Made the most of the past couple of nights. Despite some technical problems I have managed to gather some reasonable data and update this blog with the results.
Here you can see the Crab nebula or messier 1 (M1). This is a reasonably small target for the 80mm scope so this is a 100% blow up of the image.
This is only 10x3 minute exposures stacked together.
The modded camera is really picking up the red nebula now.
I am still guiding the images by hand although auto guiding with this set up is now very easy to achieve.
Larger image here.
Paul...
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More clear nights.... What's happening...
Took the opportunity to shoot the Heart nebula. This is very near to the Soul nebula in the previous picture.
This one is so big it will only just fit on the camera with the 80mm scope.
This is only 8x3 minute exposures stacked together.
I am pleased with how this has turned out but intend to gather more images of this to enhance it further still.
Larger image here.
Paul...
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Well the weather gods finally gave in and allowed me a view of the night sky on Tuesday 21/10/08. A splendidly clear night well into the early hours.
I thought I would take the opportunity to blow the dust off the 80mm TMB mounted on the G11.
The set up was reasonably quick and easy despite having not set the kit up for quite some time!
I decided that I was going to image The Soul Nebula IC1848.
I chose to use the Mintron video camera mounted on the 80mm Ed scope to manually guide the system by hand using the laptop and some very simple yet cleaver software called StarTarg. This allows a cross to be drawn on the computer screen and placed over any available star. Using the hand controls of the mount to then keep this star on the centre of the cross allows for good round stars to be captured on the TMB with the Canon 20D camera.
I have had some issues with the cameras usb slot working its way loose and causing some issues during the focusing of the camera. I also downloaded the pictures straight onto the computer rather than the cameras memory stick. This was very useful as it allows me to check the focus of each picture and ensure good quality control at an early stage. It also allows me to type full file names for each image rather than only having an image number from the cameras card.
This Nebula is not as bright as I first thought so it will need more exposures. I also managed to get the camera orientation wrong and cut some of this nebula off!! I am however pleased with the star colours and the roundness of the stars using this guiding method.
Larger image here.
Paul....
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08.25.08, Rother Valley.
Well it finally happened an opportunity to try out the new astrotrac.
This weekend whilst out with the caravan at RotherValley, along with a few friends, I managed to have a first attempt with the drive. The computer has not yet arrived but should be here any day now.
Well the clouds were moving around a little and there were patches of the hazy mist high up however this wasn't going to stop me having a quick play with the kit.
Using the Canon DSLR and the 200mm L series lens, set to F3.5, this is a cropped image of the Double cluster. It is a combination of 10 one minute images all stacked together. I have struggled a little with the processing due to cloud being in a number of my final stacked images but it gives a good idea of what I can now achieve.
Given the amount of light pollution from this site I think we did well to get this image on the night.
It was more the sort of night where you just kicked back in the chair and viewed with the binos. A number of people enjoyed a quick look through the binos as they saw the Double cluster, the andromeda Galaxy, and generally just scanned through the milky way.
A young budding astronomer, Matthew, was with me for most of the evening and when I gave him my E-mail address and told him to drop me a mail for a link to the Blog site, I was surprised to see the E-mail in my inbox on my return home. Matthew don't know how you got on the computer before I got to mine!
Please use the gallery on the right to see the full size image and the cropped images of the Double cluster.
Matthew how do these compare to what you saw through the binos? Is this what you expected? I will see you soon mate and next time you can take the images now you know how easy it is!!
Keep looking up....
Paul...
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08.17.08
Well I have finally managed to get my hands on my own astrotrac system.... I have been fortunate that I have received an upgraded version. This newer version also has lunar and solar tracking included as well as a increased load capacity.
The new laptop should be here in the next few days. I have gone for the Asus 1000 this is a small 10" screen but gives a battery life of up to eight hours. This will easily cope with my focusing and photo gathering requirements.
I have also been having problems with my desk top monitor but I seem to have resolved this with nothing more than a replacement cable. That's saved me a little money..
Over the next couple of weeks I am looking forward to putting the astrotrac through its paces, Just wish the weather would give us a little break.
Attended the clubs lunar eclipse night last night but the weather didn't give any glimpses of the moon at all. However there were some great talks done by club members, well done chaps.
Keep looking up,
Paul........
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06.16.08
Not had the opportunity to get out this past week or so.
The astrotrac has had to go back to John so I am waiting for one to be available for me to purchase over the next few weeks.
Unfortunately I will also need a new lap top as mine in on the blink!!! The laptop is used for the focusing of the images to allow the stars to be pin pointed and not bloated. It also allows me to capture the image and control the exposures if I run images plus (astronomy software).
Weather not looking good for the next week and working lates and nights then away for the weekend, so no real imaging opportunities at the moment.
This does not mean that I have stopped looking just not able to show you what I am looking at!
I have been searching for some easy objects to find with binoculars and I have found a few that may be of interest to some of you. These also make easy photographic targets. I am unsure if I should just post a list or list each one as I photograph it, then at least you will know what you are looking for.
There has been a lot of Iridium flare activity over the past couple of weeks. These are satellites passing over head when their solar panels catch the sun light causing a bright streak across part of the sky. These can be predicted as the satellites are times to the second. Again there are links if you do a google search. Some of these are very bright and have been mistaken in the past by members of the public as UFO's or 'shooting stars'.
Get out there and get lookin up......
Paul.......
| Whats to look at...... |
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06.05.08
I have been asked what is in the image of Ngc7000 that I have posted? Well I have tried to produce you a scaled map of the image with a couple of the objects listed on it.
Compare the map and image (open two sepatare screens). Can you spot some of the items?.
They are very small on the image due to a small camera lens taking the picture.
Just think the red nebula you see is around 1900 light years away and around 130 light years across!! Does that give you some idea of the scale of this image?
Try a search of the net for some close up images of the objects and see what they look like. If you want close up shots of any particular object let me know!
Paul.
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06.02.08
I have loaned a small pack away mount, called an astrotrac, from John. This allows me to mount my camera and lenses onto a standard photographic tripod and still track the stars.
I wanted this set up as due to the purchase of my caravan I have been spending quite a few weekends away over the last year and as such the astronomy has taken a back seat. Now due to this light weight set up and the tremendous dark sites I go to I think things may change this year.
My favourite astro images are wide field shots. So I am taking a step away from the large G11 mount for a while and will be seeing what potential I can get from the canon 20d and a few photographic lenses that I have acquired over the last few years.
A few days ago along with Gill and Cj I attended Holkham Hall in Norfolk where we stayed in the caravan for a few days. We managed to get one reasonably clear-ish night so I got the kit out.
Here is my first attempt with the astrotrac and the canon 70-200mm lens set to 70mm.
Had a little difficulty setting the polar alignment as I believe I need a geared head on the tripod to help on pin point accuracy.
This is 5x2min shots @f2.8 and 1x5min shot @f3.5 all stacked together. A little problem processing as my monitor is on the blink so I am struggling to get the colours right. Still I think this has made a pretty first light for the astrotrac.
The larger image of this is in the gallery 'Remember to alter the size of the image once you are in the gallery'.
Paul.......
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06.02.08
Hello and welcome to my updated blog. As you can see I have had a change around of the old site.
I have tried to keep the format similar, as I think it works well.
There is an improved gallery link at the right side of the page. This is where I shall put the larger images for you to browse at your leisure, with the smaller image on the blog itself.
If you have any questions, ideas or suggestions please either e-mail me or leave a comment on the blog itself.
On my part I will try to update the blog on a weekly basis, where possible, allowing for holidays or work.
Please leave you comments on the blog as this helps me to keep it going in the right direction. (Just click the comment box and type away!)
I will be placing all my older images into the gallery over the next few days/weeks.
Paul....
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