First Night of Astrophotography

[texwarhawk]

Finally the clouds broke and I was able to get this photo of Jupiter. As you can probably tell I'm having a few issues. I have to have the ISO nearly maxed out so I can have a quick shutter speed because I'm having a few issues aligning my mount. Also, I am taking the photos within a mile of Houston city limits so light pollution is a major issue. The shutter is causing the camera to shake slightly. FInally, I'm using a cheap barlow lens. I would love any comments or ideas on how these issues can be solved.

Thanks!

Meade 4504, Nikon D5200

[Sam]

That's not too bad for your first go. You captured the bands. There's quite a bit to imaging and you've made a great start.

[Pete Presland]

not too bad at all, is it a single image or a stack of AVI's

[texwarhawk]

not too bad at all, is it a single image or a stack of AVI's

It's a single image taken with my D5200 in a 4.5" Meade 4504. The focuser on the telescope is a two inch steel barrel. It initally came with a cap that held .965" eyepeices. I have replaced that with a 1.25" eyepeice holder. With just the t-adapter and the camera I couldn't focus in far enough, so I had to use a $6 barlow (haha). I bought the telescope and mount off a guy on craigslist for $40. If I could get the computerized mount to align properly then I would be set. Oh well. I'll make sure to keep y'all updated. Do either of you have any experice with electronic eyepeices or cheap CCDs? Is there any advantage to one of those over my D5200 other than focusing? I'm hesitant to go into the electrionic eyepeices because they seem to be modified webcams with like 5MP max. The D5200 is like 20+MPs. Do I gain anything from the higher resolution?

[Pete Presland]

i can not do the maths regarding pixels/resolution, but modded webcams will and do out perform DSLR and at a fraction of the cost. 3 minute AVI files freeze the seeing for fractions of seconds and then these best moments are stacked to produce stunning images.

[swag72]

Well done on your first astro photo!! It's highly addictive you know!

For planetary, as has already been said a small modded webcam will out do a DSLR. Got to be worth a try eh?

[texwarhawk]

How about for other objects? Moon? Sun? DSO (e.g., Orion Nebula)?

Thanks again!!!

[Pete Presland]

webcams are excellent on the solar system objects planets, moon. the sun requires at the least a solar film filter http://www.firstlightoptics.com/solar-filters/baader-astrosolar-safety-film-nd-50.html or an HA telescope such as the PST. your DSLR camera will do pretty everything else