FRA600 Zenith Images Requested - Forums

Topic starter

Aug 10, 2024

Hi,

I am trying to evaluate the FRA600 with and without a reducer, and with a large monochrome camera (ZWO2600 or ZWO6200, for example), for the 2027 solar eclipse. I need a zenith image, typically a stack of 3 seconds exposures (total 20 images), to calculate the cubic optical distortion. If you can help, please let me know. I have data from a FRA500, and it has low distortion. I hope the FRA600, with the same optical design, also has low distortion. The gravitational deflections of stars near the Sun during a total eclipse are on the order of an arcsecond, so using a telescope with low distortion is important!

Thanks,
Don Bruns
San Diego

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Rob Barter

Aug 10, 2024

Don,

I'll see what I can do. Just need a clear night. Not many of them in Devon, England recently. It will be with the reducer in though.

Rob.
Devon, England

Donald Bruns

Topic starter

Aug 10, 2024

Thanks, the reducer is actually better for the FRA500, so I hope that works for the FRA600. If the stars in the corners are not round, you might need to stop the aperture down to 80mm or so, but I'll appreciate any images. The telescope does not need to point directly at zenith; anything over 70degrees should be OK.
Thanks,
Don Bruns
San Diego

Joe Luciani

Aug 10, 2024

I will not be using my reducer, is that okay?

Donald Bruns

Topic starter

Aug 11, 2024

Thank you. Reducer or no reducer, I will be happy to analyze your image! If the image has bad stars in one corner or another, maybe you can stop the aperture down to 80mm with a piece of paper. Good luck! - Don

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Manuel Medina Pegram

Aug 12, 2024

Hello Donald,I just acquired the FRA600 with the reducer.If useful to you, you can see my newest two images taken with it.M13 was taken without the reducer.Gamma Cygni and Crescent Nebulae with the reducer.Hope they are useful.Manuel Medina.

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Donald Bruns

Topic starter

Aug 12, 2024

Hi Manuel,

I would like to analyze the M13 image, since it is full of stars with a dark background. I am new to this site; how do I download the full FITS image? I only need one color, and the file size should be about 50 MB.

Thanks,
Don

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Manuel Medina Pegram

Aug 13, 2024

Don,
Can you not download the image from here?
The image is croped, so, the file size will not be as large.
I exported the image to JPEG from Pixinsight with the maximum possible size.
Please let me know if you're good with this.
Regards,
Medina.

Donald Bruns

Topic starter

Aug 13, 2024

Hi Medina,

I was able to right-click and save it as a jpg, but I really need a full-size FITS image, not cropped. If that is possible through a GoogleDrive or some other cloud-storage where I can download the full 50MB image, please let me know.

Thanks, Don

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Manuel Medina Pegram

Aug 13, 2024

Don,
I cropped the image before procesing it.
Never use Fits files, but I have the Pixinsight raw. I will put it in my Google Drive and give you a link.
Medina.