Just for fun

Purchased this jewel as new just for fun. 150mm f/2.8 is quite suitable for certain wide field objects. Will try it with D7100 body and CCD-cameras.

Binning 2x2

When binning 2x2 you get your data four times faster. In other words for example a single 2x2 binned 5 minutes exposure equals unbinned 20 minutes exposure. Here is an example taken with SX-814 CCD-camera (only 30 five minutes 2x2 binned exposures were taken using 3nm ultra narrowband H-alfa, O-III and S-II filters):

New CCD-Camera

I bought Trius SX-814 combo package and as a bonus got second Lodestar and third SX mini filter wheel added into my astro gear collection. The camera inside the case is Trius SX-694 which is having vacation right now.

Imaging Setup #2 closer look

Estimated backfocus from left to right (without those thin T2-spacers seen in pictures) is 20+15+15+55 = 105mm which is just about right for the EdgeHD 800 0.7x reducer.

Faster than light?

Not quite but enough for me. This was measured during prime hours. At the night time it is easy to reach nominal top d/l speed of 250 Mbps. Connection has been working like a charm over three years now: No breaks, no traffic jams, nothing whatsoever.

Two other measurements in the middle of the day:

Imaging setups

This autumn I will be using setup #1 and will switch into setup #2 later during next year. Third setup has been reserved for occasional outdoor trips.

Setup #1:

• Takahashi FSQ-106ED w. Reducer QE 0.73x
• Starlight Xpress Trius SX-814 (3.69um 3388 x 2712 pixels in a 12.5 x 10mm array)
• USB_Focus focuser
• Starlight Xpress Filter Wheel 7x1.25" w. Astrodon 3nm Ha/O3/S2 + LRGB
• SX-OAG w. Lodestar

Setup #2:

• Celestron EdgeHD 8" w. Celestron 0.7 Reducer
• Starlight Xpress Trius SX-694 (4.54um 2750 x 2200 pixels in a 12.5 x 10mm array)
• FLI PDF focuser
• 1st Starlight Xpress Mini Filter Wheel 5x1.25" w. Astronomik LRGB + Ha
• 2nd Starlight Xpress Mini Filter Wheel 5x1.25" w. Baader Ha/O3/S2/Hb + Astronomik CLS
• SX Lodestar

Setup #3:

• TS Triplet 102/714mm f/7
• Starlight Xpress Trius SX-694
• Starlight Xpress Filter Wheel 5x2" w. Baader Ha/O3/S2/Hb + Astronomik CLS
• Optec TCF-S focuser
• SX-OAG w. Lodestar

As you may notice here I have invested some pennies into filter wheels (five of them) and filter sets (2xLRGB and 3xNB).

Setup completed

Today I finally received the last two missing narrowband filters in my filter wheel: Astrodon 3nm O-III and S-II arrived. This seven position wheel now has got Ha, O3, S2 and LRGB filters mounted.

USB_Focus Adaptation

The Tube

Astrodon filters (OIII and SII were out of stock, coming soon):

Filter wheel for Ha, OIII, SII and LRGB:

The Package:

Mounting rings and plates:

Focal reducer and custom adapter:

My new tube:

Front lens:

Goodbye scope!

This tube will soon be replaced with another tube. This scope remains as spare.

Equipment updates continue

This absolute (7000 1.25 micron steps) temperature aware focuser will be used with EdgeHD 800 with reducer because of limited back focus there.

Hot or not?

Temperatures have been going wildly up and down lately between daytime and nightime. This is hot up here in North!

Focusing CCD camera on sunlight

Finally together

Hello! We are mates. Powermates with image magnification factors of 2x, 2.5x, 4x and 5x.

Right Angled Problem Solver

Equipment updates continue

This is computer controlled temperature compensated strong torque focuser from France. It's called USB_Focus.

Equipment update

Preparing for the autumn to come. This is the newest addition into my astrogear. Bigger SX filter wheel with 7 position wheel for 1.25" filters. I changed the wheel with 2" five position narrow band filters. Also shown in the pictures is short back OAG with my current camera SX-694.

The reason for bigger wheel is the forecoming scope update with fast astrograph.