The New Astronomy: Chapter 2

 

 


Cover photo: © Tony Hallas   

 

Practical Focusing

Focusing is one of the most critical things to master for the CCD imager. Being able to tweak your focus until it is right at the point of best focus can make your images really stand out. You'll learn the techniques of visual focusing, software-assisted focusing, as well as how to use hardware focusing aids and alternative focusers.
Why Focusing Is Critical

Focusing Visually

  • Focusing Process: CCDOPS from SBIG

Software-Assisted focusing

  • Brightest Pixel Focusing
  • Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) Focusing
  • Focusing Process: Maxim/DL

Aids to Focusing: Exploiting Diffraction

  • Masking Tape
  • Focusing Masks
  • Other Focusing Aids

Alternative Focusers

  • The JMI NGF-S
  • The Optec TCF
  • Other Focusing Devices

Note: The first half of this chapter is available for reading as a sample chapter.

M16, the Eagle Nebula
An example of optimal focusing using the
techniques explained in the book.

Image Copyright 2000 by Ron Wodaski

Copyright © 2000 by Ron Wodaski. All rights reserved. Material may not be used without permission. If you provide a link to these pages, please send me an email message at about the link, and I will ad a reciprocal link to my site.