My 2013 in images

[PhotoGav]

Wide fields... The alternative, I suppose, is a shorter focal length, something like a canon L series 300mm lens. This is something that I intend to experiment with eventually, but what would the disadvantage be? Of course, the detail wouldn't be as high as you are putting more FOV onto the same chip compared to the mosaic approach, but this only really matters when it comes to the final output resolution and size, and if the image isn't going beyond the computer screen...

As for hours of imaging... Let's all move to Spain or other equivalent cloud free zone. UK can be described as 'character building' at best!!!

[swag72]

Just for info Gav, my scope is running at 329mm, so a 300mm lens will give you very little extra. Many people use the 200/2.8 L to great effect. I have a 100mm ready to go, but just don't want to break up my rig at the moment!

Your point about resolution and viewing on the PC screen is a valid one. I've never viewed on anything else!!

[Luke]

Well done, Sara, truly inspiring, and wonderful to follow your progress. You should feel very proud You always seem to have time to help out folks starting out.

[Twisted Lip]

@Will - Mosaics are not difficult per se. But they are time consuming, something that you are not blessed with in the UK I suppose. AP is full of compromises all round .......... sadly

Haha - yes right now (and for the last few weeks) staring at the sky here will only result in an eye-full of rainwater! 

[PhotoGav]

Just for info Gav, my scope is running at 329mm, so a 300mm lens will give you very little extra. Many people use the 200/2.8 L to great effect. I have a 100mm ready to go, but just don't want to break up my rig at the moment!

Your point about resolution and viewing on the PC screen is a valid one. I've never viewed on anything else!!

Interesting - I didn't realise quite how much sky your mosaics are covering!

No, please don't break up your set-up... It works just as it is...

But that image that Olly has of the whole of Orion is rather beautiful and is very tempting to give a go...!

Surely you have to make some prints of your images, at least for the obsy walls?

[FranckiM06]

Wow, it is absolutly fantastic images. Great work.

Franck

[Sandancer10]

Sara your images are wonderful and inspires me to keep honing my skills to try and achieve one small part of what you have done. Excellent work.

[swag72]

@Gav - You use a DSLR so your chip is bigger than mine. Have you pumped the details into a fov calculator to see how much sky you can get in one frame?

Thanks Franck and Brenda

[PhotoGav]

Absolutely, that's my initial target choosing method... See what's actually going to show up in the frame at a usable size! True, I'd forgotten to consider chip size, though the 480 isn't massively (but is significantly) different.

Before long I will have to quiz you for a mosaic making tutorial....!

[swag72]

Absolutely, that's my initial target choosing method... See what's actually going to show up in the frame at a usable size! True, I'd forgotten to consider chip size, though the 480 isn't massively (but is significantly) different.

Before long I will have to quiz you for a mosaic making tutorial....!

No probs!! Just make sure you have PixInsight as that's how I do them. I'm lost trying them any other way!!!

[David Smith]

Fantastic collection of images Sara, thanks for sharing with us.