ASTRO: dusted off the FSQ: test image after 2 year rest

it has been over two years since I last used my FSQ. It is a great little
scope: nearly an ideal 4" class fast refractor at f/5

Last time I used it I had a somewhat different setup so what I found
yesterday was a lack of the right adaptors to reach focus.

I fussed around with different spacings and adaptors I had and even modified
one with a quick lathe job about 8:45pm last night

anyway about 10pm I finally got it focused and decided to shoot M31 in
Halpha to see what it looks like

here's the result: 2 hours total (6x20 minutes). I haven't shot flats yet
though.

I basically switched from using the FLI DF2 to using a Robofocus. that is
the key change. Something is slipping because when I run the V curve I am
finding a different focus point each time. It is hard to debug fully in the
dark so I will look into it a bit today to see what is happening. Plus I
need to find the Allen wrench I dropped into the yard beside the mount last
night in the dark :-)

Richard Crisp wrote:

it has been over two years since I last used my FSQ. It is a great little
scope: nearly an ideal 4" class fast refractor at f/5

Last time I used it I had a somewhat different setup so what I found
yesterday was a lack of the right adaptors to reach focus.

I fussed around with different spacings and adaptors I had and even modified
one with a quick lathe job about 8:45pm last night

anyway about 10pm I finally got it focused and decided to shoot M31 in
Halpha to see what it looks like

here's the result: 2 hours total (6x20 minutes). I haven't shot flats yet
though.

I basically switched from using the FLI DF2 to using a Robofocus. that is
the key change. Something is slipping because when I run the V curve I am
finding a different focus point each time. It is hard to debug fully in the
dark so I will look into it a bit today to see what is happening. Plus I
need to find the Allen wrench I dropped into the yard beside the mount last
night in the dark :-)


Just wait a few days, it will show up well when it turns red brown in
color. That's how I usually find them in the grass.

The FSQ is one scope I've been looking at for wide field work. It would
be an easy fit to put on top of the LX200R and make a good guide scope
as a bonus. Just seems odd that the 4" scope costs more than the 14".
Hard getting a wife to understand.

Think it more temp sensitive than my LX200R from reports I've read.
Since I'd be using it with the robofocus controller I now have when
imaging I'm interested in what is slipping.

Is this the full FOV or have you cropped it?

Rick

--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

Must have been contagious, I set the alarm for 1:00 am this morning
to do some imaging.

Stumbled to the observatory without the necessary cups of coffee on
board. Barely got the roof off before the dog nailed a raccoon. (Very
quiet and gentle dog unless hunting and then it won't give up), took
at least a half hour to resovle the matter to everyone satisfaction
(except for the coon)
I then synced scopes on Castor and issued slew commands, The 5" took
off for parts unknown so checked software settings, etc everything
okay, re-synced on Castor and the same thing happened. Finally got
enough coffee and then had the brillant idea that I should check the
mount. Engaged the RA clutch, solved the problem. By then had lost
1-1/2 hours of imaging time.

On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 07:52:15 -0700, "Richard Crisp"
wrote:

it has been over two years since I last used my FSQ. It is a great little
scope: nearly an ideal 4" class fast refractor at f/5

Last time I used it I had a somewhat different setup so what I found
yesterday was a lack of the right adaptors to reach focus.

I fussed around with different spacings and adaptors I had and even modified
one with a quick lathe job about 8:45pm last night

anyway about 10pm I finally got it focused and decided to shoot M31 in
Halpha to see what it looks like

here's the result: 2 hours total (6x20 minutes). I haven't shot flats yet
though.

I basically switched from using the FLI DF2 to using a Robofocus. that is
the key change. Something is slipping because when I run the V curve I am
finding a different focus point each time. It is hard to debug fully in the
dark so I will look into it a bit today to see what is happening. Plus I
need to find the Allen wrench I dropped into the yard beside the mount last
night in the dark :-)

"Rick Johnson" wrote in message
...


Richard Crisp wrote:

it has been over two years since I last used my FSQ. It is a great little
scope: nearly an ideal 4" class fast refractor at f/5

Last time I used it I had a somewhat different setup so what I found
yesterday was a lack of the right adaptors to reach focus.

I fussed around with different spacings and adaptors I had and even
modified one with a quick lathe job about 8:45pm last night

anyway about 10pm I finally got it focused and decided to shoot M31 in
Halpha to see what it looks like

here's the result: 2 hours total (6x20 minutes). I haven't shot flats yet
though.

I basically switched from using the FLI DF2 to using a Robofocus. that is
the key change. Something is slipping because when I run the V curve I am
finding a different focus point each time. It is hard to debug fully in
the dark so I will look into it a bit today to see what is happening.
Plus I need to find the Allen wrench I dropped into the yard beside the
mount last night in the dark :-)


Just wait a few days, it will show up well when it turns red brown in
color. That's how I usually find them in the grass.

The FSQ is one scope I've been looking at for wide field work. It would
be an easy fit to put on top of the LX200R and make a good guide scope as
a bonus. Just seems odd that the 4" scope costs more than the 14". Hard
getting a wife to understand.

Think it more temp sensitive than my LX200R from reports I've read. Since
I'd be using it with the robofocus controller I now have when imaging I'm
interested in what is slipping.

Is this the full FOV or have you cropped it?

Rick


Full FOV, cropped only to compensate for the dithering between shots

most fast refractors will exhibit temperature sensitivity. this guy is an
f/5

Richard,

I wasn't expecting M31 to look so "normal" in Halpha. Some galaxies have a
"skeleton" like appearance in Halpha, while M31 seems looks like it has a
full body. I remember a shot of M33 that you did a while ago that sports the
"skeleton" look quite clearly.

Stefan

"Richard Crisp" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
t...
it has been over two years since I last used my FSQ. It is a great little
scope: nearly an ideal 4" class fast refractor at f/5

Last time I used it I had a somewhat different setup so what I found
yesterday was a lack of the right adaptors to reach focus.

I fussed around with different spacings and adaptors I had and even
modified one with a quick lathe job about 8:45pm last night

anyway about 10pm I finally got it focused and decided to shoot M31 in
Halpha to see what it looks like

here's the result: 2 hours total (6x20 minutes). I haven't shot flats yet
though.

I basically switched from using the FLI DF2 to using a Robofocus. that is
the key change. Something is slipping because when I run the V curve I am
finding a different focus point each time. It is hard to debug fully in
the dark so I will look into it a bit today to see what is happening. Plus
I need to find the Allen wrench I dropped into the yard beside the mount
last night in the dark :-)

wrote:
Must have been contagious, I set the alarm for 1:00 am this morning
to do some imaging.

Stumbled to the observatory without the necessary cups of coffee on
board. Barely got the roof off before the dog nailed a raccoon. (Very
quiet and gentle dog unless hunting and then it won't give up), took
at least a half hour to resovle the matter to everyone satisfaction
(except for the coon)
I then synced scopes on Castor and issued slew commands, The 5" took
off for parts unknown so checked software settings, etc everything
okay, re-synced on Castor and the same thing happened. Finally got
enough coffee and then had the brillant idea that I should check the
mount. Engaged the RA clutch, solved the problem. By then had lost
1-1/2 hours of imaging time.

On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 07:52:15 -0700, "Richard Crisp"
wrote:


it has been over two years since I last used my FSQ. It is a great little
scope: nearly an ideal 4" class fast refractor at f/5

Last time I used it I had a somewhat different setup so what I found
yesterday was a lack of the right adaptors to reach focus.

I fussed around with different spacings and adaptors I had and even modified
one with a quick lathe job about 8:45pm last night

anyway about 10pm I finally got it focused and decided to shoot M31 in
Halpha to see what it looks like

here's the result: 2 hours total (6x20 minutes). I haven't shot flats yet
though.

I basically switched from using the FLI DF2 to using a Robofocus. that is
the key change. Something is slipping because when I run the V curve I am
finding a different focus point each time. It is hard to debug fully in the
dark so I will look into it a bit today to see what is happening. Plus I
need to find the Allen wrench I dropped into the yard beside the mount last
night in the dark :-)



Sounds like me when the new DST took over. While my computer's clock
was right for some reason The Sky said "No it isn't DST" and pointed me
an hour off. But it showed the scope pointed right. I had to run out
to the observatory and one look along the finder showed me the error. I
had to go back and change the time zone to 5 from 6 to make it work
right. Once the old DST time hit I had to undo the change. I suppose
there's an update for this but I haven't looked. So I'll go through the
same state of confusion come the end of this month -- assuming the
clouds ever leave.

Rick


--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

Think you are thinking of my image from last year. I posted it both in
Halpha only and in a 50 50 mix with white light. I'm now processing a
color version of the 50 50 shot.

Rick


Stefan Lilge wrote:

Richard,

I wasn't expecting M31 to look so "normal" in Halpha. Some galaxies have
a "skeleton" like appearance in Halpha, while M31 seems looks like it
has a full body. I remember a shot of M33 that you did a while ago that
sports the "skeleton" look quite clearly.

Stefan

"Richard Crisp" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
t...

it has been over two years since I last used my FSQ. It is a great
little scope: nearly an ideal 4" class fast refractor at f/5

Last time I used it I had a somewhat different setup so what I found
yesterday was a lack of the right adaptors to reach focus.

I fussed around with different spacings and adaptors I had and even
modified one with a quick lathe job about 8:45pm last night

anyway about 10pm I finally got it focused and decided to shoot M31 in
Halpha to see what it looks like

here's the result: 2 hours total (6x20 minutes). I haven't shot flats
yet though.

I basically switched from using the FLI DF2 to using a Robofocus. that
is the key change. Something is slipping because when I run the V
curve I am finding a different focus point each time. It is hard to
debug fully in the dark so I will look into it a bit today to see what
is happening. Plus I need to find the Allen wrench I dropped into the
yard beside the mount last night in the dark :-)

Richard Crisp wrote:

it has been over two years since I last used my FSQ. It is a great little
scope: nearly an ideal 4" class fast refractor at f/5

Last time I used it I had a somewhat different setup so what I found
yesterday was a lack of the right adaptors to reach focus.

I fussed around with different spacings and adaptors I had and even modified
one with a quick lathe job about 8:45pm last night

anyway about 10pm I finally got it focused and decided to shoot M31 in
Halpha to see what it looks like

here's the result: 2 hours total (6x20 minutes). I haven't shot flats yet
though.

I basically switched from using the FLI DF2 to using a Robofocus. that is
the key change. Something is slipping because when I run the V curve I am
finding a different focus point each time. It is hard to debug fully in the
dark so I will look into it a bit today to see what is happening. Plus I
need to find the Allen wrench I dropped into the yard beside the mount last
night in the dark :-)

It wasn't until I read Stefan's comment that I realized that was H
alpha. Sure hard to see much difference from white light. Needs more
scale to see the HII regions I assume.

Rick

--
Correct domain name is arvig and it is net not com. Prefix is correct.
Third character is a zero rather than a capital "Oh".

..........

It wasn't until I read Stefan's comment that I realized that was H alpha.
Sure hard to see much difference from white light. Needs more scale to
see the HII regions I assume.
........

Rick, Richard, et al:

I think the h-alpha regions in the spiral arms show a little more than in a
full spectrum view. I think that M-31 has more stars and less gas than M-33.

George N

"Rick Johnson" wrote
....
....... Just seems odd that the 4" scope costs more than the 14". Hard
getting a wife to understand..........


I get the same reaction when I mention that my 10-inch RC Cass tube assembly
is worth 3 times as much as my Obsession 20. If that doesn't get a reaction,
I point out that the replacement price for the Kopernik OGS 20 RC is
$138,000. I mentioned that at Stellafane while observing thru the Dob with
John Stiles the owner of OGS. His reaction: "So......Do you wanta buy
another RC? I have a carbon-fiber tubed 12.5" with a beryllium primary cell
and invar cage holding the spider and secondary that I can drive up to your
house on Monday." My answer: "My wife sez you can come over for pizza
anytime John...... but no more telescopes!"

Your 14" may appreciate in value quickly now that Meade is putting all SCT
production on hold and will no longer sell the 14" 'R' as a tube assembly
only. Ya gotta get the whole scope now..... after waiting for production to
start up again next sometime year. After seeing your results I was
considering getting a 14" R tube, but now I'd need to get a used one.

George N