Imaging with a DSLR?

[scoobymike]

Hi,

I have an EQ6 and am wondering if I align it properly whether I can put the scope back onto my EQ3-2 and clamp my camera onto the mount? It's a nikon D60, and I have the remote shutter release, so can do bulb without touching the camera... If I do, and take several shots of the Andromeda galaxy with a 300mm f4.2 lens, am I likely to get anything 'exciting' (for a newb!)?

[Bizibilder]

Very exciting, I would imagine!! Give it a go. Try 1min exposures. as many as you can AND take around 20 with the lens cap on! (same exposure time - these are your "Darks" - switch off any "auto noise reduction" or whatever Nikon call it, if the camera has it). Download Deep Sky Stacker and Bung all the "subs" and "darks" in (ask here for details of how to do it). You WILL be amazed.......

[scoobymike]

Well that sounds quite positive!

Skies look like they're clearing, although windy, so gonna have a go later. Of course I recognise that the real effort is in the processing, so more questions are almost definitely on the way

IF (and that really is a HUGE IF) I get anything worthwhile I'll post it soon as...

[Dave]

Take a number of shots in Raw format all the same and put them in Deep Skt Stacker.

You will be amazed at the results. I'm out imaging the supernova in M101 with my Nikon now.

[scoobymike]

Oh goody,

My clouds seem to be coming from your direction. So out imaging by 4am then

[Sparrow]

A 300mm lense should give you a reasonable image scale for Andromeda. As with previous replies, think mulitple images to be stacked in DSS. With a tracking mount but without guiding I would reckon you could expect to go to 1 minute 30seconds, perhaps 2 minutes tops. Depends how well aligned you scope is. As your lengh of exposure is limited, I'd suggest higher ISO speeds - 800 - 1600. This is where the mulitple images help by reducing the amount of noise in the image. Also look in to taking darks and flats as they are invaluable when processing your image.

Regards

John

[Leebert]

I was going to ask a similar question using a Barn Door Tracker but I didn't know whether it was worth building one. After the responses here, I'm definitely going to have a go

As an experiment, I took 10 ungided, light polluted photos of Ursa Minor and put them into Deep Sky Stacker and was amazed at the result! No dark or flat frames and no processing. All on default DSS settings.

Before:

After:

[Dave Smith]

Hi,

I have an EQ6 and am wondering if I align it properly whether I can put the scope back onto my EQ3-2 and clamp my camera onto the mount? It's a nikon D60, and I have the remote shutter release, so can do bulb without touching the camera... If I do, and take several shots of the Andromeda galaxy with a 300mm f4.2 lens, am I likely to get anything 'exciting' (for a newb!)?

Mike

Did you see the image I posted last week of M31 with a 200mm lens?

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-deep-sky/154224-m31-200mm-lens.html

Mine is quite heavily cropped so a 300mm lens would be eminently suitable.

Dave

[Leebert]

Mike

Did you see the image I posted last week of M31 with a 200mm lens?

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-deep-sky/154224-m31-200mm-lens.html

Mine is quite heavily cropped so a 300mm lens would be eminently suitable.

Dave

That is one fantastic image

[scoobymike]

Re: Imaging with a DSLR?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Smith

Mike

Did you see the image I posted last week of M31 with a 200mm lens?

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-...00mm-lens.html

Mine is quite heavily cropped so a 300mm lens would be eminently suitable.

Dave

That is one fantastic image

I'll second that!!!

I managed to take a few shots and combine them, and was quite pleased with the results - although absolutely nowhere near what you've produced. As an experiment to see how stuff worked it was quite educational though, and I'll maybe give it more of a go next time I'm in a dark site.

BTW, what do you use to attach your camera to the scope/mount? I got mine all set up then took the scope off and put the camera straight onto the mount. Still a newb so observing is still my main thing, but would be nice to capture whilst I observe.

[Dave Smith]

I have a small dovetail that joins the camera directly to the mount.

Dave