dd999

Thank you all for your help.

Think that's convinced me to go for the 10x50s!

I'm on the search for a new pair of bins. As well as astronomy I also plan to take them on holiday as we walk and hike a lot, and venture on many wilderness trails.

I've seen an Olympus 10x50 pair and the Celestron 12x60 pair, which are just £10 in price difference.

I've been trying to find an image, a video anything that shows a 10x50 and 12x60 side by side for size comparison. My missus has said she doesn't want anything bigger or heavier than the 10x50 size to take on our travels, but I just don't know how much bigger (apart from product dimensions and tape measures) the 12x60s are.

Does anyone have a pair of the 12x60s - or even better a pair of 12x60s and 10x50s - who could help? 

So many amazing captures!

Weather forecast for the next few days and it's ever growing distance from the sun meant last night was probably my last opportunity to see. Set out to Beachy Head to set up before it got dark at around 8:30pm, waited for around 2 hours to catch a glimpse and ended up staying until midnight as star after star popped out from the night sky. In the dark(ish) skies across the South Downs it was the clearest I'd seen it naked eye. It's a view that could never get old.

Nice shots John.

The rolling conveyor belt of clouds are on the high churn rate in my area until Friday evening, when I'm hoping to get back out again. 

Good to see it seems still as visible - hopefully the mag holds out for another week or more

Although I live in a rural area with Bortle 4 skies, my view is very limited from my back garden due to trees and buildings. 

I've had similar problems recently trying to find a North spot for Neowise searching. I'm fortunate to be on top of the south coast by the sea, where the beach and sea offer great horizon views  - but of course where you are, being slap bang in the middle of the country, this isn't much help. 

In the end - for a much needed north view - I found an empty country pub car park next to a hidden public right of way walking route across open country fields - and bumped in to an astrophotograoher doing the exact same thing, who found the spot a few months before. 

Searching for walking routes in your area may yield some finds that could be suitable - and hopefully not much of a walk from parking the car. 

I received my OTG cable today, and tried out DSLR Controller (after checking compliance with remote release - good tip!).

Very pleased, and it does add the intervalometer settings I need. Hopefully this will help with focussing at night, which I need to understand a litttle more.....

......but on the whole very pleased. Appreciate the advice 👍

23 hours ago, John said:

About the same here.

Lovely again tonight. Tried this self portrait with comet but it came out rather spooky

 

I see a little silhoutetto of a man, scaramouche.......

1 minute ago, happy-kat said:

If I were choosing just one it would be DSLR controller.

I do like this option but don't know if it would give me the intervalometer settings I need ( say 100 continuous shots of 2 second subs ) - if this setting doesn't already exist on the camera.

If it adds them (like ML does) I would def go down that option

Thanks all!

So Magic Lantern for the intervalometer continuous shots (more than the 10 my 600d can take)

And although you can use DSLR Controller (with ML installed) on your mobile or tablet to help give you a larger screen for night time focusing etc... you just can't access the ML extra settings via your mobile device.

Got it 👍 

8 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

Can't say I've heard of that app. There is an alternative in Magic Lantern which is a firmware you install on the SD card. It has lots of extra controls in it but the main ones of interest are a bulb timer and intervalometer. I used it on my old 600D and also use it now on my 6D.

https://magiclantern.fm/

That was another consideration I had. I've had my dslr for about a week and guess being over protective lol - I have heard the 'horror stories' of Magic Lantern causing issues, and locking up the camera - like for example taking the SD card out too quickly.

I guess many have used it without issue though.

Does anyone have experience of using the DSLR Controller app?

I have a Canon EOS 600d and I like the thought of having live view on my phone rather than just the LCD screen. I hear that DSLR Controller comes with basic intervalometer settings - and I want to use to take x number of y second subs etc...

My 600d is unable to take anymore than 10 continuous shots.  

Does the DSLR Controller App 'add' this intervalometer setting to a camera that doesn't have it built in or does it just replicate what the camera can already do, and is it capable of doing x number of shots of y second subs? - or will I need an intervalometer instead?

18 hours ago, AdeKing said:

At 10:30 probably a binocular object, but half an hour later it is just naked eye visible if memory serves me correctly.

I've used binoculars to locate it first on both nights, its easer to see naked eye once located in binoculars.

You were spot on! 

I did venture out. Found the most amazing spot. Full 360 degree horizon, bortle 4 towards the North and bortle 3 towards the South. 

I set up in to the sunset. Clouds dispersing, Comet Neowise at 10:30pm suddenly sprang in to view in my bins..... then my battery died and didnt have a spare 🤦‍♂️

Dslr rookie mistake! 

9 minutes ago, AdeKing said:

I've seen it from Poole in Dorset for the last two nights.

Its visible from about 22:30 for me, but it is pretty low down.  Easier in the small hours from home for me.

Ahh similar latitude - is that naked eye or only through bins at 10:30?

Its about an hour round trip. Either a beer and scope in the garden, or head on out for round 2 of Neowise 🤔

Thanks Nicolas, very useful to know 

3 minutes ago, Craney said:

Depends on your latitude I suspect.... but the omens are good for you...

https://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=165201

 

Looks possible then! 

I'm right on the South coast - not sure though if that hinders or helps me 

How soon after sunset are people seeing Neowise? 

Unfortunately I have to drive a way just to catch a glimpse (surrounded by hills) - from 10:30pm it'll be too clouded over..... but if its possible to still see in binoculars or capture on camera from just after a sunset at 9:30pm I'd head out again. 

Anyone seeing it this early and this soon after sunset? 

Tired today, but so worth it

First attempts at dslr AP. I think the bug has hit me

Just back for my jaunt out to low horizons and darker skies - and after a failed attempt last Sunday night, I finally got my first look at Comet Neowise - she's definately a beauty! 

My eyes probably aren't the best but I struggled to see naked eyed, but in binoculars the head, the tail... all so impressive.

My first dslr outing too which only arrive at the weekend - and picked up a 250mm lens this morning just for special the occassion.

Just arrived home at 2am to notice Cassiopia and Pegasus just peaking above some tall trees in the neighbouring garden - which to me means one thing....it was too late to drag the scope out but got a great view of Andromeda through the binoculars even with the glare of the moon.  Double whammy

Really amazing images!

Very jealous of the dark skies you have there. 

Most of the UK have been under a never-ending conveyor belt of clouds for most of the week, but fingers crossed we'll get a chance tomorrow night 

40 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

The payload of that head looks too small at only 4 kilos

Very good shout, didn't spot that. Thanks.

Thinking out loud on this one......

If I want to turn the AZ GTi in to an EQ mount - although the Star Adventurer wedge is one way to go - is it possible to simply use a tripod head with an adjustable angle (I assume to 45 degrees) to give the same effect?

Something like this ...... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Manfrotto-804RC2-Basic-Quick-Release/dp/B000K86664 ?

Wrong section - please close

Has anyone seen any updates as to it's current mag - and any current projections for the coming weeks?

16 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

No, it's important to use terms properly in AP or you'll confuse yourself. Your aperture was the aperture of your telescope, so 130mm. Don't become fixated on F ratio. Once you change a scope's focal length with Barlow or reducer you'll find that the term F ratio does you more harm than good.

Olly

Actually in both cases I was only using the dslr (not with a telescope connected). 

I am new to this and still learning, but was the aperture quoted correctly here? 

Looks good for a back garden setup, but I'm going to be travelling to dark sky areas with this - and need to travel as light as I can