How to Collimate your SCT Telescope + Amazing Saturn Opposition!
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- Live demonstration of SCT Telescope collimation with the stars and Bob's Knobs, which you can buy from High Point Scientific who sponsored this video!
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I was just looking for a collimation tutorial last night so I could image Saturn, this is far the best one I've seen! Thanks Dylan
Ahh thanks Brad!
Flipping the hand control 180° is something I never thought of doing... Thank you for showing that...
Yeh sometimes one axis will still be flipped depending on the meridian but even having one axis correct helps a lot mentally :)
Dylan O'Donnell Under scope setup, direction buttons... you can change the buttons direction there...
Pretty high-tech stuff!
@@astronomylivestream Thanks for confirming. I have not used the software yet but I figured there would be a way in there to flip the controls in program. I came here to ask this lol
you can just flip camera 180°.
Saturn looks amazing, Dylan!
Chuck's Astrophotography thanks Chuck!
You know you are an Astronomy nut when the wife brings home a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and the first thing you notice is the holes are not centred. The first word that entered my head was "Collimation"
Hahahaha
@@DylanODonnell True story today.
And a Bryan Adams reference, EPIC!!!
The outro got my sub, the video was top notch ofcourse and i paid attention the entire time. I guess i've ventured down the right path, because i too have that "eccentric" mindset. Wish i was able to look through a telescope a lot sooner than 30, but it was worth the wait.
You can collimate your SCT in the day as there is a technique you can you use, or an artificial star.
Bobs nobs will often need to collimate. Using the standard screws won't need to collimate so much, if at all for some people.
Just got a Celestron Evolution 9.25, was in perfect collimation out of the box and still is. So these don't get out of collimation often, nothing like a newtonian.
I would think over 10" and collimation could be an issue, and especially shooting at f2.
Longer focual lengths are less sensitive to collimation being slightly off.
Was never the issue about collimating an SCT often and with the older orange SCT was never the obsession to do this often or mentioned, so either the quality is less or people have become obsessed.
My motto, is if it anit broken dont fix it. Testing mine each night, still perfect collimation out of the box.
Have read on cloudy nights some have never or really needed to collimate.
Not saying they dont, but back then the first orange Sct Celestrons was never mentioned to do it often.
Seems some get out of collimation and others don't, or people just to obsessed, its not that hard to know if it needs it or not.
Keep it up, your videos are very informative even though not really into astrophotography, but mostly video astronomy with revolution imager because it's quick and no pc needed, or visual. I can if there is something interesting make a dvr recording then process through registax, but nothing like your fantastic results of course, not that obsessed, no offense.
But love your videos all the same.
The Revolution imager does not have the greatest resolution but was not really designed for a planetry camera or deepsky camera, but was designed for just video astronomy that goes way beyond what the eye can see, so nothing fanasy, no pc needed, also I could use sharpcap if I had a laptop.
For me the revolution imager is quick and easy, like the equivalent of a quick go abd grab scope, as i could not be bothered sitting at laptop spending the long nights, as maybe a couple of hours observing so video astronomy ideal for me and still beats what my eye can see.
Half the time just perfer visual astronomy, no hassles involved.
I've tried both bob's knobs & the usual Philips screws. I've found using an L shaped screw driver better than using bob's knobs since you can make more precise & smaller turns. Another bonus is that the star doesn't jump around as much since you're not putting your hand on the bloody telescope. Btw, do you think it's worth using any collimation softwares?
Good points :) 👌🏼
The visual doughnut method can be greatly improved with collimation software. Something like Metaguide where you're collimating at focus using diffraction patterns. Also finish your focussing with a CCW rotation of the fucussing knob.
I also gave up with Bob's knobs and put the screws back in. It just wouldn't hold it's collimation. Once theory is the spacers for the fastar clearance are affected by the temperature and the tension chnages.
To put an exclamation point on what Dylan said, High Point Scientific has some of the best customer support I have ever found in ANY company I've ever done business with. They are ALWAYS my first stop for astronomy needs. And no, I don't work for them or have any vested interest. They's just really, really good at what they do and deserve recognition.
Great video. But did you tighten or loosen the knob on the narrow side of the doughnut. Also, did you move the other knobs in a counter direction ?
2 years later.....I guess we'll never know.
Great video, Dylan.
I just wish that collimation could get rid of the clouds lol.
If Bob's your uncle, can you thank him for his knobs?
#include .
👏🏼
I have a CC 6 and this is how I do it. Align the primary first and square it with the tube and then use a laser for the secondary just like a BOB. Super easy and only take a few seconds and beer helps as a aiming fluid.
I said that wrong an laser is of no use. That was the beer talking.
Beer= aiming fluid and really works!
Like your dry sense of humour, thanks for sharing your experience. Oh, great image of saturn. 👌
Machiavelli III I shall let my wife know somebody thinks I’m funny. Thanks!
Great video! Awesome image of saturn! I just finished imaging the eagle nebula.
Oh nice work!
Reminder: Activate your Windows :)
One thing about fused calcium chloride tho (damprid) is that it makes a gross liquid, and god help you if you get that on anything, it will never be dry again D:
Timestamp 8:33. When I went to the Lowell Observatory 9 years ago on a cold dark night, this is pretty close to the tiny image of Saturn from their telescope. Being new to astronomy, I was disappointed because I had it in my head that it was going to look like what you see from a highly doctored Hubble image. Now I realize my Lowell observation of Saturn "is what it is".
Great video Dylan! My 9.25 Celestron's Fastar does NOT have adjustment screws. If my scope goes out of collimation what do I do? I don't see a way to adjust the primary mirror. Thx!!
Thanks Dylan. Thumbs up for Bob’s knobs. I have them on my 9.25 SCT (should have got the Edge HD but cheaped out)
Highpoint Scientific is great too. I picked up a small Meade refractor for my nephews from then on a past visit to the US. Excellent service and fast delivery.
Wolfie6020 thanks man.. I like bobs knobs! Some people are dead against them but I really like em. Good to hear the sponsor gets such a good wrap too... makes me feel confident having them in the vids :)
The remote trick works only in down under.
Great video :)
Haha!
Hi
Excellent work
You said Saturn was simply work
I don’t even know what program d you use
I have astrovid planet cam I wonder if I give you a video what could you do with it
Why would I have to worry about breaking the secondary with Bob's Knobs? I have them in one SCT and two reflectors and haven't had an issue.
Oh Dylan, I was ready to burn my cash on a Richey Cretien 8 inch, but after seeing this excellent tutorial I'm on the fence again...perhaps an edge hd is much easier in terms of collimation. Thanks for the tutorial.
Most things that I read these days state that you *roughly* collimate by centering the shadow in the donut, but that the final collimation should be done on an in-focus star. I wish i knew how that's supposed to happen, because when I focus a star, it's an indistinct blob that's moving around due to seeing.
I use computer chassis thumb screws instead of Bobs Knobs and I'll say that even though they *work*, they're not easy to adjust. They fit tight, are shallower than Bobs Knobs, and sometimes I'm worried I'll need to use a screw driver at night which is like the worst idea ever.
I said all of that to say this, if you're thinking about going cheap with something that is attached so close to an irreplaceable piece of glass - don't. Just don't. Don't be that person who destroys a multi-thousand dollar telescope because you wanted to save a couple bucks.
Wow thanks for the cautionary tale !
Thanks for the nice video it did give me some joy and that is meaningful to me today. Who knows after?
Really informative video Dylan. I can completely relate with my 10" Dobsonian. : )
Thx Helena!
Trying to collimate my RASA11. This has helped, but it’s not easy!
Saturn is only 17° at max for us. That puts it behind the neighbours trampoline and tree, I've been using the small maksutov but it's still a very wobbly image
Same problem here. We have to be patient....12 years or so....lol
At the "thin screw" are you turning clockwise or anti-clockwise to fatten that segment of the doughnut?
hand controller tip was very useful.. now all i need is a clear sky... in the UK...... hmm.
Nice image of Saturn....life is not meaningless...true, we all will die one day, but you can know there is hope from the Creator of the universe.
Mike S or... not :) 🤷🏽♂️
A screwdriver is better than knobs.
More stable, less convenient.
I dont get it, you dont explain what is the issue and what is changing on the screen, I dont see any difference
So you adjust the thin side, does that mean tighten the thin side or loosen the thin side. I hate collimating so bad, I'd rather nail my tongue to the breakfast table than collimate.
Is that software AISCAP that is running? Ever thought about doing some tutorials for that? There is really nothing on youtube for it yet.
I'm using FireCapture.. it's amazing!
Aren't you supposed to be adjusting the primary mirror?
Another thing if you collimation is off wont get a pin point clean star, but have the look of a comet or not a round pin point
It maybe an older video but this is an excellent resource. I have just purchased a set of Bob's Knobs having watched this video and removing the risk of accidentally hitting the telescope corrector with a screw driver. I think this will make collimation a lot easier and I noticed the collimation screws are wearing a bit.
Finding a number of your other videos are excellent to watch as well so appreciate what you have done :)
Hey thanks I’m glad !
Do you have any advice on truss tube RC collimation?
Ain't no screw driver going near my SCT corrector plate! Bob's Knobs all the way! Stunningly pretty Saturn you've captured there, and great content as always :) I never knew about the hand heat wave thing :)
Yeh freaks me out too! 😆
Hahaha the sign-off is delightful; also this is a great video thank you!
Just scored a Vintage Super C8 What do i find? a StarStuff Collimation Video!... Bryan Adams Cameo? =WINNING.. OR, have I been Adams Rolled? Haha!
Hahaha nice
Brilliant , Lov having a channel this side of the earth, as everything is so geared for the northern hemisphere and it grows a bit tiresome hearing about the wonders of Polaris , What do they know when they are missing out on the Omega Cluster....... I wonder as they are on the wrong-side-up whether that trick inverting the hand controller would work for them. It's all, "Ass-about-face as we say in NZ" Hmmm not sure what that really means when I ponder the colloquialism..
Drink more, think less thats my mantra.... and it looks from this vid you had your fare share that night buddy - Kris
South gang represent :)
What do u have connected to the computer. I have nexstar image device.
Hey Dylan 👋 Do you have a video out on aliment of the corrector plate?
"Als Collimation Aid" makes it easier to assess proper collimation.
Sounds all fine, except I would not use a double star for collimation... and I would take a fainter star for finer collimation, it's really when one gets very close to the focus that one can see if there is still a little bit of decollimation... How symmetric the star is when you get close to focus still can show some amount of decollimation. Also knowing how stable the SCT's are :) , I would take a star close to my target, just before recording...
Good point!
That's a realy handy tip. I'm going to try that too with my reflector next time.
Hm.. I think its a bit weird, tha so many like to play with bobs knob.. Even weirder tha it is so many of them.. Otherwise, good video!
Hi guys, wondering if anyone can help, when I try to collimate my celestron 6se and I unfocus a star it appears as though about a third of the donut is missing! There is no obvious obstruction to the mirrors.
there is definitely an obstruction somewhere. did you find it?
Recently bought bobs knobs… and absolute god send.
07:05 your still out of collimation! top to bottom bottom is thicker. Get yourself a Meade 9mm illuminated crosshair eyepiece the one with the CONCENTRIC circle pattern and center the out of focus image on that.
Your welcome.
Nice set up btw
Some really good tips here, but I am not a fan of Bob’s Knobs - installing them will throw your scope massively out of collimation and the scope will not hold collimation as a well as with the stock screws. As you note, you’ll have to collimate more often.
At 1:00 to 1:10 you mentioned some replacement for collimation screws. What are called - bulb knobs? Where do I shop them, if you can share the link please.
Also, which tool was that where u saw the views of collimation?
Hello Kangaroo Dundee, always have Ortoscopic Pløssel oculars at hand. Thank you for all informative videos you have made. When you collimate, don't drink afterwards because collimation is like a party. Drink and collimate with all your friends and respect all their views. Keeep the Pløssel oculars close at hand because the Ice-Bears are always coming. They hate to get them in their snout.
We have a question, when you are imaging distant galaxies, how many arc seconds/pixel are optimal? I have tried 1.4 Angus/pixel when they play, is that to high and noisy ?
We love your refrigerator, keep it always full.
You have 3 friends here up in the cold arctic. Atle, PH and Odd at the observatory (code 238)
Making Martini
ruclips.net/video/k0LD2C7zTc4/видео.html
But remember, always drink with your friends before you collimate.
OKAY, say hello to Paul Luckas he needs 5 high
jazzistentialism.com/blog/?p=73
Hey Dylan nice video helped us a lot in our technique. Just have one question. We own a older me 12-in lx200 and we'd like to just know what the mechanics are that secondary mirror is there any schematics or drawings available you might know of.
Thank you for this info. It's quite helpful in my journey to understand my wife's hobby beyond "Go load that in the truck and don't break it". I will say, I kept backing up to clarify - "is he saying to look at the heat radiating off his hand or the hate radiating"? Either way, it kind of worked and wouldn't have surprised me.
Newbie Question - Why did Saturn look so fuzzy on the computer screen, yet your final image looks so immaculate?
Love your videos, mate. The perfect mix of information and entertainment. Top of your game.
Alex Osborne hey thanks Alex ! I’m learning as I go really heh
Hello Dylan, hope you and your family jave been well ams safe throughout this year just want to start out for thanking you for your existance on this platform. Quick question I have an 6 inch sct when I decfuscus for collimnation do I de focus cc or like I do ccw like when going into final focus ? Thanks for any advice
Will this work for an RC OTA??
I have to do this but I'm dreading it like hell
I have found that the 5volt heating straps placed wherebthe dampness is created the most, stops the dew problem before they get started, and i bought a number of them so that i can keep the dew at bay, but also give the scope a wipe over before i put it away, usuallyi do this in tbe warm and dry so once its done i can be sure it will stay that way.
As you have an outside observatory it may be worth while investing i a blower heater that is kept on very low while viewing and what ever you do make sure that the concrete is sealed so that the dampness does onncome up from the concreate and hang about in the roof.
Trying to collimate my first sct evolution 9.25. This video is among few others is the best guide with useful tips. Thanks Dylan. Keep doing great videos.
Would a small torch covered in foil with a pinhole placed far off in a field and a 15mm eyepiece work to get my collimation perfect again?
If you haven't found this already, read hubble-optics.com/artificial-stars.html.
Thank you, sure helped me out collimating my C8😊
Glad it helped mate!
The opposition surge (sometimes known as the opposition effect, opposition spike or Seeliger effect[1]) is the brightening of a rough surface, or an object with many particles, when illuminated from directly behind the observer. The term is most widely used in astronomy, where generally it refers to the sudden noticeable increase in the brightness of a celestial body such as a planet, moon, or comet as its phase angle of observation approaches zero. It is so named because the reflected light from the Moon and Mars appear significantly brighter than predicted by simple Lambertian reflectance when at astronomical opposition. Two physical mechanisms have been proposed for this observational phenomenon: shadow hiding and coherent backscatter.
Great video. Thanks. Going to collimate my edgehd 9.25 tonight
Great video but do you know anything about collimating a Maksutov Cassegrain? I dropped my 127 Mak last time I was out and I'm having a hard time getting the out of focus star perfectly round, it seems like every adjustment I make one side is still fatter than the other side.
I have a explore scientific mak (comet hunter) the secondary mirror is offset by design and there is no way to collimate it like a normal cassegrain. Impossible to bring the secondary shadow into the center.
Do you find that setting the focus on a star first with the mask gives you "the best possible" focus when you then slew to a planet - Saturn?? Maybe what I saw with a slight bit "un-sharpness" viewing Saturn was due to not perfect seeing conditions?? In any event the final results are superb.... Thanks
I have a question please help. When I look throw the eye piece I see blurry but once I remove the eye piece and I look inside the focuser I can see the moon pretty clear. I have a celestron astronaster 114
Nice thank for that show👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks Dylan, I've got to learn how to collimate my new 9.25" Nexstar Evolution and this has shown me what I need to know.
So its been nearly 2 years since this video came out... have you activated windows yet ;)
LOL no.
Good step 1 rough collimation, now finish the job with an in-focus star at high magnification.
I've been recently looking into star collimation with a Newtonian, but haven't seen much regarding in focus stars. Care to elaborate?
@@windston2521 Observe a bright star at the zenith under high magnification on a night of good seeing if possible and observe the symmetry of the Airy disk (first diffraction ring). You can do this visually with an eyepiece or with camera.
@@TheNakism my issue is with determining which to adjust, primary or secondary. I haven't really tried it yet on a clear night but theoretically, you should be able to diagnose both right?
@@windston2521 Sorry I'll have to defer to someone experienced with Newtonians ... I've always used an SCT.
@@windston2521 To do this collimation with a Newtonian, you adjust the primary mirror. As long as your secondary is central and square to the focuser you'll have no need to move it again. just don't drop your scope.
Yes, the transition is very cool..
Haha phew :)
You can buy reusable silica bead canisters for the moisture.
You reactivate them in your oven.
Thought i'd mention it, not sure if the stuff you use is reusable
dongmaster9001 nice tip, thanks!
It’s been basically bad weather here in Maryland since I got my new refractor in January. No first light yet. But, sure, everything is normal. 6 good days a month here.
Great video - was over thinking the process, but your visual explanation for which "knob" to attack was perfect. I've made a Duncan mask and will see how well it validates the collimation. Waiting now for skies to clear in Central Iowa USA. Need to get ready for the December 21st event. Plan to use my SE6 to capture Jupiter & Saturn's alignment.
How times have you had to collimate with the scope used in this video I’m just wondering if it’s worth it.
Love your videos and your humor :)
Did you tighten or loosen the screw on the thin side? - crucial omission!
Great video and highly informative. I'm a relative newbie with a CPC 1100 and am a bit reluctant to try and collimate it but I'll give it a shot shortly. What kind of setup do you have where you can see the image on your laptop? Celestron's instructions have you looking through the eyepiece and making adjustments accordingly
Hi Dylan, thanks for this tutorial I have been struggling with collimating my 6" Celestron for quite some time. Will try this technique next starry night I get in Cloudy Nova Scotia. What is the software running on the screen? Thanks
Murdo
Your saturn picture just blows mine away. Then again, I am only using a Nexstar 127 slt. Yours looks amazing. I have a crazy question. Celestron just released a new VX 700 Maksutov Cassegrain telescope and I am interested in buying it, but there have been no reviews on it. Are maks not popular? Do you think you could get a hold of one and review it?
Would be best for lunar that scope I reckon. Always enjoy reviewing new stuff :)
Can I collimate in the daylight
It’s much easier to use an Eyepiece with a SCT for collimation instead of a camera and monitor. No worrying about the target going off the screen. I have the knobs on my C8 and love them.
Yeh but it’s not as accurate and harder going from the front to the back of the scope :) being zoomed wayyyy in helps
I've had some terrible luck imaging solar system things with my CPC 800 and asi224mc. I believe it has to do with my location; its always windy and the observatory is located literally 100 meters from a sea, so it's always very moist as well. The objects are waving like a flag on my computer screen. Sure I mean I live in north, so the objects are located really low, but still. Others in my country can see cassini division just barely, while I can hardly even get a picture of the rings.
Have you checked the sampling with that combination? Use the Bintel calculator to see if it’s a good match. I’m about 800m from the ocean too so I get the same constantly bad seeing too but 100m could be pretty bad!
Will never get nice shots like you qith my crude Revolution imager. Love your photos
Excellent image of Saturn . Here on the east coast (Virginia, usa) weather has been poor. I am at lat. 36.5N. Saturn is relatively low in the sky. What is your latitude? I use a Celestron 9.25” HD with a cgx mount also. Would love for my opposition images to be comparable to yours. Thanks for the practical advice.
Hey mate! I’m -28 (nasa Florida is +28) .. apparently you guys get a better higher view of Saturn in about a decade.
Question: Could the mirror fall into the SCT when i collimate too far? Im a bit scared :I
Great video as always! I basically follow this same workflow for collimating almost identically. Awesome image of Saturn. Unfortunately it is cloudy here tonight.
Good to know I’m not way off track :) thanks !
Dylan O'Donnell It’s actually probably the opposite... me being the one that isn’t too far off track!
How bright is the collimation star and how high is it in the sky?
Which direction did you turn the screw on the thin side? Looked like you turned it right on the laptop screen, but that image was probably flipped. So... lefty loosey or righty tighty?
Kevin Man yep the camera orientation makes the direction arbitrary but in this case I was tightening right.
@@DylanODonnell Thanks! Didn't want to turn it the wrong way and have the screw fall off! New subscriber here. Keep up the good work!
Kevin Man thanks for subscribing mate :)
Great information Dylan. About them temperature fluctuations. I’ve seen a video where the guy shows using a fan on a newt to cool the mirror. He stops the fan and you can see the heat coming of the fan motor. Keep up the good work and thanks for the advice on instagram as well.👍
If the "thin side" is in between knobs , which to you adjust?