With my new Takahashi FSQ-85ED telescope set up at e-EyE, imaging has begun swiftly. The recently published NGC6992 Eastern Veil Nebula in Narrowband Bicolour Palette image is officially first light for the telescope, with M31 Andromeda Galaxy currently being imaged in a 4-panel mosaic. The following is the current work in progress result:
The above image is the 4-panel mosaic in Luminance of 1 minute exposures. Each panel consists of 30 exposures, each 1 minute long. The above image is therefore only 120 minutes total exposure. I am currently building up the same image but with 10 minute exposures, after which I will move on to capturing the colour data (probably supplementing it with Hydrogen-Alpha afterwards).
I have to say though that I am disappointed with the mechanical construction of the Takahashi FSQ-85ED focuser. From factory, it was a little loose and sagged under the mere 2 kg weight of my optical train, producing coma-like distortion on the top corner stars that eased up as the telescope approached the meridian (where the sagging was less severe). I tightened the focuser as per official instructions and though the star shapes have improved, the focuser tube is now a little too tight to move smoothly with the autofocuser motor, producing patchy autofocus performance. It is disappointing to reach perfect focus at position 3,600, go to position 0, back to 3,600 and be really out of focus. Then, going to position 8,200 (the full travel) and back to 3,600 to find it is pretty well focused (but not perfectly). Between this and the focus sampling in steps of 15 producing odd-looking V-curves, I was less than impressed with the focuser (despite the incredibly good optics of the telescope!).
I am not used to this since I have always stuck to FeatherTouch focusers, and have therefore opted to upgrade the focuser to a FeatherTouch, which will no doubt resolve all the issues in one swift upgrade.
I have to say though that I am disappointed with the mechanical construction of the Takahashi FSQ-85ED focuser. From factory, it was a little loose and sagged under the mere 2 kg weight of my optical train, producing coma-like distortion on the top corner stars that eased up as the telescope approached the meridian (where the sagging was less severe). I tightened the focuser as per official instructions and though the star shapes have improved, the focuser tube is now a little too tight to move smoothly with the autofocuser motor, producing patchy autofocus performance. It is disappointing to reach perfect focus at position 3,600, go to position 0, back to 3,600 and be really out of focus. Then, going to position 8,200 (the full travel) and back to 3,600 to find it is pretty well focused (but not perfectly). Between this and the focus sampling in steps of 15 producing odd-looking V-curves, I was less than impressed with the focuser (despite the incredibly good optics of the telescope!).
I am not used to this since I have always stuck to FeatherTouch focusers, and have therefore opted to upgrade the focuser to a FeatherTouch, which will no doubt resolve all the issues in one swift upgrade.