The dirty deed has been done

[Fay]

I have sent my webcam off to be SC3'd! It will be back in 48 hours of being received, scary!

Fay

[JohnP]

Hi Fay,

'...Dirty Deed......?' Think of it as your 'gateway to the universe...' Just think of all the images you are going to be able to acquire.. I'm really looking forward to the postings.... You have leap frogged me now... Better mount & now better camera (Amp off & cooling) I bet you can't wait. If you need any help with operating the SC3 just drop me a line... Have you got a Light pollution filter.. You will need one the SC3 is so sensitive...

Cheers,  John

[Anonymous]

Thanks a lot John. I am bound to need some help. Yes, I have got a light pollution filter, thankyou. I am really looking forward to seeing what I can do, now. I have made a list of possible subjects that I fancy.

Andy, at Astronomiser seems a nice chap, I'm sure he will do a good job on the webcam.
What is the difference between fan cooling & peltier?


Fay

[JohnP]

Andy is a real nice bloke & I'm sure he will do a good job - he gives guarantee's so you have no worries... Peltier cooling is what all the high end camera's use - a peltier device is a semiconductor device that has two surfaces - when you apply a voltage one side gets very hot but the other gets very cold - typically -20 to -30 degC. so you are able to cool the CCD chip a long way below ambient - this improves the sensitivity & reduces noise. I had a long chat with Andy about the pros & cons of cooling an SC3 camera & he reckons that with his mods & fan cooling he can achieve 5-min exposures without too many issues. In fact he told me the fan he uses so I ordered up a couple on Friday so I can try cooling my SC3. Fan cooling is a lot less hassle than Peltier cooling so I thought I would give it a try first... Some of the hassles with Peltier cooling are (i) the Peltier device draws a lot of current (like 2 - 4 amps) so you might run into issues with powering the camera out in the field. (ii) condensation can be a big issue if the cooling finger is not in a sealed compartment ( this is more of a problem with modified cameras than the professional type that Mike, Chris & Paul have..)

Anyway - I really look forward to the first post - I would say M27 should definitely be a first target... It is easy to find & very bright....

Good luck,   John

[Rocket Pooch]

Hi Fay,

Well done on the purchase, I have a B&W camera from Andy and its well build, even with my one which I believe is a lower spec than the one you have ordered I cen get M27 no problem.

However, I remember if I'm right that you have a ED80 and 6" Maskov, I would suggest you buy a .5 Focal Reducer for the camera, it will give you a wider field of view and make imaging a lot easier.  You can get these from scope and skies there not expensive.

Chris

[Mike]

Fay - well done for taking the plunge. I look forward to those lovely DSO's your going to be posting up here.

I will be happy to assist with any help you need with the mount.

[Fay]

Thanks John, Chris & Mike, for your encouragement.

I'm really excited & waiting to get going. The focal reducer was going to be my next question.

Fay

PS John, it was a dirty deed because I have not mentioned the cost, indoors. Don't like being underhanded, but needs must.

Onwards & upwards!