Show us your set up in action at night.

[DaveS]

Not quite night yet, but getting ready to run some software trials

The monitors are still a bit bright, but I don't want to turn them down as I need to see them in daylight so will get some nd gell, possibly 0.9 will do.

[JamesF]

Now that's an idea, Dave.  I was wondering how to dim the monitors in my own observatory.  The laptop actually has a control to do it, but the normal monitors don't.  An ND sheet I can lift on and off would be ideal.  You don't think 0.9 will be too much?

James

[DaveS]

ND.9 *might* be a bit much, maybe, get a roll of ND0.3 and experiment with multiple layers until it looks right.

[Stu]

Here are a couple from my session last night in Pembrokeshire. The second one was taken by a kind chap who happened to be doing some widefield AP at the same time and emailed me the image.

[DaveS]

Looks like a pretty dark site, and some good observing.

[Stu]

4 minutes ago, DaveS said:

Looks like a pretty dark site, and some good observing.

Yep, was great Dave. I've posted up about it in the Deep Sky observing section.

[JamesF]

That second photo is rather cool :)

James

[LongJohn54]

Managed to end up with the scope vertical at the end of Friday night's run which was interesting.  Never taken it that far before.   Guiding was actually ok but PHD2 had it's work cut out. 😁

 

[Telescope40]

This from a nice session on Friday 13th. 

Seeing was rather good for Jupiter and Saturn given the low altitude using my Stellarvue SV102ED and binoviewers. 

Nice GRS transit and Cassini looking good on my second target. 

Got a few friends in as well - Albirieo, M11 M13 Polaris double -( first time - never looked before - DOH ) 

AZ GTI played ball and I’m impressed with this ere OTA. 

thanks. John 

Edited September 15, 2019 by Telescope40

[Stu]

Nice looking setup John.

[Yawning Angel]

Friday evening, started with 45 x 1 min Ha on the Heart Nebula, filling time till the moon cleared the nearby houses. Then a slew to the Harvest moon. You can see the growing glow lighting up the high, thin cloud. 

 

[markse68]

Not so much in action but airing off the dew after action. Took a few days off work and having a few much needed days holiday in Romney- with my scope 🤦‍♂️😂

Bortle 4 skies!! My first with a scope and oh what a difference it makes compared to my local 8-9! Milky Way clearly visible in perfect clear skies for my first beautiful night and easy to get lost in the blanket of stars not visible from home. The Ring was much more defined and the Great Globular spectacular😊 (I could actually see very clearly the stars of Hercules! 😉) Sadly for some reason (maybe coastal humid air?) the planets were really poor and I’ve seen much better from home 🤷‍♂️ Looking forward to a few more clear nights and will have to set the alarm for 4am one morning as Orion was right there clear as a bell when I got up for a pee 😉

edit for actual action photos 😉- sunset in Kent and if you zoom in Jupiter’s the only thing visible- and nice and high and sharp (😊) at 7:30pm!

Edited September 19, 2019 by markse68

[tooth_dr]

One from last night, imaging IC5070

 

[wimvb]

Your stars are out of focus. 😉

Seriously though, nice setup. 

[WestCoastCannuck]

Here is my lunar imaging set-up - just in my driveway...   I am finding it hard to persuade myself to go to better places for my imaging since I bought all this stuff - though I deliberately made choices for portability.  I know my driveway is not the best place but its so much easier on my limited time budget!   Been a while since I have been able to shoot - moon will be low, but a convenient time for me the next few  days - hoping I can at least get out with one of my lenses (I have adapters to fit my ZWO ASI183MM camera), I doubt the C8 will be worth setting up and my 6 inch Newt you can see in background is out of collimation.  (I have given up for now on getting that sorted without having someone that actually knows what they are doing right next to me.  haha 😏 )   

Cheers all

Mike

 

 

Edited November 4, 2019 by WestCoastCannuck
clarity

[lux eterna]

4 hours ago, WestCoastCannuck said:

Here is my lunar imaging set-up - just in my driveway...   I am finding it hard to persuade myself to go to better places for my imaging since I bought all this stuff - though I deliberately made choices for portability.  I know my driveway is not the best place but its so much easier on my limited time budget!   Been a while since I have been able to shoot - moon will be low, but a convenient time for me the next few  days - hoping I can at least get out with one of my lenses (I have adapters to fit my ZWO ASI183MM camera), I doubt the C8 will be worth setting up and my 6 inch Newt you can see in background is out of collimation.  (I have given up for now on getting that sorted without having someone that actually knows what they are doing right next to me.  haha 😏 )   

Cheers all

Mike

 

Lunar imaging does not benefit much from a very dark sky, because the moon itself is so bright. What matters most is the seeing quality.

Nice picture !

Ragnar

[GlenM]

4 hours ago, WestCoastCannuck said:

Here is my lunar imaging set-up - just in my driveway...   I am finding it hard to persuade myself to go to better places for my imaging since I bought all this stuff - though I deliberately made choices for portability.  I know my driveway is not the best place but its so much easier on my limited time budget!   Been a while since I have been able to shoot - moon will be low, but a convenient time for me the next few  days - hoping I can at least get out with one of my lenses (I have adapters to fit my ZWO ASI183MM camera), I doubt the C8 will be worth setting up and my 6 inch Newt you can see in background is out of collimation.  (I have given up for now on getting that sorted without having someone that actually knows what they are doing right next to me.  haha 😏 )   

Cheers all

Mike

 

 

I don't think it matters where you observe or image from it's all about enjoyment of the hobby. If you're having a good time that's what it's all about.

 

Glen.

 

[don4l]

A bit too much weight perhaps?  I keep meaning to get a lighter finderscope an put it on the Tak.  Of course, if I did that, then I would consider having a dual rig!

 

[tooth_dr]

1 hour ago, don4l said:

A bit too much weight perhaps?  I keep meaning to get a lighter finderscope an put it on the Tak.  Of course, if I did that, then I would consider having a dual rig!

 

I love my trusty gold tube ED80.  Nice setup.

[CraigT82]

This was a few weeks ago before baby arrival.... capturing Saturn's photons.  Lovely quiet spot in my front garden looking down the street which ismt ideal with all the asphalt.  Though the grass is far too soggy to set up here now.

[lux eterna]

My Meade LX200-ACF and TS ImagingStar71, busy capturing something in Orion. The small tripod is carrying an Android tablet that controls both dslr:s - and it doubles as a dining table. I cannot think about a more relaxing moment than this. Just a little wind, the cameras are clicking on, the sounds of nature - and the sky. I think I will have another cup of tea, and that bag full of sandwiches is not empty yet...

Good to have a few images like this when clouds have prevented any astro activity for so many weeks now. It helps keeping the spirits up.

Ragnar

Edited November 5, 2019 by lux eterna
spelling

[tooth_dr]

1 hour ago, lux eterna said:

My Meade LX200-ACF and TS ImagingStar71, busy capturing something in Orion. The small tripod is carrying an Android tablet that controls both dslr:s - and it doubles as a dining table. I cannot think about a more relaxing moment than this. Just a little wind, the cameras are clicking on, the sounds of nature - and the sky. I think I will have another cup of tea, and that bag full of sandwiches is not empty yet...

Good to have a few images like this when clouds have prevented any astro activity for so many weeks now. It helps keeping the spirits up.

Ragnar

What a photo!  I love it.

[lux eterna]

13 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

What a photo!  I love it.

Thank you tooth_dr !

Ragnar

[GavStar]

Walton Astro Group had an impromptu meet up last night to celebrate the first clear skies here for weeks! Rather on the chilly side but great to do some observing with good friends. After a few hours the kit (and us) were pretty frosted up.

Here’s a shot of my visual setup in action. A double night vision setup with a C11  Edge and Tak fsq85 on a Panther TTS-160 mount. The Tak gave widefield 5-6 degree views with the C11 used for closeups and smaller objects. Dew  strips everywhere!

[Stu]

@GavStar brrrrrrr, that looks chilly! Glad you chaps got to meet up and see some stars. Equally glad I took the sensible option and kept my manflu ridden body in the warm! 🤣