What's the next step?

[Shadow_Cosmos]

Hi,

I have done a bit of basic imaging of the Moon, along with some fuzzy shots of Jupiter, and I am wondering what to do next. My current setup is a Skywatcher 150p Dob and a Panasonic TZ10 compact digital camera, and I'm looking to improve on this, in order to achieve better images.

My budget is very small, only about £200, although I am willing to sell my telescope, if it comes to that, which should get about £100 - £130. There are a few different types of imagery that I would like to do.

I am aware that equipment such as an equatorial mount and motor drive are needed for long-exposure Deep Sky photography, which would cost too much, and I have pretty much ruled that out.

I am also interested in getting a DSLR camera and doing some wide-field images of constellations, and perhaps some startrails, so if anyone could recommend a good DSLR camera (new or not) for <£200 that would be helpful (I am not sure if there are any!)

Another option, I think, would be to get a planetary imager as that would be an easier way to get better images, so does anyone know of a cheap one that might be good, and also able to connect to a Macbook, rather than a Windows PC.

Or might it be better just to upgrade my telescope, perhaps to a wider aperture? Thank you for your help.

[ronin]

You really do need some form of tracking, and that is the problem.

For planetary imaging most simply use a webcam, there has to be a webcam for a Mac that you can use. You would have to get the lens off the from of the webcam.

After that you get the resultant movie - avi file, and process that. Which where the first problem comes in getting a stacking program for a Mac, not sure if Registax has a Mac version.

Not sure what to suggest. Selling the present scope really is not a great help. For planets you can use a 127 Mak on an Alt/Az mount but that limits you to planets and there is not a lot of them. 3 at last count, and when Mars goes it will not appear again for 2 years. So that leaves 2.

Realistically you will have to consider a driven equitorial and even a achro refractor - I would avoid the ST80 type as at f/5 they have problems. There is an 80mm 600mm achro from RVO @£220 and a 70mm 500mm achro from TS @£190.

Next catch is both are too short for planets so a 3x or 5x barlow would be needed,

There seems no simple answer, to limit expenditure you may get a mount on the used market, but smallish inexpensive achros do not appear much, except the ST80's. Mountwise nothing less then an EQ3-2 and even tht is a bit too lightweight/shakey.

Will say that if the camera you have does not have the oiption to remove the lens then it is unsuitable also.

Someone else may have better ideas but I cannot come up with anything.

To an extent it is keep the 150 for visual and start saving for an inexpensive basic imaging rig. One thing with this is that you will likely soon want to upgrade mount and scope. So if you did this then get a used EQ5 with motors as you could use that for some time. It would save a little in the long run.

[Pete Presland]

the Canon 350d and 18mm-55mm kit lens do turn up 2nd hand regularly. this would be ok for static imaging on a tripod, doing widefield and star trails ect...

[wxsatuser]

For dslr go to somewhere like WEX and have a look in there used section.

There are some real low shutter count bargains that turnup, if you don't mind a few marks here and there.

Bid your time and I'm sure something will turnup.

A 450d.....shutter 1000 £130

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-used-canon-eos-450d-digital-slr-camera-body/p1558150

A 550d for £190.....shutter 6400..........this has cropped video mode......ideal for planets and moon.

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-used-canon-eos-550d-digital-slr-camera-body/p1558670

[ollypenrice]

The budget is really impossible for doing all that you mention.

First you need a DSLR, a problem solved for you by wxsatuser above! Sorted.

Now you need to track the sky. There is no workable mount that I can think of that can carry a scope for imaging in this budget. That includes second hand.

For this your best bet would be to try to buy or build a barn door tracker. That will Google. At very short focal lengths accurate tracking is not needed. Use camera lenses insead of scopes to keep them short. This will allow you to use a rudimentary tracking system and lean all about darks, flats, stacking and post processing etc. These are the real skills of imaging.

If you can find the free stacking software for your Mac you would be able to do planetary imaging in your Dob. A fiddle but people manage it. PCs ae far better supported for astronomy, it must be said, not that I'm a Bill Gates fan. Far from it.

Olly

[Shadow_Cosmos]

Ok guys, thanks for all your help, I really appreciate that you all took the time to make those suggestions! I think that I will look for a 2nd hand DSLR.

Thanks again!

[sgazer]

You camera has got full manual control. Take it to a fairly dark site on a tripod, point it towards the middle of the Milky way, wide angle, set the self timer to avoid shake, about 20s exposure iso 1600 and you'll be amazed at what it captures. Take 9 shots of the same and stack in dss to reduce the noise.

Attached is a single shot only from my panasonic fz200 (excuse the rough processing).

[Marky1973]

Shader- great picture, what are the details of the ISO/exposure etc for that one, if you don't mind me asking and mildly hijacking the thread?

For the OP if you do enjoy a bit of crafting, a Barn Door Tracker is a fun project. I've put one together myself, just not had a chance to really check it out probably yet because of the summer skies. Use Google and search this forum for loads of info on them.

[Marky1973]

Sgazer - great picture, what are the details of the ISO/exposure etc for that one, if you don't mind me asking and mildly hijacking the thread?

For the OP if you do enjoy a bit of crafting, a Barn Door Tracker is a fun project. I've put one together myself, just not had a chance to really check it out properly yet because of the summer skies. Use Google and search this forum for loads of info on them.

[Marky1973]

That's the last time I post on a mobile. ...sorry for the double post and dodgy spelling...perhaps a mod could delete the first? I'm not sure I can.

[sgazer]

the key thing is, this was a reasonably dark camp site about 1 hour out of Melbourne, so the 'cloud' of the milkyway was already visible by eye (not just a few stars).

Settings were; 25mm, F2.8, 20s ISO 1600. FZ200 is a small sensor bridge camera so same sensor as many compacts. Anyone with a compact with manual controls should try this on a fixed tripod, or even just the boot of your car!

Here's the original prior to Photoshop.

[Marky1973]

Cheers!

[Shadow_Cosmos]

Thank you Sgazer, I will definitely try that. There is a forest a half hour drive from my house, so I will probably go there.

By the way, that's an amazing photo! How much time do you have to spend processing and editing the images to achieve that sort of quality?