For those that image…what type of flat-field setup do you have? Did you purchase the setup or did you build your own flat-field box? What type of light source do you use? If anyone has instructions on how to build a simple flat-field light box any information (pictures would be nice) would be greatly appreciated. Make the descriptions simple. Something that someone who nearly failed shop class (really, I almost did) could understand. Failing that, give me all the technical low-down and I’ll get the wife to help me out so that it actually works when the project is completed. Dave
Hi Dave, I bought one that seemed to work well on the only occasion I've had to use it. It was just too much trouble to build. From: Dave Gary <davegary@me.com> To: Utah Astronomy <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Friday, September 25, 2015 4:05 AM Subject: [Utah-astronomy] Flat field For those that image…what type of flat-field setup do you have? Did you purchase the setup or did you build your own flat-field box? What type of light source do you use? If anyone has instructions on how to build a simple flat-field light box any information (pictures would be nice) would be greatly appreciated. Make the descriptions simple. Something that someone who nearly failed shop class (really, I almost did) could understand. Failing that, give me all the technical low-down and I’ll get the wife to help me out so that it actually works when the project is completed. Dave _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Send messages to the list to Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club. To unsubscribe go to: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on "Unsubscribe or edit options".
Dave, I trust you have googled a phrase like 'flat field light box' which yields a wide range of home-made versions. Rather than a white reflecting surface, you might consider white Opal glass acting as a diffuser of transmitted light. I gather the intent is to provide a uniform light intensity coming from all portions of the surface seen by the telescope. If that is correct, how uniform must if be? Within a 1/3 f/stop variation or more uniform than that? Ed Stimpson ---------------------------- Quoting Dave Gary <davegary@me.com>:
For those that image?what type of flat-field setup do you have? Did you purchase the setup or did you build your own flat-field box? What type of light source do you use? If anyone has instructions on how to build a simple flat-field light box any information (pictures would be nice) would be greatly appreciated. Make the descriptions simple. Something that someone who nearly failed shop class (really, I almost did) could understand. Failing that, give me all the technical low-down and I?ll get the wife to help me out so that it actually works when the project is completed.
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I'm not sure if Joe went with this one - but this is what I suggested to him a few months ago. I purchased the larger version. Admittedly, it is a bit pricey but it performs well (especially with the dimmer). Here is what I mentioned to Joe at the time: You may want to consider a Spike-A Flat fielder light box. They have a version for up to 12" scopes for $230 or a version that will work with scopes up to 16" for $350. Here is a link to it: http://www.spike-a.com/flatfielders/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwyIyqBRD4janGs5e67IsBEiQAo... It uses edge lit LEDs to give even illumination (to 1%). They also sell a USB controlled dimmer that you can add ($120) to give more brightness levels and it should help with repeatability. http://www.spike-a.com/USBDimmer/ I purchased their 16" light box for my 14" Edge HD a little while ago - but I've been too busy to really put it through it's paces yet. Clear skies, Dale. On Fri, Sep 25, 2015 at 2:28 PM, Ed <utnatsedj1@xmission.com> wrote:
Dave,
I trust you have googled a phrase like 'flat field light box' which yields a wide range of home-made versions.
Rather than a white reflecting surface, you might consider white Opal glass acting as a diffuser of transmitted light.
I gather the intent is to provide a uniform light intensity coming from all portions of the surface seen by the telescope. If that is correct, how uniform must if be? Within a 1/3 f/stop variation or more uniform than that?
Ed Stimpson
---------------------------- Quoting Dave Gary <davegary@me.com>:
For those that image?what type of flat-field setup do you have? Did you
purchase the setup or did you build your own flat-field box? What type of light source do you use? If anyone has instructions on how to build a simple flat-field light box any information (pictures would be nice) would be greatly appreciated. Make the descriptions simple. Something that someone who nearly failed shop class (really, I almost did) could understand. Failing that, give me all the technical low-down and I?ll get the wife to help me out so that it actually works when the project is completed.
Dave _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
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That's it -- I bought one that accommodates my 12" scope. Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 25, 2015, at 2:36 PM, Dale Hooper <dchooper5@gmail.com> wrote:
I'm not sure if Joe went with this one - but this is what I suggested to him a few months ago. I purchased the larger version. Admittedly, it is a bit pricey but it performs well (especially with the dimmer).
Here is what I mentioned to Joe at the time:
You may want to consider a Spike-A Flat fielder light box. They have a version for up to 12" scopes for $230 or a version that will work with scopes up to 16" for $350.
Here is a link to it:
http://www.spike-a.com/flatfielders/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwyIyqBRD4janGs5e67IsBEiQAo...
It uses edge lit LEDs to give even illumination (to 1%).
They also sell a USB controlled dimmer that you can add ($120) to give more brightness levels and it should help with repeatability.
http://www.spike-a.com/USBDimmer/
I purchased their 16" light box for my 14" Edge HD a little while ago - but I've been too busy to really put it through it's paces yet.
Clear skies, Dale.
On Fri, Sep 25, 2015 at 2:28 PM, Ed <utnatsedj1@xmission.com> wrote:
Dave,
I trust you have googled a phrase like 'flat field light box' which yields a wide range of home-made versions.
Rather than a white reflecting surface, you might consider white Opal glass acting as a diffuser of transmitted light.
I gather the intent is to provide a uniform light intensity coming from all portions of the surface seen by the telescope. If that is correct, how uniform must if be? Within a 1/3 f/stop variation or more uniform than that?
Ed Stimpson
---------------------------- Quoting Dave Gary <davegary@me.com>:
For those that image?what type of flat-field setup do you have? Did you
purchase the setup or did you build your own flat-field box? What type of light source do you use? If anyone has instructions on how to build a simple flat-field light box any information (pictures would be nice) would be greatly appreciated. Make the descriptions simple. Something that someone who nearly failed shop class (really, I almost did) could understand. Failing that, give me all the technical low-down and I?ll get the wife to help me out so that it actually works when the project is completed.
Dave _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
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Thanks, Dale. I looked at the Spike-A Flat Fielder. It’s a little out of my price range at the moment. However, I could use it on all my scopes as none is over 10-inches aperture. Dave
On Sep 25, 2015, at 14:36, Dale Hooper <dchooper5@gmail.com> wrote:
I'm not sure if Joe went with this one - but this is what I suggested to him a few months ago. I purchased the larger version. Admittedly, it is a bit pricey but it performs well (especially with the dimmer).
Here is what I mentioned to Joe at the time:
You may want to consider a Spike-A Flat fielder light box. They have a version for up to 12" scopes for $230 or a version that will work with scopes up to 16" for $350.
Here is a link to it:
http://www.spike-a.com/flatfielders/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwyIyqBRD4janGs5e67IsBEiQAo...
It uses edge lit LEDs to give even illumination (to 1%).
They also sell a USB controlled dimmer that you can add ($120) to give more brightness levels and it should help with repeatability.
http://www.spike-a.com/USBDimmer/
I purchased their 16" light box for my 14" Edge HD a little while ago - but I've been too busy to really put it through it's paces yet.
Clear skies, Dale.
On Fri, Sep 25, 2015 at 2:28 PM, Ed <utnatsedj1@xmission.com> wrote:
Dave,
I trust you have googled a phrase like 'flat field light box' which yields a wide range of home-made versions.
Rather than a white reflecting surface, you might consider white Opal glass acting as a diffuser of transmitted light.
I gather the intent is to provide a uniform light intensity coming from all portions of the surface seen by the telescope. If that is correct, how uniform must if be? Within a 1/3 f/stop variation or more uniform than that?
Ed Stimpson
---------------------------- Quoting Dave Gary <davegary@me.com>:
For those that image?what type of flat-field setup do you have? Did you
purchase the setup or did you build your own flat-field box? What type of light source do you use? If anyone has instructions on how to build a simple flat-field light box any information (pictures would be nice) would be greatly appreciated. Make the descriptions simple. Something that someone who nearly failed shop class (really, I almost did) could understand. Failing that, give me all the technical low-down and I?ll get the wife to help me out so that it actually works when the project is completed.
Dave _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
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Thanks, Ed. I had looked. There are so many it was confusing which was good, better or best. Price ranges were enormous. I was interested in what others on the list thought of particular configurations they had used over the years. I’ll look more closely at the Opal glass configuration, now. Dave
On Sep 25, 2015, at 14:28, Ed <utnatsedj1@xmission.com> wrote:
Dave,
I trust you have googled a phrase like 'flat field light box' which yields a wide range of home-made versions.
Rather than a white reflecting surface, you might consider white Opal glass acting as a diffuser of transmitted light.
I gather the intent is to provide a uniform light intensity coming from all portions of the surface seen by the telescope. If that is correct, how uniform must if be? Within a 1/3 f/stop variation or more uniform than that?
Ed Stimpson
---------------------------- Quoting Dave Gary <davegary@me.com>:
For those that image?what type of flat-field setup do you have? Did you purchase the setup or did you build your own flat-field box? What type of light source do you use? If anyone has instructions on how to build a simple flat-field light box any information (pictures would be nice) would be greatly appreciated. Make the descriptions simple. Something that someone who nearly failed shop class (really, I almost did) could understand. Failing that, give me all the technical low-down and I?ll get the wife to help me out so that it actually works when the project is completed.
Dave _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
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On 25 Sep 2015, at 04:05, Dave Gary <davegary@me.com> wrote:
For those that image…what type of flat-field setup do you have?
I like what Cindy and Jerry Foote do. They drape a cloth diaper (unused, I presume) over the front of the scope. As for me, I hang a white piece of cardboard in front of my scope and then illuminate it by shining a light onto a piece of white cardboard down on the floor. Works great and it's cheap. patrick
That sounds easy enough. Thanks for the information. Dave
On Sep 26, 2015, at 02:52, Wiggins Patrick <paw@digis.net> wrote:
On 25 Sep 2015, at 04:05, Dave Gary <davegary@me.com> wrote:
For those that image…what type of flat-field setup do you have?
I like what Cindy and Jerry Foote do. They drape a cloth diaper (unused, I presume) over the front of the scope.
As for me, I hang a white piece of cardboard in front of my scope and then illuminate it by shining a light onto a piece of white cardboard down on the floor. Works great and it's cheap.
patrick _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy
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participants (5)
-
Dale Hooper -
Dave Gary -
Ed -
Joe Bauman -
Wiggins Patrick