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The most common setup for HyperStar imaging uses a Celestron CPC-800 or
CPC-1100 goto telescope, a Starlight Xpress SXVF-H9C one-shot color CCD camera,
MicroTouch autofocuser, and MaxIm DL/CCD software. These instructions are
for use with an equatorial wedge. If your telescope is in alt-azimuth
mode, see this page.
Many users of this setup have requested a step-by-step set of instructions.
One of the great things about this setup is that there is a definite routine to
capturing images. You will find that you repeat the same steps each time
you capture a new image, and soon you will be doing everything automatically
(which is handy at three in the morning when your brain has ceased to function
properly). Until you've got things down, print out this
HyperStar Imaging Quick
Reference to take into the
field with you.
Note: Much of these instructions
apply for any HyperStar setup
Below are the instructions for setting up the telescope. The section
afterwards shows how to Process HyperStar Images.
Outline of Procedure
- Roughly Polar Align Mount
- Install HyperStar Lens and Camera
- Align Telescope
- Polar Align Mount
- Repeat Telescope Alignment
- Find Target
- Focus Telescope
- Setup Imaging Sequence
- Capture Images
- Process Images
Roughly Polar Align Mount
- When setting up the telescope, roughly aim the fork arms at Polaris
- Rotate the telescope so the fork-arm handle is up, sight over this to
align with Polaris
Install HyperStar Lens and Camera
- Position telescope with the nose up at a 45°
angle, lock clutch
- Attach the counterweight to the 1.25" visual
back
- Remove the secondary mirror and place into
its holder
- Thread HyperStar lens onto the front of the
telescope
- Remove 1.25" nosepiece from camera and thread
camera onto the HyperStar lens
- Loosen screws with white washers on HyperStar
and orient camera as desired, tighten screws
- Attach power and USB cables to the camera
- Plug USB into computer and power into outlet
or battery (always do this after attaching cables to camera)
- Tie off cables to the handle on fork arm,
leaving enough slack for scope movement
- Tie off cables to wedge, again leaving enough
slack for telescope movement
- Loosen altitude clutch to check balance,
slide counterweight in or out as needed, lock clutch
- Turn on telescope and computer
Align Telescope
- Launch MaxIm DL software
- Open Camera Control window and select Setup
tab
- Connect to camera
- Select Focus tab, set Seconds
to 1.0, Binning to 3, and make sure Continuous is checked
- Start Focus
- Use the MicroTouch hand control to roughly focus the telescope manually
- Right click on the image and select Crosshairs to display a set of
crosshairs for centering alignment stars
-
On the CPC hand control, select EQ North Align to begin alignment
(assuming you are in the northern hemisphere)
-
Select EQ Auto Align
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Move the optical tube until it is
perpendicular to the form arms (declination 0°)
-
Rotate the telescope in right
ascension until the scope is aimed at the meridian (the line from north to
south)
-
Select the first alignment star and the telescope will slew to it
-
Align the star using the finderscope, press Enter
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Center the alignment star on the crosshairs in MaxIm
DL, press Align
-
Repeat for the second alignment star
Polar Align Mount
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In the hand control, go to Menu > Utilities and select
Wedge
Align
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Select Display Alignment
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Note the values, which show the offset from the true pole
-
Press Undo and select Align Mount, then select North (assuming
you are in the northern hemisphere)
-
Press Enter to skip the warning message about losing current
alignment
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The scope will rotate and point to Polaris. Be sure to
watch the camera cables as they may get wrapped up.
-
Adjust the wedge (not the direction buttons) to center Polaris in
the finderscope
-
You may center Polaris on the crosshairs in MaxIm DL if you
choose, but this level of accuracy is not necessary with HyperStar
-
Press Enter to finish alignment, then press Undo to return to
main menu
Repeat Telescope Aligment
-
On the CPC hand control, select EQ North Align to begin alignment
-
Select EQ Auto Align
-
Move the optical tube until it is
perpendicular to the form arms (declination 0°)
-
Rotate the telescope in right
ascension until the scope is aimed at the meridian (the line from north to
south)
-
Select the first alignment star and the telescope will slew to it
-
Align the star using the finderscope, press Enter
-
Center the alignment star on the crosshairs in MaxIm
DL, press Align
-
Repeat for the second alignment star
Check Polar Alignment
-
Go to Menu > Utilities > Wedge Align
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Select Display Align
-
The alignment error should be less than after the first EQ North
Align
-
If the error is less than about 20' in each axis, this is
sufficient for HyperStar imaging
-
If the error is greater than 20' in either axis, repeat the Align Mount routine then
repeat the EQ North Align
Find Target
Focus Telescope
This assumes you have already run the initial setup in FocusMax to
build a V-curve. If not, see the
MicroTouch autofocuser instructions. If you do not have the autofocuser and
are focusing manually, see the page on
Focusing with MaxIm DL.
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Launch FocusMax software
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Press Focus button
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Watch the magic
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FWHM value after focusing will usually be 1.5-2.5,
depending on seeing conditions
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If the focus procedure does not seem to work correctly, you may
need to find a brighter star than is in the frame, then move back to the
object
-
Close FocusMax and resize MaxIm DL window to full screen
Setup Imaging Sequence and Capture Images
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Select Sequence tab in the Camera Control window
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Type in a name for the file (usually just the name of the object)
-
Select Set Destination Path under Options and choose or create a folder to put
the images in (usually named after the current date)
-
Select Setup Sequence under Options
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Choose the desired exposure time and number of exposures (30
seconds and 10-30 exposures is common)
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Start Sequence
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Have a snack. Enjoy being under the stars. Ponder the mysteries
of life, the universe, and everything.
Repeat Imaging Procedure
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Start Focus in MaxIm DL again
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Select new target with CPC hand control
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Frame object as desired
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It is recommended to run FocusMax on each new object
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Choose new file name in Sequence and reset Start at to 1
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Begin new sequence
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Repeat until the sun rises
Continue to the following section on
processing HyperStar images with MaxIm DL
Return to HyperStar Imaging
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