What prevents you from imaging?

[Moonshane]

Hi all

I have always had hobbies which require optics and have generally been interested in photography for almost all of my adult life. When I first got into astronomy I naturally assumed that it would lead to AP and that I'd be taking some of these excellent shots that are spread across our excellent forum.

However, to my surprise, even though my early attempts were successful (the usual moon shots with a point and press attached to an eyepiece), AP never really grabbed me. In fact I felt that the camera was hogging the scope and that I was missing out on observing when it was attached. I therefore binned the idea and concentrated solely on visual astronomy.

This has lead to me obtaining the largest aperture and the best quality eyepieces I can afford. I am still astonished every time I use my scope at the beauty of things I see and even though some of them are literally specks of faint light, the knowledge of what they are is enough to keep me glued to the eyepiece.

This is all from my light polluted back garden and when at darker sites, it's an even more incredible experience.

Visual observing is what it's about for me, out in the open air, with a scope, star map and red torch and finding new things and visiting old 'friends' time and again. I can honestly say that I have absolutely no interest in imaging and am content to enjoy the wonderful images others produce.

The apparent time taken to assemble the images I don't have, and as I said I have put all my funds into aperture to provide the best visual images I can conceivably expect so don't have the funds to buy an expensive rig, nor could I build an obs in the garden.

So what prevents you from imaging or do you think it's currently just funds and that the lure will eventually, inevitably draw you into AP?

[JohnC]

I seem to have drifted in and out of imaging over the years.

When imaging i missed visual.

When visual i missed imaging.

This led to many changes of kit and much frustration!!

In the end visual has won me over.

For me it is the simple set up times and above all else i find it just fantastic to be out in the air and using the mark 1 eyeball.

Just starting a dob project to get the aperture.

[Cath]

The Nexstar alt/az mount I have makes imaging impossible for me

Not just because it's alt/az, but also because it's impossibly inaccurate at proper tracking.

[knobby]

Hi Shane

Pretty much the same here ... love my camera, love my scope ... just not together. As you said I can look at pictures, its just great to see the real thing - live.

I can see the thrill and pride you must get when you create some of the great images on here though!

[nightfisher]

Cloud,ion a more serious note, i also just dont have the time, or the brain power to do imaging, or the funds or the location, though i am dipping a very small toe in the quagmire, with the WO ZS70 and my dslr, BUT this will be the inequivalent of snap shots, and i will remain 98% visual observer and i will continue with my lunar A-focal work

[Mr Flibble]

It's all about visual for me as well. I'm still getting blown away by what my little beady eye is seeing, I'm still learning my way around the constellations, I'm still working my way through the messier and caldwell list and when I've completed those I'll start working my way through the herschel 400. I guess I just don't have the time to go down the imaging route

[Viv]

Think i'm the complete opposite (other than Saturn / Jupiter / ISS), I have no major interest in looking.

From day one I was always aiming towards AP. From knowing nothing to getting that first image you're happy with, is a huge steep learning curve (although enjoyable).

The only thing that stops me at the mo, is sleep ! I can't leave my stuff outside, without me there (other half calls me paranoid, but i'd rather still not chance it). Yes i'd love an obsy & seriosuly thought & started looking into designs - but the garden really isn't big enough.

So every night I have to set up & break down afterwards - so it really is limited hours, until the darker nights come along .............

[Marki]

As with Shane, I did the usual camera at eyepiece thing, even bought an imaging source cam thingy. But my location before moving to York was not conducive to long sessions outside, and then the weather has been so Rubbish that I'd rather use the limited time to just look rather than set-up! After a while, I realised that I just like looking! I may get around to doing some imaging in the future, but for now I'm content to learn how to get the best out of my kit and spend time at the eyepiece.

Having said that I am totally blown away by the stunning quality of the images I have seen on this forum - having dabbled very briefly, I totally respect those who have mastered the arcane arts of stacking and layers and debayering (or even pastels and paper or whatever), and I can really appreciate the sheer dedication and skill and even artistry that has gone into producing these images I admire so much. So, I salute you supremely talented imagers of SGL . I am happy to admire your work, and content for myself to just keep peering through my eyepiece .

[John]

It's the simplicity of visual observing that is the attraction for me. Just me, the scope and the sky with no cables to worry about and little thinking apart from where to point the scope next. It's a kind of therapy that I find quite soothing. I used to work with IT and got enough of technology during working hours so needed hobbies that were the opposite to that if possible.

I really admire the dedication and output that the imaging side of the hobby produces though

[sologuitarist61]

Back in the days of film then I did purely visual work (film was tooi expensive), then I had a break , during which I got into photography in a big way and then when digital came along I realised that here was my chance to get some photo's of 'the heavens'. In the intervening years my eyesight had suffered somewhat and so when I thought about getting a scope again I went straight for a refractor (or two) just knowing that I wanted to image because in that way I would once again see the night sky as I had when my eyes were good. Still haven't managed much because I re-started in spring time and then the dreadful summer was upon us, however, on the odd sunny day I tried solar imaging and just loved the fiddling about after the images have been taken and spend more time in PS than I ever do taking the images. Then I am inordinately proud of what I achieve even though others take the same sun, on the same day, and usually with much better results, but that doesn't matter and I get to see some detail on the sun that i would have have seen through the eyepiece. Cannot wait to get a dark garden and start doing some serious DSOing, hopefully this winter.

[JamesF]

I really enjoy imaging. So far it has mostly been planetary, but I want to get into DSO imaging as well. It does require a huge amount of time, effort and discipline, but for me, the thrill of producing an image that looks good is worth it.

On the other hand, just getting out with a scope and "looking at stuff" is a huge amount of fun and I miss it if I don't do it for a while. In some ways it requires just as much time and effort, eespecially as I enjoy star-hopping.

I don't think I'd want to do one without the other. If I did no imaging then I'd probably take up sketching instead.

James

[paul schofield]

I enjoy visual too much to even think of imaging at the moment. That's not to say I won't get into imaging one day. Plus I can just look at the imaging sections on here where I'm sure posted images will out do any efforts I could capture. Saying that I will probably experiment in years to come.

[Hypernova]

I have dabbled with AP during the course of my time in astronomy, limited to basic webcam photography of the planets and the ISS. I had some success but I was always deeply into visual. Money constraints put the hold on any possible imaging-related purchases and there is only so much one can do with a dob and a webcam! Maybe sometime in the future but not right now. I haven't even been out with the 'scope in over 2 months and I am losing the will to do anything astro ATM.

[Stargazing_Cliff]

I really enjoy imaging. So far it has mostly been planetary, but I want to get into DSO imaging as well. It does require a huge amount of time, effort and discipline, but for me, the thrill of producing an image that looks good is worth it.

On the other hand, just getting out with a scope and "looking at stuff" is a huge amount of fun and I miss it if I don't do it for a while. In some ways it requires just as much time and effort, eespecially as I enjoy star-hopping.

I don't think I'd want to do one without the other. If I did no imaging then I'd probably take up sketching instead.

James

I shud do odd sketch sometimes when i'm viewing stuff as i usually check stellarium to what i was viewing and sometimes get lost guess but sketching find where stars are again to get names of them i usually have scope with cam attached and me binoculars to quick view stuff before try image out.

[cantab]

I've never tried anything more than moon shots with my phone or compact camera held up to the eyepiece, which haven't been successful, I couldn't get focus. I don't have a DSLR, or a laptop for webcam planetary, and while I'm somewhat interesting in imaging right now I'd sooner spend my money on a Dob.

[GlassWalker]

I moved into astrophotography as an extension of photography. Of course, the more I dig, the more I understand about what I can or can't do, and how. Quite simply, visual for anything except the brightest subjects is a no go for me, but imaging lets me get around light pollution a lot further. Also I'm time constrained, with a regular office job which means no late nights 5 days a week, even travel to a dark site isn't practical. I'm way past the "don't need sleep" age group... I do want to try visual, and have wrote about it in another thread. But as my main interest is mostly nebulas, visual isn't the best way to do it anyway...

[Ant]

There is lots of different imaging though.

1. DSO imaging - is VERY scope time heavy. If you like your observing then this will be a problem - Solution buy a Dob as a second scope - observe while imaging This is also pretty heavy on processing time as well.

2. Lunar / Planetary imaging, fairly light on telescope time. Quite heavy in processing (although a lot of it is automatic). Processing can be done during cloudy periods.

3. Solar - that's a day time thing so won't impact on night time scope time at all.

I can really understand why people do not take up DSO imaging, things really have to work right, lots of wires / technical things that can and do go wrong. But lunar/solar and planetary imaging will have minimum impact on observing time, for lunar very pleasing results can be achieved without too many issues. Providing that you have a laptop already, you could probably get started for less than £50...

But back to the question, for me the answer is light evenings, over work and cloud!

Cheers

Ant

[Prador]

I consider myself very lucky because I gain the same sense of wonder and achievement from visual and imaging.

I am very new to both disciplines and sometimes I really struggle with which one to do on any given night. I realise that it is a very personal thing whether you view or image but it is all observing at the end of the day and that is what counts.

[Scott]

This is a very interesting thread with many varying views. I have only had a scope for about 6-8 months and almost from day one i have wanted to get into a.p. although it's only been webcam so far my goal is to eventually capture images of dso's of the quality i continually see on our forums. however i read a thread on sgl quite a while ago where an imager stated that he has not looked through an e.p. for yrs (can't remember who). I personally could not imagine being completely a.p. as i still get such a buzz searching for, finding then viewing targets. this leads me to wonder if i'm suited to a.p. or am i just getting caught up in these fantasic images. do many astronomers do both or is it generally one or the other?

Oh, as for the opening question, atm its purely finances holding me back.

Scott

[Vapouriser]

I have use when required of an apple computer but cant use macam! Theres nothing simpler tham macam surely! Moon ok but i m supposed to adjust focus-I think- for deep space but my macam doesnt seem to have it to adjust. Iphone used to be good , hand held but now the zoom has to be enabled by putting fingers on screen and goes off automaticaly in 5 seconds. I dont worry much about imaging. !

[earth titan]

When I'm pushed for time, I image as my permanent set up lets me just crack on.

If I have time, dark skies lure me out of my garden.

I enjoy both and while I can never match some of the wonderful images I see on here, cos I don't spend all my time imaging, I enjoy it.

Typed by me, using fumms...

[Zakalwe]

I'm the opposite to the OP. I started out visual, but quickly became bored at looking at *yet another* fuzzy grey blob (Lunar and planetary excepted). The first time I stuck a camera on a 'scope I was blown away with the colours and detail that even my first cack-handed efforts produced. I've tried visual a couple of times since, but am always frustrated knowing that my limited "wetware" eyes are only able to deliver to me a tiny fraction of what the 'scope is actually pointed at. I see it as wasting my extremley limited time at the scope.

I do still love "flying" over the Moon with the scope, or snatching glimpses at Saturn and Jupiter, but only as a premable to getting on with the real business of getting a camera on it so I can start to see it in its real glory.

The other attraction of imaging, for me, is tinkering with the kit. I am an inveterate "fiddler"!

Having said all of that, nothing beats looking up at the sky on a clear moon-free night with nothing more than the Mk1 eyeball. As soon as I think of using a scope though, I want a camera on there. Perhaps I need to get a set of bins?

[Vega]

For the first few years I was a heavy observer. Now I am more of an imager. Mainly due to a house move, smaller garden and neighbours halogen light! Other reasons include the desire to get more detail out of those faint grey fuzzies. Its wonderful seeing the incredible detail and colour come out in an image from a faint grey smudge to the eye.

I usually do all-nighter imaging sessions (eventually un-attended once set up and first couple subs reviewed). Heres a list of the things that usually prevent me from doing an imaging session...

1. Skies simply not dark enough before sleep time on a work night

2. Target doesn't come within range of the scopes view (house/tree in the way)

3. Similar to above but the target is not in the right place (before bedtime) to avoid telescope collisons with mount legs.

4. ... the weather!

[Matt Scunthorpe]

Id like to get into imagining, but ive only had my scope around 7months. I do have a DSLR and have gotten pictures of the moon and sun. Can a DSLR be used for DSO without the use of a laptop, as i only own a desktop. Just taking short exposures then putting them on the desktop pc later?

Eventually i will move into imaging, when ive worked through the Messiers and Caldwells etc.

[Space Cowboy]

I think there is a misconception that you can either observe or image. For DSO imaging yes you are not really observing as the camera is "downloading" data but with Planetary and lunar imaging you are observing a living breathing object on screen whilst recording the data.

The detail is far greater than at the eyepiece especially atmospheric effects which give it such a "live" appearance. After observing and processing you then have an even clearer recorded image of what you saw that night.