spectro-aras.com

Hello,
I'm glad to introduce myself to the spectro-l group. My name is Miguel, and I'm a newcomer to the world of astronomical spectroscopy, but I have a wide experience on variable star ccd-photometry. Last year I've purchased an Alpy600 spectroscope from Shelyak, but I didn't actually start until one and a half months ago, when I've attended a presentation by Joan Guarro on spectroscopy at an astronomical workshop in Castellón, Spain. His talk, and private conversation with him encouraged me to start.

A guiding module came soon, and started to do raw spectra. Two weeks ago I've purchased the calibration module for Alpy and learned and got familiar with ISIS, specially with calibration procedure, and now I'm able to produce calibrated spectra, and not less important, observing sessions are starting to be productive, comfortable and fun.

My equipment consists in an Alpy600+guiding+calibration, attached to a 8" SC with 0.6 focal reducer, mounted on a Celestron CGEM. Acquisition camera is an Atik-314L+, and for pointing and guiding a QHY-IMG0S is attached. I hope to get some day a new camera for spectra imaging, such as the Atik-460, and put the 314 to centering. But anyway, the 314 is yet very good recording spectra, but the IMG0S suffers from a lack of area and does not perform fine with such a high resolution in wich it is working (4.65 microns pixels, 1"/pixel scale). At this time it's not easy for me to find suitable objects for spectroscopy fainter than fifth magnitude as it gets harder to find them in the narrow field of guider. My observation site is at home, under the poluted skies of Madrid.

When I have acquired experience and skills I would like to join observing programs suchs as Be stars, or Symbiotic stars.

Cheers
Miguel

Welcome Miguel
I use the same camera as you (314L+) on my LISA spectrograph and find it to be excellent. It has a big enough chip to cover from 3800 - 7500 with the LISA or an ALPY.
I don't know the QHY-IMGOS camera but looked up its specifications. I agree that it probably isn't sensitive enough.
I use an SBIG Sti and it is very good but quite expensive. A much cheaper option would be the QHY5LII or an ASI120 mono http://www.zwoptical.com/eng/Cameras/ASI120/index.asp
I can usually find a field star to guide on rather than trying to guide on a dim star that disappears on the slit. This lets you obtain spectra from much dimmer objects.
Enjoy the new spectrograph.
Cheers

Terry

Thanks for your welcome Terry.
Finally I've ordered a Lodestarx2 camera to center and guide, all reviews agree in big sensitivity and low noise; I think it's worth to get a more expensive camera than QHY-LII and ZWO. Larger pixels helps too, and fits better to my focal length. No need for external power supply is also an attractive feature (when bringing the camera outside).

The Img0S was bought some years ago (when not thinking in spectroscopy yet) as a versatile camera capable for planetary imaging as well as star imaging, but sensitivity is clearly low, as I see from using it, attached at the guiding module, as well as comparing datasheets from the ICX204 (img0S) and 429 (Lodestar) or 285 (Atik314). Img0S will have a new life as a wide field camera with a short c-mount lens.

Miguel,
Lodestar is an excellent choice.
I recently bought one on the advice of Paolo
It works well ; easy autoguiding (exposure ~ 0.5 sec) on mag 12 targets with binning x2
All the best,
François

Thanks for your advice François, it sounds very well. Finally I've ordered the Lodestar camera based in similar testimonies as yours.

Cheers