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Hello from a noob

niccodeamus

By niccodeamus
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niccodeamus

niccodeamus

Posted
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Hi all,

I have known for a while that a camera is a better tool for seeing than our eyes, and there is a lot that can be seen.  Nowhere appears to be more relevant for this than space.  I discovered, by accident, that the Milkyway shows up brilliantly in a long exposure, but immediately ran into the earth's rotation when trying longer focal length shots.

This, of course, presents a challenge, so I learn as much as I can, about tracking, stacking, and generally cracking up.  Thats pretty much where I left the situation for quite some time, deeply desiring a tracking device.

In January I read of the supernova in M82 and had to do something.  I built a barn door from a bit of plumbing and lego, reckoning anything must be better than nothing to increase exposure time, and I'd use a fast short tele lens.

post-35728-0-04902200-1393521955_thumb.j

I cannot get the hang of the dedicated astro programs, so i muddled a sort of stack in photoshop and this was the result.  not your typical first DSO but i patted myself on the back that I had photographed a supernova and moved to simpler targets

post-35728-0-67340900-1393522758_thumb.j

post-35728-0-16301400-1393522799_thumb.j

These are all small stacks, 4 or 5 images, (badly) hand aligned in photoshop, the subs would be up to 30 seconds tracked with the lego barn door using a Canon 5Dmk2 and a 135mm prime lens.

To cut to the chase a bit, as a result of my efforts I was offered,on long loan, an under used 250mm SkyWatcher Flextube on a Dob mount with auto tracking.  You may be able to imagine my excitement - Hubble was soon to be watching its back.  After some more learning and having to bodge the camera onto it I got this result

post-35728-0-75227200-1393523301_thumb.j

hand aligned from 5 images 8 to 13 seconds (auto darks) no flats or bias.  Alignment is getting better and i learned a good trick part way through the alignment of this, so it could be better, but isn't...;-)

So, wonderful, thinks I.  But I was wrong.  Beginners luck or something.  the thing WILL NOT track with any reliability or accuracy.  So frustrating.  More learning and I discover very few people have any luck with the Dob mount, its just not for imaging.  

I am, therefore, in a quandary.  Some can get good results, so perhaps it is possible.  Give up and try to find an EQ5 or something, make something more sophisticated.... or just give up

I should add that I also have a SW ED80 which I know is a good little tool, but I have the same tracking problem...so i offer up a little plea to experts as to what a recommended course of action might be

Nicco

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niccodeamus

niccodeamus

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Hello Nicco and welcome to SGL!!  Those are excellent images.  If you post in the Beginners help and advice section of the forum you will get your questions answered.

Thank Roger

Do I copy and paste, or how do I move it?  I wondered if it may be in the wrong place

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swag72

swag72

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Hi Nicco and welcome to SGL. If you can, get hold of the book 'Making Every Photon Count' from the book section of the FLO website. As an imager I can say that it is something of an imagers bible, especially for DSO' images. Read it through ...... twice ...... before even thinking about spending any money on your imaging rig.

Go and have a look in the imaging section as well and you can see the types of images that people are producing with their kit that they generally list.

Hope that helps.

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paulastro

paulastro

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I think you've done great and doing exactly the right thing  - making the most of kit you already have (or can borrow!) and just trying things out.  It's surprising what can be done with a little application and determination.  Making doing and mending can take you a long way.  I'd make sure you have exhausted what you can do with the kit you have before considering spending, and then buy only those things you think are essential.  You should be very pleased for what you have achieved so far.

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