Diffraction spikes

[recceranger]

I use an ED80 with DSLR and want to get some cool looking diffraction spikes, preferably without false image processing

Anyone done this before?

[Knight of Clear Skies]

No, but if you put a cardboard aperture mask on the end of your scope that should do the job. Hexagonal would give you stars with six spikes and octagonal would give eight for example.

Be prepared for some posters to accuse you of blasphemy though. (Personally, I like diffraction spikes in some images, although it depends on the scene and nature of the spikes.)

[Stargazer33]

A cross of wire/string over the front of the objective/lens hood should give you the classic four point diffraction spikes.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

That might be a simpler solution, and wouldn't slow the scope down as much.

[Alien 13]

A cross of wire/string over the front of the objective/lens hood should give you the classic four point diffraction spikes.

A spider silk thread can do it arrrrrrrghhhh.

Alan

[Knight of Clear Skies]

A spider silk thread can do it arrrrrrrghhhh.

Alan

An entire web might make for an interesting effect.

[Alien 13]

I spent ages trying to track down the cause of a diffraction spike caused by a strand of web once but agree a full on web would be interesting.

Alan

[recceranger]

Cheers guys, got it

Purely for artistic effect. I'm rubbish at AP so no harm done!

Rick

[ollypenrice]

The crosswires will give you diffraction spikes but you said 'cool' diffraction spikes. Since all diffraction spikes are vile artefacts scribbled across the fair face ot the cosmos, and since the only ones I've seen have struck me as abominations (including my own) I really can't help you!!!

lly

[Ikonnikov]

Stars with giant diffraction spikes bring back fond memories for me... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85s5PzlNihA (from 0:57)

[Knight of Clear Skies]

As I posted a little while ago, diffraction spikes are perfectly natural - or at least no more unnatural than turning point sources into blobs, as a circular aperture does. Imperfections in our own eyes introduce them whenever we look at any bright lights. As a bonus we have two personal and unique views of the night sky available to us, one with each eye as they produce a different pattern of spikes. Stars really are spiky, or at least that's how we perceive them.

[MattJenko]

There are photoshop actions to generate diffraction spikes in Noel Carboni's took kit which you can simply click on to apply diffraction effects on stars.