astrophotography with dobsonians?

[Dean]

I was wondering if it was possible to use a dobsonian for any kind of astrophotography?

thanks dean

[DanDare]

Hi Dean,

I think you're limited to the moon and maybe the brighter planets using very short exposures, but I'm sure others will be able to advise further.

Roy

[Starflyer]

Hi Dean,

I've done a bit of imaging with my dob. Here's a couple of my attempts;

http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php/topic,22752.0.html

http://stargazerslounge.com/index.php/topic,23885.0.html

Both were taken with a webcam, the first ones are just single shots and the second is a mosaic of several shots merged together.

Imaging can be done with a dob, but as Roy says you're limited to very short exposures or a series of very short exposures with a webcam.

Cheers,

Ian

[Dean]

Thanks Roy, the moon and maybe Saturn would be good. I do have a sky watcher 130pm, which is a 5.1” on an equatorial mount, but my dobsonian is a 12”

[Sam]

I did my first few shots of the Moon and Mars with a webcam on my dob. I couldn't crank up the magnification too much though and the avi files didn't have very many frames.

[Dean]

Thanks for the pictures Ian they are great.

[ringz]

Dean,

Have a look at this.

http://www.megastronomy.150m.com/New-QCUIAG/

The drift integration link in the left panel. Don't you just love frames and the fact you can't easily get at a link to copy it.

--

Mart.

[supernova]

Try this one also it works with my 16in Dob,

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/index.php?id=63,201,0,0,1,0

Bernie.

Good luck Dean.

[Dean]

Thanks Mart and Bernie for the help the links where very helpful.

[Macavity]

Excellent - Somehow I had a hunch it must be possible to centre drifting images... somehow.

(Will have to revisit this one!)

[Astronut]

I've never really considered imaging with my dob but now I know it's possible I may keep an eye on this and have a proper read of those links sometime.

[supernova]

Try the Moon.

Eyepiece, 20mm or 32mm,

Flash off,

Focus infinity,

iso Moon 100,

iso planets 200 / 400,

depending on ep shutter speed 1/100sec 1/1000sec,

optical zoom only to get closer,

3 sec or 10 sec timer,

This is with a digi cam.

That is my next starting point when the sky is clear.

Also I am going to try movie mode and let the Moon just drift by.

Give it a go and try adjusting the settings.

Good luck Dean.

Bernie

[Casus belli]

I've added that site to my favorates folder. Ive tried afocal with the lightbridge on the moon but had poor results. I may try again the next time the moon "interferes" with my quest to find every galaxy in the universe. (Well a man can dream cant he)

[supernova]

I've added that site to my favorates folder. Ive tried afocal with the lightbridge on the moon but had poor results. I may try again the next time the moon "interferes" with my quest to find every galaxy in the universe. (Well a man can dream cant he)

You do need a cam mount with a Digicam.

[EA2007]

Note that............Celestron Dobsonians do not reach focus using a dSLR (at prime focus) as I found out last summer.

[Ajohn]

You can do all forms of imaging with a dob but need some sort of drive. I think Mel Bartells did a very complex on. Alt Az drive with go to and something to rotate the focuser too. Bit over the top imho.

The best way is a poncet platform. This gives good tracking for something like an hour and then needs resetting. This looks to be a decent web link on the subject.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/molyned/the_equatorial_platform.htm

There are loads on the web but I often find that the ones from Oz and the UK give most info on technical subjects.

John