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Old Scopes and Modern Imaging

ccd classic equipment imaging
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#26 DreamWeaver

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Posted 21 May 2017 - 11:56 PM

I recently picked up a used ASI120MC camera and thought I would have some fun and try it out on a couple of my old scopes.  Both images were stacked with AS!2 and wavelet processed in Registax 6. 

 

First up was the Micronta 50mm x 500mm.  Best 30% from a 90 second video.  Tele Vue 2x barlow.

 

Jup_213233_g4_ap14%20Registax_p30_zpssp1

 

Next up was the Scope Orbit 60mm x 1200mm.  Best 30% from a 90 second video.  Tele Vue 2x barlow.

 

Jup_221236_g6_ap19_Registax_30_zpsdk50h1


Edited by DreamWeaver, 21 May 2017 - 11:57 PM.

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#27 Terra Nova

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Posted 22 May 2017 - 07:12 AM

^ It is amazing how much detail one can tease from a small aperture refractor. I have glimpsed that sort of detail with my old Zeiss T1 with patient observing under excellent seeing. It is nice to see it confirmed photographically! Kudos!!


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#28 DreamWeaver

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Posted 22 May 2017 - 10:41 AM

Thanks Terra!  The little 50 has surprised me before with the amount of detail it can show.  I had it mounted on the 8" LX3 once and was observing Jupiter through a 6mm Ortho, and saw a distinct little black dot on the planet.  Took a quick look through the SCT and saw the same thing.  A quick look at the tablet told me it was the shadow of Ganymede.


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#29 Bomber Bob

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Posted 23 May 2017 - 06:16 PM

Those images are amazing for 50mm & 60mm refractors!!  Great job!  You inspired this old guy to break down and order an ASI120MC -- no more generic imagers, and lying to Windows about the hardware to get it to work.


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#30 DreamWeaver

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Posted 23 May 2017 - 06:53 PM

Thanks JW!  You're the one that inspired me to try it!  I think you'll like the new camera.  I got mine off the classifieds about ten days ago.  The seller was in Tucson so I didn't have to pay for shipping and PayPal charge.

 

I was quite surprised how well the images turned out.  Especially from the Micronta.  That image shows more detail than I could see through my LX3 when I first got it!

 

It was handy that both of those scopes accept the Vixen 1-1/4" adapter too.


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#31 Bomber Bob

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Posted 23 May 2017 - 07:06 PM

I was quite surprised how well the images turned out.  Especially from the Micronta.

 

I know!  Whooda Thunk It??  I gotta see what my Baby Swift can do with a better imager...


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#32 DreamWeaver

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Posted 23 May 2017 - 07:36 PM

You really think Swift can outperform Radio Shack?!  lol.gif


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#33 Bomber Bob

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Posted 23 May 2017 - 07:42 PM

Won't know til I try...

 

BIF -->  Did we ever figure out which company made these scopes for RS??



#34 DreamWeaver

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Posted 23 May 2017 - 09:57 PM

I don't believe anyone has found any documentation to show who made it.  I have to believe it was Royal.  It's identical to the other brands with the Royal mark, but the only one without it.  And the optics are Royal quality.  



#35 Wildetelescope

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Posted 25 May 2017 - 11:33 PM

I recently picked up a used ASI120MC camera and thought I would have some fun and try it out on a couple of my old scopes.  Both images were stacked with AS!2 and wavelet processed in Registax 6. 

 

First up was the Micronta 50mm x 500mm.  Best 30% from a 90 second video.  Tele Vue 2x barlow.

 

Jup_213233_g4_ap14%20Registax_p30_zpssp1

 

Next up was the Scope Orbit 60mm x 1200mm.  Best 30% from a 90 second video.  Tele Vue 2x barlow.

 

Jup_221236_g6_ap19_Registax_30_zpsdk50h1

 

Those images took real skill!  The second I think pulls everything you can get from 60 mm!  Very very nice!  

 

jMD 


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#36 DreamWeaver

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Posted 25 May 2017 - 11:50 PM

Those images took real skill!  ...

 

 

jMD 

 

Or beginners luck!  wink.gif   Thanks JMD!



#37 Bomber Bob

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Posted 27 May 2017 - 03:47 PM

Dakin 4 & Mizar P-100 and Jupiter

 

Both the refractor and the reflector have very good optics with similar apertures & focal lengths:

 

DAKIN 4 --> Dakin 4 - Jupiter (GRS) 20170304V02R52.jpg

 

MIZAR P-100 --> Mizar P-100 - Jupiter (Io Eclipse) 20170527V03B2R01.jpg

 

The big difference?  SEEING  Two weeks ago, the P-100 did better --> P100 - Jupiter (GRS) 20170513V04SD21.jpg

 

Can't get around the reflector's secondary obstruction; and, the Dakin has a custom baffle system made by a very experienced scope builder; but, at the eyepiece, the refractor's advantages aren't always as obvious.  For quick views, the Mizar on the Polaris is a snap to set up, and much easier to tote around in the dark.


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#38 BigC

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Posted 27 May 2017 - 09:30 PM

Back when I first joined CN someone here was posting rather good pictures taken with webcam and small reflector.



#39 Bomber Bob

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Posted 29 May 2017 - 03:12 PM

AS!3 (64-bit) versus RegiStax 6

 

Dakin 4 - Jupiter (Io Transit) 20170528V04AS33.jpg  Dakin 4 - Jupiter (Io Transit) 20170528V04RR23.jpg

 

I prefer my two-part process of AS!3 stacking + IrfanView post-processing to stacking & processing the same video file in RegiStax 6 when using the 5MP hi-res imager.  OTOH, when I run videos made with the Orion StarShoot 2, I get better results with RegiStax -- most recently my 3 year old Saturn AVIs made with my Royal 76mm F15.  I don't know enough about these great FREE programs to explain why, but I've seen it often enough for that conclusion.

 

Sears 6336 - Saturn 20140713V04V01.jpg

 

Hope to find out next week which stacker works best with the ASI 120MC imager.

 

BIF -->  Some folks have asked about whether it's better to use a Barlow or Eyepiece Projection to boost the Effective Focal Length.  That Saturn video was made using EP with a Vixen .965" KE18.  I've gotten better results with my 4" refractors using the GSO APO 2.5x Barlow.  My 4" & 6" Newtonians do better with EP using either the spectros .965" PL15, PL10, or PL7.5 eyepieces.  IOW:  It depends.  IME, what you see at the eyepiece will be slightly more than what you'll capture.  My refractors will do well with ANY eyepiece; my reflectors do best with my Plossls; and, my CATs are the pickiest.  I get picture-perfect results in my 6" Mak-Cass with the spectros Kellners; my Questar does good with Erfles, and superb with the HD Orthos; and, my lone RKE8 does well with ALL my scopes (that's the set I should build!).


Edited by Bomber Bob, 29 May 2017 - 03:24 PM.

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#40 Wildetelescope

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Posted 29 May 2017 - 08:56 PM

AS!3 (64-bit) versus RegiStax 6

 

attachicon.gifDakin 4 - Jupiter (Io Transit) 20170528V04AS33.jpg attachicon.gifDakin 4 - Jupiter (Io Transit) 20170528V04RR23.jpg

 

I prefer my two-part process of AS!3 stacking + IrfanView post-processing to stacking & processing the same video file in RegiStax 6 when using the 5MP hi-res imager.  OTOH, when I run videos made with the Orion StarShoot 2, I get better results with RegiStax -- most recently my 3 year old Saturn AVIs made with my Royal 76mm F15.  I don't know enough about these great FREE programs to explain why, but I've seen it often enough for that conclusion.

 

attachicon.gifSears 6336 - Saturn 20140713V04V01.jpg

 

Hope to find out next week which stacker works best with the ASI 120MC imager.

 

BIF -->  Some folks have asked about whether it's better to use a Barlow or Eyepiece Projection to boost the Effective Focal Length.  That Saturn video was made using EP with a Vixen .965" KE18.  I've gotten better results with my 4" refractors using the GSO APO 2.5x Barlow.  My 4" & 6" Newtonians do better with EP using either the spectros .965" PL15, PL10, or PL7.5 eyepieces.  IOW:  It depends.  IME, what you see at the eyepiece will be slightly more than what you'll capture.  My refractors will do well with ANY eyepiece; my reflectors do best with my Plossls; and, my CATs are the pickiest.  I get picture-perfect results in my 6" Mak-Cass with the spectros Kellners; my Questar does good with Erfles, and superb with the HD Orthos; and, my lone RKE8 does well with ALL my scopes (that's the set I should build!).

I switched to AS a while back from Registax.  I think it does a better job of sorting and alignment than Registax 6.  Depending on what I get, I still use Registax for wavelet processing, If I deem it necessary.  I also like Astraimage plus.  It is probably the most powerful image processing software you can get for under 50 bucks.  And it is free upgrades for life.  They have some really nice deblurring and sharpening tools.  They are as easy to use as registax(i.e. move the slider, process and evaluate the picture), but if you want to go deeper you can.  Can't say enough about it.   Have interacted with the company through e-mail and they are very nice and helpful.  I got the program for my hobby, but I use it for analysis of microscopy images for work.  Good stuff!

 

http://www.phasespace.com.au

 

cheers!

 

JMD


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#41 Wildetelescope

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Posted 30 May 2017 - 03:14 PM

 

I recently picked up a used ASI120MC camera and thought I would have some fun and try it out on a couple of my old scopes.  Both images were stacked with AS!2 and wavelet processed in Registax 6. 

 

First up was the Micronta 50mm x 500mm.  Best 30% from a 90 second video.  Tele Vue 2x barlow.

 

Jup_213233_g4_ap14%20Registax_p30_zpssp1

 

Next up was the Scope Orbit 60mm x 1200mm.  Best 30% from a 90 second video.  Tele Vue 2x barlow.

 

Jup_221236_g6_ap19_Registax_30_zpsdk50h1

 

Those images took real skill!  The second I think pulls everything you can get from 60 mm!  Very very nice!  

 

jMD 

 

Here is an interesting contrast.   The image of Jupiter captured with a Pre-ED glass F8 AP 5 inch Triplet(circa 1989).   Capture was done with a Mallincam SSI color camera and a native ~1000 mm Focal length.  Best 20 % of 800 frames were stacked and processed.  In this case seeing was around a 4-5 on the Pickering scale. 

 

It is OK as images of Jupiter go, but it is not particularly representative of what that scope can do, thanks to Seeing conditions and the skills of the operator;-).  The reason I post it is to illustrate how really nice the images from the 60 mm scopes in this thread are!  I am continually amazed at the capability of these small aperture scopes.  I am looking forward to testing out my 60 mm Sears and my "New" 80 MM f15  Towa, if it ever stops raining.

Jupiter Binned 1
 
Cheers!
 
JMD

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#42 Bomber Bob

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Posted 30 May 2017 - 03:50 PM

Wootie-Hoo & Hoorah!!  USPS delivered my ASI 120MC today.  Got great expectations for my first name brand hi-res imager.  Naturally, we'll be in the soup until at least WEDS of next week...

 

BB's 3 Planetary Imagers

 

3 Planetary USB Cameras T01.jpg  3 Planetary USB Cameras T02.jpg  3 Planetary USB Cameras T03.jpg

 

L->R:  Orion StarShoot 2  /  Generic (China-made) 5MP  /  ZWO ASI 120MC

 

All 3 use a single USB port for power & data transfers.  All 3 are color, but can image in gray-scale, too.  The Orion & Generic can fit .965" focusers.  The ZWO is 1.25" only.


Edited by Bomber Bob, 30 May 2017 - 04:30 PM.

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#43 Wildetelescope

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Posted 30 May 2017 - 10:57 PM

Wootie-Hoo & Hoorah!!  USPS delivered my ASI 120MC today.  Got great expectations for my first name brand hi-res imager.  Naturally, we'll be in the soup until at least WEDS of next week...

 

BB's 3 Planetary Imagers

 

attachicon.gif3 Planetary USB Cameras T01.jpg attachicon.gif3 Planetary USB Cameras T02.jpg attachicon.gif3 Planetary USB Cameras T03.jpg

 

L->R:  Orion StarShoot 2  /  Generic (China-made) 5MP  /  ZWO ASI 120MC

 

All 3 use a single USB port for power & data transfers.  All 3 are color, but can image in gray-scale, too.  The Orion & Generic can fit .965" focusers.  The ZWO is 1.25" only.

I would think that you could swap out the adapter for the 0.965 focuser from one of the other imagers to the ZWO.  You might get some vignetting but the planet is usually in the middle and not affected by that.   

 

JMD



#44 xavier

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Posted 02 June 2017 - 09:29 AM

Last night did some experiments with the 4" Polarex and a Sony Alpha 7 full frame.

First the moon prime focus and with 5x Barlow combination

Then some deepsky prime focus.  Original setup with the AWR goto retrofit.

Attached Thumbnails

  • moon_01052017_pol10cm.jpg
  • moon_01052017_pol10cm_cross.jpg
  • m57_01052017_pol10cm.jpg

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#45 xavier

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Posted 02 June 2017 - 09:31 AM

 other deepsky

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#46 xavier

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Posted 02 June 2017 - 09:33 AM

The last one.

This are only experiments.  Much better results can be obtained a real CCD with multiple exposures.

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#47 Augustus

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Posted 02 June 2017 - 09:38 AM

I managed to get a really nice mosaic of the Moon with my 2080 - it's too large to upload on here, though.

 

http://www.astrobin....298082/?nc=user


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#48 Wildetelescope

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Posted 04 June 2017 - 01:30 AM

Missed the Jupiter Moon Transits, but got out in time to look at Saturn for  a while.
 
Saturn 2017
 
Single frame image (70 ms exposure) of Saturn taken with my AP 127 Starfire Pre-ED glass triplet and my Mallincam SSic planetary imager.  A 2.5 x  Luminos barlow was used as well.  This was fairly representative of what was seen through the EP at 200X.  
 
JMD

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#49 Wildetelescope

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Posted 04 June 2017 - 11:42 AM

 

Missed the Jupiter Moon Transits, but got out in time to look at Saturn for  a while.
 
 
 
Single frame image (70 ms exposure) of Saturn taken with my AP 127 Starfire Pre-ED glass triplet and my Mallincam SSic planetary imager.  A 2.5 x  Luminos barlow was used as well.  This was fairly representative of what was seen through the EP at 200X.  
 
JMD

 

saturn70 2 procesed
 
Stacked and processed version of the single frame from before.  This image is uncropped, the single frame was.    Processing was carried out using Auto stakkert 2 for the stacking and Registax 6 for color balance, histogram adjustment and a very small amount of wavelet processing.   There  are actually 3 moons in there as well and I plan to do some further processing to dig them out, but that is going to take a  bit.   This one and the previous are pretty representative of what I saw in the EP at ~200X .   Not too bad for an all Flint triplet, given seeing conditions and image scale.
 
Cheers!
 
JMD 

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#50 diglit

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Posted 04 June 2017 - 04:07 PM

Hello, I can give my 2 cents here..

 

two images of jupiter taken with an old Takahashi 65/900 achro (the first Takahashi built).

 

 

TS65:900 jupiter.png

 

TS65:900 Jupiter 2.png

 


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