Stardust

Almost full Moon tonight, Xt2 on an OMC140 ,2 x  30 second videos shot, converted to avi then the best 150 frames were stacked and stitched together

48 minutes ago, johnfosteruk said:

Lovely image with really good colour, well done

 

Thanks you. Just seeing what I can get out of my Fuji camera to see if it's a worth while Luna tool. Itching to try the ZWO224 when the weather allows

2 hours ago, woodblock said:

Hi, I've just done my first few tryouts with Lunar imaging. Not too bad I think but I'm really impressed with your pictures. I can see I've got a bit to learn. But I'm curious about the evident colour on your pictures. You mention colour saturation experiments. So is the colour on your pictures real but just enhanced and if I wanted to look into that myself where would be a good place to start?

Cheers

Steve

 

Hi Steve, The colour is there with just increased levels of saturation. In photoshop or any software that allows layers. This only had 5 saturation layers  each one a copy of the previous. Can't tell you my settings as I can't remember, still fiddling around. The colour ads a new dimension for me, just the weather has really interfered with my new found enthusiasm.    

Another shot with the fuji/mak combo. It was just to see how well a mirrorless camera in video mode work work out. Not to shabby compared to an astro camera. 600 frames stacked

A bit more experimenting with colour saturation. 500 frames fujifilm xt2 on my skymax 180

Thanks guys. I've quite  enjoyed doing something new. The weather hasn't helped though, have to wait till next time.

Having seen some of the lovely saturated colour Luna images I wanted to have a go. It ads a new dimension to the images and whilst some people wont like it, some will and that's fine. I'm quite pleased with this attempt and will experiment further with this technique.  Fuji Xt-1 and 127mm scope

Looking to try some lunar colour. I love the punch of the last image just the blue is a bit too bright for me.

Great to here of some real world use, sounds quite reasonable  for the money. Easy eye placement can be a real help when doing outreach.

Scope looks nice and you finally got to use the siberia. If those issues show up during the day I'm dubious of what its performance will be like on the night sky...

Any progress on this eyepiece  in use yet?  I see one sold on Ebay. Be handy if it was a member here.....

Set up my 1st version Astrotrac on Andromeda. Fuji Xt1 camera Carl Ziess 135/3.5 M42 screw lens 15x3min no calibration frames

nice build, just realised mine is 12 years old now, where does the time go.

I have both, the 3x is 3 cms longer. Looking through them they optically not the same

Any views under the stars yet?

First light of a secondhand OMC140 which I had to take apart and clean, sure the dead fly wasn't going to help. 2 panels single frames with a fuji XT2

As an update, my sensible side was caught napping and the "gun hoe - lets spend some cash" side of the brain bought the 180 Mak today.

I'm mad, it's lovely and now the clouds are here. Oh well there's a season ahead to see how things pan out.

looks good, just itching to know how it performs, if it's good they might start selling a few.

8 minutes ago, DaveGibbons said:

Hi David,

I think you have made a sensible choice in keeping your C9.25. Looking at your lunar image cannot see any great advantage in going for the 180 Mak.  Don't get me wrong I have actually owned 3 of them  along with 3 C9.25 's. All you will gain is extended cool down times  and perhaps a minuscule improvement in image sharpness and contrast and if optics perfectly collimated from factory they more or less stay permanently that way. Unless you keep in an  unheated garage/shed /obsy getting  perfect thermal equilibrium can actually take several hours especially if temperature is dropping away.  I still love the 180 Mak  and  if I did not have either scope I would happily go for a used  180 purely on cost . I do think the C9.25 is slightly  more versatile for general purposes at f10 and extra aperture always welcome , however as I own neither at the moment I am tempted by John in Derby's  180 Mak in the for sale section 🙂!

 

Cheers

Dave

 

 

Hi Dave

thanks for your input. I had pretty much decided on not getting the Mak till a few more conversations which has me back on the fence. It's to do with our turbulent seeing conditions in the UK and that a smaller scope could cope better, where a larger one can amplify the poor seeing effect which I understand. I'm lucky in as much that I can still keep the C9.25 if I bought the MAK. Pity I can't just borrow it but that's not generally how sales work.   I like the focus mod on the one in the sales section, quite neat. I tend to swap a Moonlite between my 2 SCT's. I'll sleep on it again but I know the seller wants to move it on soon. 

A reply from ens said they used one in a mak newt at jellingcand is was a good eyepiece. Not very conclusive and couldn't  find anyone else that had looked through one. Still interested to know.

Ok my sensible side has won  I'll save my money and play with what I have.

16 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

I always need at least one more scope 😂

Dave

Trouble is I'm not sure I have the weather to get the use out of the ones I've got. Just a shame that my local friends don't have one I could try....

savers & spenders......I'm not unhappy with the images I get from the sct, here's one. Maybe a should stick with it and keep pushing...............still thinking

8 hours ago, PeterCPC said:

Imaging field of view is very similar. See image using a Canon and Jupiter as an example. Save your money.

Peter

very similar but its hi resolution image quality i'm looking at

I'm quite happy with my c9.25 but have always fancied to have a go with a SM180 especially after seeing some stunning Lunar images taken with one. 

I have the opportunity to buy a new 180 at almost half price BUT do I really need it?

I have read as much as I can find. There are split opinions  but views of people that have been through the comparison would be good. 

I'm quite happy to be told am daft and don't need another scope, save the money!

cheers for looking

David