OptymsticAlpaca

On 19/02/2024 at 21:08, Kon said:

The above images are all with my 8". The 12" is a new purchase and has only been out twice due to the lovely weather we are having.

Have a look at the planetary imaging competition where I have posted some of my  captures with the 8".

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/415170-sgl-2023-challenge-10-planets-and-special-events/

Or look at the planetary imaging section.

In terms of capture, I do exactly the same, record while it's drifting but I use a small ROI of 640x480 but with the planetary camera I end up with 15000-20000 frames to select from . I used to do 3 mins but I have recently moved to 8x90s and combine several captures in winjupos. You can't combine in pipp as the rotation will smear the details. I then sharpen the image in Astrosurface.

If funds are tight to get a planetary camera, then a mobile might be a better alternative. @PeterStudzhas posted some excellent Jupiter and Venus images using a mobile and a manual 8". Have a look at the smartphone imaging section.

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/417739-jupiter-with-iphone/

Another one has done the ISS:

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/401962-iss-modules-with-smartphone-and-telescope/#comment-4308010

 

 

Finally, worth getting a RACI, it will save your back with the manual tracking.

Already have a RACI thankfully!! The thing is a lifesaver.

I think I’d definitely like to try a planetary camera. It’s not cheap, but it will last a long time, and I think that if it worked out with my current gear, it would be worth it.

My biggest concern now though is the drift and the lack of tracking, and the effect of the small field of view. (Apologies if my terminology is wrong, I’m still fairly new here) Currently, using a DSLR, I need to use a 2x Barlow to reach focus. This obviously reduces fov, and Jupiter drifts across the frame quite quickly. 
 

I really don’t like the look of the size of the planet on Stellarium, with all the details of telescope, chip, and Barlow(hopefully) correctly inputted. Jupiter drifts across the frame in about 25 seconds, and I worry this isn’t long enough to collect enough data.

Thanks for all your replies, this community is the best.

11 hours ago, Kon said:

 

The first image is with my DSLR (3 years ago) when I started like you and the second with a 462c in 2023, and one of my best Venus with the 462m last year (false colours with IR and UV filters). Have a look at the planetary imaging forum and see what similar equipment others are using but seeing will also affect quality. 

What size scope are you using for yours now?  The 12 inch? I'd also like to ask about what peoples thoughts are on capture method. I don't have a tracking mount, so my process so far has been record the planet as it drifts across the FOV, then move the telescope and let it drift again, up until around 3 minutes when rotation starts becoming an issue. I've tried doing this as one continuous video, and I've tried it as multiple shorter videos that I put into PIPP(I think..) as a batch. 

Also, your images are fantastic! I love your Venus, and the Jupiter improvement does bring me some hope

20 hours ago, bosun21 said:

Definitely go for a designed planetary camera. I would also go for a OSC camera simply for the reason that it's both easier and quicker to complete the capture process. I used a 585MC which can be used for both planetary and astrophotography/EAA. I have now just acquired a 462MC for planetary due to its better sensitivity in IR. Buying secondhand on a forum such as this is much safer than other sites. The 462MC I bought on this forum was in excellent condition and working perfectly. The image you posted was it put through any software such as Registax for final sharpening and denoising?

Used registax, tried lots of different things, and followed tutorials and guides of course. I think it was a little bit of a case of garbage in, garbage out, as my adjustments didn't improve the image loads. My raw video is very bad, the turbulence is awful. I couldn't believe I got something even that good out of it.

21 hours ago, vlaiv said:

I think that colour is much more simple to use because you don't need filters / filter wheels and so on, and there is very little difference, if any, in the end result (thanks to some clever software tricks).

I'm not sure what your budget is, but excellent planetary camera is not that expensive - have a look at this one:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-cameras/zwo-asi224mc-usb-3-colour-camera.html

If you can get something like that second hand - even better. I would not mind using second hand planetary camera if in good working order - as long as it is USB 3.0 and is supported with drivers at the moment (the example I gave above was captured with QHYIIL color camera - which is only USB 2.0 and I'm not sure one can find good drivers for that model any more, so I would not get it second hand).

That looks like a very good option. I will look into them more, and hopefully I can try and get one.

Thank you!!

8 hours ago, vlaiv said:

Yes, greatest improvement will come from using dedicated planetary camera.

These two images were taken roughly month apart - both with 5" newtonian, first one with modified web cam (Logitech C270 with removed front lens) and second with proper planetary camera (although USB 2.0).

Almost all conditions, including my planetary imaging ability were the same - only difference was with the camera model used.

The improvement is amazing, I would love to get results like yours one day!!!! I will definitely look more into planetary cameras, at the peril of my wallet....

Seems everyone is in agreement, and my fear is confirmed.... 

Are there any risks with a second hand planetary camera? Almost everyone in this hobby I've interacted with so far has been absolutely lovely, and very helpful, but I do worry about a lack of support/stability that buying second hand might bring. 

Another thing I wouldn't mind picking someone's brain over:

Mono or colour? 

I know that mono gives better image quality, but colour is easier to deal with- but do people think the tradeoff is worth it? I think I would prefer a colour cam for the ease of use, but I don't want to limit myself too much because of this.

Thank you all so much for your replies, they are incredibly helpful.

8 hours ago, Owmuchonomy said:

Hi Owen, note that we can't view a .bmp file unless we download it.  JPEG or PNG is ok. For planetary imaging it's best to have lots of focal length, a high frame rate planetary camera and a laptop capable of handling the data capture.  A DSLR is not ideal unless it has video crop mode to reduce the capture window down to a manageable size (640x480).  Also, the pixel size tends to be a bit too large.  You need metres of focal length if possible (my SCT is imaging at nearly 5 metres fl).  If you look on YouTube for Chris Go's presentations on planetary imaging you will get the full picture.

Hi Owmuchonomy,

Thanks for your reply!! I have now changed it to JPEG. I have been looking at planetary cameras for a while, I was hoping that something slightly cheaper and easier might be improved first. though... I've seen a little bit of  Chris Go's presentation a while ago, but I'll be sure to give it another watch. 

I am currently using a Stellalyra 200mm Dobsonian,  a 2x Barlow, and a Canon 700D DSLR camera. I then use PIPP and Autostackert to process. I would really appreciate any help or advice to produce better images, as I can't figure out what the weakest link is. 

I have attached my best Jupiter photo, to take it I recorded a video on the DSLR of the planet drifting across the frame. I know this isn't ideal, but I don't have a tracking mount(yet, I really want one but I need to save and research...).  The frame rate of the camera is not great, and neither is the video quality. Seeing was good, but in the raw video  only the faintest weather bands were visible, if you look closely enough. 

Thanks, 

Owen

5 minutes ago, Elp said:

M45 pleiades? You might struggle to get the nebulosity though at short subs, I tried 10s, the nebulosity is there but it's extremely faint (you can see it clearly when completely maxing out the contrast (ie not a usable image setting)).

 I have tried them but with not much success, my exposures for Orion were 2s if I remember right. Might give it another go at some point though.

On 27/01/2022 at 13:04, Crackabarrel said:

Looks good, nicely done.

Have a look into the NPF rule to determine how long you can expose for with out trails, it is a stricter version of the more commonly used "Rule of 500".

You can reduce the effects of coma by stopping down the aperture.

M31 - Andromeda might be a good target to move on to, large and bright enough it will show up in a single sub.

Thanks, Andromeda was on my list!

I've heard of NPF but haven't used it yet, will try next time.

New 8 inch dob should be arriving soon, after more than a year! Very excited and hoping to get another try on Orion, more light but obviously shorter exposures for no trailing. The massive issue I have had is that my 256G computer ran out of storage because of the number of files Siril creates as by-products. These intermediate files are all deleted afterwards but with 600 RAW images all making different versions for R,G,B and preprocessed versions it does get out of hand. If anyone could think of a solution not involving star tracking (I would like to but ) I think would not be so afraid to try something similar again. 

Thanks,

Owen

I decided to try astrophotography beyond holding a  phone to the eyepiece! 

Just a canon 700D on a wobbly tripod but it works surprisingly well. I decided to go for the Orion Nebula in the clear weather last night and ended up with 600 lights and about a hundred calibration frames total. I used Siril to stack and do some processing and then moved into GIMP. Obviously this setup will not grant incredible views but I suspect the weakest link is my processing!

This is what came out of Siril with colour  calibration and green noise removal.

r_bkg_pp_lights_stacked.tif

This is my result from GIMP

r_bkg_pp_lights_stacked.tif

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for a better image?

Or any other easy unguided dslr objects for this time of year?

(sorry if images aren't accessible, I'm not great with adding media!)

Thanks,

Owen

20 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

In the time it took me to download a copy of 'File Viewer Plus' to display that (Apple format) image, someone has converted it and someone else has identified it!

Yes, LIDL has for some time sold Bresser scopes with mounts of differing robustness. That looks like their "Astro-3", which has the potential for fitting an electric drive. I presume you don't have the manual, because that does identify the parts.

See also here:

 

 

Thanks,  that's really helpful. Manual was lost way before I owned it!

1 hour ago, Cosmic Geoff said:

If you want the best response, try re-posting the image in a format we can actually open. 🙁

I used to have a Lidl mount.

Sorry, first time trying to post an image.

Very confused about what these three shiny bits are used for, quite a hard thing to google! 

Photo should be attached

IMG_0569.HEIC

Thank you all for your replies!

The main thing I am worried about is if I have gone too big! Both 'scopes would be a a massive step up from what I'm currently using, but the StellaLyra is my preference (my main deciding factor is which is back in stock first- The due date has slipped many times for the Bresser!). I am worried that a lot of people seem surprised by the size of their dobs when they arrive. I definitely want to be able to carry it out to the garden on my own! Now might be my last chance to change my mind and go for something smaller..... or not!

Thanks,

Owen

Hi all,

Bought a Bresser 8" Dob last year, sadly yet to turn up but we do have the option of switching to the Stellalyra for a similar price. Our current plan is to get whichever one comes back in stock first, but now might be our only chance to switch to an alternative. 

It would be incredibly helpful to see where people store their dobs, and how big/bulky they are compared to everyday objects.

Thanks,

Owen

48 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Ah, did you order it from FLO ? If so, they operate a proper British orderly queue for anticipated stock. I had a similar situation where their projected 'in stock' date took a jump in the wrong direction. I emailed to ask and got a helpful reply to the effect that they assign the next delivery batch to folk pre ordering in strictly , um, ordering date order .

When the number of pre orders exceeds the number of that item expected in the next delivery , the delivery date thingy on the item's webpage rolls over to the expected delivery after that. Your order reserves your spot in the queue. So if you ordered with FLO the delivery date when you placed the order should hold.

Any other retailer .... your guess is as good as mine !

Heather

PS the tortoises will be hibernating for the winter, further delays may be inevitable  as the sloths struggle to take over the work. 🙂

Yep FLO. Great customer service though. From when I emailed them:

"I just had a look into this for you, unfortunately it looks like our supplier have said Bresser are having trouble with their supply chain at the moment which is delaying the 8" Dob I'm afraid. The latest estimate as of yesterday is that the telescope won't be available until the beginning of May at the earliest."   Lots of business for them with lockdown I imagine! And the fact that everything is shut down, including 'scope factories I think...

2 hours ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Sounds like you are all set 🙂 , just waiting eagerly for the delivery van now.

 And, of course, the clear skies  ....       🌨️☃️🌨️

Bought on the 15th Jan and was meant to come in 15-20 working days... No sign of it and now beginning of May at the earliest! At least I can finish Turn Left At Orion😂. Possibly a delivery tortoise rather than a van, certainly feels like it.

Clear skies and delivery tortoises!

23 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Welcome,

Great 'scope and eyepiece choices,  you've done your due diligence !  Dust caps or plugs should be on every vulnerable aperture of 'scope and EP, if they do not arrive with the items, complain to the vendor.

Vital accessories : red light torch ( cheap options : led bike lights , diy option, bit of red acetate or sweet wrapper over existing torch, expensive options , medium option a headtorch with a red led option ) Nice notebook & pen  to keep a written observation diary in , I've only been doing this (semi) seriously for 7months, but it's already interesting to be able to  leaf back through my notes and compare what I can see now with my earlier observations. Warm clothing and footwear suitable for standing still outdoors in winter for a couple of hours , gloves especially important, tastes vary, I use the fingerless ones with a flip over mitten part ( sometimes called shooter's mitts)

Have a think about some support for your accessories/books/maps etc , a handy garden table which could be shifted , a picnic or camping table or chair you could press into service maybe, it's a lot easier to have a set place for such stuff, saves stumbling round in the dark trying to recall where you left the star map ...

My dob is the small heritage one, and in this damp (bit of an understatement, 'damp' 🙂  ) weather I've found a cheap small plastic tarpaulin a vital accessory to spread on the grass and ensure the feet of my scope stand stay dry and clean. Which reminds me, there's an accessory I use every time I put either of my 'scopes out to cool , which is a waterproof cover (in my case repurposed waterproof covers which came with some rucsacs , and which I've never used for the proper purpose. ) Maybe a tough rubble sack would work for your instrument.

If the astronomy books you already have do not include 'Turn Left at Orion' , it is an extremely practical text full of diagrams and help to actually get your dob pointing at  something interesting,

And then you just need clear skies ... 🙂

Heather

Thanks so much for all your replies! This forum is extremely helpful. I have a dimmable red torch and turn left at Orion, also 2021 month by month guide. Thanks again for all your help!

Clear skies, 

Owen

6 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Yes it has a dust cap for the top end. 

You will have to fit a Synta type mounting shoe to take a standard finder. This one has the right hole spacing to fit the Bresser. Standard Skywatcher finder shoes don’t fit without drilling a hole in your tube.

Finder mounting shoe

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/baader-universal-quick-release-finder-shoe-base.html

RACI finder

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/astro-essentials-9x50-right-angled-erecting-finderscope.html

Bresser is now supplying a solar filter with their dobs.

 

 

Thanks John, I couldn't find any information anywhere about dust caps! The scope and eyepiece should arrive sometime next week hopefully. 

Also, are there any other accessories that would be a good idea to get? I already have a few astronomy books.

Thanks, Owen