Picture Trouble??

[cbere21]

Hello there, I have recently bought a Skywatcher telescope 130/900 and a 2x barlow lens. I fitted it up with my Nikon D80 camera and tried to get a picture of the moon. But it hasnt got the best focus and I cant get a picture of the whole moon it cuts it out (its to zoomed in and wont zoom out).

Can anybody tell me the best way to get a good focus on the camera/telescope??

and/or

Can anybody tell me how I can get a whole image of the moon??

Is it to much of a powerful lens? or is it the telescope to powerful?

or something else?

Please Help!! Thanks.

[Marcus daniel]

Did you use the barlow with your camera, if you did then you will not get a full picture of the moon, drop the barlow and attach the camera direct to the scope. If you can't gain focus, then unscrew the barlow at the end and take of the magnified glass piece and then attach the barlow tubing to the camera.

[Cornelius Varley]

Without the barlow lens attached it won't be possible for the camera to reach focus, you need the barlow lens to move the point of focus far enough away to allow the camera to focus. Without some modifications to the telescope (replacing the standard mirror locking and collimation bolts and springs with longer ones) you will need the barlow lens. An alternative approach would be to take a number of images that cover the full lumar disc and then titch them together in Microsoft Research Image Composite Editor (ICE).

Peter

[cbere21]

Yes I did use the barlow with the camera and I understand now, what you are saying. I just had a look on the lens and understand now.

The next reply is interesting aswell many thanks to you both.

Is there a focus reducer or something that you can either attach to the camera or telescope that will get a full image?

[Neil McRae]

You could get a barlow that has 0.6 magnification OR take several pictures of the moon and stitch them together using Microsoft ICE (its a free download) and works well.

Neil

[cbere21]

You can get a x0.6 magnification can you, is there a site that you could recommend for me to buy one?

I will also look into that free download site, many thanks.

[Cornelius Varley]

A focal reducer will probably make this situation worse. The point of focus will be closer to the secondary mirror and further away from the minimum distance the draw tube can be wound in.

Peter