Telescope review: all 23 active iTelescope systems
Adds TELESCOPES.md, a per-observatory review of every telescope on the iTelescope.net network with a spec block and an assessment for each, a 'choosing a telescope' use-case table, and general observations (CCD to CMOS migration, Bin2 software limits, elevation limits, network-side calibration). Data sourcing: - data/itelescope-telescopes.csv is a verbatim CSV export of iTelescope's maintained specs Google Sheet (24 rows: 23 active scopes + T74 placeholder). - The support article (Freshdesk 247371) supplied observatory groupings and minimum elevation limits; it still lists T9/T19/T31/T69 which the sheet has dropped - the review follows the sheet and records the discrepancy. - go.itelescope.net is an authenticated app shell; nothing was scraped from it. Also fills in the remaining state/ files: TODO (pending: T74 specs, retired scope reconciliation, periodic sheet refresh), DECISIONS (source-of-truth choice, single-document structure, no launchpad scraping), NOTES (refresh command, CSV quirks), ARCHITECTURE (repo layout), and README.
This commit is contained in:
parent
3fad877dee
commit
6555e774d9
8 changed files with 590 additions and 0 deletions
377
TELESCOPES.md
Normal file
377
TELESCOPES.md
Normal file
|
|
@ -0,0 +1,377 @@
|
|||
# iTelescope.net telescope review
|
||||
|
||||
A review of every telescope on the iTelescope.net network, grouped by observatory.
|
||||
Compiled 2026-07-17 from the network's own sources:
|
||||
|
||||
- Support article (observatory summaries, minimum elevations):
|
||||
https://support.itelescope.net/support/solutions/articles/247371
|
||||
- Maintained specs Google Sheet (snapshotted in [data/itelescope-telescopes.csv](data/itelescope-telescopes.csv)):
|
||||
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jZWkkjewOuyNC9YzQ8y2d0pO1e4T7EBeysmQMPBVSOk/
|
||||
- The launchpad (https://go.itelescope.net/) is login-only and holds no public specs.
|
||||
|
||||
Note on coverage: the Google Sheet is the maintained source and is what this review
|
||||
follows. The older support article additionally lists T9, T19, T31 and T69, which no
|
||||
longer appear in the sheet (retired or rebuilt); T74 appears in the sheet with no
|
||||
specs, presumably in commissioning.
|
||||
|
||||
## The network at a glance
|
||||
|
||||
| Observatory | MPC code | Hemisphere | Telescopes |
|
||||
|---|---|---|---|
|
||||
| Utah Desert Remote Observatory, USA | U94 | North | T2, T5, T11, T14, T20, T21, T25, T26, T68 |
|
||||
| Sierra Remote Observatory, California, USA | U69 | North | T24 |
|
||||
| Siding Spring Observatory, Australia | Q62 | South | T8, T17, T30, T32, T33, T59 |
|
||||
| Deep Sky Chile | X07 | South | T70, T71, T72, T73, T74, T75 |
|
||||
| AstroCamp Observatory, Spain | I89 | North | T18 |
|
||||
| Entre Encinas y Estrellas (e-EyE), Spain | (none listed) | North | T80 |
|
||||
|
||||
Two systems are free to use (30 minutes per day): **T68** (Utah, fast colour
|
||||
widefield) and **T33** (Siding Spring, narrow deep field).
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Utah Desert Remote Observatory (MPC U94)
|
||||
|
||||
Dark Great Basin desert site; the largest cluster on the network and the main
|
||||
northern-hemisphere hub.
|
||||
|
||||
### T2: Takahashi TOA-150 + QHY268C (one-shot colour)
|
||||
|
||||
- 150 mm f/7.3 apochromatic refractor, 1105 mm focal length
|
||||
- QHY268C colour CMOS (Sony IMX571, APS-C), 0.69"/px, 72.6 x 48.6 arcmin
|
||||
- Paramount GTS, off-axis guided, no filters; minimum elevation 25 degrees
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the premium one-shot-colour option. Superb refractor optics and a modern
|
||||
back-illuminated sensor at a well-sampled 0.69"/px make it the easiest route to a
|
||||
finished colour image of medium-sized targets (galaxy groups, planetary nebulae,
|
||||
globulars) with no filter runs to plan. No narrowband, so emission nebulae under
|
||||
moonlight are off the menu. Files are large (26 MP 16-bit FITS).
|
||||
|
||||
### T5: Takahashi Epsilon 250 + SBIG ST-10XME
|
||||
|
||||
- 250 mm f/3.4 hyperbolic flat-field astrograph, 850 mm focal length
|
||||
- ST-10XME CCD (NABG), 1.66"/px, 60.6 x 40.8 arcmin
|
||||
- Paramount PME, external guiding; RGB, Ha/SII/OIII, and Johnson-Cousins B, V, I
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** a fast classic. The f/3.4 Epsilon gathers light quickly for its class and
|
||||
the photometric filter set makes it one of the few scopes that does both pretty
|
||||
pictures and science. The small, old NABG CCD is the weak point: only 3.2 MP, and
|
||||
bright stars bloom on long exposures, so keep subs short around bright fields.
|
||||
|
||||
### T11: Planewave CDK20 + FLI ProLine PL11002M
|
||||
|
||||
- 510 mm (20") f/4.5 corrected Dall-Kirkham with 0.66x reducer, 2280 mm
|
||||
- PL11002M CCD (full frame), 0.81"/px, 54.3 x 36.2 arcmin
|
||||
- Ascension 200HR; LRGB, 3 nm narrowband, and U, B, V, R, I; minimum elevation 20 degrees
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** big aperture at a fast reduced focal ratio with a generous field: a strong
|
||||
general-purpose deep-space scope for nebulae and larger galaxies, plus full UBVRI for
|
||||
photometry. The sensor's 51% peak QE is dated, so it needs more integration time than
|
||||
the CMOS scopes for the same depth, and it is noted as sensitive to stray-light
|
||||
gradients near full moon.
|
||||
|
||||
### T14: Takahashi FSQ-106 Fluorite + SBIG STX-16803
|
||||
|
||||
- 106 mm f/5.0 Petzval refractor, 530 mm focal length
|
||||
- STX-16803 CCD, 3.5"/px, 238.8 x 238.8 arcmin (4 x 4 degrees)
|
||||
- Paramount ME, unguided; LRGB, 5 nm Ha/SII/OIII, V; minimum elevation 25 degrees
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the classic mono widefield workhorse. Four square degrees on the square
|
||||
16803 sensor suits large nebula complexes (North America, Veil, Rho Ophiuchi) and
|
||||
mosaics. CCD rather than CMOS, so integration is slower than modern rivals, and
|
||||
dithering is recommended. Pick it for framed mono narrowband over T20's colour.
|
||||
|
||||
### T20: Takahashi FSQ-106ED + ZWO ASI2400C (one-shot colour)
|
||||
|
||||
- 106 mm f/5.0 Petzval refractor, 530 mm focal length
|
||||
- ASI2400C colour CMOS (Sony IMX410, full frame, 14-bit), 2.31"/px, 233.7 x 155.8 arcmin
|
||||
- Paramount ME, unguided; Optolong L-Pro and L-Ultimate (3 nm dual-band), Astrodon narrowband
|
||||
- Field rotated 90 degrees relative to T14 for alternative framing
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the colour twin of T14 with a modern full-frame CMOS. The L-Ultimate
|
||||
dual-band filter is the clever bit: one-shot-colour narrowband on emission nebulae,
|
||||
even with the moon up. Sensor is 14-bit, so dynamic range trails the mono 16-bit
|
||||
scopes. The best low-effort widefield choice on the network.
|
||||
|
||||
### T21: Planewave CDK17 + FLI PL6303E
|
||||
|
||||
- 431 mm (17") f/4.5 corrected Dall-Kirkham with 0.66x reducer, 1940 mm
|
||||
- PL6303E CCD (NABG), 0.96"/px, 49.2 x 32.8 arcmin
|
||||
- Ascension 200HR; Astrodon LRGB, 5 nm narrowband, and UBVRI; minimum elevation 20 degrees
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** billed as a combined photometry and imaging system, and that is its niche:
|
||||
the sensitive NABG chip plus a full Johnson-Cousins set makes it a proper science
|
||||
scope. The same NABG sensitivity means blooming on bright subjects, so it rewards
|
||||
careful target and exposure choice rather than casual use.
|
||||
|
||||
### T25: Planewave CDK20 + Player One Zeus 455M PRO
|
||||
|
||||
- 508 mm (20") f/6.8 corrected Dall-Kirkham at native focal length, 3454 mm
|
||||
- Zeus 455M mono CMOS (Sony IMX455, full frame), 0.23"/px, 36.2 x 24.2 arcmin, 61 MP
|
||||
- Planewave L-500; Astrodon LRGB and 3 nm narrowband
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the resolution monster. At 0.23"/px it is oversampled for almost any
|
||||
seeing, which means you can bin or drizzle as you please and still resolve fine
|
||||
structure in small galaxies and planetary nebulae. The cost is enormous files (61 MP
|
||||
per sub) and a narrow field. Choose it when the target is small and detail is the
|
||||
point.
|
||||
|
||||
### T26: Planewave Delta Rho 500 + ZWO ASI6200MM Pro
|
||||
|
||||
- 508 mm (20") f/3.0 corrected astrograph, 1537 mm focal length
|
||||
- ASI6200MM mono CMOS (IMX455, full frame, Bin2 only), 1.01"/px, 80.4 x 54.0 arcmin
|
||||
- Planewave L-550 on equatorial wedge; Chroma LRGB and 3 nm narrowband
|
||||
- Recommended subs: LRGB 30-180 s, narrowband 180-300 s (900 s available)
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** arguably the best imaging system on the network: half a metre of aperture
|
||||
at f/3.0 with a modern 91% QE sensor is a light bucket that reaches faint extended
|
||||
nebulosity (integrated flux nebulae, faint Ha shells) in a fraction of the usual
|
||||
integration time, over a 1.3-degree field. Bin2-only is a software limitation, not an
|
||||
optical one, and barely matters at this image scale.
|
||||
|
||||
### T68: Celestron RASA 11 + ZWO ASI2600C (free, one-shot colour)
|
||||
|
||||
- 279 mm (11") f/2.2 Rowe-Ackermann Schmidt astrograph, 620 mm focal length
|
||||
- ASI2600C colour CMOS (IMX571, APS-C), 1.25"/px, 130.2 x 87.0 arcmin
|
||||
- Paramount ME II, mount-guided, no filters; 30 minutes free per day
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the free taster scope, and genuinely good: f/2.2 means even short free
|
||||
sessions produce satisfying colour images of bright nebulae and comets over a
|
||||
2-degree field. No filters and modest QE cap its ceiling. Ideal for trying the
|
||||
network, time-lapse of transients, or quick-look framing before booking a paid scope.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Sierra Remote Observatory, California (MPC U69)
|
||||
|
||||
High Sierra site with steady seeing; hosts the network's largest northern aperture.
|
||||
|
||||
### T24: Planewave CDK24 + Player One Zeus 455M PRO
|
||||
|
||||
- 610 mm (24") f/6.5 corrected Dall-Kirkham, 3962 mm focal length
|
||||
- Zeus 455M mono CMOS, 0.395"/px (Bin2), 31.6 x 21.1 arcmin
|
||||
- Ascension 200HR, external guiding beyond 300 s; Astrodon LRGB, 3 nm narrowband, V and Ic
|
||||
- Match subs to calibration set (60/120/180/300/600/900 s); minimum elevation 25 degrees
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the northern flagship. The biggest glass in the northern half of the
|
||||
network on a steady-seeing site, with a modern high-QE sensor: first choice for small
|
||||
galaxies, quasar fields and faint photometry (V and Ic fitted). The operational notes
|
||||
(RBI flush, fixed exposure ladder, dithering) show it is run seriously for calibrated
|
||||
science data. Narrow field, so not for showpiece nebulae.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Siding Spring Observatory, Australia (MPC Q62)
|
||||
|
||||
The network's southern-hemisphere anchor, on the AAO site. The only access most users
|
||||
have to Magellanic Cloud and far-southern targets at serious aperture. Roof geometry
|
||||
limits northern views (horizon limits 35-75 degrees depending on scope).
|
||||
|
||||
### T8: Takahashi FSQ-106ED + FLI Microline 16803
|
||||
|
||||
- 106 mm f/5.0 Petzval refractor, 530 mm focal length
|
||||
- ML16803 CCD, 3.5"/px, 238.8 x 238.8 arcmin (4 x 4 degrees)
|
||||
- Paramount PME, external guiding; Astrodon LRGB, EXO, narrowband, NIR luminance
|
||||
- North horizon limit 75 degrees; dithering recommended (occasional dark columns)
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the southern widefield essential: four square degrees on the LMC, SMC,
|
||||
Eta Carinae or the Gum Nebula is something no northern scope can offer. Same era of
|
||||
CCD as T14 with the same patience requirement, and its known dark-column quirk makes
|
||||
dithering effectively mandatory. Book it for large southern showpieces.
|
||||
|
||||
### T17: Planewave CDK17 + ZWO ASI6200MM Pro
|
||||
|
||||
- 432 mm (17") f/6.8 corrected Dall-Kirkham, 2939 mm focal length
|
||||
- ASI6200MM mono CMOS (Bin2 only), 0.53"/px, 42.4 x 28.3 arcmin
|
||||
- Paramount PME, unguided; Astrodon LRGB and 5 nm narrowband; minimum elevation 35 degrees
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** a modern deep-field machine pointed at the southern sky: 91% QE at half an
|
||||
arcsecond per pixel is a potent combination for southern galaxies (NGC 1365, Centaurus
|
||||
A) and planetary nebulae. The tight 35-degree elevation floor means plan targets near
|
||||
culmination.
|
||||
|
||||
### T30: Planewave CDK20 + FLI PL6303E
|
||||
|
||||
- 508 mm (20") f/4.4 corrected Dall-Kirkham with 0.66x reducer, 2262 mm
|
||||
- PL6303E CCD (NABG), 0.81"/px, 41.6 x 27.8 arcmin
|
||||
- Ascension 200HR; Astrodon LRGB, 5 nm narrowband, and full Johnson-Cousins UBVRcIc
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the southern science scope: big aperture, fast reduced optics and the
|
||||
full photometric filter set. Same NABG blooming caveat as its northern siblings, and
|
||||
the CCD needs more integration than T17's CMOS for imaging, so treat it as
|
||||
photometry-first, imaging-second.
|
||||
|
||||
### T32: Planewave CDK17 + ZWO ASI6200MM Pro
|
||||
|
||||
- 431 mm (17") f/6.8 corrected Dall-Kirkham, 2912 mm focal length
|
||||
- ASI6200MM mono CMOS (Bin2 only), 0.53"/px, 42.4 x 28.3 arcmin
|
||||
- Ascension 200HR; Astrodon LRGB, 5 nm narrowband, plus V and Ic; minimum elevation 30 degrees
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** effectively T17's twin with a slightly friendlier elevation limit and V/Ic
|
||||
photometric filters added. If T17 is booked, this is the same capability; if you need
|
||||
magnitudes as well as pictures, prefer T32 of the pair.
|
||||
|
||||
### T33: 12.5" RCOS Ritchey-Chretien + Apogee Alta U16 (free)
|
||||
|
||||
- 320 mm (12.5") f/9.0 Ritchey-Chretien, 2885 mm focal length
|
||||
- Alta U16 CCD (NABG), 0.54"/px, 37 x 37 arcmin
|
||||
- Paramount ME, external guiding; Astrodon LRGB and narrowband
|
||||
- 30 minutes free per day; north horizon limit 45 degrees
|
||||
- Recommended: LRGB 300 s; narrowband 300 s Bin2 or 600 s Bin1 on calm nights
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the free southern scope, and a much more serious instrument than "free"
|
||||
suggests: a proper RC with narrowband filters at 0.54"/px. The NABG CCD blooms on
|
||||
bright stars and f/9 is slow, so free 30-minute slots are best spent on compact,
|
||||
reasonably bright targets, or accumulated across nights.
|
||||
|
||||
### T59: Planewave CDK20 + FLI ProLine 16803
|
||||
|
||||
- 510 mm (20") f/6.8 corrected Dall-Kirkham, 3411 mm focal length
|
||||
- ProLine 16803 CCD, 0.54"/px, 37.2 x 37.2 arcmin
|
||||
- Ascension 200HR; Astrodon LRGB, 5 nm narrowband, Ic and Z; capable of 15-minute subs
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** deep and square: the 16803's square field at half-arcsecond sampling with
|
||||
an ABG chip rated for very long exposures. The scope to book for faint southern
|
||||
targets that need 900-second narrowband subs without blooming worries. QE is dated
|
||||
(60%), so it trades sensor efficiency for exposure headroom.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Deep Sky Chile (MPC X07)
|
||||
|
||||
Newest site, Atacama-quality southern skies; a modern all-CMOS lineup built around
|
||||
astrophotography.
|
||||
|
||||
### T70: Samyang 135 mm f/3.5 + ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
|
||||
|
||||
- 65 mm camera lens at f/3.5, 129 mm focal length
|
||||
- ASI2600MM mono CMOS (IMX571, APS-C), 4.51"/px, 469.8 x 355.2 arcmin (7.8 x 5.9 degrees)
|
||||
- Paramount ME, guided; Astrodon LRGB and narrowband; minimum elevation 0 degrees
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** an eight-degree mono narrowband field under Atacama skies, down to the
|
||||
horizon. Made for constellation-scale mosaics, the Gum Nebula, and the Milky Way core.
|
||||
It is a camera lens, so expect corner coma and halos on bright stars; that is the
|
||||
stated trade for the field of view.
|
||||
|
||||
### T71: Takahashi Epsilon 180ED + ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
|
||||
|
||||
- 180 mm f/2.8 hyperbolic Newtonian astrograph, 500 mm focal length
|
||||
- ASI2600MM mono CMOS, 1.55"/px, 161.4 x 108.0 arcmin
|
||||
- Paramount MyT, guided; Astrodon LRGB and 5 nm narrowband
|
||||
- Electronic shutter: no user darks; calibrated data supplied for standard sub lengths
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the best fast-widefield system on the network: f/2.8 optics, a modern
|
||||
sensor and Chilean skies. A 2.7 x 1.8 degree field at 1.55"/px suits nearly every
|
||||
showpiece southern nebula. Subs are constrained to the standard calibration ladder
|
||||
(10-600 s) since you cannot take your own darks, and files are large (101 MiB).
|
||||
|
||||
### T72: Planewave CDK20 + FLI ML-16200
|
||||
|
||||
- 510 mm (20") f/6.8 corrected Dall-Kirkham, 3411 mm focal length
|
||||
- ML-16200 CCD, 0.359"/px, 26.9 x 21.5 arcmin
|
||||
- Planewave L-500; LRGB, narrowband, and U, B, V, R, I
|
||||
- Precision-scaled raw calibration frames published at data.itelescope.net (0-900 s)
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the Chilean science workhorse: full UBVRI photometry, very fine sampling,
|
||||
and a published high-precision calibration pipeline aimed squarely at photometric
|
||||
work. The 39Ke full well is modest, so watch saturation on bright comparison stars.
|
||||
For pretty pictures the CMOS scopes on site are faster; for southern photometry this
|
||||
is the one.
|
||||
|
||||
### T73: Planewave CDK14 + ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
|
||||
|
||||
- 356 mm (14") f/7.2 corrected Dall-Kirkham, 2563 mm focal length
|
||||
- ASI2600MM mono CMOS, 0.31"/px, 31.8 x 21.0 arcmin
|
||||
- Paramount ME II, guided; Chroma LRGB and 3 nm narrowband
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** a fine-detail southern imager: 0.31"/px oversampling with a near-zero
|
||||
dark current sensor (darks essentially redundant) and tight 3 nm Chroma narrowband.
|
||||
The pick for small southern galaxies and planetaries when T25-style resolution is
|
||||
wanted below the celestial equator. Short 240 s max recommended subs keep runs simple.
|
||||
|
||||
### T74: (in commissioning)
|
||||
|
||||
Listed in the network sheet with no published specs yet.
|
||||
|
||||
### T75: ASA N250 + ZWO ASI6200MM Pro
|
||||
|
||||
- 250 mm f/3.8 Newtonian astrograph, 950 mm focal length
|
||||
- ASI6200MM mono CMOS (Bin2 only), 1.72"/px, 137.4 x 91.8 arcmin
|
||||
- Paramount MyT, guided; Chroma LRGB and 3 nm narrowband
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** the middle option at Deep Sky Chile: faster and wider than the CDKs,
|
||||
deeper than the Epsilon. A 2.3 x 1.5 degree field at f/3.8 with 91% QE makes quick
|
||||
work of medium-large southern nebulae. Bin2-only sampling is coarse but well matched
|
||||
to the focal length.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## AstroCamp Observatory, Spain (MPC I89)
|
||||
|
||||
High-altitude site in the Spanish mountains; fills the European longitude gap so
|
||||
northern targets can be followed when America is in daylight.
|
||||
|
||||
### T18: Planewave CDK12 + QHY600M
|
||||
|
||||
- 318 mm (12.5") f/5.3 corrected Dall-Kirkham, 1683 mm focal length
|
||||
- QHY600M mono CMOS (IMX455, full frame, Bin2 only), 0.92"/px, 73.6 x 49.1 arcmin
|
||||
- Paramount PME, externally guided; Astrodon LRGB, 5 nm narrowband, photometric V and Ic
|
||||
- Minimum elevation 40 degrees
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** a well-balanced all-rounder: enough aperture for galaxies, a wide enough
|
||||
field (1.2 degrees) for most nebulae, modern sensor, and V/Ic for photometry. Its real
|
||||
value is longitude coverage for time-critical work (exoplanet transits, variable
|
||||
stars, GRB follow-up) from Europe. The 40-degree elevation floor is the strictest on
|
||||
the network, so target selection matters.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Entre Encinas y Estrellas (e-EyE), Spain
|
||||
|
||||
Hosting site in Extremadura; currently one iTelescope system.
|
||||
|
||||
### T80: Samyang 135 mm f/3.5 + ZWO ASI2600MM Pro
|
||||
|
||||
- 65 mm camera lens at f/3.5, 129 mm focal length
|
||||
- ASI2600MM mono CMOS, 5.98"/px, 622.2 x 415.8 arcmin (10.4 x 6.9 degrees)
|
||||
- Paramount MyT, guided; Astrodon LRGB and narrowband
|
||||
|
||||
**Review:** T70's northern sibling: a ten-degree mono field for constellation-scale
|
||||
imaging (whole of Orion's belt and sword in one frame, big Ha mosaics of Cygnus).
|
||||
Same camera-lens caveats on corner stars. Between this and T70 the entire sky is
|
||||
covered at super-wide field.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Choosing a telescope
|
||||
|
||||
| Use case | First choice | Alternatives |
|
||||
|---|---|---|
|
||||
| Widefield narrowband, north | T14 (mono), T20 (colour dual-band) | T68 (free colour) |
|
||||
| Widefield narrowband, south | T71 | T8, T75 |
|
||||
| Constellation-scale mosaics | T80 (north), T70 (south) | |
|
||||
| Faint extended nebulosity | T26 | T75, T71 |
|
||||
| Small galaxies / fine detail, north | T24 | T25 |
|
||||
| Small galaxies / fine detail, south | T73 | T17, T32, T59 |
|
||||
| Photometry / science, north | T21, T24 | T5, T11, T18 |
|
||||
| Photometry / science, south | T72 | T30, T32 |
|
||||
| One-shot colour, minimum effort | T20 | T2, T68 |
|
||||
| Long (15 min) narrowband subs, south | T59 | |
|
||||
| European longitude / transit timing | T18 | |
|
||||
| Free / trying the network | T68 (north), T33 (south) | |
|
||||
|
||||
## General observations
|
||||
|
||||
- The network is mid-migration from legacy CCDs (16803, PL6303E, ST-10XME) to modern
|
||||
back-illuminated CMOS (IMX455, IMX571): the CMOS scopes reach the same depth in
|
||||
roughly half the integration time thanks to 85-91% peak QE, and several of the CCD
|
||||
systems (NABG chips especially) carry blooming caveats the CMOS ones do not.
|
||||
- Several CMOS systems are Bin2-only due to software limitations (T17, T18, T26, T32,
|
||||
T75). At their focal lengths this costs little real resolution.
|
||||
- Minimum elevation limits vary widely (0 degrees at T70 up to 40 degrees at T18) and
|
||||
are a real planning constraint, especially at Siding Spring where the roof blocks
|
||||
much of the northern sky.
|
||||
- Calibration is handled network-side on several scopes (T71's electronic shutter
|
||||
disallows user darks; T72 publishes precision-scaled calibration frames; T24 wants
|
||||
subs matched to its calibration ladder). Check the per-scope notes before planning
|
||||
exposures.
|
||||
Loading…
Add table
Add a link
Reference in a new issue