Author Topic: The moon and other astronomy stuff  (Read 45157 times)

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
The moon and other astronomy stuff
« on: 01 July, 2012, 12:21:27 am »
Hand held, 630mm (equiv to 35mm - actual focal length 420mm), f4, 1/320.

About 1/4 of the frame.

It is simpler than it looks.

Re: The moon
« Reply #1 on: 01 July, 2012, 12:24:05 am »
Impressive!

Re: The moon
« Reply #2 on: 01 July, 2012, 07:23:14 am »
I remember doing moon photos in the days of film with a 400mm lens. It's suprising how bright the moon is (i'm pretty sure I used f5.6 @ 1000th sec!) until you realise that it's just an object lit by full sun and the distance away isn't important.

Good picture Jaded.  :thumbsup:
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Re: The moon
« Reply #3 on: 01 July, 2012, 10:10:24 am »
taken with a webcam and telescope


rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: The moon
« Reply #4 on: 07 July, 2012, 10:55:54 am »
I'm sorry Jaded, numbnuts just trounced your noble effort  ;D

Hey, is that a Clanger I see?
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: The moon
« Reply #5 on: 07 July, 2012, 12:43:56 pm »
Roger, that's grossly unfair!  Jaded's was hand-held and obviously taken from much further away!

Excellent, NN.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: The moon
« Reply #6 on: 07 July, 2012, 01:39:48 pm »
Quite. Numbnuts lives further north. And if he doesn't, he ought to, with a photo like that!  ;D ;D
It is simpler than it looks.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: The moon
« Reply #7 on: 25 October, 2013, 12:13:08 am »


A first effort with a telescope. A hazy cloud and not long after it had risen over headland. Looking at the timings, I had about 8 minutes before the cloud completely obscured it.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: The moon
« Reply #8 on: 25 October, 2013, 08:39:51 am »
That looks good, what telescope do you have

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: The moon
« Reply #9 on: 25 October, 2013, 09:31:00 am »
Gosh.
Getting there...

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: The moon
« Reply #10 on: 25 October, 2013, 10:05:02 am »
It is a (PPI funded) Celestron ST 8". I spent most of the time before the moon rose trying to identify stars to orient the auto-find. The moon, by contrast, was easy to find. That shot is full frame (DX) but I need to sort exposure and focussing out better. Research when I was back in the warmth says LiveView is the way to go for focussing. Also image stacking, but as I only had two good images that was out of the question.

I didn't see any deep space stuff as it is a huge learning curve and I'm on the bottom of it. Plus my night vision hadn't developed enough I think. Mainly however, because of the dashing clouds! There is obviously a knack to juggling reading glasses, a star chart, a red torch, a chair and the telescope without standing on something valuable in the dark.

There is virtually no light pollution up here, but in payback , no clear sky either.  ;D
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: The moon
« Reply #11 on: 25 October, 2013, 10:25:09 am »
I have the same, but only a six inch,  I'm still learning to use mine, the web cam that I had broke so now saving up for a better one http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/ZWO-Astronomy-Camera-ASI120MM-Free-shipping/311206_647449237.html
The trouble with me I live in a flat and loads of light pollution so I have to drive 20 miles round trip so it tends not to get used so much.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: The moon
« Reply #12 on: 25 October, 2013, 02:32:40 pm »
It is a (PPI funded) Celestron ST 8". I spent most of the time before the moon rose trying to identify stars to orient the auto-find. The moon, by contrast, was easy to find. That shot is full frame (DX) but I need to sort exposure and focussing out better. Research when I was back in the warmth says LiveView is the way to go for focussing. Also image stacking, but as I only had two good images that was out of the question.

I didn't see any deep space stuff as it is a huge learning curve and I'm on the bottom of it. Plus my night vision hadn't developed enough I think. Mainly however, because of the dashing clouds! There is obviously a knack to juggling reading glasses, a star chart, a red torch, a chair and the telescope without standing on something valuable in the dark.

There is virtually no light pollution up here, but in payback , no clear sky either.  ;D

Spectacle cords and head torches are your friends.
Nobody will see if you look like a dork!

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: The moon
« Reply #13 on: 30 October, 2013, 12:13:08 am »
An update - no sky visible since my last post! helly - a cord for the glasses sounds like a great idea - but the headtorch, can you get a red filter for one?

numbnuts, this whole thing of DSLR vs a webcam type camera, stacking images from stills or a video it's all fascinating.

I fear that trying to take photos is running before I can walk.
It is simpler than it looks.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: The moon
« Reply #14 on: 30 October, 2013, 05:23:27 pm »
David has a red head torch. Otherwise I'm sure you could bodge one from old bike lights.

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
    • Twitter
Re: The moon
« Reply #15 on: 30 October, 2013, 09:40:51 pm »
Cellophane?
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: The moon
« Reply #16 on: 30 October, 2013, 10:51:06 pm »
but the headtorch, can you get a red filter for one?
The Alpkit Gamma and the Petzl Tikka XP2 have red LED modes for preserving night vision. The Petzl has the advantage that you don't have to cycle through white when turning it on or off.

edit: there's also the Tikka Plus2. There is also an optional LiPo USB rechargeable battery pack available for the Tikkas (Core).

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: The moon and other astronomy stuff
« Reply #17 on: 03 November, 2013, 03:12:54 am »
Well, after 10 days of rain, cloud, hail and wind, got home following a 12 hour journey and behold! A clear sky! No wind!

So the kids and I have just looked at the low hanging fruit of Jupiter. Banding clearly visible. Hooray! No photies as I am knackered. Later.
It is simpler than it looks.

BrianI

  • Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Lepidopterist Man!
Re: The moon and other astronomy stuff
« Reply #18 on: 03 November, 2013, 07:40:36 am »
I've always wanted a telescope!  Alas, no funds for one :-(

Great moon shots though, Jaded & numbnuts!

 :)

fuzzy

Re: The moon and other astronomy stuff
« Reply #19 on: 09 November, 2013, 10:38:54 pm »
I am toying with getting a telescope. What would I need to get in addition to use my Sony a350 DSLR to capture images?

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: The moon and other astronomy stuff
« Reply #20 on: 10 November, 2013, 03:07:01 pm »
A good tripod, for starters...

BrianI

  • Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Lepidopterist Man!
Re: The moon and other astronomy stuff
« Reply #21 on: 10 November, 2013, 04:28:17 pm »
And a doobrie for aligning lens on camera on telescope eyepiece?

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: The moon and other astronomy stuff
« Reply #22 on: 10 November, 2013, 04:30:42 pm »
For my Nikon D7100 to fit on my Celestron 8SE I got:

SCT T-Adapter
Nikon T ring

The two adaptors link up and then link the camera to the telescope.
It is simpler than it looks.

Trull

  • The settee will kill you
    • Aberdeen Astronomical Society
Re: The moon and other astronomy stuff
« Reply #23 on: 04 December, 2013, 08:15:22 pm »
I was the President of Aberdeen Astonomical Society for a few years, for my sins.

I liked taking images of the sun:



Tech details:
Ha modded Canon 350d on Baader Herschel wedge with continuum filter and grey, on Vixen ED103swt APO refractor, mounted on a Vixen GP-DX controlled with the eponymous Skysensor 2000PC controller hooked up via a rs232/usb cable to MacBook running Starry Night Pro and AstroPlanner. Nebulosity captured the RAW sensor information and ensured FWHM focussing was cracked. Subtracted bias, flat, and dark image before colourising the result to be golden yellow rather than green. Caker!

Feel free to ask questions - I'm giving a talk at the Maritime Museum 30th Jan'14 all about stargazing around Aberdeen btw, at the invitation of the University of Aberdeen.

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: The moon and other astronomy stuff
« Reply #24 on: 04 December, 2013, 11:17:53 pm »
If you ever get invited to give a talk at the Mills in Dundee then do let us know..
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes