PeltierCooler DSI
Here's an image of my primary astrophotography camera, the Meade DSI Pro with the Peltier cooler modification. I am very satisfied with the cooler mod as it has reduced a lot of the noise I was experiencing with the DSI Pro. I'm also very satisfied with how sensitive the DSI Pro is.
Modified Webcam
The final product after putting the webcam in a kit box, attaching the telescope adaptor, and adding a small cpu fan for suppressing some of the thermal noise in the images. The battery pack is for powering the fan.
Logitech Pro 3000 Mod
The actual long exposure modification I performed on the Logitech Pro 3000 webcam.
8inch AtlasEQG Setup 02
Here is a photo of my new astrophotography setup. The mount is an Orion Atlas EQ-G. The main telescope is an Orion 8" 1000mm f4.9 reflector, and the guide scope is a Meade 80mm refractor. · Original Date 4/12/11 7:58 AM · Model DiMAGE X1 · Focal Length (35mm) 37.0mm · Metering Mode Multi-segment · ISO Equivalent 160 · Exposure Time 1/40s · Aperture 3.5 · Exposure Bias Value 0 EV · Exposure Program Program normal · White Balance Auto white balance · Flash Flash fired, auto · Resolution 480 x 640
8inch AtlasEQG Setup
KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA · Original Date 3/14/11 10:32 AM · Model DiMAGE X1 · Focal Length (35mm) 37.0mm · Metering Mode Multi-segment · ISO Equivalent 160 · Exposure Time 1/40s · Aperture 3.5 · Exposure Bias Value 0 EV · Exposure Program Program normal · White Balance Auto white balance · Flash Flash fired, auto · Resolution 480 x 640
HolmesRGB 1sec 110607
Comet 17P/Holmes at 50x1 second RGB Fits. Comet Holmes is one peculiar comet! Between October 23–24, 2007, Comet Holmes grew much brighter, going from magnitude 17 to magnitude 2.5 in just a few hours. This might be a one in a lifetime event so I'm glad I had the right equipment to capture a few descent images of it. Captured and combined in Meade's Autostar Envisage V5.85 software. Finishing touches done in PhotoShop. Telescope: Meade DS-2114ATS-TC on Orion EQ1 motorized mount. Camera: Mead DSI Color 16bit camera. Camera in prime focus with an Atik x.5 focal length reducer. Filtration used: Baader UV/IR Cut filter · Date/Time 2007:11:07 09:43:12 · Resolution 632 x 470
Holmes03 1sec 110607
Comet 17P/Holmes at 100x1 second Fits. This is probably the best image I have of this comet. Comet Holmes is one peculiar comet! Between October 23–24, 2007, Comet Holmes grew much brighter, going from magnitude 17 to magnitude 2.5 in just a few hours. This might be a one in a lifetime event so I'm glad I had the right equipment to capture a few descent images of it. Captured and combined in Meade's Autostar Envisage V5.85 software. Finishing touches done in PhotoShop. Telescope: Meade DS-2114ATS-TC on Orion EQ1 motorized mount. Camera: Mead DSI Pro monochrome 16bit camera. Camera in prime focus with an Atik x.5 focal length reducer. Filtration used: Baader UV/IR Cut filter · Date/Time 2007:11:07 09:42:14 · Resolution 648 x 488
Holmes02 1sec 110607
Comet 17P/Holmes at 50x1 second Fits. Comet Holmes is one peculiar comet! Between October 23–24, 2007, Comet Holmes grew much brighter, going from magnitude 17 to magnitude 2.5 in just a few hours. This might be a one in a lifetime event so I'm glad I had the right equipment to capture a few descent images of it. Captured and combined in Meade's Autostar Envisage V5.85 software. Finishing touches done in PhotoShop. Telescope: Meade DS-2114ATS-TC on Orion EQ1 motorized mount. Camera: Mead DSI Pro monochrome 16bit camera. Camera in prime focus with an Atik x.5 focal length reducer. Filtration used: Baader UV/IR Cut filter · Date/Time 2007:11:07 09:42:29 · Resolution 648 x 488
Holmes01 1sec 110607
Comet 17P/Holmes at 50x1 second Fits. Comet Holmes is one peculiar comet! Between October 23–24, 2007, Comet Holmes grew much brighter, going from magnitude 17 to magnitude 2.5 in just a few hours. This might be a one in a lifetime event so I'm glad I had the right equipment to capture a few descent images of it. Captured and combined in Meade's Autostar Envisage V5.85 software. Finishing touches done in PhotoShop. Telescope: Meade DS-2114ATS-TC on Orion EQ1 motorized mount. Camera: Mead DSI Pro monochrome 16bit camera. Camera in prime focus with an Atik x.5 focal length reducer. Filtration used: Baader UV/IR Cut filter · Date/Time 2007:11:07 09:42:45 · Resolution 600 x 458
LeoTrip 15sec 50images 135mm
The famous Leo Triplett, M66, M65 and NGC3628. 50x15sec fits exposures captured and combined in Meade's Autostar Envisage V5.85 software. Histogram stretching, Curves, and Dynamic background extraction done in PixInsight LE 1.0. Finishing touches done in PhotoShop. Telescope: - Camera: Mead DSI Pro monochrome 16bit camera Peltier cooled. A 135mm 1:2.8 SLR lens was used for the wide angle shot. The camera was piggybacked on an Orion EQ1 motorized mount. Filtration used: Baader UV/IR Cut filter
M31-60sec-Color
The Andromeda Galaxy M31. 60x17 second LRGB FIT. M32 and M110 are also visible here. Histogram, curves, and combining of LRGB channels done in PhotoShop. Telescope: - Camera: Meade DSI Color. 135mm 1:2.8 camera lens stopped down to 4 attached for wide field of view. Atop Orion EQ1 motorized mount. Filtration: Baader Planetarium UV/IR cut filter.
M31-30sec-LRGB-101507
The Andromeda Galaxy M31. 30x30 second LRGB FIT. This image was my first DSI Color attempt. M32 and M110 are also visible here. Histogram, curves, and combining of LRGB channels done in PhotoShop. Telescope: - Camera: Meade DSI Color. 135mm 1:2.8 camera lens stopped down to 4 attached for wide field of view. Atop Orion EQ1 motorized mount. Filtration: Baader Planetarium UV/IR cut filter.
M31-30sec-101307
The Andromeda Galaxy M31. 30x30 second FIT. My first serious attempt at imaging this beautifull galaxy. M32 and M110 are also visible here. Not to much done to this image in the form of post processing. Histogram and curves done in PhotoShop, and High Pass Sharpening to get the dust lanes to be more visible also done in PhotoShop. That's about it. Telescope: - Camera: Meade DSI Pro. 135mm 1:2.8 camera lens stopped down to 4 attached for wide field of view. Atop Orion EQ1 motorized mount. Filtration: Baader Planetarium UV/IR cut filter.
M31 10252013
The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth in the Andromeda constellation. 20x300sec fits exposures captured and combined in Nebulosity v3.1.0 software. Finishing touches done in PhotoShop. Telescope: Orion 8" 1000mm f4.9 Newtonian reflector. Mount: Orion Atlas EQ-G Guide Scope: Meade 800mm f10 reduced to f5 with Atik x.5 focal length reducer (ADM rings). Imaging Camera: Orion StarShoot Pro Color. Guide Camera: Meade DSI Pro monochrome 16bit camera. Imaging camera in prime focus. Filtration used: IR · Date/Time 2013:10:26 12:55:44 · Resolution 900 x 599
M33 07172012
M33, the Triangulum galaxy. The Triangulum Galaxy is a spiral galaxy approximately 3 million light years (ly) from Earth in the constellation Triangulum. It is one of the most distant permanent objects that can be viewed with the naked eye. M33 is the third largest member in the local group after the Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way. The local group consist of about 30 galaxies. 20x300sec fits exposures. Captured and combined in Nebulosity v2.4.0 software. Finishing touches done in PhotoShop. Telescope: Orion 8" 1000mm f4.9 Newtonian reflector. Mount: Orion Atlas EQ-G Guide Scope: Meade 800mm f10 reduced to f5 with Atik x.5 focal length reducer (ADM rings). Imaging Camera: Mead DSI Color 16bit camera with Peltier cooler modification. Guide Camera: Meade DSI Pro monochrome 16bit camera. Imaging camera in prime focus. Filtration used: Baader UV/IR Cut filter · Date/Time 2012:01:17 20:48:10 · Resolution 900 x 677