camera for a push around dob
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james and james mceachern
camera for a push around dob
hello, camera people, we are tryong to rig up a camera to experiment with some pictures of the cosmos to our dob, we have a 35mm point and shoot (we have to develop film, do they still do that?) that we can set for long exposures and have an adapter to fit it to our focuser, but how do we follow what we want to photo without shaking to much? or should we just try for a long exposure and see what we get?
Hi Guys,
I have checked into the following two options myself and this is what I discovered.You would need to get either a very good EQ platform or mount your dob like a newtonian on a G-11 Losmandy mount. Either way these two options are very expensive. Your looking at thousands of dollars. If you try guiding with your hands you would not get anything worth looking at on film. You cant guide well enough to prevent shaking with your hands.
Paul D...
I have checked into the following two options myself and this is what I discovered.You would need to get either a very good EQ platform or mount your dob like a newtonian on a G-11 Losmandy mount. Either way these two options are very expensive. Your looking at thousands of dollars. If you try guiding with your hands you would not get anything worth looking at on film. You cant guide well enough to prevent shaking with your hands.
Paul D...
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james and james mceachern
Dob tracking
Even if you can track with the dob, what about field rotation???
Bob M
15" f5 Starsplitter Dob/80mm Finder
5" Explore Scientific triplet APO on a Vixen Sphinx GEM
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"He numbers all the stars, and calls each one by name." Ps 147:4
15" f5 Starsplitter Dob/80mm Finder
5" Explore Scientific triplet APO on a Vixen Sphinx GEM
________
"He numbers all the stars, and calls each one by name." Ps 147:4
Yup Bob is right field rotation and trying to track will make it impossible to take any pictures of anything but the brightest of objects. Even the Orion Nebula will require tracking. As bright as it is it will not be bright enough for the camera without tracking.. At best you may get a faint glow around the trapizium but nothing more.
As you saw with Steves pictures which were 30 sec. exposures they were very faint and lacked definition. With a 3 to 5 sec. exposure which I feel is the best you can do unguided you will most likely see nothing.
There are so many variables in taking great astrophotos and to many to list. But the bottom line is this. Is your scopes optics good enough for astro photos? YES. Can you take astro photos unguided or guided with your hands? YES but I would say only the moon.
If I were you guys I would spend more time on observing and enjoying what you are observing. You may even want to come up with a plan before you start to observe and I know I have said this before but take notes. List the equipment your using and what results they give you on objects. Take notes as to what your seeing. Does the galaxy show dust lanes? Get the details of what your observing so when you look back you will see how different things look each time you observe them. List everything, time, place, conditions both on earth and in the sky. Observing is great but also take time to enjoy what your observing. If you miss something one night because you were taking notes dont worry it will be up again the next night
Paul D...
As you saw with Steves pictures which were 30 sec. exposures they were very faint and lacked definition. With a 3 to 5 sec. exposure which I feel is the best you can do unguided you will most likely see nothing.
There are so many variables in taking great astrophotos and to many to list. But the bottom line is this. Is your scopes optics good enough for astro photos? YES. Can you take astro photos unguided or guided with your hands? YES but I would say only the moon.
If I were you guys I would spend more time on observing and enjoying what you are observing. You may even want to come up with a plan before you start to observe and I know I have said this before but take notes. List the equipment your using and what results they give you on objects. Take notes as to what your seeing. Does the galaxy show dust lanes? Get the details of what your observing so when you look back you will see how different things look each time you observe them. List everything, time, place, conditions both on earth and in the sky. Observing is great but also take time to enjoy what your observing. If you miss something one night because you were taking notes dont worry it will be up again the next night
Paul D...
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james and james mceachern
. WE KNOW, WE KNOW, WE KNOW, BUT WE BOTH HAVE A.D.D. AND CAN'T HELP OUSELVES! 
beginning astro photography
James and James,
By all means, continue to pursue astrophotography! Start with the moon at low powers, planetary conjunctions, satellites etc. The moon can be shot through a telescope at short exposures and the other objects don't even need a telescope.
Also, atmospheric phenomena such as lunar halos and solar halos (carefully) don't need magnified optical aid. Sun dogs and sun pillars are beautiful and interesting subjects.
Start off slow, get a good understanding of your equipment. I understand your excitement of deeper sky photography, but in order to suceed, you have to start at the bottom and work up toward your photographic goals,
not at the top working down.
You've got a lot of great astro-photographic times ahead and we'll all be here to help!
Bill Gucfa
By all means, continue to pursue astrophotography! Start with the moon at low powers, planetary conjunctions, satellites etc. The moon can be shot through a telescope at short exposures and the other objects don't even need a telescope.
Also, atmospheric phenomena such as lunar halos and solar halos (carefully) don't need magnified optical aid. Sun dogs and sun pillars are beautiful and interesting subjects.
Start off slow, get a good understanding of your equipment. I understand your excitement of deeper sky photography, but in order to suceed, you have to start at the bottom and work up toward your photographic goals,
not at the top working down.
You've got a lot of great astro-photographic times ahead and we'll all be here to help!
Bill Gucfa