Hi All:
This is the result of my first imaging session with Voyager. While I feel like I am still getting used to drag script and the general Voyager paradigm, I found the software to be VERY reliable and, quite honestly, a lot of fun to work with. The image was taken from my back yard in Pittsburgh, PA.
Equipment:
Scope: Takahashi TOA-130NFB
Camera: QHY600M
Filters: 3nm narrow band filters from Chroma Technologies
Mount: 10Micron GM1000
Ha: 54x600s
Oiii: 48x600s
Sii: 44x600s
Wonderful Timothy, great result.
Thanks for using Voyager.
All the best
Leonardo
I just received QHY600M camera but I have not yet use it under dark sky. What gain, offset and read modes did you use?
Very nice image.
Peter
Hi Peter.
I used Readout Mode #1 with a gain of 60 and an offset of 75. That puts the camera gain at 0.301 e-/ADU but more importantly, the readout noise is 1.5 e- and the dynamic range is 13.5. The full well drops to 20k but I think it is the best compromise. I have also had good luck at Readout Mode #0 with a gain of 26, but the readout noise is a bit higher that way. If you look at the graphs for the sensor, it seems like these are the two areas where the designers want you to be given the big “knees” in the graphs at those points.
Please let me know how you make out! And if you have a different idea on how to use it I would love to hear it. I have only been using this camera for a short while and it is very different that what I had been using (for the better!) so I’d be interested in your thoughts.
Best.
Tim.
Hi Tim,
Your settings look best for narrow band imaging to help read noise to a minimum.
I am more of an LRGB imager and read noise is not important because read noise will be swamped very quickly in a very short time. I plan to start at mode 0, gain of 0 and offset of 50 for maximum dynamic range and well capacity and use sub-exposure times of 5 to 10 minutes. If that does not work well, then I will try at gain of 26.
Since each QHY600M image at bin 1x1 is a whopping 120Mbytes, I am trying to limit the number of subs by exposing longer sub-exposure times and fewer total number of subs to save hard disk space and limit number of subs to stack as some processing software may not be able to handle stacking many huge files.
Peter
Sounds like a sound plan. I’d be very interested to see your results when you are ready.
If I may ask, what focal length are you shooting at. I shot this image bin 2x2 because I’m at 1000mm and that binning at 1x1 put me at 0.7 asec/pix which is a bit small considering the seeing here in Pittsburgh.
Tim.
My scope is TEC 160FL at f/7 native (1120mm) or f/5 Quad TCC reducer (800mm) mounted on A-P1100GTO-AE mount.
Peter
NICE! I look forward to seeing your results. Please let me know when you have something you’re ready to share.
Best.
Tim.
Sure I will.
Clear skies and tiny stars.
Peter