AAAAARGH! what have I been missing......

[Tim]

So I have always been into imaging, rather than observing. Planetary views, even of Saturn, have always been so-so, never quite been able to make out much detail.

And I only have the eyepieces that came with the scopes I have, which add up to;

1 x 32mm Axiom

1 x Hyperion Zoom (bought for doing planetary videos with)

1x set of el cheapo plossls

2x and 3x Tal Barlows.

Well I have jigged my observatory around today, raised the pier, and needed to realign the mount, so for quickness I did it with an eyepiece.

At the IAS on friday I bought my first decent barlow, a 2x 2" powermate.

As Saturn was in a good place, I just aimed at that;

The combination of Skywatcher Esprit 150, 2 x powermate, and Hyperion set to 8mm has just absolutely blown me away, I could have laid an egg with excitement! I have never seen so much detail before, never seen the cassini division go all the way round, it was like looking at a photograph by Damian Peach!

I guess it is just the quality of the glass and finally a decent barlow that make such a difference? I wonder how it would be with a really good eyepiece!

I genuinely had no idea that visual astronomy could be so rewarding. That won't be the last time the cameras come off and the eyepieces go in!!

Cheers

Tim

[ian_j_kirk]

That's a nice little tale, thanks for sharing. Saturn really was a wow moment for me when I first saw it. Something that will live with me until the day I die. Truly stunning. Ian

[Naemeth]

That's the great thing about astronomy. If you're bored with visual (or at least having difficulties with visual), there is always imaging and vice versa

[Tim]

I've seen plenty of observers turn to imagers, but not the reverse so often!

[estwing]

wonderful Tim,"laid an egg!"...

[nightfisher]

visual can be a lot of fun, glad you had a proper "wow" moment

[Beulah]

Welcome home, Tim.

Sometimes imaging can be so frustrating, observing can be a real pleasure. It is possible to do both - and it's good for your mental health!

We can, too often, live our lives looking through a lens (camera, not eyepiece) and not really see the bigger picture.

MK1 eyeballs are underrated....

[Pig]

Great news - The good far outways the dissapointment with this hobby

[emadmoussa]

If you juggle imaging and visual you'll eventually be able to make a whole farm of eggs.

[Tim]

Just realised I have more CCD cameras than eyepieces

[Moonshane]

nice one Tim. Hopefully you now understand what I mean when I go on about connection.

[steppenwolf]

Fewer and fewer gaps in the clouds last year had me out buying some eyepieces last year, Hyperion 27, 17, 8 and 5mm versions, my first decent set and the only ones I have, not supplied with a telescope! At least with observing, a small gap in the clouds is an opportunity that you can take full advantage of whereas its still a no-go for imaging! That Esprit must make for some stunning views, Tim, I only use a Megrez 72 for my observing but it's still great fun.

[Luke]

My first "that's like a photo!" view of a planet was Jupiter at Kelling at about 3am in the morning in a 12 inch dob. It was like looking at a clear photo, and far better than any of my attempts with a web camera! I was so excited, never thought I would get a view like that through the eyepiece!

[Tim]

You too Steve?????? What is the world coming to!!

[steppenwolf]

You too Steve?????? What is the world coming to!!

Oh the shame, the shame, turning to the light side ........

P.S. I don't want this in the public domain but I've even enjoyed observing the Moon (shhhh)

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The difference between a PowerMate or other tele-centric lens (like the TeleXtenders I have) and a regular Barlow is quite staggering in my experience. Moving from the Esprit's native focal ratio of F/7 to F/14 makes a big difference for the Hyperion as well. Slow scopes make life easy for EPs. Saturn on a night of really good seeing (which you clearly had), seen through really good optics (ditto), is something you never forget.

[Codmate]

This is interesting, because the reason I bought a telescope is because I wanted to see the 'real thing', and not flat pictures on screens, in books, et al.

After a year and a bit of purely visual, I'm now thinking of making my own pictures so it goes both ways I suppose

I don't think anything will beat the sense of depth, and the overall profundity of looking through the EP though.

The difference a good EP makes is large too. I would suggest the OP gets some really nice ones, or at least has a look though some at star parties.

Comparing my bog standard EPs to my TeleVue pieces is a joke frankly!

[foundaplanet]

I was surprised the first time I met an imager that he, had no ep's, I was totally shocked to be honest. The second time I met an imager I was just as surprised and started to wonder if all imagers were a plank or two short of a full load. I mean, having all that brilliant kit and not actually looking to see what it looks like yourself was just to me. This was where i realised that whilst the hobby is based around the same thing they are in fact to quite different pursuits. The two fellas I met are top imagers and I guess the reason why is because this is their main focus.

[cotterless45]

Brilliant ,was toying with idea of imaging. Then had a look at my charts and lists and the weather. There's so much to see , for which we need

clear skies,

Nick.

[Beulah]

Brilliant ,was toying with idea of imaging. Then had a look at my charts and lists and the weather. There's so much to see , for which we need

clear skies,

Nick.

Too much to do with too few clear skies.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Regarding imagers not having/wanting EPs: it has never bothered me. I have taken quite a few EPs off imagers hands so they could get more CCD kit. That has saved me a lot of money in the pursuit of black-and-green stuff (and the odd Pentax)