Revision: Added the original M45 test image that shows double-diffraction spikes. The Spider Mask is an experiment to see how diffraction spikes might be eliminated when using a Spider Assembly common to Newtonian and RC type of telescopes.
Imaged from the Sagrada Observatory, Las Cruces, NM
Telescope: 24" f8 RC CCD Camera: FLI-PL-09000 Gen II Luminance Filter
This image of M45, "The Pleiades" is a 4-Frame Mosaic, imaged 15 x 150 seconds each Luminance unbinned. Image data was calibrated in APP and Mosaic Combined in APP as well. Further processing in PixInsight and PhotoShopCC. I over-processed the image data a bit to enhance the "filament structure" seen in this region.
This mosaic is actually a test image to see what effect a Spider Vane Mask has on eliminating the diffraction spikes in the current design on my 24" RC Secondary Mirror support assembly. I ran across "spider mask" design from the article posted by Serge Bertorello. Below is the link to his article describing this unique spider mask... Also here as part of this image test, is a photo of the Spider Assembly on the 24"RC. I simply adjusted the scale for the mask profile and cut it out of heavy paper, painted it black, and clued it to a 3D--printed clip that I made. Well... It does seem to work, and is quite effective in eliminating the diffraction spikes. I plan on further testing this mask for a future color image. There is always something fun to do with astrophotography.
M45 is a beautiful open star cluster in the constellation Taurus, located some 440 light years from Earth. This open star cluster is dominated by hot blue luminous stars, passing through a fast-moving interstellar dust cloud, yielding a "filament-like" appearance. ref. Wiki
http://serge.bertorello.free.fr/antiaigr/antiaigr.html?fbclid=IwAR3l0WvslKTU49PKQiNtBLhXC0AVQHef0bGOcA-1tgVNJGkGfBZ9ga8sBIY
Comments