Tue, 06/25/2019 - 02:42
Hi folks. I have upgraded my equipment and re-joined AAVSO and am looking for advice. My previous photometry efforts were frustatiing mainly due to poor mounts. I now have an amazing MyT mount, Moravian G2-1600 CCD with internal 5x1.25 filter wheel but only Astrodon V and B filters. I also have Ed Wiley’s 402ME with RGB and BRVI filters wheels that was never used. Anyone interested, email me.
Do any mentors have a G2-1600 and willing to help?
Hi,
I do not have a G2-1600 but the chip is the same as in the former ST8XMe CCD cameras.
You can do lot of photometry with this camera. Your present filters are fine to start observations in B and V band.
Maybe the AAVSO target tool will help in getting targets of interest. You could also mention your interest here in the forum. The target tool can be found here:
https://www.aavso.org/aavso-target-tool
Do not hesitate to put more questions. AAVSO has also a CCD manual in case of need.
Josch
The 402ME has a BVIC filter wheel, would it be helpful for me to eventually add an Ic and Clear Astrodon filters? With 5 position filter wheel, I want to leave one position for a dark filter and understand the R filter is the least used for photometry. The Clear filter would be especially useful if for nothing else than being parfocal with the other filters making focusing with TheSkyX much easier.
I have an Astrodon Luminance filter as part of my Astrodon LRGB E-Series kit with a older Astrodon Clear A/R unblocked filter , would would either of these filters suffice as a Clear filter for photometry?. Astrodon's current clear filters are "UV-Blocked with 395 nm cut-on (50% transmission at 395 nm and at least 97% transmission to 1000 nm" and mentioned for use with photometry. The Luminance filter is specfied as 'NIR/UV-blocked colorless' only and my older clear filter is unblocked A/R.
Advice?
Hi,
the 402ME with its photometric filters would be off course also useful for photometry. Its chip is 1/4 the size of the G2-1600, hence better suitted for shorter focal length.
I would also advice to buy at least a Clear filter to avoid focussing needs if you chnage between a filter and no (Clear) filter. I would go for a new filter as the LUM filter is also IR blocked and your old Clear filter might introduce other artefacts, if budget is not an issue. You could of course try with the old Clear filter first to see if it behaves well.
An I filter is for certain applications of interest and also if you are going to transform your results although V and B would be also good for that. Hence if budget is an issue you could go for what you have and test the available Clear filter before buying a new one.
Josch
Josch--
Thank you for your helpful response.
I have listed to 402ME on Astromart and will look into the Astrodon Clear and Ic filters.
The Moravion G2-1600 arrives today, and as I have been unable to locate the Astrodon Clear (UV-blocked, No NIR blocking) via Astromart or CN, I ordered a new one. Ed Wiley has been in touch, and as he also has this same camera I can reach out to him for advice..
Lastly, I purchased Arne's AAVSO CCD School bundle and have been working my way through those awesome videos which have been extremely helpful.