Astro Noodles

Thanks AstroMuni. I am using Deep Sky Stacker and GIMP. I am comfortable with DSS but need to spend a lot more time with GIMP to get the best out of it.

Thanks for the praise and constructive comments guys. The reason I started this post is that I was pleased with my early results (considering that I am completely new to both astronomy and photography). I just haven't made a lot of progress in the last month. I have spent hours trying to get decent images of M101. Do you think that it is just too difficult a target for a beginner with entry level skills/kit? Or do you think I should press on with it?

Thanks iapa. I just splashed out on a Sky-guider pro last week. It has a 5kg capacity. so I will play around with it for a while.

Here is a single exposure 1/1000th sec iso 3200 through Sky-Watcher 130p with2x barlow (1300mm focal length). It was taken in daylight at 7:30 to 8:00 PM.

This is the approach I am taking. I don't see that there is a great deal of point in spending a lot of money at the moment as I can practice and develop my skills with what I've got. I think that my next step will be to upgrade the optics. A modest refactor in the 60mm range or perhaps a better camera lens. I also need to get out of the habit of feeling tired and wanting to go to bed at midnight,

I used Deep Sky Stacker and GIMP.

It was disappearing behind a fence after about an hour. I was shooting directly over an LED street light as well. I just wanted to capture M42 because I could find it easily.

This one was not as successful. M101 with the same kit but with Ioptron Skyguider Pro, Skytech CLS filter. About 40 x 60 sec at iso 800.

Ok I took this image on 25th and 29th March using a combo of 10/20 sec exposures at iso 1600 and 6400. Using Tamron Adaptall 200mm F3.5 (£30 off e-bay), Canon EOS 1100d, Starquest EQ mount with RA motor.

Thanks Scotty. That's far better than anything that I have managed so far. I am trying to concentrate on focus, polar alignment and finding subjects at the moment. Also processing, exposure length and iso settings are proving difficult. May I enquire what sort of kit you are using?

I have been attempting DSO astrophotography for a couple of months now but haven't yet produced an image I would be prepared to share on this forum. I understand that this is a difficult and complicated thing to do and there is an enormous amount to learn, and I don't yet really have the equipment or skills. I was just wondering how long it took you before you had produced an image you were satisfied with and prepared to share?

Well if he is getting stuff from Forgeworld, presumably he will be ok with you getting stuff from Takahashi. 😉

Just watch out for those boxes with Forgeworld written on them.

When I decided to get a telescope in the middle of January, I had no plan. So here goes (in no particular order). Sky-Watcher Starquest 130p Astro Essentials 2x barlow. Astro essentials 1.25 moon filter RA motor for Starquest EQ mount 1.25 OIII filter 1.25 UHC filter 1.25 colour filter set (x7) Canon Eos 1100d (body) battery for camera Svbony T ring AA and AAA batteries (24 packs) Intervalometer (x2) 64 Gb SD card (x2) SD card zipped pouch Skytech CLS clip in filter JumperTech Laptop computer Tamron 200mm Adaptall 2 f3.5 camera lens Adapter for Tamron lens 60mm guideerscope ball head mount 90 deg star diagonal Ioptron Skyguider Pro Horizon 8115-2 tripod Abut 5 books including 'Turn Left at Orion' Camera lens dew heater USB power brick Backpack Red flashlight (x2) Stellarium upgrade package Laser cut MDF Bahtinov masks (x2) 100mm vixen dovetail bar Hotshoe red dot finder bracket (x2)

Hi and welcome.

What I loved about it was they got you-tubers who are more serious in their output, and left out the ****-takers. It was really well done for a joke.

My first reaction about a minute into the video was 'How much is that bad boy going to cost ?' 🤣

I have to be rational, otherwise this thing could quickly get out of hand. I have set myself certain goals, budgets and timescales which I intend to stick to. I have decided to limit myself to a budget of £1200 per year which can be increased by selling existing kit. So, for example, if I sell £500 of old kit I can have £1700 budget for the year. This doesn't apply to purchases of less than £100. Year 1 has been for basic set up ( I have already blown 2021 budget so no more kit until next year). Year 2 Optics - Aim to get a 70mm or so refractor Year 3 Camera - An upgrade to something better than Canon 1100d Year 4 Mount - EQ goto mount with 10kg imaging payload. Year 5 Optics and so on How long do you think I will stick to this schedule?

I hardly spend any time lusting after looking at new astro gear on the internet. 😉

Don't you have a telescope retailer where you are? You can get something 1000 times better than this brand new for that price.😲

Looks like the primary mirror is just a flat piece of shiny metal.

I don't think that Sky-Watcher prices are bad either. I have been very pleased with the S-W kit I have bought. It just seems that they have pushed their price point into territory which will mean that buyers will look at more desirable brands. I am sure that Synta or whatever they are called will have marketing people searching the internet and looking on forums like this to guage consumer reaction. I suspect that it is one of the reasons they put the prices up in the first place.

Yeah, I just read your post. I'm sure that FLO are keen to see the prices back down as Sky-Watcher offer really good entry-level kit. S-W price increases have moved them close to other brands which are more established.

I hope that Sky-Watcher are going to put their prices back down again when the shipping container situation is resolved, But I'm not holding my breath. 😞

There is a thread about this topic. Seems that Sky-Watcher are claiming increased shipping costs.