Jupiter with Atik Infinity

[DaveH66]

Hi Guys . . . my first post. I thought you might be interested in how good the Infinity is with planets .. dont think I have seen any images here at all ? I am based in the UK and these pics are all recent from my back garden. I am using a CPC1100 and have been experimenting with a cheapo 5x Barlow and a Celestron 3x. Having to use SharpCap capture software since the Infinity one only produces stills, SC gives SER files which can be processed in Registax. I use PIPP to center/crop the files then Autostkkert2/Registax/Photoshop CS2 to process. Without the Barlows the images are nice but too small. The 3x are workable as are the 5x but the problem is with the framerate. At 3x I can get ~1.2 fps and work with ~300 frames, but for a reason I dont understand with the 5x the framerate drops to about 0.6 fps. To put this into perspective using my Neximage5 and iCap software I can easily get 50 fps. Having said that the end results between the two cameras are not too different. Anyway here are the images. I took ~300 frames and processed the best 50%.
Cheers Dave

[DaveH66]

and another . ..

[DaveH66]

and with the 5x barlow . . .

[nucleardwarf]

Hi DaveH66,

I am seriously contemplating purchasing the Atik Infinity.  Have you used it for DSO's and if so, what setup did you use ie; focal reducer (what type) and how were the results?  I have some light pollution, does the camera cope well with this?

Thanks.

[DaveH66]

Hi nuclear, yes I would thoroughly recommend the infinity - see my other recent post in the 'Deep Sky Images' section, though I have no experience of other CCD's. Here is my setup, CPC1100, Starsense Autoalign, 0.63 reducer, Hyperstar, Neximage 5, Canon 600D, Atik Infity colour. For deep sky, prior to using the Atik, I would use the 600D with Canon utilities which has 'live view'. I got some great images but it was not sensitive enough with the live view to see if the image was centred so I had to do a few test shots at say 20 secs to test it.  And then, of course, set off multiple subs and post process/stack to get the final results. With hindsight all a bit of a faff. With the Atik ( and Infinity software ) you can use Binning in the 'view' mode to confirm and centre and the objects are generally immediately visible. Then you move into the more sensitive mode and start recording/stacking the images. It really is a dream and very easy, and you can manipulate the histogram on the fly. I find the results very acceptable though I am alt/az and field rotation is a factor. (Note, also it is possible to retain the individual images and post process them if you dont like the 'on the fly' processing. ) I speak from the point of view of someone who likes to pull out the scope and see things there and then and that's what it allows you to do. I am not the sort of person who wants to spend hours and hours working on the best possible images, though I suspect, given an EQ setup, this camera would be very capable of. Go for it ! I don't think you will be disappointed.
Cheers Dave
Below M51 stacked on the fly and tweaked in Photoshop.

[DaveH66]

Hi nuclear again, ref. light pollution . . . I have got a filter and used to use it sometimes with the Canon .. .  never tried it with the Atik . . not found a need to. I am in the suburbs with LED lighting nearby but none of the sodium stuff.
Good luck
Dave

[nucleardwarf]

Thanks DaveH66 for the reply!

I cannot run to the cost of the Hyperstar on top of the Infinity, can you describe the level of quality using your CPC1100 and the 6.3 focal reducer?, will I still be able to enjoy the views?

P.S. I live in the UK too - sunny South Wales!

Thanks for the info.

[harriscmiv]

I have got to save this for future use.  Exquisite photos and learning experience..look for my name when I get ready for solar system photos..!
thx

[DaveH66]

Hi again nuclear, the pictures of M66 and M64 were taken with the reducer but I think M51 was without since it just about fits in my FOV without. To get all of M101, say, in the FOV I have to use the reducer it just depends on the size of the object. The CPC1100 is a planetary F10 scope really. As for the Hyperstar, I had the opportunity to get it at the American price ( still divorce territory tho ! ) and I havent really put it to full use yet. The FOV is enormous with that, about 3 moon widths !

Hi Harriscmiv, the infinity is much better suited to deep sky rather than planets though it can be done as seen from my post. The trouble is that the (say) Jupiter image is very small in the FOV and you cannot select a smaller chunk of the CCD it is all or nothing. So you have to use a barlow to make the image bigger. On the other hand using iCap, that comes with the Neximage5, it is possible to use just parts of the CCD. max is 2592x1940 but you can use as little as 640x480, you just select so that there is as little black space around the planet as possible. This means that you are sending less pixels per frame down the USB cable and the frame rate is much higher with the associated advantage of a better chance of catching still air.
PS. I was out last night and Saturn came up above my garden wall for the first time this season. Seeing was not the best it was only about 15 degrees up the sky ( see pic ).
Cheers Dave

[harriscmiv]

very nice...thx for the info and maybe I will put it to use soon..

[nucleardwarf]

Thanks for for the information DaveH66, looks like I'm about to press the "spend" button!

[Astrogate]

Hi Dave

Very nice images of Jupiter captured with the Infinity camera and Sharpcap. I was wondering what driver did you use to connect your Atik Infinity to Sharpcap please? I ask this because last night I, wanted to use the new Sharpcap polar alignment feature using my Infinity colour camera & RC 10"@ F4.3 CF scope (tried both Atik 1 and Atik 2 drivers in latest version Atik software) and after 7 seconds binned 2 x 2 there was still not enough stars for the polar alignment to calculate. I had to switch to my ZWO 1600 colour camera using the same scope and was fine at only 1 second binned 2 x 2.

Cheers,

Chris A
Astrogate

[DaveH66]

Hi Chris, ref SharpCap, using SharpCap 2.9.3085. I think Atik Camera & Atik Camera 2 both work. I just let it select the drivers originally. When it fires up without the camera attached the 'Atik Camera Setup' box comes up and says driver version 7.0.4.18147. Sorry I dont have any experience of the 'polar alignment function' as I am alt-az. Only thing I can think of is to add a reducer since this sometimes helps when Atik wont stack by letting more light in. I hope this is of some use to you,
Cheers Dave

[Wright1]

Now shipping with a new screw-in cable connector for improved stability. The Infinity is Atik's first CCD camera optimised for video astronomy.


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