How to do Flats with a RASA or Hyperstar using the Spike-A Flat Fielder

This is a quick impromptu video for astroimagers wondering how to take calibration frames, especially flat frames with a RASA astrograph or Hyperstar configuration. I'll be using my new spike a flat fielder!
Spike-A Flat Fielder: www.spike-a.com/flatfielders/
Astrozap Aluminum Dew Shield: astrozap.com/collections/dew-...
ASIAir Pro: astronomy-imaging-camera.com/...
Celestron RASA 8: www.celestron.com/products/8-...
Join me, Dan, and Jason every Wednesday at 9PM EST for AstroWorld TV! / @astroworldtv

[@regp5]

Great review. Have you every tried doing luminance flats with this? Wondering if it gets dim enough for those.

[@bryanmck3972]

I love your shirts man.

[@AstrowithEric]

Thanks Bryan!!

[@user-zv7qz9bu6t]

How do you prevent the camera fro heating up due to the lack of ventilation?

[@naegeleh]

Hello Eric, important informations for me, thaks a lot! Wrong flatfields are a pain with the RASA. I heared from someone else, who did not use flat-fields at all with the RASA 11. What do you think?

[@sandb1867]

3:45 There's banding, which is to be expected from an LED source. Have you noticed if this was a problem?

[@johnpatrickmatthewsmusic]

What level do you set the light box too? I set mine to 100% is it better to set to 10% and let the camera figure out the exposure time.

[@AstrowithEric]

mcsnaperville if you are referring to the spike a flat, I take a 3 second test exposure and see where my average ADU is and adjust the brightness with the dimmer to get it to my target ADU. I usually aim for the middle of the histogram, others recommend around 26000 ADU average.

[@jobluez]

A year later would you still recommend this device for someone with RASA 8?

[@AstrowithEric]

Yes and no as it might depend on your acquisition software. Using the spike a flat software you can set the brightness for specific filters, could be helpful for SGP or NINA. However since I personally use the ASIAIR pro, I can set it to auto for flats which has addressed that issue.

[@jobluez]

@@AstrowithEric Thanks for prompt reply.

[@DawgcityClev]

Or you can just use your television as a PC screen and use a KZbin 10 hour white screen! Works for me and saves money on unnecessary light panels when we have light panels we watch daily. lol

[@davepastern]

I had a look at Amazon for "light panels" but they were all hotshoe based units...edit: found one!

[@AstrowithEric]

If you can get a good flat field that's what counts! I have had them and they were hit or miss and with the RASA the larger ones didn't do the job for me. The Spike A is really good. Pricey? Yes but think I won't have any issues with it and get good results. Clear Skies!