Imaging mars

[warpout]

Tried imaging Mars last night but it came out as a four pointed star. Canon 1100 D attached to 'scope. Tried altering iso and shutter speed, image was either the 'star' or just a blurred reddish  mess. What am I doing wrong.This was my first attempt.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

What scope are you using?
 The image of Mars should be very small in the camera image, unless you use a video crop mode (not sure the EOS 1100 supports that)

[DHEB]

From your brief description, and without further information, I guess that:

- you are using a Newtonian telescope, thereby the four pointed star, from the vanes that support the secondary. This is normal.

- you are using the camera at the primary focus, that is, as if the telescope were a lens, without intermediary eyepiece. If this is the case, then it is completely normal that Mars will appear as a very small disk in a perfectly focused telescope.

Mars has currently an apparent diameter of about 18 seconds. You have to enlarge this image significantly to be able to image details, unless you are using a telescope with an extremely long focal length in which case you could in principle use primary focus, but this is an exceedingly rare case. You might need to do eyepiece projection. Do an internet search, and even ask in this forum, about how to do it. It is not difficult, just a matter of having the right adapters and a focuser that can provide the appropriate focal run.

Good luck

[warpout]

Thanks Cinco, yes, I have a Skywatcher 200P Newtonian. Bit disappointed, some research needed and probably additional equipment. Everything was going so well until I pressed the shutter button. Even Saturn was just a blur. I thought my mirror might have been the problem. Again, thanks for the info. Clear skies.

[warpout]

7 hours ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

What scope are you using?
 The image of Mars should be very small in the camera image, unless you use a video crop mode (not sure the EOS 1100 supports that)

Thanks Cinco, yes, I have a Skywatcher 200P Newtonian. Bit disappointed, some research needed and probably additional equipment. Everything was going so well until I pressed the shutter button. Even Saturn was just a blur. I thought my mirror might have been the problem. Again, thanks for the info. Clear skies.

[DHEB]

3 hours ago, warpout said:

Thanks Cinco, yes, I have a Skywatcher 200P Newtonian. Bit disappointed, some research needed and probably additional equipment. Everything was going so well until I pressed the shutter button. Even Saturn was just a blur. I thought my mirror might have been the problem. Again, thanks for the info. Clear skies.

You will have to arm yourself with loads of patience for this long and winding road that astrophotography is. Good luck and clear skies too!

[jsmoraes]

Quote

Bit disappointed,...

What is it, mate ?!?

I have a 305 mm GSO, and I use Canon 1100D. I never got good image of Mars. It is very difficult to shot. Only with planetary cameras you will take good image. The same for Saturn.

Jupiter, you can get good results. Although DSLRs aren't so good as planetary cameras. The image below shows the difference between them:

Jupiter with GSO 305mm - Focal Extender 3x (a kind of barlow) - BackyardEos with 5x ressource - mode planetary - Canon 1100D (Canon T3).

note: BackyarEos 5x is software (digital) zoom.

If you don't use barlow, Jupiter will be small. The photo below is composition of two shots: one for planet and other for moons

GSO 305 mm - planet: 8 x 1/80 - ISO 100 / moons: single shot 1 sec - ISO 100 - Registax 6.0 - wavelets Registax - Photoshop

Moon, you will get very good images. Although you will need BackyadEos movie 5x mode or barlow to get more details. I think you should begin by it. Example:

GSO 305 mm - BackyardEos movie 5x mode

Attention: all photos above were done with a 305 mm. Your 200 mm will give you a smaller image.

But, don't worry. You can take impressive images with your Canon. I like very much the photo below, despite it isn't a magazine first page :

Composition of 2 shots - Moons: 1 x 120 sec - ISO 800 / Planet: 1 sec - ISO 100  - 200 % in Photoshop