ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY ACCESSORIES Last updated: 8 August 2005

Meade ETX-125, DSI with Atik 0.5 focal reducer
$20

Subject:	Meade ETX-125, DSI with Atik 0.5 focal reducer
Sent:	Saturday, August 6, 2005 05:29:42
From:	SIMON GREENWOOD (ozark1@btinternet.com)
I just wanted to write up my recommendation of the Atik 0.5x focal
reducer.  At £29 it is the cheapest on the market, but it has
transformed my enjoyment of the Meade DSI.  The unit just screws into
the thread on the front of the DSI nosepiece.

Comparing M57 with and without...



With
 

Without


Measuring the two I get the fact that the image with focal reducer is
64% of the unreduced image on diameter.  Hence the ETX is at f/9.6 and
the DSI magnification is roughly 200-210 x.

I used the new reducer to look at three favourite summer Messiers. 
These were the M27, Dumbbell Nebula in Vulpecula, M13 the great globular
cluster in Hercules and M56 the globular cluster in Lyra.

I used stacks of 10 x 15 s on each.





M27 was very much the hardest to get as a good picture.  It's 7.6
magnitudes are just too dispersed in Thurrock's light polluted skies. 
However a lot of work later here it is (just about)





M56 was easy work - a typical globular image with resolved stars but
less of the fuzzy ball than hoped.  However a bit of snappy processing
in b/w has got a new slant on M13.  I'm very pleased with this one

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