoct]

It's a a light weight cruiser at 1.18kg.

 

At 6x though, a 1.5 second exposure is just to long to hold steady.

 

Another angle to get a size perspective, about the size of your m703e (ENVIS) sans the 6x objective...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gatorengineer]

What happens when you put this behind a NIghtvision rig?

[Joko]

What happens when you put this behind a NIghtvision rig?

A lot of scintillation in the SiOnyx, but there is probably a way to improve the observation. I tried last year then i sold the SiOnyx.

cnoct has the new Pro version, should be better.

 

Edit : my quick review is for astro use, i didn't try for terrestrial observation.

Edited by Joko, 11 December 2020 - 10:20 AM.

[cnoct]

The combination is quite potent when pairing with a EGAC equipped intensified system.

 

Real close to being a digital version of a super inverter hybrid system i.e. Gen 3+1 and 2+1.

 

The spectral QE of the "black silicon" sensor hovers near 80% while a state the art I^2 photocathode is right around 50%. With such great spectral response, one can all but eliminate gain induced scintillation/noise. Dialing down the gain leads to incredibly calm scene rendering. While not quite having the low noise characteristics of a G1 single stage inverter in a hybrid image intensifier it comes awful close, especially the Pro and it's Xacti powered single processing .

 

Have and use all models in this hybrid diy intensified CMOS configuration, though exclusively for video as photos do better with sensors that are a closer pixel match to that of the chosen image intensifier. Basically applying the high spectral QE/response to the best use case, which for me is video. The Pro and Classic both provide similar results in this DIY iCMOS setup, the Pro has the edge, as a standalone camera, the Pro model is leaps beyond the other models.

 

Would not pair to a system without an EGAC, being able to dial the gain down is critical to getting good result, at least in my opinion. Manual gain is not required but the real power of this combination is being able to dial out the gain induced scintillations/noise, which is all thanks to the sensors high spectral QE.

 

There are definitely a lot of scenarios where I'd chose a camera that more closely matches or exceeds the pixel equivalent of the NV system, typically 5-6µ, there's just something about this camera that has me hooked.

 

[cnoct]

The Aurora Pro is really good at detecting airglow. 

 

Here's a photo from the night of the winter solstice, intense airglow and atmospheric gravity waves...

 

 

Single 1.5 second exposure.

[PEterW]

Filtered? Thought the airglow was greeny? Is the Pro closer to Gen3 for stars/nebulae viewing?

Peter

[cnoct]

Airglow over Hawaii, at last what I've seen, seems to predominantly be of a reddish orange hue, yet to see green airglow from here.

 

Most airglow photography I've done has been with full spectrum cameras. The sensor in these cameras, particularly the SiOnyx models, tend to capture the more dominant infrared wavelengths as apposed to those in the visible bands. This is probably just a result of the the spectral irradiance of airglow being much greater in the NIR - SWIR bands than in the visible bands. The giveaway is in the photos themselves blue, purple and pinks are hues the camera assigns to IR wavelengths. The pink is on the shorter end of NIR, blue is mid NIR (900nm) and bluish purple fading to bluish grey is deep NIR (>1000nm).  The Bayer filter array plays little role here as it is quite transparent to NIR wavelengths and given that this NIR wavelengths are more dominant,  the weaker Vis wavelengths have little to no influence on the assigned colors. 

 

Tracked down an archived time lapse from the CFHT cloud cam over on Mauna Kea for the morning of and roughly matching my cameras orientation, just take note when the timestamp clocks to 4:17am, this would be nearly match the time of my photograph. Here's the archived footage from CFHT, select archive for Dec21-2020 at the bottom of the page: https://www.cfht.haw...p?cam=cloudcam1

 

As to using a filter, that would be a no, no filter was used and see the attached photo for the exact setup used...

 

 

Purely on scene rendering, sure, the Pro is closer to an image intensified system than all other models in the Aurora lineup.  In regards to the airglow affect on astronomy, the Pro is just so incredibly responsive in the NIR that the NIR response might well be considers to some as a handicap to their celestial views, I've yet to find it such but...

 

FWIW: Here's an airglow time lapse I did with the original Aurora https://youtu.be/cc4zzoaPws0

 

Edited by cnoct, 26 December 2020 - 11:26 AM.

[cnoct]

A stock Aurora Pro attached to a PVS-14 via Novagrade's t-mount digiscope adapter...

 

 

The low light scene rendering of this combination, with the appropriate gain level on the PVS-14, exceed that of they eye + PVS-14. 

 

Don't often use this configuration much for celestial view but do use it quite a bit for terrestrial viewing/video footage.

[cnoct]

Another pairing of i² NV with the SiOnyx Aurora camera, this time with an Aurora Black. 

 

 

Does well for video if the MCP voltage is significantly reduced but find scene rendering, in photo mode, lacking in this configuration. 

[maxmir]

We see the rig.  Now show us some images.

[cnoct]

The mini 6x setup with the LR170 lens.

 

 

Video of Omega Centauri, at 30fps, with both the LR300 and LR170: https://youtu.be/vRAWpsods3M

[AllStarez]

Your last video is crazy 

Edited by AllStarez, 29 May 2021 - 11:30 AM.

[PEterW]

…. THAT lens again! Interesting setup.

Peter

[Kstevens]

…. THAT lens again! Interesting setup.

Peter

 

 

A stock Aurora Pro attached to a PVS-14 via Novagrade's t-mount digiscope adapter...

 

Intensified CMOS with SiOnyx Aurora and a PVS-14.jpg

 

The low light scene rendering of this combination, with the appropriate gain level on the PVS-14, exceed that of they eye + PVS-14. 

 

Don't often use this configuration much for celestial view but do use it quite a bit for terrestrial viewing/video footage.

I'm looking at the Sinoyx Aurora Pro as an alternative to my Samsung S21 cell phone camera for afocal photography through my Mod-3C.  Was the lens removed in this Aurora Pro and adapted for afocal, or was it stock?

[cnoct]

That would be a Stock Aurora Pro, afocal configured, using a reverse orientated Novagrade T-Mount adapter.

Here's different angle of the same setup but with the Original Aurora:


 

I'm looking at the Sinoyx Aurora Pro as an alternative to my Samsung S21 cell phone camera for afocal photography through my Mod-3C.  Was the lens removed in this Aurora Pro and adapted for afocal, or was it stock?

If I were to be asked, I'd suggest reconsidering that camera alternative.

[Kstevens]

Cnoct, I bought the Novagrade T-Mount adapter in anticipation of using it for the Pro, but on second thought do you have any suggestions on a camera that is roughly the form factor of the Pro that would be more suitable?

Thanks.

 

That would be a Stock Aurora Pro, afocal configured, using a reverse orientated Novagrade T-Mount adapter.

Here's different angle of the same setup but with the Original Aurora:

SiOnyx PVS14 Afocal Adapter.jpg
 

If I were to be asked, I'd suggest reconsidering that camera alternative.

 

[cnoct]

Would suggest not buying the Aurora Pro as an alternate to the very capable S21, but if you fancy video with a factory full spectrum capable camera, then go for it and get ready for fantastical experience.

Just pass on using it for thru-tube NV photos, unless you plan to stack and de-noise in post.

I think with the right app or internal processing, frame averaging is what you'll want to use to get those ultra smooth, highly detailed photos. I must admit, I'm not up on the apps nor internal features of the S21 cameras but if you can average frames you'll produce better results than that of a single exposure with an Aurora Pro.

For quirky way I pick cameras systems, see here:  https://www.cloudyni...ges/?p=10230456

[mosstrooper]

my sionyx with wo72mm megrez mounted with baader digiscope adapter. i have vignetting with most eyepieces

 

 

 

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