Trapezium Cluster (OAG Test2)

The Trapezium Cluster is a cluster of stars located in the center of the Orion Nebula approximately 1600 light-years away. The stars of the cluster formed out of the gas and dust of the nebula. The four brightest stars in this image are within 1.5 LY of each other and are designated as A, B, C, D.

I captured this image while I was trying to use the autoguider so it was only a 4-minute total exposure image (51 x 5s). The guide camera was unable to pick up any stars so it is unguided - more about that in a minute. I did not do much processing on this especially since the goal was to check the autoguider and not do any imaging but I did capture Trapezium. 

After using the moon to set the focus of my new Askar Off Axis Guider (OAG) for the Edge800 setup, I slewed the telescope to M43 to see if it would actually guide using the ZWO ASI120 guidescope. Not surprisingly there were no stars - there was a dim smudge that may have been one. I slewed the telescope to the home position and was able to see stars and guide. I then went to the Pleiades and again was able to guide. Although I was able to guide, a new guide camera was definitely necessary. As mentioned in a previous post I went with the ZWO ASI220 because of its greater sensitivity and larger sensor size. It is on backorder so I still have time to switch to the ASI174 which has the largest sensor and largest price.

ASI120 mini
Sensor: 1/3″ CMOS AR0130CS
Size: 4.8×3.6mm
Diagonal: 6.0mm
Resolution: 1280×960
Pixel Size: 3.75µm
QE: 80%

ASI220 mini
Sensor: 1/1.8″ CMOS SC2210_BW
Size: 7.68×4.32mm
Diagonal: 8.81mm
Resolution: 1920×1080
Pixel Size: 4µm
QE: 92%

ASI174 mini
Sensor: 1/1.2″ CMOS IMX174LLJ
Size: 11.3×7.1mm
Diagonal: 13.4mm
Resolution: 1936×1216
Pixel Size: 5.86µm
QE: 77%

Trapezium Cluster (OAG Test2) 

Date: 3-19-24
Camera: ZWO ASI294MC-Pro
Telescope: Celestron EdgeHD 800
Barlow: None
Focal Length: 2032mm (native), 1400mm
F/10 (native), F/7
Focal Reducer: Celestron 0.7 Reducer Lens
Mount: Orion Atlas Pro
Filter Adaptor: ZWO Filter Drawer
Filter: Camera UV-IR
Focuser: ZWO EAF
Autoguiding: ZWO ASI120 & Askar OAG
Exposure: UV-IR 51 x 5s
Gain: 0
Offset 0
Temp: -20 C
Processing: Asiair app, PixInsight, Photoshop, BlurXT, NoiseXT, Bill's Color Masks, Bill's Stretching.

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