Author Topic: Geek Alert: first astrophoto attempts (Read 2079 times)

GrimCO · « **Reply #15 on:** July 25, 2003, 09:17:44 AM »

Hey there LePaul,

Actually, the depending on the size telescope you are looking at, it's often the cheapest part. A good mount costs around $1500, and a decent 8 or 10" scope will cost around $800-$1000.

If you're not going to take pictures with it, I'd recommend a Dobsonian Scope. You can pick up a nice 10" one for about $700.

Mini D · « **Reply #16 on:** July 25, 2003, 09:18:53 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by LePaul
Pffft....and they mock me for building an R2-D2

And we still do. Wab's geekiness might yield cool pics of our solar system. Your's might yield pics of something that (hopefully?) looks identical to a trash can we've seen in 5 movies.

Next thing you know, you'll be making light saber videos in your garage.

MiniD

CptTrips · « **Reply #17 on:** July 25, 2003, 09:39:21 AM »

Hey Grim,

outstanding photo. I'm still debating about the ccd. You're right they are over priced it seems. Not sure I have the patience for film.

Le Paul,

Like Grim said, it all depends on what you're looking for. They'll let you spend as much money as you want.

Here is mine.

Wab

Creamo · « **Reply #18 on:** July 25, 2003, 09:57:05 AM »

Very cool.

Gremlin · « **Reply #19 on:** July 25, 2003, 10:34:38 AM »

Wow Wabbit, nice photos:) I've been into astronomy for many years. I was vice-charman of our national astronomy club for a couple of years. I got a 16" Dobsonion reflector and a 12.5" reflector on a german equatorial mount. I've never been very good at astrophotography. My squaddie Grayarea was always much better at that, some of his photos are available at http://www.emprise.ie

I will post some of my meagre attempts tho a lil later:) Got some craking photos of comet hale-bopp.

Recently I read an article in S&T about using webcams to get reasonable quality astrophotos, by stacking individual frames, that got me thinkin and i though well if a crappy webcam can do it what about my 4megapixel digicam? So I set up poking the camera lens thru the eyepiece and got some lovely lunar photos. Later in the year i plan to upgrade my kit a bit and get a real astro ccd.

CptTrips · « **Reply #20 on:** August 16, 2003, 12:41:27 PM »

Gremlin,

Those were nice pics on that site but the next time I went there I couldn't load the site.

The other weekend was rainy so I stayed home a tweaked some previous images. I was able to tease out a little more detail on Mars by stacking 30 frames.

a little better mars

Not very good but still an improvement over the previous attempt.

I'm going out again this weekend to make another try. Trying to get things worked out before memorial day weekend when Mars is at its absolute closest.

There are a couple of technical issues I hope to solve:

1. I got vibration pads for the tripod feet. I was using such high magnification that just walking around the telescope on the concrete pad caused noticable image shake. I hope the pads damp this out a bit.

2. I learned how to properly collimate my system. I was worried about messing with it last time even though I suspected it was slightly off. I'm going to take plenty of time at the begining of this next session very carefully getting everything as perfectly aligned as I possibly can.

3. I don't think I was getting perfect focus. I purchased a kendrick kwik-focus hartman mask to assist me.

4. I've purchased a toucam pro and adapter for planetary imaging. Seems to be one of the favorites. I've also got a IR blocking filter.

5. I need to bite the bullet and wait up until Mars trasits at its highest point. When its lower on the horizon, I was fighting too much blurring atmospheric dispersion. Luckily Mars is transiting at about 2:30am now instead of 4:30am a couple of months about.

Anyway, I hope to get some better data tonight.

Wab

Duedel · « **Reply #21 on:** August 16, 2003, 04:29:24 PM »

Great Wabbit - carry on

hyena426 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 16, 2003, 04:41:36 PM »

very nice,, i been lookin around for some good scopes,,and i think im pretty much sold on the discovery dobsonion 12.5 inch,,looks like a very nice scope and from all the experts i have talked to about scopes told me i would not be unhappy with discovery dob's,, guess there very well made,,over size barrings,,and very weather proof,,i heard cheap dobs will soak up moister and could ruin your tube,,im hoping to get mine by the end of the year,,long as everything goes great

Hawklore · « **Reply #23 on:** August 16, 2003, 09:11:01 PM »

When I went through space moutain at disney.. My mind realy started to wander in the thoughts of other things out there..

Nice pics Wabbit, some of those pics might be good enough to..err..publish?

Gremlin · « **Reply #24 on:** August 17, 2003, 07:19:26 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by AKWabbit
The other weekend was rainy so I stayed home a tweaked some previous images. I was able to tease out a little more detail on Mars by stacking 30 frames.
Not very good but still an improvement over the previous attempt.

Really nice Wab, I've seen some really great shots where images used for stacking (say 30 like in your case) were handpicked from hundreds actually taken and only the ones where the 'seeing' was just right were used. Some of Jack Newtons stuff is blinding.

Quote

Originally posted by AKWabbit
1. I got vibration pads for the tripod feet. I was using such high magnification that just walking around the telescope on the concrete pad caused noticable image shake. I hope the pads damp this out a bit.

Get yourself a felt mat to lay around your rig so that when you have to move about the felt mat will absorb most of the impact of your feet. You could try losing some weight too

Quote

Originally posted by AKWabbit
2. I learned how to properly collimate my system. I was worried about messing with it last time even though I suspected it was slightly off. I'm going to take plenty of time at the begining of this next session very carefully getting everything as perfectly aligned as I possibly can.

You collimate manually or do you use one of those laser collimating devices. I always found that there is really no substitute for collimating with a high mag eyepiece and a mag 2 star.

Quote

Originally posted by AKWabbit
3. I don't think I was getting perfect focus. I purchased a kendrick kwik-focus hartman mask to assist me.

Although I;ve never done CCD work, from reading it seems that the 'knife edge' method of focussing seems to provide the best repeatable results.

Quote

Originally posted by AKWabbit
Anyway, I hope to get some better data tonight.

Ill be looking forward to seeing those results:) You've got me all excited about astronomy again. Think its time to dust the rig off and get to work:)

~~Grem.~~

Gremlin · « **Reply #25 on:** August 17, 2003, 07:30:02 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by hyena426
very nice,, i been lookin around for some good scopes,,and i think im pretty much sold on the discovery dobsonion 12.5 inch,,looks like a very nice scope and from all the experts i have talked to about scopes told me i would not be unhappy with discovery dob's,, guess there very well made,,over size barrings,,and very weather proof,,i heard cheap dobs will soak up moister and could ruin your tube,,im hoping to get mine by the end of the year,,long as everything goes great

I always use scopes with pvc or aluminium tubing rather than that sonotube stuff. From what I understand the sonotube is usually just overpainted rather than soaked in resin to make it completely waterproof, so when the paintwork gets scratched as it inevitably will the it soaks up the moisture like a sponge. Saying that I know a guy who used sonotube and actually gave it the required treatment with resin and he never had any bother with it at all. I'd just double check that before you buy.

hyena426 · « **Reply #26 on:** August 17, 2003, 03:23:19 PM »

ya,,i been checking on that,,,just the sono tube crap is so much cheaper,,for a reason i guess,,lol,,im sure with right treatments like you said it would get you along way with out soaking up,,,i heard the meade dobs were bad at doing that,,horrible water proofing,,but im sure its just how it was put together,,thanks for the input,,i will defenatly look for pvc or aluminuim tubes,,and if i get stuck with a sono tube,,i will defenatly take your advice about resin treament

CptTrips · « **Reply #27 on:** August 18, 2003, 07:52:03 PM »

Hyena,

I think a good quality Dob is an excellent choice for a first scope. Just simple point and look. Very easy to set up, very easy to use. Forces you to learn a little bit of where things are in the sky. I'd say 8" minimum. I think 10" would be optimal. (warning...dobs are pretty much visual use only).

The cardboard sono-tube is a double edged sword. On one hand, I have heard that over time, if not maintained, and used in wet conditions can begin to absorb moisture and swell and blister.

On the other hand, its cheap enough that every couple of years the tube could be replaced and just transfer the hardware.

On the good side, its very very cheap, especially compared to an equally sized aluminium tube.

It has superior thermal qualities to an aluminium tube.

It has superiour vibration damping qualities to an aluminium tube.

I can't speak to a particular brand (I built my own dob including grinding the mirror), but I think a well made 10" dob would give you years of enoyment, a fairly serious instrument, and at a reasonable cost.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Still on my quest for a descent Mars photo....

My first attempt:

My second:

Last weekend:

What you should take note here is what I hope increasing quality as I work this out, and also the noticably shrinking polar cap (frozen carbon dioxide - dry ice) over time as Mars come closer to the Sun.

Wab

hyena426 · « **Reply #28 on:** August 18, 2003, 08:08:47 PM »

well lucky i live out in the country in a high desart in washington state,,there isnt much rain here,,and hardly any lights,,heck you can see the stars great with out a scope,,but i wanna see more,, and in the area im at i should be able to see some fantastic stuff.

thx for all your imput,,i can see the diffrences in sono tube,,i guess there is good and bad to it,,it is alot cheaper,,the discovery dobsonion i been looking at,,,12.5<~~mite as well get a big one,,lol looks like a great deal and very nice hardwear,,and from all the dealers i been talking too,,half of them own a discovery dob and the othere half who own meade's told me to get a discorvery if i wanted a good quality dob,, with fantastic mirror,and great over sized barrings in the base,,,i have talked to a ton of scope dealers this year and rote a few owners online about dobs,,they all seem to like discovery

after i own one and get the hang of it,,maybe ill make my own dob,,thx all,, ps akwabbit,,those are some cool pics you been taking,,keep it up,,,,hope to be able to share some of my own by the end of the year:)

Gremlin · « **Reply #29 on:** August 19, 2003, 07:12:37 AM »

Hyena,

One of my scopes is a 12.5 inch reflector and it really is superb. What Wabbit says is spot on 8inch minimum, but if ya can afford the 12.5inch straight off, you wont regret it. You mentioned making a scope yerself, I've done it a couple of times and its a snip. I suggest you purchase the optics first time and then have a go at making the optics yourself later. IF you want the 'holy bible' on mirror making then get 'Telescope Making' By Jean Texereau. It really is the best available. A little dated but still right up there.

Wabbit, man that last photo is fabulous. Some guys try for years and dont get results like that. Have you processed the photo in any way? (apart from stacking). Have you used any MED (Maximum Entropy Deconvolution) algorithms? These can bring out details that you just wouldnt beleive possible. Problem is software like 'Maxim DL' which do this are rather expensive. As a computer programmer, I have often thought about writing such software but I really havent had the motivation so far. Hmmm perhaps I should do a bit of research and see If I can get hold of the algorithm on the net. I'll keep ya posted.

BTW would you object to your photo being published in a local Irish astronomy magazine? There wouldnt be any money involved but I could arrange for a copy to be sent to you.

Keep of the good work:)

Clear Skies,

Grem.