tibbs1972

If you want to use RAW mode, I found some batch converting software at the link below to to convert to jpegs.

search for STEPOK raw importer on www.freewarefiles.com

Orion is at a reasonable height about 0200. Starts to fade out around 6am with sunrise. I took the shots at 0515. I'm not sure why I woke up that early on a Sunday, but I made the most of it.

Cheers

Thanks for your comment.

I've Just been out to have a look. I was doing fine, but it clouded over a couple of minutes ago.

I had a great view of orion this morning when I woke up , I'll have to try and get up early to get a few snaps tomorrow morning if its clear.

Clear here tonight

Using the Cannon EOS software on my laptop, I set the exposure time to bulb.

Once this is done, the timing functions incorporated into the software can be used.

For some reason on occasion, I have to switch the camera off and on again to get the timer icon in the software to operate, but this isn't a big issue.

I found that you need to set a total time interval of at least double the exposure time to allow the camera and software to process the imange plus a 5-10sec delay.

eg.

A 60 sec (RAW format) exposure will take about 130 sec to complete 1 cycle before the camera takes the next image.

Just heading out again, can't believe we are getting 2 nights in a row.

Thanks for the kind comments.

I've managed to get the timer working on my camera with 30sec intervals now, which makes tihngs a little bit easier.

I can now let the camera takes the shots, while I worry about keeping the object centered and focused.

Neil

Thanks Isabelle,

Hopefully, I'll get some better images now the nights are longer.

Neil.

Yep, I was pretty please to finally spot Mars, I uploaded the photo to my latest blog entry.

Neil

Pat,

Thanks for the offer, I got hold of a philips camera a few weeks back from Telescopehouse. I had a go, but found the settings difficult to adjust and didn't really achieve anything

I'll have another crack at it when I have some time and patience to work out the camera settings etc.

Thanks again.

Neil

Thanks for your comments. I've got a barlow that came with the scope, but it ruins the image. I'm not going to buy any more parts, as I would prefer to save cash and go for a goto dobsonian next year.

I'll make do with the kit I've got and try to get more exposures and try to imrove my stacking skills.

Neil

I just noticed on stellarium that if I'm lucky, about 5am, I might see Mars rise in the east before dawn. That would be a special occasion for me, as I never observed Mars before.

Hi Pat,

Just watched your video, amazing footage. I watch Jupiter pass most nights and when I spot it through my scope, I'm always jealous of you pro's with your larger scopes. I can just make out the rings and moons with my 130mm scope. One day I'll get myself a 12" scope. Until then, keep up the good work and thanks for sharing the video.

Neil

Thanks for the comments everybody and the useful tip about focusing. I've never heard of a Bahtinov mask, I'll do some reading.

Neil

I caught the seven sisters last night as well, always a welcome sight. I haven't got a wide angle lens to capture the whole cluster though. More expense !

Great to see Jupiter out the past few nights, although I'm starting to Yawn at work in the afternoons.

I think I saw Callisto, but it was slightly out of focus compared to the other moons. I think it may be the distance. I could be wrong. It was more to the right.

Hope you had a clear night.

Great video, nicely done, good work there.

I spotted the moons myself this morning, as it was a really crisp clear night.

It's the first time I've spotted those 3 moons since I bought the Telescope back in January. Another notch to add to the Astronomy belt.

I also added a light pollution filter to my lens and just managed to make out the cloud bands. Pretty chuffed to finally observe them myself.

Neil

Hi,

Thanks for the advice again and the rest of your comments.

I put 3 darks in and 3 flats. Still learning. Next time, I will bump up the ISO and try to remove the orange.

Neil

Thanks again, I'm not suire I can stand outside and take 100 shots, I might drop off.

Anyway, good luck with your next attempt.

Neil

Thanks for the support.

Well done, nice to see some recognition for all the long hours spent observing.

Neil ( Tibbs )

Thanks for your comments, I'm waiting for another clear night now, so that I can have another go and also get some more Darks and Flats as well.

I believe you get flat images by covering the lens with something like a cloth or paper and shining a light through it. Is this correct ?

Neil

Morning

I've uploaded the origional stacked tiff to my website.

It can be downloaded from the link below.

I'd use save target as, as its a 58MB file.

http://www.tibbles.co.uk/cassieopeia.html

Neil

Hi Pat,

The widefield image is from a single exposure.

Last night, I took fifty 30sec exposures, so I have got a lot of raw material to work with, but I have not tried to stack them yet.

I bought myself a descent tripod, which helped immensly, much easier than being mounted on my telescope.

I've never stacked any pictures with any success so far, I need to do a bit of reading and play around.

Is Registax the only free software ?

Best regards

Neil

Well done, keep up the good work.