zwo1600 artefacts

skydveiphil

I have a zwo1600 colour cooled camera. But Im getting some horrid artefacts. I capture the images in Nebulosity and then process in PIxinsight. The latter has a function called Automatic Background Extractor.This is a very good function that gets rid of light pollution and and other unwanted colour casts. However when I apply it I get these horrid artefacts. What should I do?

Sam@ZWO

maybe you should post one image without processing

otherwise we cannot tell it is the camera issue or processing issue

skydveiphil

here is the image before ABE. However I presume the artefact is revealed by the ABE , is it not? I do need to do this process.

Support@ZWO

Could you check the imaging train? looks something is interfere the aperture.

skydveiphil

I rotates the camera and the artefact is i the same place. if the artefact was on the mirror or the corrector plate then it should have moved as I moved with the camera . But that isn't what happened. So it must be in the camera See here for side by side comparison.

Support@ZWO

Could you take a look of the camera protective glass and sensor glass? Is there something on it?

If turn off the cooler, does the artifact disappears?

skydveiphil

These images are run with the cooler off.

I have attached some images of the sensor. One was as it was when I took the above pictures. I then gave it as thorough a clean as I could. You should need another picture of the sensor post clean. I will also attach a picture i took after the clean. You will notice the artefact is still there.Yet agin i rotated the camera and the artefact was in the same place. (Bottom right). I think this shows it must be the camera as if it was on the corrector plate or mirror then the artefact should move when the camera moves, but it didn't. What should I do now?

Support@ZWO

Hi there

Could you contact with our technical support email : support(at)zwoptical.com

We will tell you how to get this camera repaired. Thank you for your time.

skydveiphil

Having contacted technical support I have got nowhere

Cleaning the sensor did get rid of the artefact on the right of the image, but the bright patch in the middle remains. See attached image,

They suggested it was internal reflection and i should get my tube flocked. But the celestron evolution tube is already coated with a non reflective dark material. I spoke to a lot of people and they all said this was not the answer. They (Zwo support) then suggested I dry the descients , but I have already tried this and the problem is the same. So now I am at a loss as to hot to fix this. This is very disappointing . People who i know are real expert in astro imaging say it is likely condensation on the sensor . i tried a zwo heating strip, that didn't fix it either. And the strip is so fragile it broke shortly after its first use.

I had heard good things about Zwo camera but my experience has not been a happy one. Any suggestion are most welcome.

Support@ZWO

Hi there

This is looks like a reflection inside the imaging train. some adapter might have very seriously reflection.

Try this, remove all accessories, only use camera to connect telescope, take a image.

I think to find out the refletion and reduce it will solve this problem. Black velvet could reduce reflection very well.