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10/12/2005 10:56:43 PM · #1 |
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10/12/2005 10:58:07 PM · #2 |
Do you own a telescope?
Accessory
Message edited by author 2005-10-12 22:59:30. |
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10/12/2005 11:01:10 PM · #3 |
| nope, that would be too easy :) |
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10/12/2005 11:05:38 PM · #4 |
Get somewhere very dark. If no tripod....Set your cam to lowest appeture...+1000 speed for 30sec....lay cam on ground facing up...snap...don't reflect any light on cam...wait...shutter will close...you will have many stars with very little streaking...
Oh...try to use 50mm or "wider" lens...no zoom or telephoto....
Experiment with the "speed" and appeture....
I've done it and it works pretty good.
KS |
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10/12/2005 11:06:05 PM · #5 |
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10/12/2005 11:13:10 PM · #6 |
| well, i'm sure some will cringe but i was looking at this |
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10/12/2005 11:13:59 PM · #7 |
There are a number of different types of digital astrophotography. Depends what you're interested in taking shots of. The most difficult targets are things like faint galaxies.
One place to start would be wide-field milky way shots. For that all you need is your camera, a tripod, fast lens, shutter release cable (or timer), and dark skies.
Open up the aperture, set the shutter speed to 30 seconds, focus to infinity, point the camera at an interesting area of the night sky (milky way is good place to start) And take the shot.
For the full setup, to get these colourful detailed shots of deep sky objects, you'll need something like: 10" compound scope, tracking mount and tripod (critical), adapters, software, cables etc. You won't get much change from $10k.
But you could pick up a 70mm refractor and a modified webcam and start taking stacked shots of the moon and planets for $100-$200 |
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10/12/2005 11:14:50 PM · #8 |
what are you wanting to photo. after that answer you may find your self in another VERY expensive hobby.
Im on my 3rd& 4th telescope and 3rd mount now.
The moon is easy, just need a steady tripod. other stuff well, not so easy. need to have some type of mount that can track the stars across the sky. For widefield shots (ie. 8mm to roughly 50mm) you need something that can track ok for a few minutes.
if you want to get galaxies and nebula's you will need a pretty good mount that can track pretty accurately (prefered method is an equitorial mount). Or get a mount that can accept inputs from a guide scope using a web cam.
There are expensive ways and less expensive ways of doing astro photography. just depends on what you want.
James |
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10/12/2005 11:18:53 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by RebAl:
well, i'm sure some will cringe but i was looking at this |
im not cringing but this lens is not the best option. it can work. I saw where someone took the lens apart so it could focus to true infinity for astrophotography.
James |
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10/12/2005 11:19:41 PM · #10 |
To use any telephot lens you will need to have some kind of "tracking" hardware. If you use a telephoto and leave the shutter open for only a few seconds, you will get "streaks" and not stars. The higher the telephoto the less time the lens can be opened...
Example at 35mm you usually get streaks after about 30 secs.... On that 500 mm you will get less "sky" and the stars you photograph will be "streaks" not "starlike"
KS
Originally posted by RebAl:
well, i'm sure some will cringe but i was looking at this |
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10/12/2005 11:20:15 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by RebAl:
well, i'm sure some will cringe but i was looking at this |
For astrophotography? - I wouldn't recommend it. For anything astronomy related it's not the focal length that matters, it's the aperture. And the aperture of that lens is 72mm with a central obstruction.
Might be okay for daylight stuff (as the description states), but I think you'll just end up frustrated if you want to do any astrophotography with it.
One thing I forgot to mention is that it's a good idea to try out some normal astronomy first. Learn your way around (if you haven't already), and set your expectations! - It's not for the faint-hearted.... :-) |
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10/12/2005 11:23:38 PM · #12 |
I know we can offer up a ton of advise here on DPC but the best I can give is for you to find an astronomy club in your area, find out when they meet and have a look at the set ups they have. Ask all kinds of questions. because there are just about as many ways to tackle astrophotography as there are stars in the sky. you just need to find what fits to your liking.
James |
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10/12/2005 11:27:35 PM · #13 |
As James already posted, as you move up in focal length, it gets much harder. Without a tracking mount, you want a very wide lens, 24mm or wider. A 15mm fisheye works wonderfully. With a fisheye, exposures of up to 30s will result in pretty nice images with almost no trailing of the stars. High ISO and a fast lens helps.
Things get much more difficult at long focal lengths. Not only do you need a tracking mount, but you need to be able to preciesely align it to the Earth's axis of rotation. Then you can track for up to 2-10 minutes without excessive error, depending on focal length and the accuracy of alignment. BTW, a tracking mount does not need to be horrendously expensive; a mount suitable for most work with moderate focal lengths can be had for a few hunderd dollars, especially second hand. You do need to know what you're buying, though.
Required exposures for deep-sky objects range from 30s to 10+ minutes. for some objects, multiple exposures work best. For faint objects, a very dark site may be a must.
The best way to start is with wide-angle photography. You can gain a ton of experience, and move up to longer focl lengths gradually.
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10/12/2005 11:34:07 PM · #14 |
just to give you an idea of whats ahead for you here is my BEST image of the Orion Nebula (M42) taken with my D60. I know I can get a better shot, it just takes time to work out my procedures.
Orion
here is a guys image in my astronomy club of the same object using a Canon 10D.
M42 By Randy Brewer
now here is a shot of the same object using a true CCD camera and some kick but equipment. This guy has some of the best images I have seen. He is a pretty cool guy I met a few years ago.
Russell Croman
also there is a lot to learn about processing and stacking images.
James
Message edited by author 2005-10-12 23:36:08. |
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10/13/2005 01:03:12 AM · #15 |
I am just beginning to play with it... I bought a Celestron 127mm refractor, with "manual drive" - no tracking devices. I took this one of the moon just minutes ago - it is very good for that. for any serious tracking this telescope probably won't do too good.
here's what I came up with:
For tracking stars there is a way to make a simple barndoor tracker (I haven't gotten to building one, but I will very soon
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10/13/2005 03:57:09 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by jab119:
now here is a shot of the same object using a true CCD camera and some kick but equipment. This guy has some of the best images I have seen. He is a pretty cool guy I met a few years ago.
Russell Croman
also there is a lot to learn about processing and stacking images.
James |
Eh, that Russell guy needs to try a little harder :-)
Amazing stuff.
-Chad |
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10/13/2005 04:33:13 PM · #17 |
Re: Russell Croman's work. Just a quick "off the cuff" estimate of his investment in hardware:
Optics: 14" f/10 RCOS Ritchey-Chrétien Cassegrain.
$10,000
Mount: Astro-Physics AP1200GTO.
$5,000
Camera: STL-11000XM.
$2,000 (total guess, SBIG CCD cameras have improved and dropped in price, just like all other digital cameras, could be much, much more)
Filters: SBIG standard RGB.
$800
That's just the big ticket items. He likely has a permanent observatory, and many, many more accessories. This guy has a chunk of coin invested in amateur astroimaging, and it shows! |
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10/13/2005 04:35:00 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by strangeghost:
Re: Russell Croman's work. Just a quick "off the cuff" estimate of his investment in hardware:
Optics: 14" f/10 RCOS Ritchey-Chrétien Cassegrain.
$10,000
Mount: Astro-Physics AP1200GTO.
$5,000
Camera: STL-11000XM.
$2,000 (total guess, SBIG CCD cameras have improved and dropped in price, just like all other digital cameras, could be much, much more)
Filters: SBIG standard RGB.
$800
That's just the big ticket items. He likely has a permanent observatory, and many, many more accessories. This guy has a chunk of coin invested in amateur astroimaging, and it shows! |
Check out the equipment he lists on his site and you can at least double out the outlay!!
Steve |
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10/13/2005 04:47:08 PM · #19 |
I've got a MEADE etx-90
quite affordable (got mine second hand) great optics and a motorized mount. Autostar is great for newbies & its easy to attach a SLR...but i havent got round to that yet!
With the ETX-90 its the equivalent of a 1250mm lens |
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10/13/2005 06:40:08 PM · #20 |
Originally posted by strangeghost:
Re: Russell Croman's work. Just a quick "off the cuff" estimate of his investment in hardware:
Optics: 14" f/10 RCOS Ritchey-Chrétien Cassegrain.
$10,000
Mount: Astro-Physics AP1200GTO.
$5,000
Camera: STL-11000XM.
$2,000 (total guess, SBIG CCD cameras have improved and dropped in price, just like all other digital cameras, could be much, much more)
Filters: SBIG standard RGB.
$800
That's just the big ticket items. He likely has a permanent observatory, and many, many more accessories. This guy has a chunk of coin invested in amateur astroimaging, and it shows! |
you missed the Software Bisque Paramount ME Robotic mount and 20 inch RC optical System scope. Its not listed on his site under equipment, but I know he has it. Its listed under some of his latest photos. thats about a $10K to $12K mount. Some of his recent stuff has all been automated. he lives many miles away from his observatory and controls it all via the web.
If you click on his observatory link under the equipment link you will his new set up. Probablly cosy more than my house.
James |
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