Let's discover the universe together! My name is Naz (Nazmus Nasir) and I live in the outskirts of Boston where the skies are very bright (Bortle 7/8) and I have a passion for astronomy and astrophotography. I started astronomy when I was very young but didn't get my first telescope until I was a teenager. I've been doing astrophotography since 2012 and I'm eager to share with you everything I learn along the way.
Some of my gear includes: - Celestron NexStar 6SE - Orion 100mm Achromat - TPO 6" f/4 Imaging Newtonian - AstroTech AT60ED Apochromatic Refractor - Samyang 135mm Lens - Samyang 14mm lens (my Milky Way lens!) - Lunt 40 Hydrogen Alpha Telescope - AVX/CEM40/SolarQuest - Canon T2i, T5i, ASI533MC Pro
Have questions about any of my gear or my astronomy journey? Ask away!
Nice video! Eagerly waiting for the follow up before I buy it. Would love if you can image some Nebulae in the follow up, wanna compare it with my 120 APO and Hyperstar 9.25 edge hd. Will order depending on that follow up video results!
Thank you! So far I've imaged the Iris Nebula and it came out really well. I'm still editing it and will upload it to my astrobin soon (and the channel's community tab). I've tried to image a few nebulae in Cygnus for the last couple of weeks but clouds haven't let me. What kind of data are you looking to see? I can try to capture something that'll be helpful. I use the 533MC Pro as my camera and I have an L-eXtreme dual narrowband filter that I planned on using. The iris nebula I mentioned above was taken without any filters.
@@Naztronomy awesome! Waiting for that upload. I am going to be buying it either way, you have convinced me. Honestly iris nebula will be perfect for comparison.
@@shreyaskanetkar4697 Awesome! Use my referral link if you're able to :) I think this link should work, direct link to the file on discord with the caveat that I'm still not fully complete editing it: cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1215409863354490960/1248744797578199190/Iris_Darker.png?ex=6664c7b8&is=66637638&hm=b6f629b325b71ce8b859235c43d6dcbb8f54daa3ae5558a04db1693071491dba&
So, to summarize the process outlined in this vid: 1) Use multiple exposures (different shutter speeds covering at least 12-14 stops, or more, of dynamic range) 2) Align the multiple exposures to 'a reference layer' (usually use the fasted shutter speed exposure as the reference frame to align to) 3) Perform an HDR merge of the exposure stack - called OG in this video (this compiles the exposures to a single HDR image and increases the signal to noise ratio of the image) 4) The next "steps" essentially creates a high pass frequency separation of the HDR image. i. duplicate the HDR image - OG (place it above the HDR image in the layer stack) ii. perform a radial 'spin' blur to the duplicate layer/image (result is renamed 'blur' in this video iii. create an image in which the radial blur image ('blur') is subtracted from the HDR merge (OG) and the result is the 'subtracted' image (For those watching who use Affinity Photo: duplicate the HDR merge layer/image (OG) and perform a frequency separation on the copied layer and then discard the low frequency layer - retaining the high frequency layer. The high frequency layer is basically the same as the 'subtracted' layer in this vid) 5) Blend the 'subtracted' image into the OG image using 'multiply' as the blend mode. I would recommend trying 'overlay' or 'soft light' as the blend mode and observe the results. The 'multiply' blend mode is a blend mode that is used to darken. Hence the really dark resulting image at 12:00 6) Use your preferred techniques to adjust brightness, contrast, clarity, etc .... of the resulted image to taste. Correct me if I missed something. For the record, I employed a completely different 'HDR stacking' method that could be described as a 'manual adjusted gradient clipping merge' method for my exposures. I also added 'sky color' back into the image because, as we all know, to our naked eye: the sky is not black during a TSE- only the moon is black. 😉
Great summary! For #2, I think the 'reference' layer should be what you find the best layer to align everything else to. Not necessarily the fastest exposure. I have some stacks where the second or third fastest is the best one. No real formula there. I like the idea of adding sky color back in. Makes total sense! If you use discord and want to share your results, check out the description for an invite link to the discord channel.
Good question! Under "Control" click on "More" and then you'll see an option that says "TargetTemp" - just check that on and you should be able to change the target temperature. For lucky imaging, you won't really see any benefits to cooling your camera. For Planetary images, I use my 533MC Pro which is a cooled camera and I keep the temperature control off so I usually never talk about it when I talk about firecapture.
Great review. What really caught my attention was the fact that you used it to photograph the Sun. I had purchased the SolarQuest, for this past eclipse and I had used my 150-600mm lens with this setup. My tie-in with this review is this: I would like to continue using the SolarQuest, but would like a scope to use, to photograph Sunspots instead of a camera lens. My thoughts are, either this Askar 71F or the RedCat51. Would you suggest the Askar 71F over the RedCat or suggest another scope, to go with the SolarQuest? Can an eyepiece be introduce into this Askar 71F setup to increase the magnification so that one can zoom in closer on a Sunspot? Maybe, with the fact that many people had purchased the SolarQuest; a future video could be done on what scope to pair with this now that you have it?
Thank you! And thanks for the video suggestion, I like the idea especially since we're heading into Solar Maximum and should expect to see a lot more activity over the next year. I have a few telescopes I can use to showcase but the challenge will be enough clear skies :) The Askar 71F has a focal length of almost 2x RedCat51's so it would be better for the sun. You can get a closer look at the sun without adding extra glass in between the telescope and your camera. From my example in the video, you can see that the sun fits the field of view pretty nicely. You may be able to get a better view with a telescope that's around 600-800mm focal length (as long as the optics are good enough, both the RedCat and the Askar have excellent optics). You'll have to be careful about the weight of everything because the SolarQuest has a payload limit of 11lbs. I can actually use my 6" SCT to get fairly close to the sun at a focal length of 1500mm. The SCT with a DSLR is just under the payload limit. And yes, you can use a barlow lens to get closer to the sun and its sunspots, keeping in mind that barlows can decrease the quality of the image that you see. I haven't tested mine with one but I will try to for a follow-up video that I'm working on now. Let me know if you have any questions! Clear skies!
@@Naztronomy I'm aware of the weight limit on the SolarQuest, which is why I have reached out to you. I don't want the SolarQuest to be a one trick pony so photographing SunSpots are a perfect target for this tracker. So, if you could show what scopes/camera/DSLR combo would work with this tracker; which would do a decent job on zooming in to photograph SunSpots would be a great followup to the eclipse. I bet there are many out there who have purchased this tracker and are now asking themselves... what else can I do with it? Later this summer, I am planning a trip to visit Luntz to see what they have that will work with the SolarQuest to photograph SunSpots with.
The outer dimension of the dew shield is 87.60mm, so a bahtinov mask that goes around that would be ideal. I'm going to print one for myself that 87.65mm so I'll see how snuggly that fits.
I'm very new to amateur astronomy doing just visual. I decided to get the Askar 120 apo triplet and like it so much I bought the 71F to try AP. Even though I've been warned to stay away from it. I recently picked up an asiair plus on another member on CN. Was gonna get a color planetary camera, but decided to the the ZWO ASI585MC Pro Cooled Color. I have the 120mm mini for a guide camera, but need to get a guide scope. My question is: Do you think I made an okay choice in regard to the 585 MC Pro and what guide scope would you suggest?
The Askar 120 is amazing! Once you get comfortable with AP, you should be able to get some great images with the 120. You may need to buy a flattener/reducer for it though. I think the 585MC is a great choice. The specs look good and the reviews I've seen so far are encouraging. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. As for guide scopes, I've been using this one for a few years: amzn.to/3X5WCYL It's a 60mm svbony. I've used it from a focal length of 258mm to 3000mm without any issues. I've also used it with a ASI120mm Mini. If you look at my video here, around the 0:43 mark, you can see the setup on my newtonian: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1MrPU5dVDQo.html And if you look at my community post here, you can see the same guide scope on top of the Askar 71F: ru-vid.comUgkxW4CQclSQEKQabHad0jqj_0JaKxyBIxs9 Let me know if you have more questions. Clear skies!
Your principles are ok in construction, but I don't like the liberal use of glue. Perhaps you should use more care with measurements and cutting the lines accurately. I thought solar filters did not like finger prints! You are handing the solar filter incorrectly. These filters are very expensive so more care is needed in handling it !
Solar sheets don't care about finger prints. Unless you're touching it and leaving a ton of residue, handling it this way won't affect the light transmission. It's a good idea to wash your hands or use gloves if you're worried. And the point of the video is to show that this type of a setup is NOT expensive. The only care you really need to take is to not damage the actual sheet. Make sure there are no tears, holes, or creases that can allow sunlight to seep through in order to remain safe. And you can use tape if you don't like glue.
The end of the video shows M13 and I also included a link to the Astrobin page for that object if you want a better look. I'm working on a follow-up video where I'll show more images through it. I didn't have enough clear nights before this video was done.
Great review, I haven't had a chance to use my 71F yet, clouds, wind and work. You mention the cradle locking ring knobs and dew shield lock, focus rotator knob, I thought they were plastic too when I first got the scope but they are all aluminum, I made a tiny scratch on the bottom its definitely machined aluminum, just the black paint makes it seem like plastic. Only plastic is the two little white bushings where the scope rings clamp together.
Thank you! Those are aluminum!? You are right. I just took off the dew shield locking screw and dropped it on the tile floor. Definitely sounds aluminum. Thank you for pointing it out. I'm planning a follow up video as I've been learning more about it and testing it more so I'll point that out and will definitely give you credit. My method of flicking it with my finger fooled me. And I'm kind of impressed with the quality because now, aside from the glass, the whole thing is about 99.9% aluminum.
Great review! I was looking for it since this scope came out. Hope they add a 50~60mm scope to this new F series. Not sure if it would fight against the PHQ series but would be a gamechanger in the market at a lower price range. Greetings from Brazil
Thank you! I agree about this being a perfect step up, that's a great way of putting it! The AT60 with my 533MC Pro is perfect. I can fit so many DSO in the fov but the narrower FOV of the 71F is making me want upgrade the camera as well.
I got this scope from Agenna Astro with preorder. I uses it for several sessions and it's optic quality is really good. All the corner starts looks perfect. I did some star field and nebula. Both comes perfect. It is really just cheaper version of Redcat 71. It is slower than that but 1/4 of price. I really love this scope.
Finally a review on this scope. I bought this scope on pre-order from Agina Astro. Got it as soon as it shipped earlier this month. I got a laugh out ot it looking like it was scratched (the logo) it was the first thing I noticed. Also the handlebar being not high enough to get my hand through. I've only had it out for one imagining session so far. M51. I am impressed how good the field is. Absolute no coma . It's a great scope as you mentioned to get started in the world of Astrophotography. I own a W.O Zenith star 61 ll. This scope will be getting a lot more use. Can't wait until I have clear skies to go after the Wizard Nebula using the player one anti halo narrowband filter. Thanks for reviewing this great scope. Clear skies....Hopefully soon.
Awesome! What camera did you pair with it? M51 is on my list to image with it. I did a few minutes of M101 but clouds rolled in and it wasn't even worth mentioning in the video. Wizard Nebula with the P1 Narrowband filter sounds like it'll be great! That DSO is on my list too but I'll most likely use the L-eXtreme which, unfortunately, is not anti-halo. Clear skies!
Thanks for watching! Consider supporting this channel at no cost to you by using some of my referral links below: Get the Askar 71F at Agena Astro: agenaastro.com/askar-quadruplet-flat-field-astrograph-71f.html?rfsn=7382615.2b333e Get the Askar 71F at High Point Scientific: www.highpointscientific.com/askar-71f-flat-field-refractor?rfsn=7725690.2252b3 Shop for other stuff on Amazon: amzn.to/45bemmL
Askar is really setting the standard right now I have the 65 phq and I really love it it holds focus really well and the field is flat as. I like that this new one has a small dove tail on the top.
Totally agree about Askar. I'm hoping this gives a kick to other manufacturers to make similar quality and similar priced products. I'd love to try out the 65 phq with the reducer one day. I'm sure it's amazing! The dovetail/handlebar on top is really nice. Easy to balance with a guide scope up there!
Okay. I bite. Just ordered this refractor. Do I need it? Not really, but its a nice scope for a nice price and HEY, everyone likes new stuff. I do have a RedCat51 (first generation), Orion ED80, AT115, and SkyMax150. This scope should be superior to the ED80 optics and fits nicely within my range of focal lengths. I really like the EAF on my AT115 which drifts in focus through the night, but have never seen the need on the RedCat51. I'm hoping this scope holds focus, but we will see. Thanks for the review.
I'm in the same boat, I didn't need this at all and I agree that it's a nice scope for a nice price. Your other telescopes sound amazing. The AT115 is on my list to get one day. I've been seeing listings of it on CloudyNights but haven't moved forward to get it y et. Do you have the reducer/flattener with yours? And good to know about its focus drift. I have the AT60ED and I love it. I haven't had the focus drift and I'm not currently using an EAF. It might be because it's just a doublet and much lighter than the 115. And from my testing of the Askar 71F, it holds focus really well. The focus locking screw also works really well. One day when I get a full night of clear skies, I'll test it out and see how the focus does.
@@Naztronomy Astronomics sells the AT115 and you get a discount for being a Cloudy Nights member. The prices keep dropping and it really IS a bargain for a wonderful telescope. I gasped when I viewed Albireo with this fine scope. So crisp and bright, it takes your breath away. The temperatures here drop 30 to 40 degrees during the night and I think the AT115 focus changing is to to all that wonderful glass. The EAF works great!
@@MrGp3po I'm a frequent customer of Astronomics 😊 Good point about the temperature. Are you in the Southwest? I don't think the temperature here (New England) swings that much overnight so I've been lucky in that sense.
Yep! I had a clip showing how I use my zwo drawer but I cut it for timing reasons and I also have the opportunity to test out a new EAF so I figured it would fit better in that video.
As opposed to many seasoned astrophotographers, I'm a ZWO enthusiast,, but having to buy an EAF for every scope adds up. If I get this scope, ZWO drawer is what I'll be using.
I totally agree! I don't use an EAF either right now, I'll just be testing one. It'll be a non zwo brand. And I use a zwo filter drawer as well. I don't see myself getting a filter wheel anytime soon though. I'd like a bigger camera first. Maybe the ASI2600MC one day. What does the rest of your setup look like?
@@Naztronomy I am in Hawaii, and we meet at Dillingham airfield , it's a small airport out in Oahu's north shore. Its away from the city and its super dark .
@@edwardkaneshiro6437 That's amazing! I've always wanted to go to Hawaii. Can't imagine what the skies there must be like. Hoping I can visit the Kek telescope one day.
As simple as you made this and how simple it should be, I am so lost with identifying what spacers I need to fit between my camera t ring and field flattener... My field flattener has what appears to be both m42 and m48 female threads, and my t ring has what is apparently m42 male threads. Simple. My t ring screws onto my field flattener with no issues. but I don't have enough back spacing. So I purchased an M42 SVBONY extension tube kit. It's too small to fit either the field flattener or t ring. Now I'm lost. Do I need to buy the M48 extension kit instead?
Which camera are you using? And which flattener? I can look these up and get you better info. If you bought M42 extension tubes, are you sure that your t-ring is M42? Maybe it's M48? You should get the M48 extension kit in that case. If you look up your field flattener, you should be able to find how much back focus it requires you to have. It's usually 55mm so you can look up the DSLR flange distance to figure out how much of a spacer you need.
I live near Seattle and it was the first time I've ever seen this in person. It was a great mother's day gift to watch and take pictures of it with my teenager.
Thanks! I ended up taking so many photos, I had a hard time processing them all so I just picked a subset. Need to do a second version that's longer. Hoping we all get some clear skies tonight!
When it got really bright, I was about to see the colors, pillar structures and loops. It was mind blowing! I didn't think I would from my light polluted yard. Most of it looked like a green haze in the sky, like thin clouds. But still very impressive.
It looks very red visually. Check out my first light video here where I talk about what it looks like and also show you what it looks like through a Phone, which is very close to what we can see with the eye: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a0NDs0DoWoA.html When the seeing is good, you can see more surface details. And large prominences tend to stick out really well either way. A monocam and processing definitely helps a ton.
@@Naztronomy Thanks. I’ve ordered a Baader ASTF solar filter which I think is just a white filter. If I add an H-alpha filter to eyepiece will I then get the same effect as those solar scopes like Lunt?
No, that won't work. The baader filter in front of your telescope will block 99.999% of the light coming from the sun. The eyepiece h-alpha filter will just filter it more and you may end up seeing nothing depending on how wide of a bandpass the filter is. For something like the Lunt, you need a blocking filter and a hydrogen alpha etalon. These are very different from a white-light filter and regular h-alpha filter. You can also look up Daystar Quark where you can use it like an eyepiece and see something like the lunt but I think they also recommend a separate blocking filter based on your aperture.
