First Imaging Attempt

Hi,

I made my first attempt at imaging the moon tonight using my 8" Meade
LX90 and the Meade LPI that shipped with it.

The results are far from perfect but here they are anyway:

http://www.andygrove.ws/2005/09/first-moon-photos.html

I didn't bother aligning the LX90 - I had no idea how fast the moon
would be moving. In future, should I use the LX90 to track the moon or
is it better to use the LPI imaging software?

Next question is how do I focus more accurately? This was a complex
procedure for me as my laptop was in my conservatory with the cable to
the LPI going through the window so I was changing the telescope focus
then looking through the window to see the effect on the laptop. Is
there a better approach here?

Thanks!

Andy.

"Andy Grove" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

I made my first attempt at imaging the moon tonight using my 8" Meade
LX90 and the Meade LPI that shipped with it.

The results are far from perfect but here they are anyway:

http://www.andygrove.ws/2005/09/first-moon-photos.html

I didn't bother aligning the LX90 - I had no idea how fast the moon
would be moving. In future, should I use the LX90 to track the moon or
is it better to use the LPI imaging software?

Next question is how do I focus more accurately? This was a complex
procedure for me as my laptop was in my conservatory with the cable to
the LPI going through the window so I was changing the telescope focus
then looking through the window to see the effect on the laptop. Is
there a better approach here?

Thanks!

Andy.


Hi Andy

The results are pretty good for your first attempt.
Looking at the third image down, some areas are saturated. Try reducing the
exposure time. If you look at the box on the left there's a kind of graph
while you're imaging. This is a histogram. Try to ensure that the curves
don't exceed the limit of the box. You can change the shape of the curve
first using the offset, then the exposure time and finally you can vary the
onscreen brightness and contrast by using the sliders underneath the
histogram. It helps to uncheck the auto button under the histogram first
though. You could also try clicking the autoexposure button for a rough
start if you're unsure of the best exposure and offset settings.

In answer to your first question: align the LX90. Although you can use a
tracking box to maintain alignment of the stacked images (you must use a
tracking box!), this doesn't guide the scope. It merely helps with the
alignment of individual images. The more stacked images (try getting 50-100
images with a min quality of 95% for starters), the better the final
product. The LPI can be used to autoguide, but thats a different and more
complicated excercise.

Second question: focussing is a question often raised on imaging usergroups.
There are a number of ways. With the LPI, I usually use a bright star and
adjust the focus and exposure until I can get the smallest spot and then
move onto my target. This isn't something that's easy to do remotely from
your telescope unless you have an electric focuser:
http://tinyurl.com/7dzq6

For the LX90 you'll need the 1206; and one of these (I never did find out
what the 1209 was for..).
http://tinyurl.com/cgbbk

I usually keep the laptop close to the scope unless I use the electric
focusser.
Another means of getting pretty close with the focus is to use the parfocal
ring that came with the LPI. Plug the LPI into your scope and obtain focus.
Then remove the LPI. Slide the parfocal ring loosely over an eyepiece and
slide the eyepiece in and out of the eyepiece holder until you achieve
focus. Then tighten the parfocal ring to stop the eyepiece from sliding
further in. You now have an eyepiece that's at the same focus as your LPI.
Next time you're out, look for the object with your parfocal eyepiece, focus
and just replace the eyepiece with your LPI. The focus will be pretty close.

There are also other means of getting focus, try a hartmann mask:
http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTRO...0817/I0817.HTM
A paper plate is the perfect size for the LX90.

When you've familiarised yourself with the software try downloading the
latest update:
http://www.meade.com/autostar/update/
It works with the LPI, DSI Colour and DSI Pro. Although a little tricky it
allows seamless mosaics and higher resolution images of your target.

Good luck with your next attempts and be sure to share them, no matter what
the occasional sourpuss says, there'll always be someone who'll appreciate
your efforts.

Regards


Chris

Good advice there Chris. I agree with everything.

Andy, further to what Chris has said, try making a mosaic of the entire
moon. This is very difficult without aligning and lunar tracking; so do
that, like Chis said, first. I find it easiest to use movie capture mode to
capture the entire moon, then sweep the scope slowly over the entire
surface. Before you start recording though, find the brightest part of the
moons surface and do the histogram check the chris is talking about. Make
sure that it's not maxed out, but also make sure that the histogram is as
close to the top as possible. Once you've done that, start recording than
sweeping your scope over the entire surface of the moon, using the Autostar
#1 speed (slowest) it'll take ages and you'll end up with a huge multi
gigabyte file.

If you're lucky there may be some software which will take the image and
combine the frames to make a huge single image? I'd not seen anything
myself, but havent looked for a couple of years. The method that I used was
to use Paint Shop Pro's animation editor to open the AVI, then pick off the
frames that I wanted to use. Then I used Paint Shop Pro to place the images
together, using the Layering Feature to help keep the images seperate until
I'd finished. It took about 50 frames from the movie to get the entire
moon. And took a few hours to do, but the results are worth it.

For information the #1209 Focusser, is the Zero Image Shift Focusser from
Meade. It works on both the LX-90 and the LX-200. It's attached inplace
between the visual back and the scope, Then allow to 1/2 of focusser
movement. This 1/2 is won't move. As it doesn't move the mirror, the image
won't shift. If you used this in combination with a #1205 focusser (like
the #1206, but with a control box) you can focus anywhere without hassle,
but it's yet more kit. Alot of people say that the #1206 (or #1205) on it's
own if fine.

Regards

Colin Dawson
www.cjdawson.com

"Chris Taylor" wrote in message
...

"Andy Grove" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,

I made my first attempt at imaging the moon tonight using my 8" Meade
LX90 and the Meade LPI that shipped with it.

The results are far from perfect but here they are anyway:

http://www.andygrove.ws/2005/09/first-moon-photos.html

I didn't bother aligning the LX90 - I had no idea how fast the moon
would be moving. In future, should I use the LX90 to track the moon or
is it better to use the LPI imaging software?

Next question is how do I focus more accurately? This was a complex
procedure for me as my laptop was in my conservatory with the cable to
the LPI going through the window so I was changing the telescope focus
then looking through the window to see the effect on the laptop. Is
there a better approach here?

Thanks!

Andy.


Hi Andy

The results are pretty good for your first attempt.
Looking at the third image down, some areas are saturated. Try reducing
the exposure time. If you look at the box on the left there's a kind of
graph while you're imaging. This is a histogram. Try to ensure that the
curves don't exceed the limit of the box. You can change the shape of the
curve first using the offset, then the exposure time and finally you can
vary the onscreen brightness and contrast by using the sliders underneath
the histogram. It helps to uncheck the auto button under the histogram
first though. You could also try clicking the autoexposure button for a
rough start if you're unsure of the best exposure and offset settings.

In answer to your first question: align the LX90. Although you can use a
tracking box to maintain alignment of the stacked images (you must use a
tracking box!), this doesn't guide the scope. It merely helps with the
alignment of individual images. The more stacked images (try getting
50-100 images with a min quality of 95% for starters), the better the
final product. The LPI can be used to autoguide, but thats a different and
more complicated excercise.

Second question: focussing is a question often raised on imaging
usergroups. There are a number of ways. With the LPI, I usually use a
bright star and adjust the focus and exposure until I can get the smallest
spot and then move onto my target. This isn't something that's easy to do
remotely from your telescope unless you have an electric focuser:
http://tinyurl.com/7dzq6

For the LX90 you'll need the 1206; and one of these (I never did find out
what the 1209 was for..).
http://tinyurl.com/cgbbk

I usually keep the laptop close to the scope unless I use the electric
focusser.
Another means of getting pretty close with the focus is to use the
parfocal ring that came with the LPI. Plug the LPI into your scope and
obtain focus. Then remove the LPI. Slide the parfocal ring loosely over an
eyepiece and slide the eyepiece in and out of the eyepiece holder until
you achieve focus. Then tighten the parfocal ring to stop the eyepiece
from sliding further in. You now have an eyepiece that's at the same focus
as your LPI. Next time you're out, look for the object with your parfocal
eyepiece, focus and just replace the eyepiece with your LPI. The focus
will be pretty close.

There are also other means of getting focus, try a hartmann mask:
http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTRO...0817/I0817.HTM
A paper plate is the perfect size for the LX90.

When you've familiarised yourself with the software try downloading the
latest update:
http://www.meade.com/autostar/update/
It works with the LPI, DSI Colour and DSI Pro. Although a little tricky it
allows seamless mosaics and higher resolution images of your target.

Good luck with your next attempts and be sure to share them, no matter
what the occasional sourpuss says, there'll always be someone who'll
appreciate your efforts.

Regards


Chris

Chris & Colin,

Many thanks for taking the time to give me such detailed advice, It is
really appreciated. You've given me plenty of things to do differently
on my next attempt.

I'll be giving this another go very soon and will post the results
here.

Cheers,

Andy.

"Colin Dawson" wrote in message
.uk...
Good advice there Chris. I agree with everything.

Andy, further to what Chris has said, try making a mosaic of the entire
moon. This is very difficult without aligning and lunar tracking; so do
that, like Chis said, first. I find it easiest to use movie capture mode
to capture the entire moon, then sweep the scope slowly over the entire
surface.

Hi Colin

The LPI doesn't have a movie capture mode. It automatically discriminates
between poor and acceptable images based on selected quality crieria and
then automatically registers and stacks them. The LPI does work with
K3CCDTools and AVI's are therefore an option but I find the Meade
proprietary (Envisage) software really easy to use. It also gives you the
option to save each individual file, or only the one, aligned and
stacked/combined file. When capturing planets with the DSI I usually settle
for one combined image but with the DSI I usually save all images. I forgot
to mention to Andy: Save all images as BMP at the least as you can get alot
more out of the image than saving as JPG. The software can save as FITS but
I've only bothered using this with the DSI also.

The latest Envisage software also does auto-mosaic with Meade Autostar
telescopes by using the built-in autoguiding functions and integrating the
images seamlessly. I've only tried it on a rock in the back yard but its
pretty neat. I'm waiting for an opportunity to try this either on the moon
or a large nebula (or even M45).

Thanks for the info on the 1209. Kinda makes me wish I'd tried this instead
although I do wonder if it would affect the fork clearance with the DSI at
higher altitude. The beauty of the 1206 also is the ability to control the
focusser remotely with the same software that the LPI and DSI uses. I'm not
sure if the others do this?

Regards


Chris