"Fully Laden" Davis Mountains Setup - Triad Bar, 2009
I am able to run two astronomy cameras at the same time. The picture above shows how I do this with my "triad bar" configuration. The guide scope, an ST80 attached via a Losmandy plate and rings, with a SBIG STV autoguiding camera, is on the left. The Takahashi TOA 130 Telescope is the main imaging scope in the middle, with the QHY8 CCD camera and Tak focal reducer attached. The Canon EOS 20Da Digital SLR is attached on the right using a Losmandy plate and DCM 2 camera adapter. During this trip I used an Olympus Zuiko 135mm MC f2.8 lens on the Canon DSLR via use of an small lens adapter ring. Note the camera is out to the extreme right, which allows better balance as well as more clearance from the main scope (so as not to get the scope in the picture). Also note the white gaffers tape, which I use liberally to secure wires so they don't end up ruining exposures by tugging on the equipment, or coming loose in the case of the 3 wires to the QHY8 CCD camera. All this is hooked up to and sitting on the Astro-Physics AP 900GTO mount.
Above: Example Astro-Imaging Equipment & Setup (Davis Mountains, 2008)
Major components are the laptop with the AP 900 hand controller next to it, the ST-V autoguiding control box on the blue plastic tub, the AP pier topped with the AP 900 Mount, TOA 130 attached to the QHY8 CCD camera (for imaging), an ST80 guide scope on top of that, with the STV CCD camera (for guiding) attached to it. There's a USB connection between the imaging camera and the laptop, and a serial connection between the laptop and the mount. Guiding commands are sent via the thin grey cable from the STV to the mount. The mess of wires on the bottom includes the laptop, QHY8, and STV AC to DC converters, another converter that powers the mount (block box on right), and a red/black cable pair providing DC power to the dew heater. The black strap on the top of the scope is what actually warms the scope and objective lens slightly to help prevent dewing.
Takahashi TOA 130 Telescope I'm Using Now
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Astro-Physics AP 900GTO mount (replaced my Losmandy G11)
SBIG STV autoguider.
QHY8 CCD Camera (Note, workflow is similar to DSLR workflow shown below. I'm still working on my technique!)
Dedicated digital astronomy cameras (CCDs) are usually cooled to help control digital noise during long exposures. Using "stacking" techniques and the DSLR, it is possible to take a number of shorter exposures, and combine these into one image as a way to reduce noise. See the results yourself! Astronomy Pictures: Dick Locke's Astrophoto Gateway page....
Dick's Pix (Dick Locke's Image Page)
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