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My main imaging equipment
consists of an Astro-Physics Mach1 GTO equatorial mount, an SBIG
ST-8300M CCD-camera and two telescopes. The telescope pictured above
is a Takahashi FSQ-106ED. The other telescope I use for imaging is an
INTES MK-69. These telescopes provide
me the following focal lengths:
Takahashi FSQ-106ED (with
reducer)
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385 mm f/3.6
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| Takahashi FSQ-106ED (native
focal length) |
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530 mm f/5 |
INTES MK-69 (with reducer)
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675 mm f/4.5 |
INTES MK-69 (native focal
length)
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900 mm f/6 |
The picture above was taken at the Wateren Starparty on October 9,
2010. This starparty is held twice a year at horse farm Alberthoeve in
the small town Wateren (Drenthe, the Netherlands). The carton box on
the folding table holds a Medion E1210 notebook. It is placed in a box
to shield the light for the visual observers in the field and to
protect the notebook against moisture. The equipment is powered by an
electric hook-up (230V DC) of which several can be found at the
campground.
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Takahashi FSQ-106ED
flatfield super
quadruplet refractor
D = 106 mm (4.2") F = 530 mm (f/5)
acquired: December 2008 (second hand) |
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This
is
undoubtly
one
of
the
best
4" refractors available today and has
become very popular among astrophotographers. It utilises four lens
elements of which two are made of extra low dispersion (ED) glass to
provide superior colour correction in the range from 400 to 1000 nm.
This may be called a true apochromat. Its large photographic image
circle of 88 mm makes it suitable for medium format astrophotography.
Special features include a retractable dew shield, an oversized fully
rotatable (notice the "captain's wheel") rack-and-pinion focuser with
an 1:7 reduction and a customized quick release 7x50 mm finderscope
with illuminated reticle. With 7 kilograms of weight and a tube
diameter of 125 mm (4.9") it's big for a 4" refractor. Hold one in your
hands and you will fall in love with it! The perfect telescopes doesn't
exits: the downside of the FSQ-106ED is that it is very sensitive to
temperature changes, causing focus
drift.
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INTES MK-69
Maksutov-Cassegrain
D = 150 mm (5.9") F = 900 mm (f/6)
acquired: December 2002 |
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This
rather
rare
Sigler
Maksutov-Cassegrain
is
specially
designed
for
astrophotography and therefore often called the PhotoMak. The large
secondary mirror (placed halfway the tube in a four-vaned spider)
creates an obstruction of 50%, which means relatively poor contrast for
visual use. Nevertheless, I've seen rather pleasent views of Jupiter
through it. Pictured above, the MK-69 is mounted on a dual
scope platform with a 70/400 mm Vixen guidescope. An Olympus OM-1 rides
piggyback on top of the MK-69. The MK-69 was my answer in the quest for
a fast telescope with a
reasonably long focal length, yet lightweight enough to fit a Losmandy
GM-8. If your interested in one, you have to keep your eyes open on the
used market as INTES no
longer exists.
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Astro-Physics Mach1 GTO
acquired: June 2009 |
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This
heavy
duty
mount
has
replaced
my
Losmandy
GM-8
to
become
my
new
workhorse. Astro-Physics
recommends the wooden tripod made by Baader Planetarium
that I already used with the GM-8. These tripods are known for the
rigidness and short damping time. Astro-Physics sells it under the name
"Adjustable Wood Tripod". So far I have been very pleased with the
Mach1. It even operates
flawlessly in freezing
conditions. I particularly
like the way the cables can be routed through the mount. Pictured above
you can see the Mach1 stored in its custom made fligth case.
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SBIG ST-8300M and Starlight Xpress Lodestar
autoguider
acquired: May 2010 |
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The
SBIG
ST-8300M
(monochrome)
camera
is
based
on
a
Kodak
KAF-8300, 8.3
megapixel, full frame CCD. This CCD array has 3326 x 2504 pixels at 5.4
microns (18.0 x 13.5 mm, 4:3 aspect ratio) making it ideal for both
short fast optics in high resolution
(unbinned) mode and for langer focal lengths it can be binned 2x2 or
3x3. The CCD has both antiblooming and microlensing technology to
improve the effective Quantum Efficiency of the sensor. As a result it
can be used in a wide variety of optical configurations. I
use this camera in conjunction with a Starlight Xpress Lodestar
autoguider (off-axis) and 2" filter wheel. Pictured above is a manual
filter wheel of BS Astro. It has been replaced with an electronic Starlight Xpress filter
wheel
that
holds
5
filters
and
is
powered
by
the
USB
cable.
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If
you
want
to
see
some
of
my
previously
owned
equiment,
please
continue
reading
by
clicking
here.
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