Hello From Nova Scotia Canada :)

[NSastronomer]

Hi Chris, thanks for the welcome.

I think it will take me awhile to be able to have both, lol

[Twisted Lip]

Welcome to SGL! Nova Scotia is always somewhere I've wanted to visit - I'm very jealous!

Happy (and clear) skies!

Will

[NSastronomer]

4 hours ago, Twisted Lip said:

Welcome to SGL! Nova Scotia is always somewhere I've wanted to visit - I'm very jealous!

Happy (and clear) skies!

Will

Hi Will,

I left Nova Scotia back in 1989, and lived on Vancouver island until 2006, I just couldn't take being away from here anymore. If you grew up here, it's in your blood. People are just friendlier here, like me, hehe.

Unfortunately, I live in the city now, where there is alot of light pollution, I moved back into the city last May, and before that, I was living in the Annapolis Valley, where the seeing is great, but back then, I had no telescope yet.

Traveling at night is not an option for me because of my physical condition, so I'll have to make the best of the light polluted back yard for now.

Do those light pollution filters actually work? Are they worth investing in?

Come visit Nova Scotia, we'd be glad to have you

Chris

[Twisted Lip]

I hear that quite a lot from Canadian friends - you always go back to where you're from almost as if its a part of you! I have to admit however, thats pretty much what I've done (having moved back to my home town last year)! My fiancé and I are (finally) getting married again this year (second marriage for us both, i.e. where you spend more money on the holiday afterwards than the wedding itself!) and we are hopefully getting the train across Canada, starting in Nova Scotia. Fingers crossed anyway!

On to more astro subjects, the LP filters really do work depending on how bad the LP actually is. What are you planning on imaging with? If you're using a DSLR, consider getting an Astronomik clip-in (for canon anyway, for other makes other filters are available). When I used to image with a Canon 1100D (Digital Rebel in North America I think), I had great results up to about 10 minute subs through moderately polluted skies. Beyond that I found chip in the DSLR gets too much noisy anyway as it's uncooled. You'll end up with slightly blue images which you take out through stacking (using Deep Sky Stacker or similar) and perhaps a little processing in Photoshop (or similar). Caveats are the LP filters tend to work very well with the older 'yellow/orange' sodium lamps. If Canada is anything like the UK many are being replaced with LED lamps which are very very hard to filter out :/ To really cut through LP for DSO targets, narrowband filters may be the best option.

Note that this is all really for Deep Sky stuff. I recall from your original post you wanted to look more at the moon and planets. For these targets you probably won't actually need much filtering, you get great images using 'lucky' imaging (basically using video where each sub is so short it should be unaffected by LP).

Hope this helps!
Cheers

Will

[NSastronomer]

2 hours ago, Twisted Lip said:

I hear that quite a lot from Canadian friends - you always go back to where you're from almost as if its a part of you! I have to admit however, thats pretty much what I've done (having moved back to my home town last year)! My fiancé and I are (finally) getting married again this year (second marriage for us both, i.e. where you spend more money on the holiday afterwards than the wedding itself!) and we are hopefully getting the train across Canada, starting in Nova Scotia. Fingers crossed anyway!

On to more astro subjects, the LP filters really do work depending on how bad the LP actually is. What are you planning on imaging with? If you're using a DSLR, consider getting an Astronomik clip-in (for canon anyway, for other makes other filters are available). When I used to image with a Canon 1100D (Digital Rebel in North America I think), I had great results up to about 10 minute subs through moderately polluted skies. Beyond that I found chip in the DSLR gets too much noisy anyway as it's uncooled. You'll end up with slightly blue images which you take out through stacking (using Deep Sky Stacker or similar) and perhaps a little processing in Photoshop (or similar). Caveats are the LP filters tend to work very well with the older 'yellow/orange' sodium lamps. If Canada is anything like the UK many are being replaced with LED lamps which are very very hard to filter out :/ To really cut through LP for DSO targets, narrowband filters may be the best option.

Note that this is all really for Deep Sky stuff. I recall from your original post you wanted to look more at the moon and planets. For these targets you probably won't actually need much filtering, you get great images using 'lucky' imaging (basically using video where each sub is so short it should be unaffected by LP).

Hope this helps!
Cheers

Will

Hi Will,

It's actually because of the light pollution that I hadn't really planned on being able top photograph DSO's, that and the fact that my scope is an altaz scope, not a GEM which is better for photography. I'm limited to short exposures, so I was just wondering if these filters really did work for light pollution or not.

I have an Olympus E-450 DSLR, and also a modified microsoft life cam webcam which is what I photographed Jupiter with so far.

I will be using both DSLR, and video cams, I'm currently modifying a Taotronics car dash cam for use with the telescope, it's 1080P HD @ 30fps, so I'm hoping it actually works. I just received the webcam to telescope adapter from China today, it only costed $12.00USD, and arrived in less than 2 weeks, I bought it on Ali-express. Hope it works!

I should probably post this in the proper forum, but here is my 1st attempt at astrophotography.

It was also the very 1st time I ever used the brand new telescope, so I'm hoping that it will only get better from here on. I used the cheap modified lifecam webcam with SharpCap capture software, and registax to stack the images and do the wavelett thing.

You'll love the trip across Canada via train, I did it once myself, just be warned there are no showers on the train! LOL

Chris

 

[Twisted Lip]

I'd be pretty impressed with that! Not a bad effort, the camera is definitely working for you. Is that taken with a Barlow or direct? 

[NSastronomer]

3 hours ago, Twisted Lip said:

I'd be pretty impressed with that! Not a bad effort, the camera is definitely working for you. Is that taken with a Barlow or direct? 

Those pics are both taken with a cheap microsoft life cam that I ripped apart and just glued a filter thread onto, which then threads onto the lower metal sleeve of an eyepiece, then just fits onto the telescope.

This is taken directly with the webcam plugged right into the telescope, no diagonal, or barlow.

I've got some new eyepieces and barlow lenses coming in the mail, but haven't got them yet

This is the webcam I modified to take this picture.

It's a start, I'm actually just gluing the new adapter onto my car dash cam and will be testing that hopefully tomorrow, or whenever it clears up around here, we have nother storm coming Monday, ugh.

Chris

 

 

 

 

[Twisted Lip]

Not a bad effort I'd say! Good luck with the dashcam too
Will

[NSastronomer]

7 hours ago, Twisted Lip said:

Not a bad effort I'd say! Good luck with the dashcam too
Will

Thanks Will

[Starwiz]

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the SGL.  Nice pictures and good to see you're improvising.  The first one looks very similar to my first ever attempt last year, using a mobile phone at the eyepiece.

John

[NSastronomer]

2 hours ago, Starwiz said:

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the SGL.  Nice pictures and good to see you're improvising.  The first one looks very similar to my first ever attempt last year, using a mobile phone at the eyepiece.

John

Hi John,

That's really kewl that you can use a phone and get a picture of Jupiter!

Isn't technology great

I was trying to figure out how to expose for the details of Jupiter, while getting the moons to show up, not so easy.

I think I have one frame where you can see the details of Jupiter, and still faintly see the moons, because I exposed somewhere in between.

It was only my very 1st time, so I've got alot to learn about my equipment, and astronomy in general, as well as imaging techniques.

Today I imaged the sun for the 1st time via my home grown solar filter on my cheap little Meade 70mm, it was out of focus, and shaky, and the clouds kept coming and blocking out the sun, LOL

Thanks for posting your pic John!

Chris

[Starwiz]

1 minute ago, NSastronomer said:

Hi John,

That's really kewl that you can use a phone and get a picture of Jupiter!

Isn't technology great

I was trying to figure out how to expose for the details of Jupiter, while getting the moons to show up, not so easy.

I think I have one frame where you can see the details of Jupiter, and still faintly see the moons, because I exposed somewhere in between.

It was only my very 1st time, so I've got alot to learn about my equipment, and astronomy in general, as well as imaging techniques.

Today I imaged the sun for the 1st time via my home grown solar filter on my cheap little Meade 70mm, it was out of focus, and shaky, and the clouds kept coming and blocking out the sun, LOL

Thanks for posting your pic John!

Chris

The Skywatcher 200p also helped me out a bit .  I've also been trying to work out how to keep the detail on Jupiter and show up the moons too.  I was trying to do this only a couple of days ago with some images I captured on Tuesday night.  Hopefully, one of our more experienced members may be able to offer us some help on this one 

All the sun stuff I've done in the past, was using a small telescope to project onto a piece of white card.  I used this technique in 1999 when I traveled over to France to view the solar eclipse.  I must have lost count of the number of people I was telling not to stare at the sun through their sunglasses.

John

[NSastronomer]

Which Skywatcher do you have John, the dobsonion, or the newtornian scope?

Just curious.

 

[Starwiz]

I have the eq5 mount, but have just bought the neq6 which I'm not allowed to use until my birthday in a couple weeks time 

[Physopto]

Hi Chris and Daughter,

 Hope you get out plenty and also get the help you may need. You will here, I am sure.

Boy it looks cold out there! Light pollution can be a pain in the rear, but sometimes a CLS, Neodinium filter or see below.

This is a quote from the Tring Astronomy Website http://www.tringastro.co.uk/light-pollution-filters-140-c.asp

"Baader Moon and SkyGlow Filter is a selective contrast enhancing filter, especially suitable for reflector type telescopes and true Apochromates. It aims to reduce the effects of skyglow and is good for improving surface details on Mars, Jupiter and Moon. I can also enhance many Deep Sky galaxies and nebulae against the background sky.

O-III filters work ideally with larger aperture telescopes in the 200mm and larger range. With larger aperture telescopes, observers will have a better opportunity to identify nebulae objects in the deep sky. It can produce near-photographic views of the Veil, Ring, Dumbell, Orion, plus many other nebulae under dark skies.  For smaller telescopes chose the UHC filter instead as it lets more light through.

UHC filters (Ultra High Contrast) permit superb views of objects like the Orion, Lagoon, Swan and other extended nebulae. They performs well in smaller aperture instruments owing to its greater light transmission than the O-III, yet still suppresses light pollution well. A UHC filter is the best all-around dark-sky nebula filter."

Hope this helps.

Derek

 

[NSastronomer]

11 hours ago, Starwiz said:

I have the eq5 mount, but have just bought the neq6 which I'm not allowed to use until my birthday in a couple weeks time 

Well that sux, LOL, it's hard to look but don't touch isn't it? LOL

 

[NSastronomer]

10 hours ago, Physopto said:

Hi Chris and Daughter,

 Hope you get out plenty and also get the help you may need. You will here, I am sure.

Boy it looks cold out there! Light pollution can be a pain in the rear, but sometimes a CLS, Neodinium filter or see below.

This is a quote from the Tring Astronomy Website http://www.tringastro.co.uk/light-pollution-filters-140-c.asp

"Baader Moon and SkyGlow Filter is a selective contrast enhancing filter, especially suitable for reflector type telescopes and true Apochromates. It aims to reduce the effects of skyglow and is good for improving surface details on Mars, Jupiter and Moon. I can also enhance many Deep Sky galaxies and nebulae against the background sky.

O-III filters work ideally with larger aperture telescopes in the 200mm and larger range. With larger aperture telescopes, observers will have a better opportunity to identify nebulae objects in the deep sky. It can produce near-photographic views of the Veil, Ring, Dumbell, Orion, plus many other nebulae under dark skies.  For smaller telescopes chose the UHC filter instead as it lets more light through.

UHC filters (Ultra High Contrast) permit superb views of objects like the Orion, Lagoon, Swan and other extended nebulae. They performs well in smaller aperture instruments owing to its greater light transmission than the O-III, yet still suppresses light pollution well. A UHC filter is the best all-around dark-sky nebula filter."

Hope this helps.

Derek

 

Hi Derek, thanks for your reply and your good advice, I appreciate it

I've seen those light pollution filters, and just wondered if they actually worked, or if they were just a gimmick of some kind. Thanks for explaining them to me.

I might invest in one once I see how good/bad my imaging goes later on when I get into this a bit more.

Thanks again!

Chris

[Connacht]

Hello, Chris ! I am brand new to the forum today, and am a slightly southern neighbor of yours. (I'm in Maine). Welcome to the forum !

~Connacht

[NSastronomer]

4 hours ago, Connacht said:

Hello, Chris ! I am brand new to the forum today, and am a slightly southern neighbor of yours. (I'm in Maine). Welcome to the forum !

~Connacht

Hi Connacht, thanks for the welcome!

Been to Maine many times, but it's been many years now.

welcome also to you since your also new!

Chris