Wega spike mask for the lens of the Seestar S50 from ZWO

The Newtonian spikes are created by the interference of light rays passing through the aperture of the telescope and the spike mask. The mask consists of a series of thin, parallel lines that focus the light into these lines. When the light then hits the camera lens, it creates a diffraction pattern that produces the spikes.

The spike mask is a simple and effective tool that can add a dramatic effect to images. It is a good choice for anyone who wants to have the Newtonian spikes in their astrophotography images without having to deal with image post-processing.

To use the spike mask, simply place the mask in front of the telescope objective and then move the telescope to a bright object, such as the moon or a star cluster. The spikes should then be visible.

Here are some tips for using the spike mask:

• Make sure the mask is clean before you use it. Dirt or dust can impair the image quality.
• Make sure that the mask is perfectly aligned. If the mask is not aligned, the spikes may be blurred or distorted.
• Use a telescope with a large aperture. The larger the aperture of the telescope, the more noticeable the spikes will be.

With a little practice, you can take beautiful images with Newtonian spikes using the spike mask.

• Attach the mask to the telescope and align it with the object to be photographed.
• Get the classic spikes of a Newtonian telescope in Live View.
• The spike becomes more clearly visible during the images.