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Subject: [M]: Advice: LX200, SBIG-ST237, Software
From: Larry Owens
Reply To: mapug@shore.net
Date: Mon Dec 27 07:08:29 1999
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<html>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=4>Gentlemen:<br>
<br>
This is my first post to the group, hello to all.<br>
<br>
I'm planning to purchase some additional equipment and I'm looking for a
bit of advice. <br>
<br>
I've decided to move into CCD astronomy after many years of film based
astrophotography, and also add a bit of portability. My present
equipment includes a 10" Newtonian that I can't move without a
truck, and light pollution is getting worse at home.<br>
<br>
Here's what I'm planning at this point after a bit of research:
<br>
<br>
I want a fairly large aperture scope with precise "go to"
capabilities and a relatively short focal ratio for CCD.
Additionally, I need a scope that will fit comfortably in the trunk of my
car. I've considered the Celestron Ultima 2000 8" with
"Fastar" but the Celestron doesn't seem to have the sturdiness
I need for serious CCD work for both lunar/planetary and deep sky.
What my choice appears to be at this point is the 10" LX200 F6.3
with wedge.<br>
<br>
The CCD I'm looking at is the SBIG ST237 (640x480x7.4micron) with color
wheel. This camera is within my budget and seems to be a good fit
to the optics of the LX200. With a reducer I can get F4, which
gives me approx. 1.6 arcseconds per pixel and a 16x12 arcminute field of
view for deep sky. This is within Nyquist sampling guidelines of
1.5-2 arcsec/pixel. Even at F6.3, I'll have about 1 arcsecond per
pixel, this may also work for some deep sky objects as well, and I also
have the option of binning to 2x2. With a barlow I can do lunar and
planetary work at about .5 arcseconds per pixel. This camera also
uses a parallel port interface to a laptop, so I can control the scope by
serial port and the camera over parallel without having to buy
interfaces.<br>
<br>
I'd like to know about the kinds of problems I may run into with reducers
and flip mirrors, and which ones are best with the LX200 optical system
(10" f6.3) In reading MAPUG archives, I seem to be hearing
that Celestron reducers are better than Meades, haven't heard a lot about
flip mirrors. Also, am I going to be able to use a barlow or
reducer with a flip mirror and CCD?<br>
<br>
Also, I'd like some advice on software. Should I use The Sky Level
IV and CCDSoft, or Meade's Epoch 2000 products? Of course I'm
looking for something that will allow me to combine 3-color exposures and
also one that will easily allow me to do mosaics from several exposures
of large objects beyond the single frame field of view of my CCD.<br>
<br>
Thanks in advance to everyone and all comments are welcome.<br>
</font>
<BR>
<br>
<div>------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div>Larry Owens, Nortel Networks</div>
<div>Cellphone: (770)316-9570 </div>
<div>Page: 1-888-886-1461</div>
<div>-------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div>"Science is a refinement of everyday thinking."</div>
<br>
<div>- Albert Einstein, 1879-1955</div>
-------------------------------------------------------
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