neil phillips

Nice captures Trevor

6 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Me too, first one or second ?

Steve

wanted first got the second. You ?

Another earlier capture fun times let the games commence

4 hours ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

If that's the worst image of it you have taken then there's certainly no need to ask us to go steady on you, and an EQ2 mount that's pretty remarkable 🙂 

Why the smaller mount by the way ? 

Steve

Waiting for Flo to deliver a EQ5 Steve. Pandemic and all. Btw saw zep at knebworth

4 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

Not bad at all! what time did you have ti stay up to to get a go at it? SEB looks like a shadow of it's former self! 

Capture was around 04:01 UT. So 5 in the morning to me and you. Daylight. No polar alignment. Dec drift was horrendous i had to start at the top. Let it drift down, turn the motor off. Let it drift back up at a angle (still capturing) let it drift  back down again lol got 2 mins 30 secs out of that. Couldnt focus on detail could hardly see any. So used the moons. Then as it got brighter couldnt see them either. So fun times he he. But i have waited years for this moment. So symbolic indeed Craig. 

More symbolic than anything else, probably the worst shot of jupiter i have ever taken. Go easy guys try this with a wobbly EQ2 Mount, hard to even get it on screen Hope to do a lot better in a few weeks

Celestron 114 Newtonian EQ2 Mount simple RA drive.  QHY 462c 15 degrees. Its back at least. Now with the correct colour

Did this in 2016 wasnt a very healthy elevation so seeing had to be good. 

Uranus and Neptune 30th August 2016 - Imaging - Planetary - Stargazers Lounge

Interesting. Dont know what it is. But looks around F8 have you measured the tube ?

Just saw Craigs post

Great Work Nick. The full size photo showing some lovely fine detail down to tiny craterlets. Couldnt ask for more from 14" optics. I see your still in Oxford. Glad your keeping safe during these unusual times. 

3 hours ago, Nick Smith said:

Nice one Neil.  Can't keep a good man down!  Look forward to your images once you are up and running properly

Good to hear your still imaging Nick. Was wondering recently if you was still active.  Great to see you around. I gave up. But the pandemic, and lots of time at home, seemed to reignite my love for astronomy.  

5 hours ago, astroman001 said:

Some great images there.  Nice wide field detail.

Peter

Thanks Peter. Great images on your website.  

Interested in the Evostar 120 Achro design, expected to see foil spacers, when i first got it. But could not. Is this a oversized lens with the spacers being hidden ?

Looks like its a stopped down doublet ?

Not had a chance to do a good lunar  driven imaging session with it yet. (driven mount coming soon i hope)

Did do  drift imaging with it a while back, which looks promising ? But want to up the power which will require a drive

2 hours ago, PeterW said:

Nifty counterbalance on the AZ3, I used a similar mass to help with an st120 I had many years back

Peter

Not pretty but functional. Tried a counterweight but was a bit heavy. Could possibly try a small counterweight. But this got me looking at the heavens quick.

Top two look pretty good. Bottom one either has some bad frames, or seeing worsened. Just keep doing what your doing. And keep experimenting like you are. Exposure ranges between 1/125th secs And 1/500th secs i have found most useful But of course many factors will influence exposure. I prefer gain around 30% 

and thats with small scopes. When i get my 10" running exposures may speed up more. But the faster you go of course, often frames will get grainier requiring more in your stacks

Cheap as chips Opticron Oregon 20x80s modified AZ3 Mount counterweight some old bits of metal. total price around £200 including mount. surprisingly good

up to about 50 60 degrees

1 hour ago, mikeDnight said:

This is brilliant, and a real inspiration to those starting out and worrying about affording or handling a big, cumbersome scope. ☺

Thanks Mike this was first time that i ever tried imaging with it. since re starting. And renovating it.  Really couldnt have asked more of it. Shows whats possible on a very extreme budget doesnt it. As you say hope it inspires others with budget equipment to try there own hand

2 hours ago, si@nite said:

Nice work Neil.

Hi Simon many thanks. Had a bit of a love affair with this old mass produced starter scope. But with optics this sharp. Hard not to be drawn in by it. Wonder who was doing the optics for the power seekers some 15 odd years ago ? i am guessing synta ? Who ever it was. Was doing a damn good Job. Might get the primary hiluxed one day. Shine a torch and it has pin holes

Thanks Maw

2 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

Haven't managed to get any new lunar images for a while so I've been looking through older images trying to pick up on lunar features I've previously overlooked. 

I found this image of Mare Insularum captured in January (Fullerscope, 290m and blue filter), and I don't know how I missed then the first time around, but there are a good number of lunar domes visible due to the favourable illumination.... I count about a dozen. For reference Hortensius crater with it's associated domes, is towards the lower centre-right.

I've reprocessed the image and pushed the contrast and exposure a more than I would normally to bring out the Domes as much as possible.

 

Interesting Craig. The illumination and processing certianly brings them out.  Nice capture

13 minutes ago, Lockie said:

Don't tempt me to bite off more than I can chew, neil. I went through a stage about 6-7 years ago where I really wanted to do this. Can you imagine how big a 6" f15 would be though 🤣 

 

I know from my floor to my ceiling what a beast. Look at the price of the 6" F8  tubes and cells add considerably though 

Cheers Roy ive learned small long focus Newts can be very sharp. Would like to try the SW 150P L F8

long wait times on those

4 hours ago, Lockie said:

 Hi Micheal, can I just clarify? Are you saying the extra aperture of the C9.25 didn't resolve any finer detail? I might experiment with un obstructed glass verses larger obstructed mirrors on say lunar detail.   

Astronomical telescope 154mm series HD objective lens focal length F750 F1000 F1200 multi layer film single layer film|Monocular/Binoculars| - AliExpress

6" F15 Chris

154mm Diameter 750/1200/1500/1800/2250mm Focal Length Astronomical Telescope Objective Lens AR Multi coated Dual Separation|Monocular/Binoculars| - AliExpress

Thanks Wouter much appreciated

2 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

Hopefully soon, have missed out on the recent clear run due to being away from home but now I'm back the weather has turned... typical! It's usable now but I needed to fettle the mirror cell a little as the floating triangles were locked solid and definitely not floating, ok now though. Got an Astrosytems secondary holder and spider on order as I don't think the standard SW affair is really suitable for the 70mm secondary.

What rings did you go for?

Nothing special just repaired my old rolled steel orion rings. Sky watcher ones are more solid tbh. But just waiting now, likely around 3 weeks. eager to get the old beast imaging again. Will be interesting to see if the slightly smaller Antares 1/30th secondary makes any difference ?

So you could have a bash next lunar outing maybe ?

2 hours ago, CraigT82 said:

Very nice Neil👍

Cheers Craig when you getting first light ? About 3 weeks for me all going well. Got the rings now sorted. and a RA drive waiting.