>Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 20:41:26 +0000
>Subject: [M]: Setting Up / Using a Meade 216 CCD

>Let's take it one step at a time! First try using it to image a distant
>object in daylight. I remember using a distant TV aerial first time
>out. The benefit of this is that no tracking is required and you can
>get to grips with the PictorView software. I suggest you download
>version 6.45 from the Meade website (forget PV 7.0! for the time
>being!). It will also get you close to the all important accurate focus
>point. You can use this as an opportunity to create a parfocal
>eyepiece. You will need to stop your telescope down to a couple of
>inches using a cardboard off-axis mask otherwise the daylight image will
>be over exposed.

SNIPPED

>What telescope are you using with the 216?
>Let us know how you get on and fire away with any further questions.




Hello Graham,

Was abler to get an image during the day, also of a TV aerial, then tried
the moon and Jupiter that evening. Was able to get some grainy looking
photos of the moon (I'm using an 8" LX200) after using a mask to eliminate
the streaks of light. After
getting grainy photos decided to image Jupiter. First the starfield
looked good but Jupiter was blooming. I used the focus mode and was able to
get the blooming down about a 100ms exposure). When I went to normal mode to
take an image and the image was white and the other black!!!! Re shot the
dark slide and it looked exactly the same, at this point I had to stop as I
wanted to get the eclipse on film.

You are 100% in correct on the patience of required to download via RS232,
wish Meade had gone with USB. Not only is it slow but sometimes the
software hangs during download. Will try version 6.45 hopefully the hanging
will go away. Guess I just have to keep plugging away and surely will drive
you nuts with questions.


Thanks
Kevin

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