First Light – ZWO ASI 2600 color camera
Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 3:34 pm
My initial objective here was to capture astro photos without pulling my SBIG astrometry setup off the 14”. And since most folks are imaging with a small / medium size refractor the thought was to pick up a quality piggyback refractor and a medium-large format color camera.
The ZWO ASI 2600 MC Pro “C” format camera eventually purchased was twice as expensive as the 4/3 format ZWO ASI 294MC Pro. While the “C” chip is a bit larger (measuring 28mm diagonal) the deciding factor was that this brand new chip has no amp glow and is producing wonderful images with NO PROCESSING.
As for the mating scope, until camera operation is nailed down I’m going to attempt to mate it with the existing guide scope on the 14” – a 15 year old $119 Orion 80mm f/11.3 long tube achromatic with a focal length of 903mm. This being a cheap scope the focuser is a bit wobbly and crude, but if the optics work out Scope Stuff sells a sophisticated 2-speed Crayford focuser that fits the tube. With the long focal length even a crude objective is expected to have little color.
Although there was a 4-6 week backlog from China the scope arrived on Friday – less than a 2 week wait. The chip is, in my experience, HUGE. Spent Friday afternoon downloading appropriate drivers and misc software. And then trying to learn/understand the SharpCap control software. Powered up the camera using the new fast laptop and the camera does indeed connect.
On Saturday the camera was attached to an Orion 80mm short tube so as to achieve an image, and most of the day was spent experimenting with SharpCap.
Subsequently on Saturday night the ZWO was attached to the Orion long tube mounted on the 14”.
The 42mm T thread to 1 ¼” barrel doesn’t have a safety grove, and at 1.5# camera weight that’s a concern. Before mounting I fabricated and attached a safety wire.
Attached the camera to the laptop. Powered up the cooler with an available 12VDC power supply left over from my last imaging 10 or more years back. All systems go. Even though cloud is rolling in.
Centered and calibrated the mount using the SBIG camera. The 80mm focuser is a bit wobbly and crude but Rasalhauge comes easily to focus. As expected, the SBIG on the 14” is far more sensitive. Slewing Rasalhauge to the edge of the SBIG FOV barely moves it on the laptop screen. The new FOV is HUGE.
Slewed to M102 as it’s relatively large. Can easily see it in the 14”/SBIG at a 6 second exposure, but no joy with the 80mm at 3 min binned 1X1. At 3 min binned 2X2 there’s the very faintest suggestion of a galaxy. But the screen is blue, not black. Due to light pollution reflected off of the cloud I’m working through.
Shorter exposures will null light pollution so a 1X1 binning 30 second life stack was tried. And 102 showed after the 2nd frame stacked. I love auto-stack, where the image builds on itself as you watch. Working thru cloud 28 frames were taken before the camera started rejecting them for lack of object.
Here’s the very first ZWO learn-as-you-go and working-thru-cloud image:
Normally in the 14” the galaxy would fill the frame with its 21 arc-minute wide FOV. Here I’ve got 1.5° left to right. Hmmm. Lots to learn but First Light’a a milestone in itself.
The ZWO ASI 2600 MC Pro “C” format camera eventually purchased was twice as expensive as the 4/3 format ZWO ASI 294MC Pro. While the “C” chip is a bit larger (measuring 28mm diagonal) the deciding factor was that this brand new chip has no amp glow and is producing wonderful images with NO PROCESSING.
As for the mating scope, until camera operation is nailed down I’m going to attempt to mate it with the existing guide scope on the 14” – a 15 year old $119 Orion 80mm f/11.3 long tube achromatic with a focal length of 903mm. This being a cheap scope the focuser is a bit wobbly and crude, but if the optics work out Scope Stuff sells a sophisticated 2-speed Crayford focuser that fits the tube. With the long focal length even a crude objective is expected to have little color.
Although there was a 4-6 week backlog from China the scope arrived on Friday – less than a 2 week wait. The chip is, in my experience, HUGE. Spent Friday afternoon downloading appropriate drivers and misc software. And then trying to learn/understand the SharpCap control software. Powered up the camera using the new fast laptop and the camera does indeed connect.
On Saturday the camera was attached to an Orion 80mm short tube so as to achieve an image, and most of the day was spent experimenting with SharpCap.
Subsequently on Saturday night the ZWO was attached to the Orion long tube mounted on the 14”.
The 42mm T thread to 1 ¼” barrel doesn’t have a safety grove, and at 1.5# camera weight that’s a concern. Before mounting I fabricated and attached a safety wire.
Attached the camera to the laptop. Powered up the cooler with an available 12VDC power supply left over from my last imaging 10 or more years back. All systems go. Even though cloud is rolling in.
Centered and calibrated the mount using the SBIG camera. The 80mm focuser is a bit wobbly and crude but Rasalhauge comes easily to focus. As expected, the SBIG on the 14” is far more sensitive. Slewing Rasalhauge to the edge of the SBIG FOV barely moves it on the laptop screen. The new FOV is HUGE.
Slewed to M102 as it’s relatively large. Can easily see it in the 14”/SBIG at a 6 second exposure, but no joy with the 80mm at 3 min binned 1X1. At 3 min binned 2X2 there’s the very faintest suggestion of a galaxy. But the screen is blue, not black. Due to light pollution reflected off of the cloud I’m working through.
Shorter exposures will null light pollution so a 1X1 binning 30 second life stack was tried. And 102 showed after the 2nd frame stacked. I love auto-stack, where the image builds on itself as you watch. Working thru cloud 28 frames were taken before the camera started rejecting them for lack of object.
Here’s the very first ZWO learn-as-you-go and working-thru-cloud image:
Normally in the 14” the galaxy would fill the frame with its 21 arc-minute wide FOV. Here I’ve got 1.5° left to right. Hmmm. Lots to learn but First Light’a a milestone in itself.