Camera Labs

Best yet - I can see the cloud bands now



2650mm f/26 1/10s ISO400
7 shots manually selected from the evening's takings, cooked by registax, garnish with a light application of photoshop.

I really need to get that webcam...

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

That is a very good attempt. You got more then I could ever get out of my DSLR for planets.

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Canon T2i (550D)- Tamron 17-50 F2.8 Non-VC, Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM, Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4.5-F5.6
http://www.astronomyphotography.com

Seeing was variable at the time. For an average of maybe 1 second in 10 it would stabilise enough and I could see two red bands in the middle by eye. With the camera on, it looked similar, and I just tried to time the shutter presses to when it was good. Snag is live view goes out of magnified view after each shot, so either I had to re-zoom (and wait for vibrations to stabilise again) or just try to tell from the small image and hope for the best. I did a mix of both. Took 60 shots in total, including some longer ones to bring out the moons but blowing out the planet in process.

Anyway, I have the cheap meade imager on order now

Tonight I just played about a bit with the 5 inch newtonian. I never used it much for two reasons: In initial testing the prime focus is too far in to use with a camera, and secondly I'm too lazy to figure out and set up the equatorial mount. I never got round to seriously using the computer control on the other scope either! This time I blindly set up how I think it works, guessing where north is and playing with the motor. I wasn't that far out for guessing, with only a slow drift on up/down plane and with some patience I could set the right speed to sort out the left/right drift. Now I need to find the manual again and see what I should have done.

Even if I can't use it with a camera, I can do piggyback with it... but there doesn't seem to be any really bright objects in view at the moment.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

M31 is high enough now. 30 sec exposure should be enough to bring out some details without trailing. You can also try M13 in the Hercules constellation. 2 of my favorite target.

Setting up an EQ mount is not that difficult. If you have a polar scope in your mount is makes it even easier. I use a green laser through the mount polar scope to align myself on Polaris. What I have learn, even with the best EQ mount, it's almost impossible not to introduce drifting after 3-5 min. One of the best purchase I did was an Orion StarShoot Autoguider and a Orion ST80 refractor has a guiding scope. 10+ minutes exposure are now possible to really catch faint fuzzy details.

Even with all the equipment, I failed miserably on Jupiter. DSLR and planets are a difficult combo. a cheap modify webcam will yield better result.

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Canon T2i (550D)- Tamron 17-50 F2.8 Non-VC, Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM, Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4.5-F5.6
http://www.astronomyphotography.com

Weather allowing I might have to try those.

The biggest problem I have with setting up an eq mount is that I live mid terrace. I can only look south, or I can only look north. Not both at once. As most of the interesting stuff is south, I don't have a north reference beyond using a compass.

I have posted this before, but this was an earlier attempt at Saturn.



I have to wonder though, how much quality is possible given the diffraction limit of my scope (4 inch).

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

If you go out of the city, 4inch is more then sufficient for planetary viewing. LP is your worst enemy. Yes, you are right, South has the more interesting stuff. I have the same trouble, I can only see north from my balcony. I found several location (thanks to google map) that I can setup my gear too. You will be amaze of how much difference it makes from a Orange to a Blue/Green Zone. Black zone are obviously the best.

I went to a blue zone 2 weeks ago and now I am spoiled. It hard to go back to orange/yellow zone.

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Canon T2i (550D)- Tamron 17-50 F2.8 Non-VC, Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM, Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4.5-F5.6
http://www.astronomyphotography.com

LP doesn't really affect planetary, unless the built up area itself makes seeing worse. As I'm very much impulsive, I've not got round to driving out for a spot yet. Trouble around here is you're never far from a built up area, and all public spaces are closed off at night.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

My first attempt with the imager.


2650mm f/26 1/4 second individual frames
Stack of up to 153 images I put through registax shown 100% crop. But of tidying up in photoshop.

I really need to get tracking sorted out some time as I manually tracked by remote. A USB extension cable would help too.

The controls of the imager weren't very friendly with a slow screen update so I doubt the focus is exact.

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.