The Official Astronomy Thread

[Praemon]

Hey Denouncer

Congrats on the new scope and mount. Please post some pics once you get going. I am looking into a cg-5 as well as my current alt-az mount is doesnt seem to give more than 10 seconds before stars start dragging around. I know you dont want to deal online, but Andrie from Eridanus Optics (www.eridanusoptics.com ) has by far the widest range of astrophotography accessories (I know for a fact he has 40mm tubes) If you ask him to ship overnight you can have the tube by the w/e. I have a Hyperion Clickstop Zoom and find that I can easily focus without any tubes. So basically I go "camera-t2-m42adapter-eyepiece-scope" but it could be because I have a different scope. What are you planning on photographing (DSO's or planetary)? Anyways, Good luck, and keep us updated

Thanks for the reply, SYN.

I've actually been chatting to Andrie and found him very helpful. I've tried dealing with other online shops such as Technopro but their service is absolutely dismal. They never return phone calls or emails.

Anyways, I tried hooking up my camera last night, so it was: Camera -> T-Ring -> M42 Adapter -> Clickstop -> Diagonal -> Scope, but the end result was, well, just a lot of blackness (even up to 1 minute of exposure at the highest ISO). It was late, and freezing cold, so I didn't play around with the focuser after initially focusing it without the camera, so it could well have been bumped and gone out of focus giving the the blank images. Also, I was tracking awfully close to the roof of my house, so you it could've caught the edge of the roof

I'm still a bit lost as to whether I need more or less back focus. Ideally I want to do prime focus, but I'm finding it diffcult to get hold of a T-2 Adapter that fits a 2" barrel. I'm gonna try play around with the initial camera setup above and see if I can get a picture during the day. Hopefully I'll figure it out by trial and error

Regarding what type of objects I hope to capture, I'd obviously like to do large objects like the moon, and perhaps Jupiter and Saturn if I can zoom in without losing too much quality, but since my telescope is a fast, small apertured APO, I'm really going for the wide field shots of DSOs like nebulas and galaxies . Well, when I learn how to get something in focus

 

[SYN]

I have the same issues when shooting ep. projection (except my camera has live view making focusing a bit easier than trying to look through a view finder while focusing) You do realise that the focus point for visual and focus point for your camera are not the same right?.... I found this worked for me..... 1. Remove camera, leaving m42 adapter and T-ring screwed onto your ep. 2. Find, center and focus Sirius (a bright star easy to see through camera view finder) 3. Now re-atach your camera and then it is up to you if you are going to shoot and focus, or try look through the view finder and focus from there. 4. Have you got a remote for your camera, I looked (& sounded) like a complete fool at the Southern Star Party using the 10 sec delay going beep beeep beep bep bep bep beeeeeeeeeep, hoping the scope would stop shaking after trying to push the shutter release as softly as posible. Also it wouldnt be a bad idea to start out by piggybacking the camera for now. I have seen some amazing results especially toward the centre of the galaxy. On your point of getting the camera hooked up in prime focus, Andrie sold me the Baader T2-2" nosepiece too, this works wonders, and is MUCH easier to focus because of the wider field and lower mag. Hve fun, and post some pics. All I can see through my scope atm are clouds, really close up

 

[bubbatentoe]

I'm interested in getting a scope again but I can't decide which type.
I had a 8" dob while in Tanzania (great skies, no pollution) but I sold it many years ago.
& I've only used a dob, never anything else.
Astronomy wasn't big in Tz.


Are there any start parties in the JHb area anytime soon-ish?

 

[Crusader]

I'm interested in getting a scope again but I can't decide which type.
I had a 8" dob while in Tanzania (great skies, no pollution) but I sold it many years ago.
& I've only used a dob, never anything else.
Astronomy wasn't big in Tz.


Are there any start parties in the JHb area anytime soon-ish?

ScopeX would be your best bet to get some hands-on time with other types of scopes. It's on the 7th May and they have a star party from 5pm. www.scopex.co.za

 

[bubbatentoe]

you're kidding me.!!
having a b-day braai on Saturday.
too many people to cancel.

 

[jboyx989]

This coming week, four bright planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter) are low in the eastern sky before dawn. This is the tightest grouping of bright planets that has occurred yet in the 21st century.

http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/as..._planets_dance_in_the_early_morning_sky_1.asp

 

[Kalvaer]

Planetary Conjunction

Some Photo's I took this morning. Unforunately there is a small "koppie" in the east, so by the time I could actually spot Mars, the sun had started coming up and made it a bit hard to see.

Should be interesting to watch as the moon joins the four later on this month.

Stellarium image of what your looking at:

stellarium-001 by kalvaer, on Flickr

Some of the Photos:

Planetary conjunction (1 of 7) by kalvaer, on Flickr


Planetary conjunction (2 of 7) by kalvaer, on Flickr


Planetary conjunction (4 of 7) by kalvaer, on Flickr


Planetary conjunction (5 of 7) by kalvaer, on Flickr


Planetary conjunction (6 of 7) by kalvaer, on Flickr


Planetary conjunction (7 of 7) by kalvaer, on Flickr

 

[SYN]

Nice pics

Managed to see it a few days ago (on the 7th I think it was) and it was pretty cool then.
Unfortunately its been cloudy here in Cpt day and night for the last 3/4 days.
It is amazing how "fast" they move relative to each other each day.

 

[LazyLion]

http://mozillademos.org/demos/planetarium/demo.html

 

[Kalvaer]

Its been completely overcast and foggy here every morning since I took those as well. I haven't been able to see anything since

Guess I was lucky my son woke me up when he did last week

 

[bubbatentoe]

Just bought the following and can't wait for them to arrive.

1 x Baader Hyperion 8mm (I have a 9mm plossl)
1 x Televue Barlow 2x (I have Orion Shorty 2x)
1 x William Optics SWAN 15 & 1 x 20mm (I have 25mm & 32mm plossl)

I'm hoping to be VERY pleasantly surprised.

 

[bubbatentoe]

& I am.
VERY.

 

[caspa]

Just saw Saturn for the first time through a small telescope. Image was tiny but perfect clear. So awesome to see it with my own eyes.

 

[PilgrimToHyperion]

Just saw Saturn for the first time through a small telescope. Image was tiny but perfect clear. So awesome to see it with my own eyes.

+1

Just had the opportunity as well. Went to a astronomy meet with about 50 other people, there were about 30 scopes in all shapes & sizes. Awesome experience!

 

[caspa]

+1

Just had the opportunity as well. Went to a astronomy meet with about 50 other people, there were about 30 scopes in all shapes & sizes. Awesome experience!

Makes you want to just rush out and buy a scope.

 

[SYN]

Makes you want to just rush out and buy a scope.

My advice is DO IT!, but make sure you know what you want to do be4 you go spending too much cash.
I have been into astronomy for about a year and a half now, and already onto my 3rd scope.
Now im trying to pluck up the courage to tell my wife about the mount I want for my birthday..... and christmas.
This is a great hobby, If you think Saturn is awsome, wait until you see what else is up there.
I took a photo of the ring nebula last night from my back yard in the city with a moonlit sky and was so amazed at the result I could harldy sleep.

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=10312&d=1310307951

Please note that I have just started imaging and my setup is hardly up to scratch.

 

[Crusader]

That's a great result! I'm weary of trying imaging since it's such a huge money pit. I've tried to curb my spending on astronomy this year. There's always some new toy you just HAVE to have.

 

[porn$tar]

Just saw Saturn for the first time through a small telescope. Image was tiny but perfect clear. So awesome to see it with my own eyes.

Saw it at the observatory in Observatory last night, rings and all.

 

[caspa]

My advice is DO IT!, but make sure you know what you want to do be4 you go spending too much cash.
I have been into astronomy for about a year and a half now, and already onto my 3rd scope.
Now im trying to pluck up the courage to tell my wife about the mount I want for my birthday..... and christmas.
This is a great hobby, If you think Saturn is awsome, wait until you see what else is up there.
I took a photo of the ring nebula last night from my back yard in the city with a moonlit sky and was so amazed at the result I could harldy sleep.

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=10312&d=1310307951

Please note that I have just started imaging and my setup is hardly up to scratch.

OMG....what a pic....awesome

Would you mind sharing what setup you have? i am planning on getting my self sorted with some basic equipment in a month or so...

 

[SYN]

That's a great result! I'm weary of trying imaging since it's such a huge money pit. I've tried to curb my spending on astronomy this year. There's always some new toy you just HAVE to have.

I have no the exact same setup as you Crusader (I think). I have just been spent hours on the net working out how to best tweak it for imaging. I am having issues now deciding whether I must push a Alt-Az setup as far as it can go, or just bite the bullet and get a good eq mount. For some reason I am not getting any good planetary shots.