Starlight Xpress SXVF-H36 - Manual (Page 15)

Handbook for the SXVF-H36 Issue 1 August 2007
15
A deep image of the Deer-Lick galaxy group by Rick Krejci
Although I have concentrated on the use of a telescope for deep-sky imaging, do not
forget that you have the option of using an ordinary camera lens for impressive wide-
field shots! A good quality 200mm F3.5 lens with an infrared blocking filter will yield
very nice images of large objects, such as M31, M42, M45 etc. If you cannot obtain a
large IR blocker for the front of the lens, it is often quite acceptable to place a small
one behind the lens, inside the adaptor tube.
Taking pictures of the Moon and planets:
The SXVF-H36 is not intended for planetary imaging, as a much smaller CCD is in
many ways much better for this. However, lunar imaging is a different matter and the
H36 can give impressive whole-moon pictures. Most deep sky objects are faint and
relatively large, so a long exposure is needed, while the moon is bright and needs very
short exposures. This can be a problem for a large area CCD, as the readout time is
usually quite a lot longer than the exposure time and this can cause a pale ‘smear’