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Unitron 510 Notes

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#251 jgraham

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Posted 07 July 2024 - 05:44 PM

M13 – Globular Cluster in Hercules
Telescope: Unitron 510 5” f/16 refractor, Stock
Camera: Canon EOS Ra full frame DSLR
Filter: 2” Baader Fringe Killer (minus violet)
Guide scope: None
Exposure: 111x1sec, ISO 16,000, saved as RAW
Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction)
Flats: 64x1/100s sky flats taken at dusk
Average Light Pollution: Bortle 8, fair transparency
Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.6 mag/arc-sec^2
Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip
White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic, Photoshop
Software: Backyard EOS, Deepsky Stacker, Nebulosity, Photoshop

 

M13 (6-29 & 30-2024)-1j.jpg

 

This is the first of three test images taken with my Unitron 510 in its original stock configuration. The source images were acquired over two evenings,  46 on 6/24 and 65 on 7/30. These represented approximately 60% of the source images and were selected manually from the source files.


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#252 jgraham

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Posted 07 July 2024 - 05:45 PM

M92 – Globular Cluster in Hercules
Telescope: Unitron 510 5” f/16 refractor, Stock
Camera: Canon EOS Ra full frame DSLR
Filter: 2” Baader Fringe Killer (minus violet)
Guide scope: None
Exposure: 105x1sec, ISO 16,000, saved as RAW
Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction)
Flats: 64x1/100s sky flats taken at dusk
Average Light Pollution: Bortle 8, fair transparency
Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.6 mag/arc-sec^2
Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip
White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic, Photoshop
Software: Backyard EOS, Deepsky Stacker, Nebulosity, Photoshop

 

M92 (6-24_7-1-2024)-1j.jpg

 

This is the second of three test images taken with my Unitron 510 in its original stock configuration. The source images were acquired over two evenings,  28 on 6/24 and 77 on 7/1. These represented approximately 60% of the source images and were selected manually from the source files.


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#253 jgraham

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Posted 07 July 2024 - 05:46 PM

M57 – The Ring Nebula in Lyra
Telescope: Unitron 510 5” f/16 refractor, Stock
Camera: Canon EOS Ra full frame DSLR
Filter: 2” Baader Fringe Killer (minus violet)
Guide scope: None
Exposure: 254x1sec, ISO 16,000, saved as RAW
Darks: Internal (Long Exposure Noise Reduction)
Flats: 64x1/100s sky flats taken at dusk
Average Light Pollution: Bortle 8, fair transparency
Lensed Sky Quality Meter: 18.6 mag/arc-sec^2
Stacking: Mean with a 1-sigma clip
White Balance: Nebulosity Automatic, Photoshop
Software: Backyard EOS, Deepsky Stacker, Nebulosity, Photoshop

 

M57 (6-24_30_7-1-2024)-1j.jpg

 

This is the last of three test images taken with my Unitron 510 in its original stock configuration. The source images were acquired over three evenings,  76 on 6/24, 21 on 6/30, and 157 on 7/1. These represented approximately 60% of the source images and were selected manually from the source files.


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#254 jgraham

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Posted 07 July 2024 - 05:47 PM

So, imaging with the stock Unitron 510 is quite doable when paired with a modern camera and processing techniques. The key element is taking a relatively large number of very short exposures using a high gain followed by manually selecting the best source images, stacking, and careful processing. I have now successfully imaged with the Unitron 142, 155, and the 510, with the relative challenge increasing in that order largely due to the increasing weight and focal length of the telescopes. However, none of these were particularly difficult once the process was smoothed out and all have proven to be excellent imaging platforms giving exceptionally flat, well corrected fields.


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#255 jgraham

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Posted 08 August 2024 - 09:55 AM

I feel like that I am entering a new phase with the 510... using it. As the old saying goes, the best scope is the one that you use, and the 510 is becoming that scope. The 510 isn't nearly the largest aperture scope that I have, but it checks a _lot_ of boxes. It's relatively easy to set up, easy to use, very comfortable to use, and produces the finest image of all of my scope and nearly every scope that I have used. About the only telescopes that I can recall producing a better image were unobstructed reflectors made by The Masters; Richard Wessling's Tri-Schiefspiegler, and Ed Jones' Chief (Corrected Herschelian). (I have the parts to assemble a Chief using a classic Edmund 8" f/8 mirror. That's gonna be fun!)

 

Anywho... I have been having a blast over the heat and humidity of summer using my Seestars (3 of them) to observe remotely and to take photometric images of several variable stars including T-CrB. However, we are now getting into the back side of summer with the temperatures starting to moderate and dusk starting to sneak in a bit earlier, and I started getting an itch to get in some serious eyepiece time and my thoughts turned to the 510. The view of double stars in particular have been stuck in my brain and I wanted to spend some time visiting a few old friends and making new ones. So, last night as dusk approached, I started assembling the 510 getting everything aligned (the setting circles) and balanced (a tad nose-heavy with my heaviest eyepiece, a 2" 56mm Super Plossl). A few drops of oil in the oil taps on the drive motor, a lithium-ion battery to drive it, a Thermacell, Starbound chair, and a small table and I was ready to start.

 

I started with Arcturus just to warm things up and to spend some time with its wonderful color. I'm planning on taking the 510 to some outreach events in urban areas where the targets may be limited, and I want to see what some of the brighter stars look like through this scope. (Beautiful BTW.) I then started a long star-hop across Bootes following a broad sweep to the southwest ending with Antares. This was my first time ever clearly splitting Antares, and it looked fantastic! The split was clear despite Antares being well past the meridian and the color contrast between the primary and the secondary. In fact, I'm noticing a lot of subtle and not so subtle color contrast in double stars with the 510. It has been my experience that something magic happens when all of the light goes to where it is supposed to go. The 510 gives a sharp, clear Airy disk and usually a single sharp, narrow diffraction ring. I only see higher order rings around bright stars. After Antares I swept back to the northeast stopping at a few globular clusters along the way including M4, M80, and ending with M3 in Canes Venatici. I was particularly interested in stopping and spending some time with each field. I found previously while observing rich, faint open clusters like NGC 188 that if I relaxed, took my time, and soaked up all that there was to see that after a few minutes my eye would catch a glimpse of the fainter cluster members and that the view would then blossom. At each step along the way I experienced a similar effect with the 510. Globulars first appeared as a soft gray puff, but in a few minutes, I could begin to see a sprinkling of tiny sparks, and the globular would slowly resolve into a granular patch of stardust. M4 was relative sparse, M80 was condensed with a bright core, while M3 was just amazing. I'm hoping to get the 510 out under a really dark sky rather than my Bortle 8 backyard later this year. Now _that_ should be fun.

 

On-deck, we have a couple of outreach events to help with and we have the procedure for transporting the 510 all worked out. Saturn should be back in a few weeks, and even with a slender ring it should be a welcome sight.

 

Enjoy!

 

Unitron 510 (8-7-2024)-2.jpg


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#256 combatdad

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Posted 09 August 2024 - 07:59 AM

Well done, John!  You bring out the best of the 510!!  Looking forward to your dark sky viewing.

 

Dave

 

Note:  Looking forward to a feature article for the Unitron History website!!



#257 jgraham

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Posted 09 August 2024 - 10:57 AM

Since we are getting settled in with the 510 timing for writing a summary is about right. I'll put that on the to-do list.

On another note... the 510 will be at the Cincinnati Observatory's Scope Out event if the weather cooperates. This will be our first time attending Scope Out and we are looking forward to it!
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#258 ccaissie

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Posted 09 August 2024 - 12:39 PM

A few drops of oil in the oil taps on the drive motor,

 

Could you say more about where what oil to use?   I have a 152.



#259 jgraham

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Posted 09 August 2024 - 01:30 PM

3-in-1 makes an oil specifically for electric motors. It looks like a narrow cut SAE 20 oil. I found mine at a local hardware store...

 

https://www.acehardw...E&gclsrc=aw.ds 


Edited by jgraham, 09 August 2024 - 01:33 PM.

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#260 jgraham

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Posted 08 September 2024 - 08:19 PM

Ugh, I've got some catching up to do! August was a very busy month with an usually high number of clear and clear-ish evenings and the trend is continuing into September. The Unitron 510 has been _very_ busy and I'm working on a few notes. In the meantime, we took the 510 down to Cincinnati to participate in the Cincinnati Observatory ScopeOut event. The weather could not have been better! It turned out to be one of the clearest evenings that we've had this summer, and it turned cool with a touch of fall in the air.

 

We arrived at 4:30 and set up on a nice level paved area with the local clubs that were invited to attend (I was helping with the Miami Valley Astronomical Society). This was a good spot as the observatory is located on the top of a hill and there's not a lot of flat, level ground once you get away from central grounds. I managed to get a picture of the 510 with the dome of the 1904 16" Alvan Clark & Sons in the background (behind me is the dome of the 1845 11" Merz und Mahler)...

 

ScopeOut (9-7-2024)-1.jpg

 

All the practice using the setting circles paid off. I was able to get the circles aligned pretty well long before sunset following the procedure described in the Unitron manual with an additional step using the sun to fine tune the azimuth polar alignment; set the scope to point at the coordinates of the sun, then adjust the azimuth to center the sun. Voila! aligned. With the circles aligned it was easy to find Venus long before sunset and the trusty old clock drive easily kept it centered. I didn't have to make any further adjustments then entire evening and when we pulled the plug almost 6 hours later the battery still had about 40% of its charge remaining (I had a spare just in case).

 

We followed Venus until we lost it to the trees and then moved to the moon. As the moon sank into the trees we swung around and spent the rest of the evening on Saturn. Even with the shallowing rings Saturn was amazing. The seeing was unusually good giving us a sharp image that easily showed the Cassini division and two moons (Titan and Rhea). When the word spread that we had Saturn in the 510 the line got really long!

 

ScopeOut (9-7-2024)-2.jpg

 

The 510 performed brilliantly! The drive kept the field centered all night long and I only had to check the alignment a couple of times. The mount never budged even when it would occasionally get bumped. It would just rock a bit and then go right back to where it was. The excitement and wonder of our guests looking through the scope was pretty universal from the youngest to the oldest.

 

A good time was had by all!

 

 


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#261 combatdad

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Posted 11 September 2024 - 06:37 AM

Well done, John!  Nothing better than a long tube refractor to draw a crowd!!

 

Dave


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#262 deSitter

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Posted 11 September 2024 - 07:51 AM

Well done, John!  Nothing better than a long tube refractor to draw a crowd!!

 

Dave

"But but but mine's an APO!" :) I find it amazing that anyone would ATTEMPT to transport a 5" f/16 scope this way, let alone pull it off!

 

-drl



#263 jgraham

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Posted 05 October 2024 - 10:46 AM

Practice makes perfect...

 

Washington Mill (10-4-2024)-1.jpg

 

Washington Mill (10-4-2024)-2.jpg

 

Less than 24 hours after getting home from a 12 hour drive from coastal South Carolina we were helping with an outreach event at Washington Mill Park in Bellbrook, Ohio. I was concerned that we'd be tired and I was originally planning on bringing the smaller 155, but the 510 is so easy to set up and so much fun to use I decided to bring it instead. I'm glad that I did. This was this was the site of the 510's outreach debut and the park service used a picture of it in their announcement for this year's event. As per usual, the kids (and their parents) loved it, and it did not disappoint. There's no greater joy that providing an 'Oh Wow!' moment for our guests. The 155 works just as well, but the 510 is special.

 

Neat stuff!

 


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#264 Terra Nova

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Posted 05 October 2024 - 02:17 PM

Well done! My brother out in California acquired our friend’s historic 6” Carroll (F15) last year and he frequently takes it to outreaches. As you say, it’s all about getting into a routine of how to set up and take down safely and easily. Step by step!


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#265 deSitter

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Posted 05 October 2024 - 06:37 PM

Practice makes perfect...

 

attachicon.gif Washington Mill (10-4-2024)-1.jpg

 

attachicon.gif Washington Mill (10-4-2024)-2.jpg

 

Less than 24 hours after getting home from a 12 hour drive from coastal South Carolina we were helping with an outreach event at Washington Mill Park in Bellbrook, Ohio. I was concerned that we'd be tired and I was originally planning on bringing the smaller 155, but the 510 is so easy to set up and so much fun to use I decided to bring it instead. I'm glad that I did. This was this was the site of the 510's outreach debut and the park service used a picture of it in their announcement for this year's event. As per usual, the kids (and their parents) loved it, and it did not disappoint. There's no greater joy that providing an 'Oh Wow!' moment for our guests. The 155 works just as well, but the 510 is special.

 

Neat stuff!

It reminds me of a giraffe! :)

 

-drl



#266 jgraham

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Posted 19 October 2024 - 08:19 PM

I am sitting outside with th 510 soaking up an incredible view of Saturn. 364x and there's no real image breakdown. There are bright and dark bands on the planet, the Cassini Division, ring & planet shadow, Titan, Rhea, Tethys, and Dione are all visible.

Fun fact... the clock drive motor on the 510 is a fairly substantial 120vac motor that can run a bit warm. I take advantage of it this time of year to keep my eyepieces warm. I keep my eyepieces in a small padded lunch bag, set it next to the drive motor, and cover it with a small towel. It produces just enough warmth to keep everything dry. Very handy. 😀

Edited by jgraham, 19 October 2024 - 08:20 PM.

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#267 Airship

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Posted 06 January 2025 - 09:07 PM

Ugh. The winder doldrums are here. How about an update from last summer? I have been wanting to write this up for quite a while, but I just can’t seem to find the words. So, I thought I’d just push through it and see where it goes.

 

One of my main objectives for the 510 this year was to experience what it was like to use once the novelty had worn off. I was also curious how well it works with my overall observing style which is a mix of star-hopping and GoTo. Briefly, I rarely use star-hopping as a means of finding anything, instead I use it as a means of having a relaxing evening sitting at the eyepiece and exploring the sky. I typically pick out a bright star as my starting point and then using my S&T Sky Atlas as my guide I hop from star to star taking a celestial nature walk and marking my path on charts photocopied from my Jumbo Sky Atlas. If there are any deepsky objects along the trail, I’ll take a little side trail to take a peek at each scenic overlook. This style of observing benefits from being able to be seated comfortably at the eyepiece with a small table and to make small, controlled movements of the scope. Being comfortable at the eyepiece is everything, having to fiddle with the scope can just turn the evening into an exercise in frustration. On a good night the telescope almost disappears, and the eyepiece becomes a window into the sky. The 510 performed beautifully in this role from start to finish. It’s easy to set up and is a joy to use. With the clutches adjusted right it is very easy to move, and the slow-motion controls are right where my hands expect to find them in the dark. I also like how each control has a different shape so you can easily tell which one is which. The telescope itself produces a wonderful field that is sharp from edge to edge. The whole process encourages you to relax, take your time, and to spend time with each field. Perfect for an enjoyable evening.

 

What about the GoTo side of the house? That’s a little different. I use GoTo to locate specific targets of interest or as a means of quickly visiting some old friends before calling it a night. With the 510 I have learned how to set up and use the setting circles and once you get the hang of it they are just about as fast and accurate as any modern GoTo system. The precision setting circles on the 510 (and most other Unitrons) are very accurate and they usually drop the target withing the field of view of my 2” 26mm QX eyepiece.

 

As far as exploring what it was like to use the 510 after the novelty wore off, well, the novelty never wore off. As a mild clear evening approached, and I thought about what I wanted to do and what scope I wanted to use I almost always opted for the 510. It’s just such a special scope that’s easy to set up and an absolute joy to use.

This shows the 510 star-hopping Bootes on a bright moonlit night last August…

 

Unitron 510 (8-19-2024)-1.jpg

…and the first part of the star-hop from that evening. The trail starts at Arcturus and winds around to the upper left towards Corona Borealis. The circles mark field that I thought were particularly pretty or interesting.

 

Unitron 510 Star-Hop 8-13-2024 (v1).jpg

One box that I haven’t checked yet is observing with the 510 under dark skies. I do all of my observing from our Bortle 8 backyard and most of our outreach events are at urban locations. The few times that we have had an outreach event under a moderately dark sky looked really good. Truly dark skies can be the Great Equalizer where a moderate aperture like that of the 510 can really shine. Once the weather turns mild in the spring, we’ll look at getting the 510 out to a local state park that has a dark site that they allow stargazers to use. Should be fun!

 

Stay warm!


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#268 Jim Curry

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Posted 09 January 2025 - 08:23 PM

Great writeup John. Thanks



#269 Airship

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Posted 09 January 2025 - 10:17 PM

Thanks! The Giant Sleeps at the moment as we wait for the first mild evenings of spring. I am looking forward to a fun year with the 510! On the short-short list is getting it out under darks skies where I expect it to really shine.ing forward to ti!

 

So much to do, so few clear nights...

 

P.S.

 

Speaking of the short-short list, the 510 will be at NEAF again this year. I've got dome touch-ups to do to get it in show condition.

 

Looking forward to it!


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