M42 with a 76mm newt

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Thefatkitty Canada
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M42 with a 76mm newt

#1

Post by Thefatkitty »


Hi all, hope the weekend was good. We got a fair bit of snow yesterday, followed by a cold front. Usually good for a clear sky, and for a while tonight it was. I noticed Betelgeuse for the first time in a while; all I can say is wow! Not the shining star (pun intended) it used to be.

I had fixed the focuser on my mount to line up with the 76mm Tasco-mirrored/Skywatcher-tubed mutant I had cut down to come to focus with a DSLR. I really need more clear skies here and a life. As a side note, I noticed I cut 80mm off the tube for this to happen, and the mirror is almost that in size. Coincidence..??

Anyhoo, I left that mess outside while I cleaned off and shoveled out the car and truck in the -18C (0F). I need to do these things earlier in the day. After that bit of grumbling, I got my seating arrangement out of the shed.

And what exactly is that, you ask? Well, it ain't no Vestil, but hear me out: Milk crates are 11" (28cm) high. At least mine are. I also have a milk crate I cut in half (not pictured here). So, I can adjust my seating height in 5 1/2" (14cm) increments, and with three full crates, the half one, and my trusty bar stool top, it has worked for me with every scope from my 80mm f/15 to my 10" f/4.9.
So until my back or butt can't handle it, it shall do :D
IMG_20200119_200720147.png

After I set that up, I looked through the hole for the polar scope for Polaris :lol:, slewed the scope and found M42 in the viewfinder, rotated the scope on its tube-ring so the camera would be straight up, and happily it showed up in the camera viewfinder as well. I turned on the camera, went to live mode, and saw one very dim star. Wow, this is gonna be fun.... I zoomed in to 10X, moved the focus area to the star, and adjusted the scopes focuser as best I could. I have to say the scope is solid on the mount; very little wobble, which helped immensely. I'm not patting myself on the back, but I usually do everything with a bit of overkill...

Once I was satisfied with the focus (yet not really), I found M42 again in the focuser. I sat down, hook the remote shutter in one hand, the RA knob in the other, looked into the viewfinder, and slowly started turning the knob. Keeping M42 in the crosshairs without it drifting (I hope), I press the button on the shutter and hope some more.

I did that 15 times, with exposures from 15 seconds down to five. I used my Canon T3 (1100D) at ISO 1600. Three shots came out, one at 14 seconds, one at 12, and one at seven. You can also see my LP and some nasty stuff on my sensor, wow. I really gotta clean that, my other T3 is actually worse...!!

The focus is still off, and seeing as how it's a spherical mirror, it might never be that good; just thinking. And the collimation is still a bit off as well. The bright star in the lower middle should have three diffration spikes, and it does not. At least I think it should; there's three spider vanes; more like rods on these instead of four thin vanes like a quality scope :lol:

I'm also surprised at the wide field view. I expected it to be much narrower, seeing as how the scope is an f/8 now; if I'm doing the math right. I'd expect that from an f/4 or 5, not this thing. Interesting that.

So here they are, at 14, 12, and 7 seconds from top to bottom. All I did was convert them to PNG and resize them to 50% in the Digital Photo Professional software from Canon. Unlike you AP folk, I have not the slightest inkling of the tiniest clue as to what to do with them, and I doubt I could do much even if I had the software. I still have the original CR2 files if anyone wants to kill some time. No darks or flats or lord knows what else I'm missing :lol:
IMG_3396.png
IMG_3402.png
IMG_3400.png


And that's it for me tonight. The battery on my camera was flashing, and it was starting to get hazy, though it is supposed to clear up when I'm asleep. Of course. I also need to be outside by 6:30 AM; there's a nice conjunction of the crescent Moon, Mars, and Antares; forming a triangle in the south east.
Sweet :D

Have a good night/day and clear skies!
Mark

"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4 & AZ-EQ5 mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.

H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D.

Oh yeah, and Solar Cycle 25 :D
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Re: M42 with a 76mm newt

#2

Post by Don Quixote »


Good times, Mark !
The pleasures of viewing in the deep cold...
Thank you for the fun read and your image captures.
More clear skies to you.
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Re: M42 with a 76mm newt

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Post by musiclucho »


My favorite is the last one. Kinda resembles the view in my 15x70s binos.
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Re: M42 with a 76mm newt

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Post by notFritzArgelander »


Thefatkitty wrote: Mon Jan 20, 2020 2:53 am
I'm also surprised at the wide field view. I expected it to be much narrower, seeing as how the scope is an f/8 now; if I'm doing the math right. I'd expect that from an f/4 or 5, not this thing. Interesting that.
Nice job with the scope and pics. It's nice to remodel parts on hand into something more useful. I was surprised by your surprise at the TFOV. So I calculated.

The field stop at the optical back (in this case 1.25"x25.4 mm/") divided by the focal length (700mm) = 0.045. The arctan (0.045) = 2.6 degrees, so that's the maximum field of view you should get. The scale of the image at the focal plane is determined by the focal length.
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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Re: M42 with a 76mm newt

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Post by Bigzmey »


Fun shots and report Mark! Good luck with conjunction.
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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Re: M42 with a 76mm newt

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Post by bladekeeper »


Good stuff, ol' buddy! I enjoyed both the report and the captures! :)
Bryan
Scopes: Apertura AD12 f/5; Celestron C6-R f/8; ES AR127 f/6.4; Stellarvue SV102T f/7; iOptron MC90 f/13.3; Orion ST80A f/5; ES ED80 f/6; Celestron Premium 80 f/11.4; Celestron C80 f/11.4; Unitron Model 142 f/16; Meade NG60 f/10
Mounts: Celestron AVX; Bresser EXOS-2; ES Twilight I; ES Twilight II; iOptron Cube-G; AZ3/wood tripod; Vixen Polaris
Binoculars: Pentax PCF WP II 10×50, Bresser Corvette 10×50, Bresser Hunter 16×50 and 8×40, Garrett Gemini 12×60 LW, Gordon 10×50, Apogee 20×100

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Re: M42 with a 76mm newt

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Post by Juno16 »


Pretty cool Mark!

A fine job on the project. Nice images too.

I also like the last one. Captured the trap!

Thanks,
Jim
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
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Re: M42 with a 76mm newt

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Post by John Baars »


Very nice shots!
Like others, I like the last one most.
Thanks!
Refractors in frequency of use : *SW Evostar 120ED F/7.5 (all round ), * Vixen 102ED F/9 (vintage), both on Vixen GPDX.
GrabnGo on Alt/AZ : *SW Startravel 102 F/5 refractor( widefield, Sun, push-to), *OMC140 Maksutov F/14.3 ( planets).
Most used Eyepieces: *Panoptic 24, *Morpheus 14, *Leica ASPH zoom, *Zeiss barlow, *Pentax XO5.
Commonly used bino's : *Jena 10X50 , * Canon 10X30 IS, *Swarovski Habicht 7X42, * Celestron 15X70, *Kasai 2.3X40
Rijswijk Public Observatory: * Astro-Physics Starfire 130 f/8, * 6 inch Newton, * C9.25, * Meade 14 inch LX600 ACF, *Lunt.
Amateur astronomer since 1970.
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Re: M42 with a 76mm newt

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Post by Thefatkitty »


Don Quixote wrote: Mon Jan 20, 2020 3:00 am Good times, Mark !
The pleasures of viewing in the deep cold...
Thank you for the fun read and your image captures.
More clear skies to you.
Thanks Mark, and the pleasures seem to be less as age creeps in... still, I take it where I can get it lately.
Hope all is well with you; stay warm! :D


musiclucho wrote: Mon Jan 20, 2020 3:08 am My favorite is the last one. Kinda resembles the view in my 15x70s binos.
Thanks Luis and nice to hear from you! Yes, you're right on the view as well; I have a pair of those and didn't even think about it, thanks :D


notFritzArgelander wrote: Mon Jan 20, 2020 4:36 am
Nice job with the scope and pics. It's nice to remodel parts on hand into something more useful. I was surprised by your surprise at the TFOV. So I calculated.

The field stop at the optical back (in this case 1.25"x25.4 mm/") divided by the focal length (700mm) = 0.045. The arctan (0.045) = 2.6 degrees, so that's the maximum field of view you should get. The scale of the image at the focal plane is determined by the focal length.
Thanks nFA, though how useful is open for opinions :lol: And thank you for that bit of math as well. It is unfortunately not my best subject. I remember hearing Michael Minovitch say on a documentary I was watching on Voyager that "math is the language of science". As much as I love science, the math eludes me. However, what you explained I could wrap my head around. In thinking about it, I was expecting the FOV from the camera that my oft-used KK's provide, and we both know how small (yet detailed) that view is... Thanks for giving my head a shake!


Bigzmey wrote: Mon Jan 20, 2020 5:04 am Fun shots and report Mark! Good luck with conjunction.
Thanks Andrey, it was fun, albeit a bit nippy. As for the conjunction? I went out a 6AM and the sky was hazy with low clouds. So much for the forecast.... I did see the Moon, though :lol:


bladekeeper wrote: Mon Jan 20, 2020 5:46 am Good stuff, ol' buddy! I enjoyed both the report and the captures! :)
Thanks Bryan, it was enjoyable for what it was. Though I have to say, I was hoping to see something from your ventures, but methinks your weather didn't cooperate? Hope you get some time in with the SV and the desk-lamp :D


Juno16 wrote: Mon Jan 20, 2020 2:39 pm Pretty cool Mark!

A fine job on the project. Nice images too.

I also like the last one. Captured the trap!

Thanks,
Jim
Jim, always nice to hear from you :D Yeah, the whole thing worked out better than I thought. I don't expect miracles out of it, but no harm in trying, and my time to waste :D
I agree for the last pic, it is the better of the three. The other two were so blown out by my LP. If I ever make up my mind about getting a new truck, I'm gonna take this whole rig to some less-LP skies just for fun :D
Hope you get some time in as well!


John Baars wrote: Mon Jan 20, 2020 10:03 pm Very nice shots!
Like others, I like the last one most.
Thanks!
Thank you John, much appreciated. If I had your sketching abilities I wouldn't even bother with this ;)
Hope your scope dried out from the other night with no damage!


All the best everyone,
Mark

"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4 & AZ-EQ5 mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.

H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D.

Oh yeah, and Solar Cycle 25 :D
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Re: M42 with a 76mm newt

#10

Post by Juno16 »


Thefatkitty wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2020 3:15 am
Juno16 wrote: Mon Jan 20, 2020 2:39 pm Pretty cool Mark!

A fine job on the project. Nice images too.

I also like the last one. Captured the trap!

Thanks,
Jim
Jim, always nice to hear from you :D Yeah, the whole thing worked out better than I thought. I don't expect miracles out of it, but no harm in trying, and my time to waste :D
I agree for the last pic, it is the better of the three. The other two were so blown out by my LP. If I ever make up my mind about getting a new truck, I'm gonna take this whole rig to some less-LP skies just for fun :D
Hope you get some time in as well!
You haven't gotten a truck yet??? I thought that you had found a good deal months ago.

Yeah, I keep on saying that I am going to go away from the house to better skies (well, maybe not much better, but more open), but I have really gotten settled in at home. I can take a rest on the couch, cruise the forum, and eat ice cream and chips. Boy, am I a bum!

I am outside now (well, not really). The scope is anyway. Trying to image M78,

Keep up this imaging thing Mark. It is really addictive!

Jim
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
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Re: M42 with a 76mm newt

#11

Post by notFritzArgelander »


Thefatkitty wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2020 3:15 am
notFritzArgelander wrote: Mon Jan 20, 2020 4:36 am
Nice job with the scope and pics. It's nice to remodel parts on hand into something more useful. I was surprised by your surprise at the TFOV. So I calculated.

The field stop at the optical back (in this case 1.25"x25.4 mm/") divided by the focal length (700mm) = 0.045. The arctan (0.045) = 2.6 degrees, so that's the maximum field of view you should get. The scale of the image at the focal plane is determined by the focal length.
Thanks nFA, though how useful is open for opinions :lol: And thank you for that bit of math as well. It is unfortunately not my best subject. I remember hearing Michael Minovitch say on a documentary I was watching on Voyager that "math is the language of science". As much as I love science, the math eludes me. However, what you explained I could wrap my head around. In thinking about it, I was expecting the FOV from the camera that my oft-used KK's provide, and we both know how small (yet detailed) that view is... Thanks for giving my head a shake!
Understood and no problem. One can do the same calculation replacing, say, the field stop of the KKs into the slot for the unobstructed optical back. The "field stop" or sensor size for the camera would be substituted in the same way.
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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