Second Saturn with DMK

[Matty P]

This is my second Saturn with the DMK. I was able to use the Barlow to increase the image scale. The seeing was horrible and Saturn was very low in the sky close to the roof line. My focusing was a bit off, but the image came out OK. :confused:

Matt

[Radar]

Awesome Matt. At least the clouds have cleared and you are getting some serious DMK time.

It'll be interesting to see how your planetary work evolves over the next few weeks. You are already taking great shots.

Will you be using filters soon?

Ray

[Matty P]

Awesome Matt. At least the clouds have cleared and you are getting some serious DMK time.

It'll be interesting to see how your planetary work evolves over the next few weeks. You are already taking great shots.

Will you be using filters soon?

Ray

Thanks Ray,

I been lucky enough to have a few clear nights to spend with my DMK.

I'm still looking around for the best place to buy the filters and a filter wheel from. Most likely from overseas.

Matt

[Radar]

I'm still looking around for the best place to buy the filters and a filter wheel from. Most likely from overseas.

Matt

I'm in the dark on this one Matt. I only really have the filter selector that came with the Meade DSI. I'll PM some experts and see what they say.

Stand by.

Ray

[AstroTasmania]

Hi,

I use a Andy Homeyer 6 position filter wheel, which can be operated with a control box on a remote lead or via a PC.

http://www.intint.com/andy/build.html

Clear skies...
Shevill

[Matty P]

Hi,

I use a Andy Homeyer 6 position filter wheel, which can be operated with a control box on a remote lead or via a PC.

http://www.intint.com/andy/build.html

Clear skies...
Shevill

Shevill, how much does the MFW cost?

[AstroTasmania]

Hi Matt,

You will need to email him, I bought mine several years ago and no doubt prices will have changed. The dollar was low then also, but you are looking at some hundreds of $$$$ plus whatever adapters & narrow band filters you will be using.

Check out the ? Antares web site - I have a feeling that people use a low cost filter wheel for their Meade DSI type cameras, which are quite adequate from what I have heard. Do a Google search for astro filter wheels, always a good starting point for anything you need.

You really need to join some various yahoo user groups for the equipment you have, they are the best source of info. They have all been there - done that, so to speak

Clear skies...
Shevill

[Radar]

G'day Matt,

Stephen PM'ed me these links

The bottom selector in this link -
http://www.myastroshop.com.au/produc...ter-select.asp

The Orion Selector in this link -
https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7723

Both are apparently very good value for money and sold locally (low shipping charges).

Ray

[Eddie]

Hi,
My first MFW was by Andy Homeyer too. A very nice wheel that worked well. Andy does very good work.

Functionally it works (or used to work) the same as the SBIG units. But SBIG wheels require some specialised connectivity to work without an SBIG camera via a PC port. Maxim Dl is the only control software I know of that will control an SBIG wheel without an SBIG camera.

Not sure what else is out there these days. All of my gear is SBIG, except for the QHY8 camera that is one-shot colour.

Eddie

[Matty P]

Thanks Shevill, Ray and Eddie.

I've found that the Atik and Orion filter wheels are almost identical. I'm just trying to find whch one will work with my DMK. I like the idea of the filters being in an enclosure instead of being exposed to dust etc.

Will these filter wheels work with my DMK?

[Eddie]

There's no reason I can see that the wheel won't work with your camera. It looks like it has the manual hand controller which is fine if you want to switch the filters manually between exposures. The camera and filter wheel don't need to be synchronised by software then.

If you want to setup automated, filtered imaging runs, then the control software you choose needs to support both your camera and filter wheel, so it can perform the sequencing of exposures and filter changes.

[Matty P]

Thanks Eddie,

Both filter wheels shoud work with my camera. I just don't want to buy any additional items or adapters. I've heard somewhere that the Atik filter wheel does not work with the DMK. I believe I will need an adapter.

Is this correct?

[Eddie]

Hi matt,
Mechanically? I can't say. Never seen either unit. But adapters are a fact of life in this game. I have literally over 100 adapters for connecting different components together. Though there is *some* standardisation, there are several different connections in common use among manufacturers. Unless you get everything from the one manufacturer, chances are you are going to have to do something special to mate things.

At the very least, you could probably have a standard 1.25" nosepiece in your camera going into a 1.25" EP holder in the filter wheel. Typically, you would want the filter wheel as close as possible to the camera and with a rigid coupling, but not having seen either, I can't say how you would go about this.