Borg 101ED |
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Borg is famous for its numerous adapters that allow for almost any configuration and derivations and this scope is no exception
Shown above is my deep space imaging configuration (minus the camera). The telescope sits on a Losmandy GM8, itself attached to a LeSueur steel pier, providing a very stable imaging platform. I replaced the Borg helical focuser with an Optec TCF-S in 2007 to leverage the automatic focusing abilities of CCDSoft (and I am also planning on using FocusMax to compare). Riding on top of the main telescope is a MiniBorg 50 mm guide scope fitted with a Meade DSI Pro I got on Astromart. Combined with the free PHD guding program, I have had reasonable results when imaging in Ha with the ST7 or using the Canon XTi.
The GM8 is shown with my custom wormblock holder (see here for more details).
Most of the deep space images on this site have been taken with this configuration. The GM8 will support my C8 and I even got a focal reducer at NEAF this year. However, until the mount optimization is done, I do not think I will be able to get decent images. But for planetary imaging, it is clearly superior owing to its F/10 ratio and 4X light gathering power.
In May 2008, the GM8 was superceded by the G11.
In April 2009, I got a Lumicon minus-Violet filter in order to reduce the star bloat when imaging blue frames. This turned out to be a very good investment as the M13 image I did in May shows: no star bloat, therefore no need to use the minimum filter in Photoshop to get the star size correct, and no blue halos as well.