Astrophotography

[Carl83]

Hi Everyone!

First off, I'm aware my set up is not the most suitable set up for taking images. I ask as I'd like to have a play and maybe buy better equipment or mount at a later date:)

I have a Skywatcher Mak 127 with autogoto.

I can attach my Slr camera straight to the scope with the t ring adaptor but this obviously provides no magnification so whatever I take shows little detail. How do people get round using eyepieces to magnify what you're taking a photo of?

Don't mind spending a little cash so if someone has suggestions, I'm all ears!!

Cheers.

Carl.

[RikM]

Most people with a MAK127 use a web cam and a barlow lens to take video files of the moon and planets. These video clips can be combined and sharpened using programs like Registax to create a single composite image with a lot more detail than single exposures can capture. Depending on which DSLR you have you might be able to use the video function, but the image will be quite small because a DSLR sensor is big. Using a small chip web cam gives the effect of larger image scale.

[Carl83]

Any suggestions on a web cam that's suitable? Do they need a laptop on scene on can you store on it and edit at home? Sorry I have no idea on this subject!

Thanks again

[Viv]

Just on the maginifaction side (non planet images), you could do 3 things :

use a camera 2 x extender

buy an evepeice project (very fiddly)

baader hyperion eyepeices can connect direct to your dslr - personally - I love these

Am sure there are other options, which the more experienced guys will chip in with.

[Ags]

Your scope has a focal length of 1500 mm, which is a lot of magnification (more correctly, image scale). In fact, it is far too much for many targets.

[Cunhaval]

Hi, Carl

I have exactly the same scope, but would not recommend its use for DSLR imaging (other than lunar - the moon is so big and so bright that my comments below don't really cause issues).

Two problems - firstly, as noted above, the OTA's focal length is 1500mm, which means that it is a "slow" scope, and therefore exposures will need to be very long in order to capture any detail. Secondly, the mount is an alt-az, which means it follows a target by going left a bit, then up a bit, then left, etc. If you plotted its track across the sky, it would look like a saw blade, rather than the smooth curve of an EQ mount. This track introduces "field rotation", which will blur the object being imaged - and the fact that it is a slow scope requiring longer exposures makes the field rotation even worse.

However, the OTA and mount are fine for planetary video imaging, where you will be shooting maybe hundreds of individual frames within a few seconds, then discarding the "bad" ones, and stacking the good ones to make one image.

Favoured camera is the Philips SPC 880/900. Normally very cheap, but seems to be in very short supply at the moment (except at LUDICROUS prices on eBay), so you might want to look at Microsoft Lifecams. Absolutely tons of guidance on the forum about both cameras.

And if you want deep-sky imaging (DSLR or specialist astro-camera), then you are going to need a sturdy EQ mount with tracking - HEQ5 or NEQ6 - and either a small fast apochromatic refractor, such as the ED80, or a fast Newtonian reflector. And above all, a copy of "Making Every Photon Count" by Steve Richards, aka Steppenwolf of this 'ere emporium

Much as I love my own Mak, I have to admit that it is not really the weapon of choice for imaging.