Lunar Photography Question

[Bigeye]

Hi Guys,

Just a quickie,

I have a Celestron GoTo 127 Mak and want to hook my Canon EOS 1100D up Prime Focus to take some pics of the moon. I have the T etc to fit it all.

Can anyone give some pointers on EP, shutter speed and ISA etc settings to start from as I'm pretty new to cameras as well as scopes. I have a SPC900 imcoming for planets but also want to try the DSLR.

Thanks

[Tinker1947]

Prime focus, that's the Camera attached to the Scope, nothing else, as the Moons a bright object try ISO 100, the shutters speeds from 1s to 500th/s its all digital so delete the one's that are no good...

[Bigeye]

Cheers for that,

So keep the ISO at 100 for detail?

Out of interest how long an exposure can you hope to get without tracking before things blur?

[malc-c]

For the moon, its that bright that it won't matter. The 127 I beleive is around F11 so if trying to use the camera for fainter objects, 20 seconds at ISO800 is probably the limit, so you'll then need to use software stacking. The 127 lends itself to luna / planetary imaging, and ideally using a webcam so that trailing is not an issue per-say

[Tinker1947]

Cheers for that,

So keep the ISO at 100 for detail?

Out of interest how long an exposure can you hope to get without tracking before things blur?

The ISO isn't so much about detail, its more to do with shutter speed, each doubling of ISO 100 -> 200 is the same as 1/125th -> 1/250th would be using shutter speeds your speed required for the Moon is quite high so a slow ISO helps, a Galaxy 80 million L/Y's away would require much more image time so putting the ISO up to 1600 ISO really just gives you 6 more extra shutter speeds the noise induced due to the highed ISO doesn't really matter with this type of image. I'm sure somebody will come along and type a more elegant version but thats it in a nut shell, taking images of stars with no tracking would require a high ISO and a short shutter time couple of seconds depending on the EP and Scope ect..

[glowjet]

It will also help if your camera has the facility for electronic remote cable release, to avoid camera shake on the lower shutter speeds, just a thought

[Tinker1947]

It will also help if your camera has the facility for electronic remote cable release, to avoid camera shake on the lower shutter speeds, just a thought

One of these.....

New Timer Remote Shutter For Canon EOS 600D 1100D 60D 550D | eBay

[Bigeye]

Thanks guys, I tried a few while it was light but now as its getting dark its clouded over lets hope it clears.

[Bigeye]

Yea, I got the remote releae, its a must.

[Tinker1947]

Yea, I got the remote releae, its a must.

Don't forget the freezer bag with the zip to keep the dew away, there not a water proofed item and i use mine while its in the bag, Tesco's sell the bags...

[Bigeye]

hmmm didn't know this, is the bag tight around the mount?

[Bigeye]

Mount meaning T piece

[Tinker1947]

The bag is a small one just to cover the remote, you could go for a bigger type and maybe get the camera and remote inside, bigger than that i don't know about...

[johnha]

Hi,

Many years ago I read that you could use the 'sunny 16' rule with the moon. This basically states that in full sun (as the illuminated part of the moon is) you should use f16 and the reciprical of the ISO as the shutter speed (i.e. at ISO 100, 1/125th @ f16 and at ISO 400, 1/500th @ f16).

Whether this still works through a scope I don't know, if it does, then at ISO 100 you'd have 1/250th @f11, 1/500th @ f8 and 1/1000th @ f5.6, maybe?

[1981suede]

What do people normally use to stack lunar images? I was trying deep sky stacker last night but I think it needs stars. I read somewhere about using a crater as a reference point, although with my dslr and 200mm zoom lens it is more of a dark splodge.