Many inquires hit my desk regarding the magnification using a specific telescope with The Imaging Source astronomy cameras. I generally rephrase these questions for the client, but instead, answer with the angular fields of view corresponding to The Imaging Source cameras.

Unfortunately, this is not such an easy question to answer even when all of the scope parts are included in the system.

As a good reference article, below is a “conversation” between me and Tommy Hartline, a long time user of The Imaging Source cameras, regarding his DMK 31AF03.AS.

Tommy:

Hi John, took a good shot of Jupiter last friday showing the GRS and a oval below it! maybe it can be added to the blog. I used the DBK 31AF03.AS, thanks in advance.

Me:

Send me the pic or the link…I’d like to take a look!

Tommy:

This is one I took Friday night John [see above]. I can send you the full tiff image if you like this one. Thanks, if this one doesn’t open for you (I’m at work) I’ll send you one from home.

Me:

Not necessary. This is good. I have another customer that just inquired about the field of view vs telescope. Could you supply me with the parts [including the DBK 31AF03.AS] you used to get the images and the processing for the finished product [...]

Tommy:

Sure John, here ya go:
Scope: celestron CPC800 XLT / GPS
Camera: The Imaging Source DBK 31AF03.AS High res color
Barlow : 2x barlow / IR Filter
2200 frames @ 15 fps
Processed : Registax 4 / Photoshop CS2
Burleson Texas U.S.A. / 23:00 Hrs - 08/01/2008
Seeing conditions where just above average.

Thanks Again John!!

It’s always good to give credit where credit is do! Great job Tommy!

profjohn

Many imaging enthusiasts frequently ask me if it is possible to obtain deep sky images with the 1/4 inch format cameras from The Imaging Source (two earlier today). Here are a couple shots taken in not so great conditions but magnificent results. They were captured by Salvatore Antonio Spampinato in Gela, Italy. The DMK 21AU04.AS does the job splendidly!

Recently the sky has been too foggy, but I couldn’t resist to try something last night

[...] even if I had to limit the exposure both for the city light pollution and the low accuracy of my sidereal tracking [...] the telephoto lens I use is a 200 mm f/4.5 [...]

M5 globular cluster

Stack of 201 frames. DMK 21AU04.AS, 200 mm f/4.5 lens. No filters.

M11 open cluster

Stack of 117 frames. DMK 21AU04.AS, 200 mm f/4.5 lens. No filters.

Bob Pilz, a long time customer (November 2005) of The Imaging Source has sent me a nice lunar image taken with his DMK 21BF04. He purchased this triggered camera from the machine vision side of the house, before the astronomy cameras division was established and long before I came on the scene!

In an e-mail to The Imaging Source, Bob writes:

[...] here is an image of Heraclitus taken with my DMK 21BF04 camera. It is shown 1.25x to make it easier to see the many small craters resolved in this image. This camera continues to amaze me with its sensitivity and low noise.

- Udate: 2007/12/17, Utime: ~23:50
- Taken from Lat: 35 degrees 36 minutes N, Long: 82 degrees 33 minutes W, Elev: ~800m
- 200mm f/6 Newtonian reflector, Televue 3x Barlow, DMK 21BF04 B/W camera, Blue IR-block filter
- 30 fps, 1/44 sec, 200/9000 frames stacked
- Processed in Registax V4, PS CS, Focus Magic

Accompanying his e-mail was the following image:

This month, we have yet again, teamed up with the British magazine BBC Sky At Night to bring you another competition in which you can win one of three astronomy cameras, manufactured by The Imaging Source.

All you have to do is answer one very simple question to be in which a chance of winning.

Go to your local newsstand and look out for the cover to the right or simply click on the following link:

http://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/competitions.asp

On their web site, the BBC Sky At Night magazine writes:

WIN! The ultimate planetary, lunar and solar cameras!

Have you ever dreamed of taking crisp, stunning shots of the rugged lunar surface, Saturn’s rings or Jupiter’s clouds through your telescope?

Well, you could be doing just that within a few weeks. That’s because this month we’ve teamed up with The Imaging Source to offer you the chance to win one of its next generation USB 2.0 astronomy cameras, which are tailor-made for planetary imaging.

We wish all participants very good luck!

Although many of us in the imaging world can’t see much of our favorite gas giant, those in the southern hemisphere are still snapping stunning shots with The Imaging Source cameras.

Our good friend, Matt Watson, in Australia writes:

It’s been a while since I submitted images for the [astronomy cameras] blog. The seeing here in Brisbane (Australia) has been very bad for months.

There was a brief opportunity last night, which I embraced eagerly!

This was taken around 10.15pm local time with Jupiter at approximately 57 degrees latitude.

As you can see, the conditions were not too bad. The presence of the jetstream is still noticeable, but it was nice to be out there capturing at least something.

This was captured with a Celestron 9.25″ SCT, 3x Televue Barlow, Astronomik RGB (Type 2) filter set, Atik manual filter wheel, and the DMK 21AF04.AS

Processing carried out in Registax 4, Astra Image 2.5 Max and PhotoShop 7.

Accompanying his e-mail to The Imaging Source, Matt included the following image:

Good Job Matt!