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Orion PARSEC 10100C User's Manual

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1. 9e 0 15e pixel second 40 C below ambient temperature 10VDC to 13 8VDC Approximately 2A at 12VDC 2 0 High speed Yes Fully coated with anti reflection coatings 29 24mm 1 15 900g 82 oz Yes 2 nosepiece or T thread 43 This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules Operation is subject to the following two conditions 1 this device may not cause harmful interference and 2 this device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation Changes of modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user s authority to operate the equipment Note This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules These limits are designed to provide reason able protection against harmful interference in a residential installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or
2. T ESS if J Gr r Gah N ja Capture EED Optinns Set Image Save Path Sio Type Fitar Sut Exposure Bining 50 Sad Peadowi Mode Papas Senpi hehe Mode a Fl F p R b0 i Mam mM g Same Repeat Count for Al fan z If PAKANA fo Sie J Same Sept Name for al i a bk is zz Group by Shot AE fe SP AE rome lt fo St Se E Normal fie A Run Sent Pinimged F z Lond Sequence Figure 18 2 Select Set Image Save Path 7 Select the file folder in which you would like to save the images with Select Image Save Path found by clicking the arrow in the Autosave Setup window Figure 18 2 and set the name of the file in Autosave Filename Typically the name of the object being imaged such as OrionNebula1 will be entered here If OrionNebula1 is the Autosave Filename and you choose to save five images then the images will dure sao nae bed appear in the selected file Figure 19 A dark frame contains the folder as OrionNebula1 0001 thermal and background noise as well as fit OrionNebula1 0002 any read noise The same noise appears fit OrionNebula1 0003 fit in your light images Dark frames isolate eee re AA the noise so it can later be subtracted from OronNeDula T eal and sour mages OrionNebulai_0005 fit Try exposures of 30 60 Seconds to start 8 Click Expose
3. 3760 x 2840 in 1x1 1880 x 1420 in 2x2 Additionally the number of binning modes includes 1x1 full resolution 2x2 3x3 and 4x4 This CCD chip offers the unique ability to image in color at 1x1 mode as well as 2x2 mode This is advantageous when imaging with different focal lengths In general the longer focal length telescopes like RCs and SCTs are more suited to image with in 2x2 for this particular CCD sensor because the pixels are small Imaging in 2x2 mode makes each pixel size the equivalent of 10 8 microns instead of 5 4 in 1x1 mode Binning 2x2 with color cameras is normally captured in mono chrome only But the Parsec 10100C can bin 2x2 in color 4 Power port a Penis IER f USB port _ Jcc4 We LED 1 Figure 1 Parsec ports and LEDs 1 3 Feature Highlights Simple interface A USB port and power port are all that s needed to power and connect to the Parsec Figure 1 Dual stage thermoelectric cooler Dramatically reduces thermal noise in all images Regulated cooling Enables you to set the exact temperature within the cooling range of the camera This allows you to take calibration images like dark frames at the exact same temperature as your light frames making for the cleanest images possible Additionally since you can match the CCD temperature at any time within the range of the cooler you have the freedom to take dark frames when it s most convenient for you so you don t have to use up v
4. and the camera will commence taking the images Note When the camera is taking long exposure images it is critically important not to touch shake or otherwise disturb the telescope or a blurred image will result Also make sure no surrounding light shines into the telescope during the exposure Dark Frames Dark frames are images taken with no light coming into the camera A dark frame is typically taken with the telescope s objective capped The only data in the image is the inherent camera noise Figure 19 The noise contains the dark current 22 Autosave Setup Autosave Filename Dither Astrometric Resync M3 Lagoon v Off Max Deviation Off Estimated Duration C ViaGuider Pels C Sync Telescope Cancel C Via Mount C Correct via Slew C Solve Onl Apply olve Only Int Delay First Delay Between Mosaic nerve 0 0 Capture Setup je none gt Slot Type Filter Suffix Exposure Binning ISO Spd Readout Mode Repeat Script ap AA ome dak Jas Figure 20 Set the Type to Dark in the Autosave Setup window background noise level read noise noise introduced during camera readout and download and hot pixels bright dots in the image All of this noise exists in your raw astro image too which distracts from the detail you want to see To eliminate most of the camera noise you can take several dark frames average them then subtract them from your astro images also called light image
5. increase the exposure time 6 Check that the Subframe section has both the On and Mouse boxes checked on 7 Draw a small box around the unfocused star with your mouse hold click and drag the mouse cursor around the star to draw the box Figure 15 8 In the Expose tab towards the right select Continuous Click Expose The camera will only download the area you previously selected which makes each image download significantly faster than the whole frame Note If the Parsec is grossly out of focus no object will appear in the image not even a blur Increase the exposure time if needed and patiently move through the focus range of your telescope until you see the centered star come into view 1 Gradually adjust the telescope s focuser inward until the star visually comes to a small point on your computer screen You have achieved a rough focus Some small adjustments remain to get a perfect focus Click the Stop button Set Seconds somewhere between 0 1 and 3 seconds or longer for fainter stars depending on the brightness of your star 17 Camera Control Expose Guide Setup Exposure Preset Seconds San Readout Mode E Subframe sini Noma o o M On jt Mouse po x Single eh E T C Continuous pos ahs 1538 Y 1128 W 128 H 118 C Autoseve Filter Wheel Binning Y Binning Options gt No Calbrabon Ful Calibration Reset Auto dark Rames v Simple Auto dark fi x Same C Less tc Came
6. is also compatible with older SSDSI cameras 1 Plug both cameras one at a time into the USB ports on your computer Install the drivers for each camera as detailed prior in this instruction manual 2 Open the Maxim DL software In the Camera Control Window s Setup tab that appears select the imager as Camera 1 and the autoguider as Camera 2 then click Connect 3 Click on the Guide tab Camera 2 will be assigned here 6 1 Autoguider Calibration If you are using a second camera as an autoguider you must calibrate the system The exact orientation of the camera the focal length of the guide telescope optics and the speed of the motor drive all affect the calibration To perform autoguider calibration 1 Switch to the Guide tab 2 Set the X and Y Aggr aggressiveness to 8 to start with Set the Exposure to 1 0 second Under Guide Star make sure the Watch box is checked Note The X and YAggr aggressiveness controls on the Guide tab allows you to adjust how vigorously star motions are tracked out in each axis An aggres siveness setting of 10 means that the Parsec attempts to track out 10096 of the motion whereas a setting of 1 means that the Parsec only tracks out 1096 of the motion Usually a setting of around 8 or 9 provides the best tracking since it reduces overshoot and helps ignore random motions due to atmospheric see ing and wind loads You should experiment to determine the best setting for your particular te
7. near the celestial equator zero degrees declination Point the telescope at this star and center it in an illuminated reticle eyepiece available from Orion If you don t have an illuminated reticle eyepiece use your highest magnification eyepiece 3 Determine which way is north and south in the eyepiece by moving the telescope tube slightly north and south 4 Now let the mount s motor drive run for about five minutes The star will begin to drift north or south Ignore any east to west movement 5 If the star drifts north the telescope mount is pointing too far west If the star drifts south the telescope mount is pointing too far east Determine which way the star drifted and make the appropriate correction to the azimuth position of the mount Rotate the entire mount and tripod slightly east or west as needed or use the azimuth adjustment knobs if your mount has them to make fine adjustments to the mount s position 6 Next point the telescope at a bright star near the eastern horizon and near the celestial equator Dec 0 7 Let the telescope track for at least five minutes and the star should begin to drift north or south 8 If the star drifts south the telescope mount is pointed too low If the star drifts north the telescope mount is pointed too high Observe the drift and make the appropriate correction to the mount s altitude or latitude most mounts have some sort of fine adjustment for this Rep
8. relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment into an output on a circuit different from that to which the receiver in connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help A shielded cable must be used when connecting a peripheral to the serial ports One Year Limited Warranty This Orion Parsec Astronomical Imaging Camera is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one year from the date of purchase This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only During this warranty period Orion Telescopes 4 Binoculars will repair or replace at Orion s option any warranted instrument that proves to be defective provided it is returned postage paid to Orion Warranty Repair 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 If the product is not registered proof of purchase such as a copy of the original invoice is required This warranty does not apply if in Orion s judgment the instrument has been abused mishandled or modified nor does it apply to normal wear and tear This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state For further warranty service information contact Customer Service Department Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 800 676 1343 Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars OrionTelescopes com 89
9. than about five degrees Select another bright star and Calibrate again e f you experience bad guiding in declination and cannot resolve it through adjusting the calibration or aggressiveness you may have a stiction problem with your declination drive Watch which way the star drifts and turn off the Guider Enable checkbox in the Settings window that pushes the star in that direction That will prevent the stiction cycle from happening e Make sure that any backlash compensation in the mount is turned off 36 e On most telescopes the Right Ascension drive likes to have some load pushing against sidereal tracking If the mount is balanced such that it is pulling the mount forwards slightly the gear teeth may bounce back and forth resulting in terrible guiding that cannot be corrected by an autoguider Be sure to always balance the telescope such that it lifting the weight rather than allowing it to fall i e heavier on the East side Note that this may require balancing the telescope differently when it is pointed East versus West 7 Other Features Of Maxim DL This manual only covers a small fraction of all the capabilities and features of Maxim DL We strongly recommend reading through Maxim DLs Help Topics for more detailed information about all of the features once you have become more familiar with setting up and using your Parsec camera 7 1 Information Window The Information window displays numerical inform
10. time you start the software to 12VDC power converter if you have Maoden DL requires the ASCOM Platform to support access to an AC outlet Make sure astronomical equipment drivers a the power supply provides at least 2 iam stundards ary for mare information amperes of current This allows the rigs a CAD GIO Sule license install Install cd oint B 5 iP nini bo improve telescope pointing accuracy Parsec TEC to use 100 of its potential ay ee E FD drones ane used bor many USB denies Clock to Install FTCH cooling power install the latest version Thank you bor purchaseng Maxim DL O you require F seein Close assistance please visit hip cyanoqen c0m 2 3 Software and Driver Installation Figure 6 The Launcher provides an Before the camera can be used the easy menu for software installation software and camera drivers must be installed onto your computer Turn on your computer and allow the Windows operating system to load as normal Insert the included CD ROM into your computers CD ROM drive and the Launcher will appear This allows you to install the Maxim DL software After the software is installed the drivers will install automatically once the Parsec is initially connected to the computer Do not connect the camera to your computer before you have installed the software L Software and Driver Installation To install Maxim DL 1 Insert the CD ROM into the drive The Launcher will appear Figure 6 For
11. you would like to eliminate images with out of round stars caused by bad tracking turn on the Roundness check box The Threshold should be set to limit how far out of round the star can be for example 0 1 will throw out any image with stars that are more than 10 out of round Click the Measure All button and any bad images will automatically receive an X in the enable box You can manually override this decision if you like by changing the enable box 9 Select the Align tab Figure 28 If your images have been solved using PinPoint Astrometry you may wish to use the Astrometric align mode which is extremely accurate Alternatively the Auto Star Matching mode is fully automatic and quite accurate There are a variety of other alignment modes available including manual alignment Filter Channels Filter Color s Ga MOLD Select Qualty Alon Color Pg Ele Al oct sec Criteson Threshold bi PINANG Ay o crew Fo 4 B Rourdhess 015 H M nene Coa Br AG MECE AG Bhe Figure 27 The Stack window can measure the image quality and automatically reject the ones which are not good enough to combine Select Gualep Alon Color Combine Mode Asbometnc FF Ussinloin FITS Peev Group a nm Carie RA himig Prev image l Dec 2701 ga Newt image LU ipa neta Filed eto i i se TE Ln Image Akgnmerit Compute J a GG sf as Goes N nge 7320 006F hi gag NGC
12. 0 5 and a Figure 30 The Combine tab lets you Number of Passes of 3 select the different combine methods such 13 Be sure to turn on Ignore Black Bow NaC i craweleds Pixels If there are any areas where the images do not completely overlap this will ignore the contribution from the missing data Otherwise you may get strips across the edges of the image that look dimmer 14 Set Normalization to Linear and set Area to 50 This setting assumes that any changes in intensity between the images are due to extinction rather than changes in background level If you have strong background level changes you may want to use Delta Level instead 15 Select whether you want the results created as new images or written to a disk folder using the commands in the Options menu 16 Click Go to start the stacking process This may take some time you can interrupt and restart the process if needed If you have multiple image groups they will be stacked separately Color sets will automatically be color combined To view results written to a folder you must close the Stack 30 command before opening them with the Open command Alternatively you can simply drag and drop them from Windows Explorer onto the Maxim DL window Tip Once you have all the settings the way you like them you can simply dump in the images and click the Go button You can also drag and drop images onto the Tree View from the Windows Explorer or select files individual
13. 7662 ity Bhs Figure 28 The Align tab can automatically align register your images by using Auto Star Matching or Astrometric functions 29 10 You can select one of the images to be the Reference Image Gg Norra T Sec Dusky Alon Coke Combina using the right click menu This F Tones Deine ee Geen Bi image will not be shifted during apy nan732 008 oh k o alignment all other images will be oR reo Gee fo of aligned to it If you do not select At aan LIGA ata a IF j the reference image the first ia Biana FF fide TSRS image in the list will be used IN hornos n 11 Select the Color tab Figure 29 OS raia If you wish to customize the color a epeei Fh TR balance settings you may do so otherwise click the Defaults button which assumes 1 1 1 color balance Also turn on Auto equalize background to remove Al ng SAHOO hi any background color cast due to ag NOTED Select Guay Akon Color Combine sky glow TUN a ge em 12 Select the Combine tab and set H patiaa FITS Formak IEEE Float the Combine Method Figure AN moi emal 30 For large numbers of images pa 050 H we recommend using Sigma RY nocT320 00a PADE Rab Clip a Sigma Factor of 3 is a Taon basted aves 50 Ju good starting point If you have a 5 Re I Ignore Puts Over E modest number of images the SD Eba Mask mode will produce a better result but will take more time a good starting point for the settings is a Sigma Factor of
14. For permanent ioences Expay inckcsies the date upon which your Iree upgadez capita The solbeate wil continue working alber the dale but you wil nol be able lo upgrade Far lampasan and damo boermed the palaasa wll Hop waking on ihe dala Figure 8 User Registration Window 2 In Launcher screen select Install FTDI This installs the driver files for the Parsec camera 3 Connect the Orion Parsec to a USB port on the computer with the supplied USB cable 4 Plug the supplied power cable into a 12VDC power source and connect the cable to the Parsec LED status indicator and cooling fan will automatically power on Windows will automatically detect the camera and install it onto your computer Wait for the message to appear Device Installed Successfully Note Your computer must have a high speed USB 2 0 port available If your computer has multiple USB ports you will need to install the driver again if the Parsec is connected to a different USB port The Parsec uses FTDI drivers which are WHQL certified by Microsoft for both 32 bit and 64 bit Windows operating systems including Windows XP Vista and Windows 7 We recommend regularly checking www ftdichip com Drivers D2XX htm for updates 3 Software Walk Through Maxim DL 5 is a powerful imaging program which offers complete control for your Parsec camera autoguider telescope and imaging accessories such as a motor ized filter wheel and focuser In addition to controlling you
15. Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 Customer Support Help Line 800 676 1343 2008 2011 Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars 44
16. INSTRUCTION MANUAL Orion Parsec Series Astronomical Imaging Cameras Parsec 8300C Color 52075 Parsec 8300M Monochrome 52077 Parsec 10100C Color 52078 D ORON ASEC man ee AS N y Wy X N we s N TAN 5 Amer n N a 52078 en ORION TELESCOPES amp BINOCULARS Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975 OrionTelescopes com Customer Support 800 676 1343 E mail support telescope com Corporate Offices 831 763 7000 89 Hangar Way Watsonville CA 95076 2008 2011 Orion Telescopes amp Binoculars IN 383 Rev B 11 11 Table of Contents 1 Introduction 000 0n eee wen amp 1 1 The Parsec 8300 0 0 0 0 eee 4 1 2 The Parsec 10100C 0 0 0 cee 4 1 3 Feature Highlights 0 2 0 0 cee eee 5 2 Getting Started 0000 nee eet BO BA Cl E AY 6 2 2 System Requirements 7 2 3 Software and Driver Installation 9 3 Software Walk Through 0000888080822 10 3 1 The Camera Control Window 11 3 2 The Screen Stretch Window 00 14 4 Astronomical Imaging e azazansn 16 4 1 FOCUSING 5 a KAG BAWAL KAM Sa bake EEE EERE UKG 17 4 2 Setting the Cooler 19 4 3 Imaging Deep Sky Objects 20 5 Image Processing 2200000000nnnn nas 20 5 1 Image Calibration 0 00 00 cee 26 5 2 Convert R
17. R 0 00s 1663 x 1252 AJTO Add Group Remove Group Clear All Groups Group Properties Ale Name SS E Dark Frame Scaling Mei 82 00 id fit Auto Scale M81 82 002d fit Scale Factor Combine Type Average ee Show File Names Only Anpty Box Apply To All Groups Figure 23 The Set Calibration window lets you automatically select all of your calibration images 5 Click OK 6 With your astro image open in Maxim DL select Calibrate from the Process menu or click the Calibrate icon in Maxlm DL You should see a significant amount of noise disappear This process can be automated for all of your light images see Stacking Combining Images 5 2 Convert Raw to Color For Parsec 8300C and 10100 Once you have calibrated your images you need to convert them to color 1 Open the raw images you wish to convert to color If you need to convert more than 5 images or so please refer to Batch Processing as this method allows you to combine an unlimited number of images without consuming more memory from your computer 2 Select Convert Color in the Process menu 27 3 Select Orion Parsec High Quality in the Select Camera pull down menu Figure 24 4 Click OK and the image should appear in color You can make several adjustments to the Color Balance if needed see Color Balance 5 3 Stacking Combining Images Combining individual deep sky images enhances the detail in the
18. Windows 7 and Vista computers the AutoPlay window will appear first Select Run Launcher exe then the Launcher will appear Click Install Maxim DL The Install Shield Wizard will start Click Next 4 Read the Maxim DL License Agreement If you agree with the terms then select accept the terms in this license agreement and click Next 5 Click Install The installation will proceed 6 The installation is now complete Click the Finish button Do not open Maxim DL yet Camera Driver o Installation Now that the software is installed the camera driver must also be installed You must connect power to the camera and connect the USB cable from your camera to the computer before starting Maxim DL or the software and computer will not recognize the camera N Maxim DL Pro 5 M101 003 lum fit File Edit View Analyze PE Filter Color Plug in Window Help DD DEB AA B HOO dia GD OF Figure 7 Access the Camera Control Window from the View menu or pressing Ctrl W or selecting the icon To install the camera driver Der Registration 1 Insert the CD ROM into the computer The Launcher will appear Figure 6 For Windows 7 and Vista computers the AutoPlay window will appear first Select Run Launcher exe then the Launcher will appear Please enter your karne information susct as proveced Kare Fred Fiarkle Ema edimki com Expey Tew 2009 Month jw Day ho Samal OF ond Shy Se Ge Sebl ST Note
19. aging setups may require extra distance to comfortably reach from Parsec to the computer We recommend purchasing a 10 USB extension cable if you need more cord length available through Orion check the catalog and or www OrionTelescopes com Do not exceed 20 of cable length or you may start to experience connection problems 8 6 Care and Maintenance When the Parsec is not in use the dust cap should be replaced on the end of the nosepiece This prevents dust from accumulating on the Parsec s optical window If significant dust does accumulate on the optical window or the optical surface is touched then it should be cleaned 40 Any quality optical lens cleaning tissue and optical lens cleaning fluid specifi cally designed for multi coated optics can be used to clean the glass surface of the Parsec s optical window Never use regular glass cleaner or cleaning fluid designed for eyeglasses Before cleaning with fluid and tissue blow any loose particles off the surface with a blower bulb or compressed air Then apply some cleaning fluid to a tissue never directly on the optics Wipe the optical surface gently in a circular motion then remove any excess fluid with a fresh lens tissue Oily fingerprints and smudges may be removed using this method Use caution rubbing too hard may cause scratches Store the Parsec in the included hard carrying case Keep the camera in a dry location away from direct sunlight 41 9 Sp
20. aluable imaging time to take dark frames Regulated cooling fan speed Three fan speed settings allow you to set the speed to your liking High is the loudest but most effective setting Shutter A shutter is necessary for Kodak CCD chips but it also enables you to automatically take dark frames without having to cap the front of your telescope This is especially useful when taking autosave image sequences High speed USB 2 0 interface and internal memory buffer The full frame 32 megabyte SDRAM on board memory ensures a clean image download each time even if the system resources of your PC are temporarily compromised The high speed USB 2 0 downloads the full frame within 15 seconds depending on your computer speed Compact design With a footprint of just 4 x 4 with 3 of depth the Parsec easily fits into your imaging setup The Parsec s compact size also makes the camera suitable for Celestron Hyperstar or Fastar systems Parsec LED Status Indicators Figure 2 The Parsec s LED status indicators gt aie a na IT J et Figure 3 1 The shutter is free to move Figure 3 2 The shutter resets its when the Parsec is off position and holds firmly in place when the Parsec is powered on e LED Status Indicator Two LEDs on the Parsec indicate the camera power exposure image readout and download Figure 2 A Note about the Shutter The Parsec s leaf shutter moves freely when the camera is off You may notice the shut
21. ation about selected areas of the image The window can be switched on and off using the Information Window command on the View menu or by using the cursor button on the Toolbar The window can remain open as a floating toolbox without interfering with other com mands The Information window has four modes of operation Aperture Region Area and Astrometric There is also a Magnitude display that can be calibrated to show accurate stellar magnitudes Except in Area mode the mouse cursor will change to a crosshair and bullseye when the Information window is active and the mouse is over the selected image or preview The sizes of the various elements of the circular cursor can be changed using the mouse with the right click menu To lock the cursor at a specific position and freeze the information display double click on the image When locked the circular cursor can be moved using the arrow keys You can then copy text from the status area of the Information window to the clipboard using the mouse and CTRL C or right click the mouse in the status area and select Copy from the resulting context menu To restore normal operation click the mouse again on the image Numbers exceeding one million are shown in scientific notation a lower case e followed by an integer means the preceding quantity must be multiplied by that power of ten 7 2 Night Vision Selecting Night Vision toggles the night vision mode on and off Three types of ni
22. aw to Color For Parsec 8300C and 10100 27 5 3 Stacking Combining Images 28 OG FING naaa eu ceeds oes KATHA EG BAKA GALA AA NG 32 5 5 Color Balance v 2ceocacergapieegedeaoedtacees 32 6 Multiple Camera Control for Autoguiding 34 6 1 Autoguider Calibration 34 7 Other Features Of Maxim DL 93 7 1 Information Window a 37 7 2 Night VISION 3 2 5 5 0 8 4 eb ek ow AG woe KG ere WENG 37 7 3 Observatory Control Window 55 38 O ViPS srra eee eee ee aa cee GB 8 1 Polar Alignment 0 eee eee 38 8 2 Choosing a Site for Astro Imaging 39 8 3 Using Focal Reducers and Barlow Lenses 40 8 4 WINGS coada MAE NG PENE LE AARAL GG KANA as 40 8 5 USB Extension Cable AA 40 8 6 Care and Maintenance 0 000 eee 40 9 Specifications azaunaununanunann 42 1 Introduction Welcome to the exciting world of astro imaging Your new Parsec Astronomical Imaging Camera is capable of captur ing professional quality astro images of your favorite celestial objects You can showcase spectacular images on your com puter share them on the internet or print them The camera s large 8 3 mega pixel array provides very high resolution imag es which are great for publishing in large prints Please read this instruction manual before attempting to use the camera or install the need
23. ccurate computerized go to system you can keep the camera installed in your telescope s focuser without using the eyepiece Remove the eyepiece and replace it with the Parsec Set the Exposure Preset to Focus and precisely focus the camera If necessary move the telescope to a nearby star to determine the best focus For best results when using the Parsec 8300C select Light Raw for Frame Type so you can properly calibrate your astro images later see section 5 Image Processing For Parsec 8300M users simply choose Light for Frame Type 4 In the Expose tab set Seconds to 10 20 and click Expose After the image downloads check to see if the deep sky object is centered well in your camera Adjust the camera orientation if needed keeping in mind that you may have to refocus the camera after making the adjustment Reposition the telescope if needed to center the deep sky object 5 Set the Exposure Preset to LRGB even if you are using the Parsec 8300C You can always rename the Exposure Preset with your custom settings 6 Click the Autosave button and select your exposure times and frame type Figure 18 1 21 Aulocave Setup AMA Pihpnarno Diha Aahomipthio Ring PANOGAvE Image l a Da Max Dereon a Of Fr MATE poate po i Wa lure ka Sint Todbaengp Estimated Qurahon Wa ap oe Wie Mount coma ves S JAD Dn ind a nanag Paa l i Subtrame i a iri T eil Eri kinait solve Orly Inburwal i On Delay Betraan
24. d between the camera and telescope when imaging to change image scale Focal reducers serve to decrease the focal length of your telescope This increas es the field of view seen by the camera decreases camera magnification This can be very useful for obtaining images of wide field deep sky objects such as the Andromeda Galaxy or the Pleadies star cluster Focal reducers will usually thread onto the nosepiece of the Parsec Barlow lenses increase the focal length of your telescope which makes the cam era s field of view narrower increases camera magnification This is useful for planetary imaging Keep in mind that when the focal length is doubled the image will become four times dimmer so a longer exposure may be necessary Barlow lenses are generally inserted in the focuser s drawtube and secured with the thumbscrew on the focuser s drawtube and the Parsec s nosepiece is inserted into the barlow and secured with the thumbscrew on the barlow lens 8 4 Filters Any standard Orion 2 filter will thread into the 2 nosepiece of the Parsec Light pollution filters or special light pollution filters designed for imaging such as the Orion SkyGlow Imaging Filter improves image contrast from urban areas with severe light pollution For the Parsec 8300M we recommend using a motorized filter wheel such as the Orion Nautilus to easily manage LRGB or narrowband filters to assemble a color image 8 5 USB Extension Cable Most im
25. deep sky object by improving the signal to noise ratio We will demonstrate stacking LRGB images however a similar process works for monochrome one shot color and RGB image sets 1 Select the Process menu Stack command Figure 25 2 On the Select tab turn on Classify by OBJECT and FILTER 3 Click the FILTER button to set up the filter mapping This will determine what filters are mapped into which LRGB color channels To change a row click once on the row then click once on the Filter Color item and enter a new value This will make sure that your filters are automatically assigned to the correct group Figure 26 4 If your images have not yet been calibrated turn on Mark added images as Auto Calibrate Each Convert Color Offsets T Undersampled o 0 S y fo Iv High Quality Cancel Scaling Red ho 4 Select Camera Green fin Blue Reset Scaling Background Level Mono Red 4775 18 a Green 4899 94 gt Blue 5261 84 a EO TE Reset Jv Auto Auto Full Screen Figure 24 The Convert Color window converts raw images taken from the Parsec 8300C to color Preview Image Select Qualy Alon Color Combine m Tanie a wf mg j ANG ngcT 320 0026 Add Folder Mark added kara as Clasaihy by F kuko Calas O8JECT I Auto Color Convert F FILTER G Make Piek Square Dearpiion of Salarked Dem RGB group WME Objet MP6 Group contains 3 sub
26. e mouse on the image You ll find this feature to be a great convenience when fine adjusting the screen stretch to get an image to look its best The trick with stretching is determining exactly how to stretch the image for best effect Often there are several different possibilities for the same image Trial and error will be the best way to judge what the best screen stretch setting is Try 15 Camera Control Expose Guide Setup Exposure Frese Seconds Readout Mode Subirame Normal fF On 7 Mouse A x Single f Continues __ FremeType Bersae v 1128 W128 118 C Auton bah F _ Filter Wheel Binning Binning Options Camera Infonnetion Guider Idormeton Tamera Ice Camera tole Cooler power 16 Cooler power 16 Sensor Temp 40 Sensor Temp 4 0 Setpoint 40 Setpomnt 4 0 dh z Minimum Mecamurmn Medium Pa mle 042 Od 3 Figure 15 Subframe around the star you want to focus on by drawing a box around it with your mouse several different settings until you find one you think looks best When the image is subsequently saved the screen stretch setting information will be kept when the image is next opened Feel free to adjust the Screen Stretch settings all you want it will not effect the image data you captured and only effects how the image is displayed You can always switch back to a preset setting like Medium or Moon 4 Astronomical Imaging Now that you re familiar wi
27. e read Maxim DLs Help Topics Reset Mouse A Auto FullScreen for the most detailed information about the various image processing filters Figure 31 The Color Balance available The following are just some window of the many processing filters available in Maxim DL Unsharp Mask is a method of sharpening or high pass filtering an image It amounts to subtracting a low pass filtered version of an image from itself The low pass filtered version is called the mask Kernal High Pass Filter can be set to More or Less for different effect The High Pass Filter can be useful for accentuating fine details in an image Kernal Gaussian Blur is a method of blurring an image It can be used to sup press noise in an image at the expense of sharpness The Radius setting controls the amount of blurring applied to the image Increasing the radius increases the amount of blur applied For best results turn on the Auto Full Screen preview button and adjust the set tings This allows you to rapidly adjust the settings until you are satisfied with the results Then click OK to actually apply the filter settings to the image It is best to use a light touch with this command to avoid over processing the image Over processing can create artifacts i e features in the image that are not real It also amplifies the noise in the image 5 5 Color Balance The sensitivity of most CCD cameras as a function of wavelength color is differ ent fro
28. each pixel light detecting site over eight million pixels form a single Parsec image represented as a number from 1 to 65535 depending on brightness This has to be mapped into the video monitor s brightness range from 1 to 255 It is important to set the screen stretch appropriately or a great image may look terrible When an image is displayed you will notice a graph in the Screen Stretch Window This is called the histogram of the currently displayed image A histo gram is a simple bar graph that shows the range of brightness in an image Each bar in the graph represents a level of brightness the bar to the far left in the histo gram represents the dimmest pixels and the bar to the far right is for the brightest pixels The height of the bar is the total number of pixels at that brightness level in the image Every image has a different histogram depending on how much of the image is bright or dark Directly viewing the histogram of your image in the Screen Stretch Window provides an easy interface for making decisions on how the screen stretch should be set In Maxim DL the two parameters entered in the Screen Stretch Window are Minimum and Maximum A pixel that is at the Minimum value is set to zero black and a pixel at the Maximum value is set to 255 white An easy way to adjust the 14 Camera Control Expose Guide Setup Exposure Preset Seconds Start Find Star gt fi ide Ee Readout Mode S
29. eat the entire procedure until the star does not drift significantly north or south in the eyepiece When this is accomplished you are very accurately polar aligned and should be able to produce good unguided images of up to several minutes long assuming the mount s drives track well with little periodic error 8 2 Choosing a Site for Astro Imaging Once you have a focused image you may find your image shifting and washed out This can be caused by many environmental factors Poor seeing movement of molecules in the air such as heat rising and poor transparency moisture smoke or other sky contaminants will all serve to reduce image quality That is why most major astronomical telescopes are on high mountains in thin air to get above much of the transparency and seeing problems Also wind will move your telescope and affect images Your eyes viewing through an eyepiece can change 39 slightly to compensate for disturbances like these but the camera can not Keep these factors in mind when choosing an observing site for astronomical imaging For the best astro images we recommend finding a location with dry air some altitude and away from city or streetlights Even a nearby hilltop in the countryside can provide better viewing conditions than many convenient backyard locations 8 3 Using Focal Reducers and Barlow Lenses Focal reducers and barlow lenses change the effective focal length of a telescope These lenses are inserte
30. eaves the field the duration of the calibration move commands can be adjusted by clicking the Settings command and changing the Calibration Time fields measured in seconds A longer calibration time will increase the motion of the star a shorter time will decrease the motion Typical values range from five to ten seconds depending on the correction speed focal length and pixel size 12 Once you have successfully calibrated switch to the Track mode Click Start and watch the star It should move to the center of the small track box and whenever it drifts off it should be pulled back again You can zoom in the window for a better look Also the tracking errors will be displayed in the scrolling log 13 If the star bounces back and forth reduce the aggressiveness for that axis If it corrects too slowly increase the aggressiveness Changes to the aggressiveness settings take effect immediately You are now ready to take a long exposure image through the main telescope and imaging camera The Parsec will continuously send small correction factors to the mount s motor drive to insure steady and accurate tracking throughout the dura tion of the exposure however long that may be Other Autoguiding Notes e If you are using a German equatorial mount you must calibrate with the tube on the same side of the mount as it will be when actually imaging e The calibration settings need changing if you move the telescope in declination by more
31. ecifications Parsec 8300 CCD Sensor Parsec 8300C CCD Sensor Parsec 8300M CCD detector size Sensor format Pixel array Pixel size Exposure range A D conversion Binning Full Well Capacity Read Noise RMS Dark Signal at 0 C Thermoelectric cooling Operating Power Range Camera current draw USB connection IR cut filter Parsec 8300C R cur filter Parsec 8300M Optical window Backfocus Distance from T threads Weight Autoguider capability Mounting 42 Kodak KAF 8300CE Kodak KAF 8300 AXE 17 96mm x 13 52mm 22 5mm diagonal 3326x2504 8 328 304 total 5 4um x 5 4um 0 002 seconds to infinity 16 bit 1x1 and 2x2 25 500e 8e 0 15e pixel second 40 C below ambient temperature 10VDC to 13 8VDC Approximately 2A at 12VDC 2 0 High speed Yes No Fully coated with anti reflection coatings 29 24mm 1 15 900g 82 oz Yes 2 nosepiece or T thread Parsec 10100C CCD Sensor CCD detector size Sensor format Pixel array Pixel size Exposure range A D conversion Binning Full Well Capacity Read Noise RMS Dark Signal at 0 C Thermoelectric cooling Operating Power Range Camera current draw USB connection IR cut filter Optical window Backfocus Distance from T threads Weight Autoguider capability Mounting Kodak KAI 10100 CXC 17 86mm x 13 49mm 22 5mm diagonal 3760x2840 10 678 400 total 4 75um x 4 75um 0 002 seconds to infinity 16 bit 1x1 2x2 3x3 and 4x4 25 000e
32. ed software For the most detailed information on specific camera and software functions consult the Maxim DL Help Topics included with the CD the tutorials found there are especially useful for familiarizing yourself with the soft ware and camera 1 1 The Parsec 8300 The Parsec 8300 is a high resolution 8 3 megapixel CCD with a dual stage regulated thermoelectric cooler to enable maximum imaging performance Both the 8300M and 8300C are very sensitive and capable of detecting faint deep sky objects in a short exposure and longer exposures can reveal extremely deep fields with subtle nebulosity and galaxies in the background The unique versatility of the Kodak KAF8300 full frame CCD lets you take advan tage of the densely packed pixel array 1x1 mode 3326 x 2504 utilizes the full resolution of the camera providing the most detailed images and largest possible prints Binning in 2x2 mode 1663 x 1252 increases the camera s sensitivity and full well capacity meaning it can collect more light at the expense of resolution Binning in 2x2 mode can be especially useful for longer focal length and higher focal ratio telescopes Note that the Parsec 8300C model will not have any color in 2x2 mode 1 2 The Parsec 10100C The 10 7 megapixel Parsec 10100C uses Kodak s KAI10100 interline CCD It has the same cooling system and architecture as the Parsec 8300 but with slightly faster data transfer to accommodate the higher number of pixels
33. eset name indicating the settings are different than the default Click the 13 arrow button next to the preset name to manage your presets including Update Current Preset and Save As New Preset See Maxlm DLs Help Topics for more detailed information Readout Mode In the Expose Tab select Normal for the best image quality and Fast for a quicker image download Frame Type Choose Light Raw or Color for the 8300C Bias Dark and Flat Please Screen Stretch al b bdlinimum Maximum 221514 228 932 Range of brightness levels _ Figure 13 The Screen Stretch Window is a histogram that allows you to adjust the apparent brightness levels of an image on your screen brightness level gt Number of pixels at read section 5 Astronomical Imaging to determine when and why to take a dark or flat Fan Speed Select Camera Settings in the Expose tab Figure 14 1 to access the fan speed High Medium or Low Figure 14 2 High is recommended for the best cooling performance There are a large slew of settings in the Camera Control Window s Expose tab Please read Maxlm DLs Help Topics which covers all the settings in greater detail 3 2 The Screen Stretch Window The function of the Screen Stretch Window Figure 13 is to properly map the image brightness levels captured by the camera into corresponding image bright ness levels on the computer screen A typical camera image has
34. ght vision display are available selected by a dropdown on the General tab of the File Settings dialog 37 Red helps maintain the human eye s dark adaptation Blue is the color to which most CCD cameras are least sensitive and Dim maintains the color display but reduces the overall intensity to about one eighth normal e In red mode all menus dialog boxes etc are switched to red Monochrome images are displayed red but color images are displayed in their normal colors This allows the user to inspect a color image without switching the entire screen back to normal colors Red light helps maintain the human eye s dark adaptation because it does not as readily destroy the visual purple photosensitive pigment of the scotopic vision system rod cells e In blue mode all menus dialog boxes and monochrome images are shown in blue As before color images are displayed in their normal colors The blue mode is useful when imaging with CCD cameras because it is the band in which most CCD cameras are least sensitive e In dim mode all menus dialog boxes and images both monochrome and color are displayed at approximately one eighth normal brightness in order to reduce ambient light conditions in the observatory 7 3 Observatory Control Window The Observatory Control Window provides comprehensive control and status for any other astro imaging accessory you might be interfacing with your computer including e Telesc
35. groups R G B Raference Mie 01R ft in Hrg Bed AK ngcT 320 0018 fa wife ngc7220 002F fa ied OC 732040030 Las wild THR ft Al gc ACHR he sie ngeTIN OOGA A Sj NGC7662 AG Bhs Figure 25 The Stack window is a powerful feature which automatically calibrates sorts LRGB filtered images and combines your astroimages image will automatically be calibrated as it is needed using the settings from the Set Calibration command 5 Click the drop list on the multi function button and select Add Folder Browse to a folder on disk where your images are located This folder may contain images of several different targets as long as the OBJECT FITS keyword is set in each image during imaging this is automatically obtained from the Observatory Control window if a telescope is connected 28 6 The Tree View on the left side of the Stack dialog will now show all the image files you have selected arranged into groups according to their FITS header You can open the groups to view the files by clicking on the sign If you would like to view an individual file right click it and select Display Image Alternatively using the right click menu select Auto Display and any image you click on will be automatically displayed 7 f necessary you can move images or entire groups by dragging them You can set properties for groups or individual files using the right click menu 8 Select the Quality tab Figure 27 If
36. he Coolers box Figure 17 1 3 Click Cooler under the Camera 1 box and enter the Setpoint C you wish to cool the CCD to Figure 17 2 Keep in mind the cooling range of the camera which is MAX 30 40 C below ambient depending on fan speed The Setpoint C is the absolute temperature so this will be the actual target temperature of the CCD camera If you set the temperature to 10 C the CCD chip will literally cool to 10 degrees below zero Celsius 4 Click More Less on the bottom right of the Camera Control Window to monitor the cooling status After a couple of minutes the Cooler Power 19 Camera Control Expose Guide Setup Camera 1 NE Camera 2 Connect Orion Parsec No Camera Disconnect Onti Coolers 7 ations Wie LION Popins IC Chi On of EU WamUp Less lt lt Camera 1 Information Camera 1 Information Camera Idle Camera Idle No Filters No Filters Cooler power 454 Cooler power 45 2 Sensor Temp 5 0 Sensor Temp 5 0 Setpoint 5 0 Setpoint 5 0 Figure 17 3 Monitor the Cooler Power Sensor Temp and Setpoint and make sure they reach your goals should drop below 100 Figure 17 3 If the Cooler Power does not drop below 100 after a couple of minutes you will need to raise the Setpoint 5 Monitor the Sensor Temp and Setpoint and make sure they match If the Senor Temp is higher than the Setpoint you will need to raise the Setpoint We recommend keepi
37. l values The Sigma Factor will determine how many pixels from the standard deviation are discarded The lower the Sigma Factor the more pixels are discarded 3 0 is a good value to start with A new average is calculated without the discarded pixel This value is assigned to the corresponding pixel in the output image 5 SD Mask is a custom variation on Sigma Clip contributed by Ray Gralak This is an iterative algorithm that more effectively removes outlier pixels while preserving good pixels It is most useful when the number of images available is too small for effective use of Sigma Clip 6 Drizzle is a method intended for combining undersampled dithered images developed by Andy Fruchter Space Telescope Science Institute and Richard Hook Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility This process formally called Variable Pixel Linear Reconstruction can restore 31 detail finer than the pixel size of the frames being combined The technique is described at http xxx lanl gov abs astro ph 9808087 Red fo Green hoo 4 5 4 Filter Blue 100 Filtering an image is an operation that Reset Mouse emphasizes certain characteristics of an image while suppressing others eas Maxim DL supports several kinds of Red 73047 Filters such as Unsharp Mask Kernal Green 7304 7 H Scaling Background Level Filters and Digital Development Blue 7304 7 4 a Ti available from the Filter menu Auto aan e Pleas
38. ler Orion Parsec No Camera Disconnect Onti Coolers ptions r 1 5etupFiter i _ setup Fiter_ Warm Up Less lt lt Camera 1 Information Camera 1 Information Camera Idle Camera Idle No Filters No Filters Cooler power 45 Cooler power 45 Sensor Temp 5 0 Sensor Temp 5 0 Setpoint 5 0 Setpoint 5 0 Figure 9 2 The More Less button reveals more detailed information about the camera status such as the cooler temperature exposure progress and more To access the Camera Control Window Open Maxlm DL and go to View then select Camera Control Window or you may click on the icon found in Maxlm Figure 7 or press Control W The Setup Tab and Connecting the Parsec Figure 9 1 We recommend selecting More on the bottom right of the Setup Figure 9 2 tab which will reveal more information such as the cooler status exposure progress and more Camera 1 should be used for your Parsec Camera 2 should be used for your autoguider if you are using one To connect your Parsec camera to Maxim DL 1 Plug the Parsec into your computer s USB port 2 Plug the power cable into the Parsec with your 12VDC power source already connected The cooling fan and LED status indicators will automatically power on 11 Expose Guide Setup Camera 1 gt r Camera 2 Setup Camera Cooler Sooler Orion Parsec No Camera Options Due Options Setup Filter Mode Set
39. lescope 3 Click the Settings button Figure 32 4 Maxim DL needs to know how fast the telescope moves in right ascension R A and declination Dec when the autoguider commands are issued To do this the software will Calibrate the mount by moving it back and forth on 34 Fa aaa cert kl TA Ap Camera Loy miro ki x Expose Guide Setup seconds Filter Wheel scope Dec p Expose Ter Sy No Fier A0 H C Cabbate NA Guide Star BULL Pier Flip x Yf No Camera F Aut Guider Settin Watch Star moer settings a Settings Advanced Camera X Axis p Guider Enables j Autoguider Output Ok Cal Time Backlash W H Ans Control Via fo fo M Output Guider Relays Cancel W Output COM Port Y Axis I Y Anis M1 eli let a Cal Time Backlash hf aY Output 10 a jo P N Oan e Pests Defaul AntiStiction for Nia TI epoles Stas 7 Exposure Settings Manual Calibration Binning Speed Y Speed Angle deg 2 am Aa Left Top Width Automatically Apply Spin Control Changes f fo 3r Display Sealing Readout Mode Speed Display Mode Pixels Iv Delta ey iso FI Figure 32 The Guider Settings configure your autoguider in Maxim DL each axis The Calibration Time determines how long it activates the motors each time The usual value is 5 10 seconds start out with a value of 5 Make sure all of the Guider Enables boxes are checked F
40. ly When you use the Add Folder option calibration files are automatically ignored the other methods for adding files will include them Usually you don t want to stack the calibration files automatically since the Set Calibration command does that for you with proper normalization etc There are several methods that will achieve slightly different results when stacking images such as Average Sum Median and Sigma Clip Each of these meth ods will improve your image buy stacking it but each one combines the images in different ways 1 Average sums all the pixels and divides by the number of images chosen to combine 2 Sum adds up all the pixels in the images This will increase the Max Pixel value and the offset in the Screen Stretch window If you Sum the image the file should be saved as a fit in IEEEFloat beyond 16 bits to preserve all the data in the image 3 Median takes the middle pixel value from all of the images The Median mode is useful when some pixels are extremely bright or dark hot dark pixels cosmic ray hits If Median mode is used a Normalize option is available Normalize will remove differences in the image scaling which could interfere with the median processing 4 Sigma Clip combines the best features of Average and Median Sigma Clip is the best choice for removing unwanted noise hot pixels and satellite trails It works like Average but also calculates the standard deviation of the averaged pixe
41. m the response of the human eye The filters used for creating color com posites also have their own characteristics as do the telescope optics Although perfect color rendition is an elusive if not impossible goal all individuals see col ors slightly differently it is straightforward to get good color balance with simple weightings This is where the Color Balance command in the Process menu Figure 31 comes in handy to touch up the resultant colors in your images Use 32 the Preview Image to see how altering these parameters will affect your image or click the Full Screen button to see the changes applied to your full image Note for the Parsec 8300M Before any color balance adjustment can be made you must first Combine Color to each individual LRGB or RGB images Color images from CCD cameras typically require a background level adjustment This is accomplished by bringing the background level or bias in each color plane down to zero Each of the Background Level values is subtracted from every image pixel in its color plane Any pixel values that become negative are forced to zero The Auto button automatically determines the settings necessary to equal ize the image background in all three color planes The Reset button resets the background level subtraction to zero on all planes Scaling adjustment entered as a percentage allows you to compensate for transmittance differences between the filters used to acqui
42. ng Y Binning ac l Options gt UG 9 Less lt lt Camera 1 Information Guider Information Camera Idle Camera Idle Speed Frame Type Cooler power 35 Cooler power 0 Sensor Temp 6 3 Sensor Temp 6 3 Figure 11 The Expose tab using the Exposure Preset default settings in Find Star telescope s focus and adjust the KATABAAN exposure time as needed to get a j information focused image Cursor x 259 Y 203 Rad 10 Red2 22 A A Pixel 61914 000 Magnitude 5 437 4 Look at the Pixel value 4 the B Maximum 61942 000 Intensity 66 867 Information window while the id Minimum 61818 000 SNR 0 054 H Median 61882 000 mouse cursor is over the image Fy Average 61881 734 BgdAvg 61881 523 i H Std Dev 21 945 BgdDev 69 274 The Pixel and Average value ka 5 i 259 000 Y 203 000 should be well below 50000 J aM O O Fletnese or your image is overexposed B Figure 12 If you cannot get the J Mode Aperture x p DISPIBYIN Calibrate gt gt Pixel value low enough during EIET the day you will need to reduce Figure 12 The Information window the aperture of your telescope by displays detailed information about the creating an aperture mask image including the Pixel count which can indicate if the image is overexposed 5 You may change the Binning X Binning Y to 1x1 For the Parsec 8300C set the Frame Type to Color Note Any time a setting is changed in the Exposure Preset a will appear next to the pr
43. ng the Cooler Power to about 80 or less for the best performance while still having the ability to match the temperature later if needed Pushing the cooler to near 100 will hinder the accuracy if your dark frames if the dark frame temperature does not match your light frame 4 3 Imaging Deep Sky Objects Capturing impressive images of deep sky objects such as galaxies nebulae and star clusters require relatively long exposures You will take several individual images and stack them together to form one high quality resultant image Very accurate polar alignment is essential for deep sky imaging Stars will streak across the field of view without precise polar alignment and tracking Longer expo 20 Autosave Setup Autosave Filename Dither Astrometric Resync M3 Lagoon v Off Max Deviation Off a pixels Estimated Duration s ule Guider C Sync Telescope Cancel C Via Mount C Correct via Slew 39m 53s v C Solve Only Apply Mosaic Interval Delay First Delay Between 3 fio Capture Setup Bin 2x Options gt Figure 18 1 The Autosave Setup window sets all of your options to autosave your image in a sequence sures of 60 seconds or more also require autoguiding with a separate camera The Orion StarShoot AutoGuider can be operated with the Parsec in Maxlm DL To start 1 Acquire and center the deep sky object into the field of view of your eyepiece If you are using a mount with an a
44. ocus far better than simply looking at the star image on your screen 7 Click Stop once you reach the best focus and click Reset in the Subframe section at the bottom of the Camera Control window Before proceeding to take images switch back to the desired Exposure Preset Note Due to atmospheric seeing condi tions you may notice significant fluctu ation in the FWHM and Max Pixel val ues while focusing You typically have to take multiple exposures each time you adjust the focuser to determine the quality of your focus Caution Once you have achieved focus be sure to click the Reset but ton in the Subframe box otherwise the camera will crop all your images into a small square 4 2 Setting the Cooler 4 Camera Control Expose Guide Setup Camera 1 Camera 2 a onneci Cooler Orion Parsec No Camera Disconnect Onti Coolers ions Fl On Off Berne Warm Up No Filters No Filters Figure 17 1 Turn the Coolers on Figure 17 2 Establish a Setpoint C you wish to set the CCD temperature to The Parsec can cool the CCD to more than 35 C below the ambient tempera ture But remember that the ambient temperature changes and you want to have enough cooling capacity to take dark frames at the same temperature later To set the cooler 1 Connect the Parsec camera with Maxim DL in the Camera Control Window s Setup tab 2 In the Camera Control Window s Setup tab click On under t
45. of these features you will be able to set all of the frames you want in Autosave Setup window without having to go back to add more frame types Light and Dark 2x2 Modes For added convenience and versatility the Parsec s individual pixels light detecting sites can be binned into units of two by two pixels i e four individual pixels create one binned 2x2 pixel This creates larger and more sensitive pixels but with decreased resolution This can be useful for some types of astronomical imaging such as capturing faint nebulae It can also be useful for quickly check ing the image centering and orientation before using the full resolution to actually capture images To use in 2x2 mode select X Binning Y Binning to 2x2 Same Note to Parsec 8300C users By binning the images in 2x2 you will bypass the RGB filter built into the camera so the resulting binned images will be black and white without the ability to convert to color 25 Figure 22 1 Before your images are Figure 22 2 Combining multiple deep combined an individual deep space image space images greatly increases the detail will have more noise and less detail in the resulting combined image Each individual deep sky image is faint and has a noticeable amount of noise Combining the individual deep sky images eliminates the noise and enhances the detail in the deep sky object by improving the signal to noise ratio The more imag es you combine the be
46. ope mount control with auto center e Focuser control with autofocus e Rotator control with FOV slaving e Dome control with telescope slaving e A simple but powerful planetarium with image overlays FOV overlays e Extensive searchable catalogs The Observatory Control Window is resizable using the mouse 8 Tips 8 1 Polar Alignment Good telescope mount polar alignment is of critical importance for long exposure CCD imaging Inaccurate polar alignment leads to image movement over time even with motor drives running and engaged which limits the amount of time an exposure can be taken before the stars begin to streak and blur lf your equatorial mount uses a polar axis finder scope we highly recommend uti lizing it for polar alignment If not a technique known as the drift method of polar alignment has been used for many years and can achieve an extremely accurate polar alignment Unfortunately it is very time consuming since the drift of a star 38 over time must be observed The basic idea is to let the telescope mount track while watching a star to see which way the star drifts Note the direction of the drift and correct by moving the mount in the appropriate direction To perform the drift method of polar alignment 1 Do a rough polar alignment by pointing the R A axis of the mount at Polaris the North Star 2 Finda bright star near the meridian the imaginary line running north to south through zenith and
47. or Autoguider Output set Control Via If you are using the Orion StarShoot AutoGuider for example choose Guider Relays Click Apply You can leave this dialog box open or Close it if you wish Make sure that the telescope mount is set to move at 1X sidereal or slower For some mounts you must set the guide rate manually The maximum usable rate is 1X sidereal If your mount does not drift quickly you can set the speed slower than 1X depending on your imaging configuration 9 On the Guide tab set to Expose and click the Start button A single image will be taken Ensure that a well focused bright star near the actual object to be imaged appears in the image If not adjust the guide scope and try again Make sure the star is roughly centered Note The algorithm can be confused if another star appears in the frame to mini mize this risk calibrate on an isolated bright star 10 Now set to Calibrate and click the Start button A series of five exposures will be taken each time the telescope will be moved slightly If the telescope 35 does not move check the Settings Remember you have to set up a method for sending the autoguider commands to the telescope 11 The star should move in an L shape If it does not move enough a warning message will appear The recorded positions will be displayed in the scrolling log along with any error messages Note If the star does not move far enough or moves too far i e the star l
48. or it could fall out and onto the ground If your telescope has T threads for direct camera attachment a more secure con nection can be made First unthread the nosepiece from the Parsec camera body This exposes the camera s T threads Then simply thread the camera onto your telescope Figure 5 2 7 The camera s pixel size and sensitivity make the Parsec suitable for most tele scopes For telescopes with very long focal lengths 2000mm and greater you can optionally bin 2x2 see section 2 Astronomical Imaging to utilize greater sensitivity and obtain sharper images at the expense of resolution Note that the Parsec 8300C color camera will lose its color information if binning in 2x2 Because the Parsec uses a larger format CCD chip a telescope with a 2 focuser is recommended to for full field illumination You can still use the camera with a 1 25 focuser if it has optional T threads however some vignetting edge darkening may occur in the images Backfocus Requirement The Parsec requires 29 24mm 1 151 of backfocus This is the distance from the front of the T threads to the CCD sensor Mount Deep sky imaging with the Parsec requires an equatorial mount with a right ascen sion R A motor drive The goal for your mount is to seamlessly track the appar ent movement of the sky as the Earth rotates The tracking must be very accurate or the object you want to image will drift and blur across the camera s field of
49. pe at a uniform and featureless light source like the sky at dusk or dawn or a blank white sheet of paper Make sure the camera orientation is exactly the same as it is or was for astro imaging Although the telescope is pointing at a featureless surface the focus and orientation must be set as it normally would be for astro images 3 Set the Frame Type in the Camera Control Window s Setup tab to Flat Or if you are taking a sequence of images set the Type in the Autosave Setup window to Flat Even though Maxlm DL will already know which of your images are flat frames it s a good idea to assign a preset such as F to better organize your different images 4 Set the Seconds to 0 1 for now and click OK then Expose You want the Max Pixel to read somewhere around 20000 Adjust the exposure time as needed until the Max Pixel is close to 20000 It s a good idea to take several flat frames and try different exposure times until you find the correct exposure If you are taking your flats near dusk or dawn the sky brightness will changes rapidly The flat fields also need dark frames 5 Add another Slot sequence in Autosave Setup and select Dark under Type Select the same exposure time as your flat and assign a prefix such a FL 6 Click OK then Expose Note that you can set all of your lights darks flats and dark flats at the same time in the Autosave Setup window to make the sequence faster and more convenient Once you get used to all
50. r camera and accesso ries for image capture Maxim DL also provides all the necessary processing tools to assemble your astro image 10 For the most detail regarding all of the features in Maxlm DL please con sult the comprehensive help tutorial in MaxiIm s Help Topics The following section of the manual will walk you through the basic features mostly found in the Camera Control Window The Parsec includes a free 60 day trial of Maxlm DL 5 Pro Start by opening Maxim DL and you will be prompted with the User Registration window which requires your license informa tion Figure 8 Refer to the registration label on the envalope of your software CD and enter the information exactly as it is shown on the label Once your information is entered correctly the OK button will become available click OK to proceed You will only have to enter your software license once 3 1 The Camera Control Window The Camera Control Window con trols your Parsec camera as well as your autoguider if you are using one The window has three tabs Expose Guide and Setup Camera Control Expose Guide Setup Camera 1 Camera 2 onnec Cooler Came Orion Parsec No Camera Disconnect Onti Coolers ptions DU a sap rie Warm Up No Filters No Filters TEA Figure 9 1 The Setup tab in the Camera Control Window 1 Camera Control Expose Guide Setup Camera 1 Camera 2 O onnec Lam Coo
51. re 1 Information Guider Information Camera Idle Camere Idle Display Large Statistics Cooler power 16 Cooler power 16 sensor Temp 4 0 Setpoint 4 0 Set Image Save Path Camera Settings Exposure Delay New Buffer Single Only Screen During Exposures P Measure Shutter Latency Show Toa Tips Figure 16 1 Select Display Large Statistics in the Expose tab 4 Click Expose Focus Statistics 5 Carefully watch the FWHM and ra Max Pixel values in the Camera X 383 C Camera 2 Y 255 Control Window If you are stand ing several feet from your laptop while focusing check the Display Large Statistics option in the Expose tab Figures 16 1 and 16 2 The FWHM Full Width Half Maximum indicates the diameter of the star The Max Val is the brightness value for the bright est pixel in the star The smaller the FWHM and the larger the Max Pixel the closer you are to focused Max 2091 FWHM 4 45 FD 5 38 Figure 16 2 The Focus Statistics offer a convenient way to easily monitor your focusing while standing at the telescope 6 Adjust the focus as needed to get several feel away from your laptop the smallest FWHM and largest Max Pixel possible The Max Pixel should stay well below 50000 as this approaches saturation If the Max Pixel approaches 40000 50000 reduce the exposure time or try selecting 18 a fainter star Paying attention to these values will help you get a very accurate f
52. re the three color planes Values of 100 result in no change The scaling percentages can be typed in or adjusted using the spin controls Small up and down click arrows to the right of the scaling numbers The Preview Image is particularly helpful in monitoring the results when using the spin controls The Reset Scaling button resets to 100 on all three planes The Click On White Area to Set Scaling check box enables the operation of the mouse to set the scaling Set the Background Level first you can use Auto then click on a white object e g a neutral colored star in the image not the Preview Image with the mouse The Scaling settings will automatically be adjusted to make the selected point appear white If an area of the image is known to be white or gray this is an easier way to determine the scaling factors and can be used to instantly color balance the image Note on File Format When saving individual images that were not taking during a sequence using Save or Save As in the File menu you have a choice of file formats The default produces fit files but tif jog png and bmp file formats can also be selected Having a choice of output file formats is useful especially if images will be exported to other software programs for additional image processing like Adobe Photoshop for instance If you save to a file format other than fit you will need to check the Auto Stretch box or otherwise Stretch the image
53. s Note Make sure the cooler set point and CCD temperature are the same as they were when you took your light frames To take dark frames for subtraction from light images 1 Set the Frame Type in the Camera Control Window s Expose tab to Dark Or if you are taking a sequence of images set the Type in the Autosave Setup window to Dark Figure 20 Even though Maxim DL will already know which of your images are dark frames it s a good idea to assign a preset such as D to better organize your different images Note to Parsec 8300C and 10100 users You must take Raw Light frames in mono chrome BEFORE converting to color in order to utilize dark frames 2 Use the same exposure time as the light images you have or will take If your light image is 60 seconds the dark frame must also be 60 seconds 3 Set the number of dark frames you would like the camera to take under 3 to 10 will generally suffice as these will be averaged together 4 Click OK and proceed to click Expose in the Expose tab Since the Parsec has a shutter you to not need to be present when the dark frames are taken it will occur automatically during the sequence 23 Flat Fields A flat field is an image taken with uniform featureless light entering the telescope such as a blue sky in the early morning or after sunset Flat fields solve a number of issues in your astro images Vignetting Vignetting Figure 21 1 in a telescope re
54. ter in an arbitrary position when removing the dust cap from the nosepiece Figure 3 1 This is normal and does not affect operation in any way Once the Parsec is powered on current is applied to the shutter s motor and the shutter position resets and firmly holds its place Figure 3 2 2 Getting Started 2 1 Parts List Figure 4 e Parsec Astronomical Imaging Camera e 2 nosepiece camera ships with nosepiece attached e USB cable e DC power cable with lighter plug e CD ROM e Hard carrying case Hard carrying case Parsec 8300 aa DC power cable m _ with lighter plug 2 nosepiece ng camera ships with nosepiece attached Figure 4 Parts list Figure 5 1 The Parsec fits into a 2 Figure 5 2 If your telescope has focuser just like a standard 2 eyepiece T threads remove the nosepiece from the Firmly tighten the thumbscrew that secures Parsec and thread the camera directly the Parsec in the focuser onto the telescope This provides the most secure connection 2 2 System Requirements Telescope The Parsec can be used with most telescopes compatible with 2 format eyepiec es The camera is simply inserted into a focuser in the same way as a standard eyepiece Figure 5 1 The camera is also compatible with 1 25 focusers that include camera T threads although some vignetting edge darkening may occur Caution Be sure to always firmly tighten the thumbscrew s that secure the Parsec in the telescope focuser
55. th basic camera and software operation it s time to take the Parsec out at night under the stars to capture some astronomical images We recommend starting with the Moon as it is easy to acquire into the camera s field of view and typically does not require stacking multiple exposures like planetary and deep sky images do 16 4 1 Focusing Focusing the CCD camera is one of the most critical parts of imaging It can be challenging but Maxlm DL has some helpful features which will assist you when focusing your Parsec Before focusing make sure your mount is polar aligned and tracking For best results we recommend focusing on a star at least 30 above the horizon or higher Follow these steps to achieve an accurate focus 1 Find and center a moderately bright star through your finder scope Try to find a star around magnitude 4 or 5 If you are not using an optical finder or just using your unaided eye the star should look relatively faint This is important because brighter stars will easily over saturate the camera and compromise the focus accuracy 2 Center your telescope on the star using an eyepiece Make sure the right ascension R A tracking motor is engaged on your mount 3 Replace the eyepiece with the Parsec Set the Exposure Preset to in the Camera Control Window s Expose tab to Focus 5 Click the Expose button You should see the out of focus star in the image If you do not see anything you need to
56. to change the Output Range in the Stretch command window to match the Size Format in the Save As window Otherwise the Output Range will likely exceed the Size Format and the saved image will be ruined will turn all white For example say the Output Range is set to create image brightness values in 16 bit format while the Size Format of a specific file format jpg for example may only support 8 bits Since the 16 bit format sees 65535 brightness levels and the 8 bit format can only support 255 levels all of the levels above 255 in the 16 bit image i e the vast majority of the 16 bit brightness levels will be saved at the maximum 8 bit value of 255 So the saved jpg will have very little brightness 33 information from levels 1 to 254 and almost all the brightness information at level 255 Thus a white image results If you plan to do all image processing within Maxim DL Edition or the optional full version of Maxlm DL saving images in the FITS fit File Format using the IEEE Float Size Format is recommended This ensures that all saved data will be kept intact If another Size Format is utilized there may be some loss of data especially when saving combined images 6 Multiple Camera Control for Autoguiding One very nice feature of the Maxim DL software is the ability to control two cam eras simultaneously This way you only need one computer and software program to image and autoguide at the same time This feature
57. tter the resulting image will look Figures 22 1 and 22 2 Read section 5 Image Processing to utilize Maxlm DLs Stack function 5 Image Processing After you have captured and combined individual images with or without dark frame subtraction into a single resultant image you may want to perform some additional image processing to bring out subtle details or to make the image appear more pleasing overall Maxlm DL contains several image processing func tions which will further enhance your image once your individual images have been calibrated and combined The image processing functions are found in the Process menu 5 1 Image Calibration The darks and flats you previously saved will be subtracted from your light images Select Setup Calibrate from the Process menu Click Clear All Groups if any filenames appear in the window Select the Source Folder where you saved your dark frames Figure 23 gt O DY KE Click Auto Generate and Maxim DL will automatically find all of your calibration images such as darks and flats The selected dark frames will now appear in the pop up window 26 Set Calibration PIX Automatically Generate Groups JK Source Folder CA Bryan imaging Parsec Framont Peak Cancel Include Subtolders Auto Generate Replace w Masters Calibration Groups 360 005 1663 x 1252 DARK 350 005 1663 x 1252 DARK 240 005 1663 x 1252 DARK TRICOLOR 0 00s 1663 x 1252 DARK TRICOLO
58. ubtrame bol Normal x IT On gal sg Single CU Continuous Speed F T KOY owie63 H1252 Es se Bia C Aulosave Light O D Filter Wheel x Binning Y Binning Options gt v No Calibration Simple Auto dark Full Calibration Camera 1 information Guider Information Reset Auito dark Camera Idle Camera Idle oo Display Large Statistics Cooler power 16 Cooler power 16 Sensor Temp 4 0 Setpoint 4 0 Set Image Save Path Camera Setbngs Exposure Delay Maximum and Minimum values is to move the slider arrows located directly under the histogram of the image in the Screen Stretch Window The red slider ET BK arrow corresponds to the Minimum _ _ _ value and the green arrow corresponds Cancel to the Maximum value Simply left click and then drag each arrow to adjust it to the desired level The best results are obtained by adjusting the arrows numbers until the most pleasing dis play appears Figure 14 2 Adjust the Fan Speed in the Parsec Settings There are also seven automatic settings in the Screen Stretch Window Typically Medium will give good results for deep sky objects so the default screen stretch setting is Medium Instead of using the Screen Stretch Window it is faster to use the Quick Stretch facility This allows you to modify the image appearance instantly with small up down and left right movements of the mouse To do this hold down the Shift key then left click and drag th
59. up Filter No Filters No Filters Setup Orion Parsec Orion Parsec Version 5 09 Copyright 2010 Diffraction Limited Support www cyanogen com Cance Camera Model Advanced Figure 10 Select Orion Parsec in the pull down menu 3 In the Setup tab in Maxlm DLs Camera Control Window select Setup Camera Locate the Orion Parsec in the dropdown list and click OK Figure 10 4 Click Connect and your Parsec will connect to Maxim DL The Expose Tab and Taking your First Parsec Image We recommend becoming familiar with the Parsec during the day Connect the camera to your telescope and focus on an object 1 4 of a mile away If you do not have enough outward focus travel to focus this closely you may need an extension tube available from Orion In the Expose tab 1 Select Find Star in Exposure Preset Figure 11 Use the default settings and notice that X Binning Y Binning is set to 2 Same This cuts the resolution to 1 4 and speeds up the download time while making initial focusing easier to obtain 2 Reduce the exposure Seconds to 0 1 Click Expose and you will hear the shutter Wait a few seconds for the image to appear It may be over exposed or grossly out of focus Adjust the 12 Expose Guide Setup Exposure Preset Seconds Siar Find Star x gt fi m sa Readout Mode Subframe Normal v On C Mouse fal 52 Single C Continuous Autosave Binni
60. veals edge darkening in the astro image The large CCD chip in the Parsec can easily detect vignetting through almost any telescope even specialized astrographs Vignetting is more apparent when the telescope s illuminated field is not large enough to illuminate the full area of the CCD chip As a result more light is detected in the center of the image compared to the edge Dust and Particles Dust and particles Figure 21 2 will inevitably show up in your raw astro images Large particles on the CCD optical window sometimes look like unfocused circles or doughnuts in your images It s too late to clean your cam Ro ae Figure 21 1 Larger format CCD cameras like the Parsec reveal vignetting through most telescopes Vignetting occurs when the edge of the image plane has less illumination than the center Figure 21 2 Dust or other particles on the camera s optical window can show up as distracting dark shapes in your images era if you are already imaging in the field at night And even when the camera is clean dust usually finds a way to show up in your images Telescope Artifacts Very large particles or other artifacts in your telescope can effect your astro images Insufficient telescope baffling or poor collimation can also cause unsym metrical field illumination in your images To take a flat field image 1 Ensure that the telescope is focused and ready for astro imaging 24 2 Point the telesco
61. view while the exposure is taken Even a small amount of drift will cause a star to look oblong instead of a round point We recommend using a high quality equatorial mount which utilizes periodic error correction PEC or has the ability to interface with an autoguider Computer The Parsec requires a PC to operate the camera For astro imaging in the field at night a laptop computer is highly recommended The included software is Maxim DL which requires Windows XP or Windows Vista operating systems The following hardware is also required e Processor 700 MHz speed or higher Pentium Ill equivalent or higher e Recommended minimum memory size is 512 MB e Disk Space 380 MB for software installation 1GB or more to store images is recommended e Video Display 1024 X 768 or higher 16 bit color or higher e Mouse e Internet Explorer 4 or higher required to display on line help e High speed USB 2 0 port Power The Parsec requires 12 volts DC 12VDC with approximately 2 amperes of cur rent Power to the entire camera including the thermo electric cooler TEC and fan is supplied by the included power cable when plugged into a 12VDC power source Imaging in the field usually requires the Mande DL Imaging Sofware use of a portable field battery to sup 4 Copyright C 1997 2010 Ditiraction ka ply power or you can use a 110VAC Install Maxim DL imaging software You must ember Instali Maim DL your license the first

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