Imaging with the 130pds

[Galen Gilmore]

I keep forgetting to post my photos!

This was taken on the last new moon at headlands dark sky park.

70x30 seconds.

[Galen Gilmore]

7 minutes ago, Galen Gilmore said:

I keep forgetting to post my photos!

This was taken on the last new moon at headlands dark sky park.

70x30 seconds.

Quick reprocess of the same image.

[Victor Boesen]

1 hour ago, Galen Gilmore said:

Quick reprocess of the same image.

Looking very nice Galen! Seems like you and your new equipment is getting along very well! I'm so happy to see that I'm not the only youngster in this boat??

[Galen Gilmore]

4 hours ago, Victor Boesen said:

Looking very nice Galen! Seems like you and your new equipment is getting along very well! I'm so happy to see that I'm not the only youngster in this boat??

Thanks Victor, still getting used to my new stuff but I think it's coming along nicely. Haha, your the only other one on this forum, but I was able to get quite a few of my friends hooked. 

Edited August 9, 2017 by Galen Gilmore

[al-alami]

Sometimes its worth getting out into the sun  

This is from today.

[richyrich_one]

ISO 800 16x300 lights, superbias, 30 flats, dithered, no darks.

Stacked and processed in PI/PS

Still some spacing issues to sort but it's good to get something...

 

[Galen Gilmore]

Once again I forget to post my pictures!

Baileys Beads with fuji Xt-1 at 1/4000 of a second at ISO 400.

I also forgot to edit my other eclipse photos...

I am the definition of procrastination everybody! 

[Susaron]

Moon shoot from home yesterday evening with the Canon 70D and the 130PDS Moonlite tuned. ISO 100 at 1/320, series of 5 frames stacked with PIPP, AS2 and little processing with Pix wavelets.

 

Edited September 2, 2017 by Susaron

[al-alami]

From earlier today.

I must admit, photographing the sun is cool (well not literally).

[Stub Mandrel]

38 minutes ago, al-alami said:

I must admit, photographing the sun is cool (well not literally).

Very nice busy disc, I wish I could see it from here!

[al-alami]

3 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Very nice busy disc, I wish I could see it from here!

hahahhaha honestly .. I live in a desert .. so I have to worry about dust!  Not to mention anything I need I have to order from Europe, so there is that fun part.  The one advantage, I have lots of sun!

[Stub Mandrel]

35 minutes ago, al-alami said:

hahahhaha honestly .. I live in a desert .. so I have to worry about dust!  Not to mention anything I need I have to order from Europe, so there is that fun part.  The one advantage, I have lots of sun!

Astronomers are like farmers - whatever the weather is, it's wrong!

[Susaron]

And yesterday full Moon,

 

 

[al-alami]

My moon from last night

[lnlarxg]

great thread, this has caused me to have just made a purchase on a neq6-pro! Sorry quick hijack, is a 200p-ds too big to fiddle with for astrophotography? (If so I will stop dreaming for the 250p-ds....)

[Galen Gilmore]

1 hour ago, lnlarxg said:

great thread, this has caused me to have just made a purchase on a neq6-pro! Sorry quick hijack, is a 200p-ds too big to fiddle with for astrophotography? (If so I will stop dreaming for the 250p-ds....)

I think that a 200PDS field of view is too small too be able to image some of the bigger DSO's like the Andromeda galaxy. Although it is much better suited for small galaxies and planetary nebulas. I would personally think that if your just starting out then a 130PDS would be a much better choice as its got a wider field of view, and its much lighter and smaller so its easier to carry, store, and setup. But it is ultimately up to you.

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, lnlarxg said:

great thread, this has caused me to have just made a purchase on a neq6-pro! Sorry quick hijack, is a 200p-ds too big to fiddle with for astrophotography? (If so I will stop dreaming for the 250p-ds....)

TH 200P-DS is, like the 130P-DS optimised for astrophotography compared to the standard 200P, it's not just the better dual speed focuser, but they also have different length tubes. It has less FOV, but that just changes which targets it's best for. EQ6 is good with a big scope like a 200P-DS, even I wouldn't use one on an EQ3 ;-)

[Uranium235]

On 31/08/2017 at 19:39, Galen Gilmore said:

Once again I forget to post my pictures!

Baileys Beads with fuji Xt-1 at 1/4000 of a second at ISO 400.

I also forgot to edit my other eclipse photos...

I am the definition of procrastination everybody! 

If I could give that two likes, I would!

[Galen Gilmore]

3 hours ago, Uranium235 said:

If I could give that two likes, I would!

Thank you! 

[Susaron]

On 7/9/2017 at 19:11, lnlarxg said:

great thread, this has caused me to have just made a purchase on a neq6-pro! Sorry quick hijack, is a 200p-ds too big to fiddle with for astrophotography? (If so I will stop dreaming for the 250p-ds....)

The NEQ6 Pro is just the minimum to use the 200PDS for Deep Sky photography, though many people tune the mount with belts in order to have smoother operation.

I did use a 200PDS for visual and planetary duties on an AZEQ5 but with the traditional tripod not the pier one as this is too shaky.

Cheers

Edited September 10, 2017 by Susaron

[spillage]

I have had my 130pds for several months now but last night was its first time out. Pretty poor effort and I think the mk111 cc needs adjusting. Obviously my processing skills need more than adjusting but hopefully in time....I just could not reduce 52 enough without loosing details in the nebula and of course I should have framed the target better but this was my first time on the witches broom.

 

[rotatux]

Here's a last-half moon from last month (this one fullsize, contrary to my gallery).

First try at video-like stacking with a proper burst shots sequence. Auto white balance then added some contrast and color saturation. To my surprise some color differenciation appeared, so quite happy with it

This was without Barlow, now I'm just wondering for next try whether I should do 130PDS+barlow or 127MAK ? Optically I prefer the MAK, but the focuser and camera coupling is much better on the 130...

 

[al-alami]

Hi All.  

I've got sort of an issue, I think with the focuser. In theory I have the correct spacing between the Baader CC and my QHY 163M (with a manual filter wheel in between). It looks like I have some tilt.  I tried aligning the focuser and it seems to be okay, well at least without the imaging train attached.  Is there any way for me to work on the tilt with the camera attached during the day?  It is kind of frustrating at the moment.  I've included an image which I shot yesterday.  To be honest the image was just shot to see the stars and not for anything else, it was also shot from my light polluted roof. 

Any help would be much appreciated.

Fakhri

 

Edited September 18, 2017 by al-alami

[alacant]

19 minutes ago, al-alami said:

Is there any way for me to work on the tilt

Hi. If you can find a dark-ish place, you could use a fake star. HTH.

[al-alami]

Thanks, looks interesting.  Can it help with measuring the tilt? I can't see it covering the sensor enough.