Strange artifacts on bright stars - Atik 314E

[zbuffer]

Hello!
I have emailed Atik support directly some time ago but I didn't get a reply so I post it here.

I have tried to capture M45 with my Atik 314E mono connected to a WO Zenithstar 70ED + TV 0.8 flattener + Atik MFW, under good dark sky. I was quite surprised with what I saw in the images.
I present you a stack of 180 s luminance (Baader UV/IR-cut) frames. As you can see, there are these strange grids around bright stars - the brighter the star, the more intense the grid.

Is it normal behaviour of this camera?

Maybe it is not a problem with the camera? What do you think it is?

BW

[niteman1946]

Hi BW,

I have a 383L+mono and have seen the same pattern.  It's subtle, but it's there.  So far there has been no problem with processing it out.
I'd be interested in hearing what you find out from tech support.  Let us know.

Mark

[Lex]

Hi,

this is absolutely no Camera issue; your ccd pixels are "overexposed" due to magnitude of the Pleiades.
You have to work with shorter exposures; something about 120s. When imaging bright objects always try to mix exposures from kindly short and work your way up to the maximum ( until you see negative artefacts)
By doing this you will  have great details in terms of star colouring; dust lanes even get nicer and you will obtain the nice soft blue halo around the seven sisters..

Best