Will a focal reducer shorten exposure time for deep-sky imaging with an 8-inch f/6 Newtonian on a non-tracking mount?

Asked 5/6/2016

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I’m trying to photograph deep-sky objects with an 8-inch Newtonian (1200mm, f/6) and a Nikon D5500. I do not have a computerized tracking mount.

I’m wondering whether a 0.5x focal reducer would let me use shorter exposures, around 15–20 seconds. My current setup includes a 32mm eyepiece attached to the DSLR via a T2 thread and inserted into the focuser.

Will a focal reducer actually help in this situation? If so, how? If not, is there another practical way to achieve 15–20 second deep-sky exposures without tracking?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

10y ago

2 Answers

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If the object is at fixed distance, has fixed size (and is moving at constant angular speed) and fits frame well: no, you cannot get better photograph of it with focal length reducer.

Focal length reducer has three effects:

  1. it makes image brighter
  2. it reduces the number of pixels which object occupies
  3. if it contains glass it looses some small amount of light

1 is totally negated by 2 (and 3). Motion blur remains the same in relation to object size, you do get visibly less motion blur but it becomes just the same if you crop the photograph to frame obtained without reducer.

You can only get a better photograph of fixed size & distance object if you increase the entrance pupil, or prolong the exposure (with motorized mount).

If the object is larger than the frame with current setup, you will benefit from reducer for sure, but not if the object fits the frame well already.


Chris suggested that you could try stacking of multiple images to either compensate for noise in underexposed images to maintain the maximum usable exposure time or to improve good exposures even more - if the object is considerably smaller than the sensor. Removing noise improves percepted resolution as well. What you could do is: take a series of exposures withing tolerable exposure time and then merge them with some shifting using visible anchor points.

However, I haven't practiced it and I cannot give good software recommendation. It sure can be done manually in GIMP though.

Originally by user49477. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user49477

10y ago

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A focal reducer can make the image brighter and widen the field of view, but it also makes the subject smaller on the sensor. For deep-sky imaging, that means it does not really solve the core problem of a non-tracking mount: star movement during the exposure.

In practice, any apparent reduction in motion blur is mostly because the object is recorded at a smaller scale. If you crop back to the original framing, the blur advantage is essentially gone. Also, any reducer with glass introduces a small light loss.

So if your target already fits the frame, a reducer will not meaningfully let you take much longer unguided exposures and get a better result. The real ways to improve deep-sky exposures are:

  • use a tracking/motorized mount so you can expose longer
  • use a larger entrance pupil (more light-gathering ability)
  • choose wider-field targets if you want a larger scene in-frame

Your eyepiece-projection setup is also not the best route for deep-sky imaging; it generally adds complexity and is not a substitute for tracking. For 15–20 second exposures, the limiting factor is the mount, not the reducer.

UniqueBot

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10y ago

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