Testing...

Been testing out a change in guide camera...

I only got 40 minutes in total, but it's good to know it's working ;)...

Anyway... I installed all the drivers and software during the day, and it was worth it, it was a bit of a faff getting the correct software installed to get the camera working as both a planetary/lunar camera and a guide camera...

First impressions...

1) It's a lot lighter than a DSI, when I was balancing, I was able to balance the kit out with only a 5Kg counter weight, instead of the 10Kg I had been using... Phew... that feels so much better carting it all in and out now...

2) I tested out on M45, a good bright target to make focussing etc easier. I have to say, that I was getting stars showing on PHD with only a 0.2 second loop, so it certainly seems to be a sensitive little beastie for a CMOS chip... Oh, I don't mean the bright sisters.. one or two of the fainter ones were in view also.

I had no problems with the guiding, all worked well. Just a shame that only 20 minutes after guiding locked on, the clouds had moved in and spoilt the night.



I got a short while also testing on the moon. I used the Skymax on the SLT. Hardly an ideal setup, as the tracking isn't spot on, and it wobbles far to easily.. but it's light to carry and very quick to setup. The tracking would have been better if I'd levelled it, but I forgot... Anyway... Some playing later... I've gotta say the frame rate is much better than the SPC900...

A couple at full frame, about 38fps




One in planet mode (smaller frame) 53fps


And then just to see what would happen, sub frame, smaller still... this hit 83 fps...


I'm not sure I did a good job on either focusing the scope, or processing the images... just a quick bash through regi5 using frame 1 and pretty much defaults, except for multipoint align.

I have to say I think it does a very good job as both a Guider and as a Lunar Camera. I'd expect it to do a similar job on planets, but there wasn't one to look at..

I did try using barlows (x5, 2 x2 and x2) and the camera is more than sensitive enough for it, but on the SLT I couldn't focus the Skymax.

I did setup to try and do a surface mosaic of the moon... I put the Skymax out to cool. Some time later, the HEQ5, polar aligned and setup, mounted the Skymax, and was just about to go get the rest of the bits and pieces... when the clouds rolled in, so I packed it all away again, carted everything in, just in time to miss the rain that followed shortly after.