SGL Imaging Challenges

[positron]

I wonder if there is an astronaut in the iss who is a secret sgl member... he could just post his selfie

[Tangoringo]

On 04/03/2017 at 22:33, ultranova said:

I hope to capture the very low orbit satellite's,

well under cloud level anyway. 

Do pidgeons count? That's about as much as I can do with all this chuffing cloud!!?

[JOC]

Ah!  the two competitions overlap!

Edited April 4, 2017 by JOC

[Grant]

12 minutes ago, JOC said:

Ah!  the two competitions overlap!

Yep - we thought with UK skies one month was too optimistic so each challenge lasts for three months so there will be some overlapping - we'll see how it works out once we've done a few

[JOC]

Excellent, I am minus my telecope stand until it is repaired, but with this amount of time hopefully I can see what I can do with jupiter ?

[SilverAstro]

27 minutes ago, JOC said:

I am minus my telecope stand until it is repaired,

Oh dear, what happened, I have missed this 'tale of woe' ? hope it is soon sorted for you.

[JOC]

9 hours ago, SilverAstro said:

Oh dear, what happened, I have missed this 'tale of woe'

Hi SilverAstro, thank you for that.  Well its not exactly broken, but has exhibited an ear splitting squeak (audiolise a dozen trapped budgies!) when the goto drives it larger distances from object to object since first arriving.  Said squeak has not improved with use and I read on SGL that Astro Imp had the same issue and had sent back their base and got the squeak fixed.  Mine was also still in its guarantee period and FLO said that mine also sounds like it needs adjustment and are kindly organising this for me, but I had to get the base packaged before we could organise a courier (I did this last Thursday) and I wasn't around for a pickup yesterday so it is going off today (hopefully).  Fingers crossed it doesn't take too long to get it fixed. 

In the meantime idle fingers are sill costing me - I had a cheap USB video camera arrive yesterday that fits in the focusser - I saw someone take some take footage on something similar at the astro club viewing night and they had some neat software (I need to find out what this was and I hope its free) that picked frames from the footage and stacked them - they got a lovely image of Jupiter with very little effort and I'd like to do something similar if I can.

[SilverAstro]

47 minutes ago, JOC said:

 and had sent back their base and got the squeak fixed.

 had some neat software (I need to find out what this was and I hope its free) that picked frames from the footage and stacked them

ah yes I remember that and similar reports of 'polystyrene' against blackboard noises fingers etc xxed that you are not without too long, I too know about the idle fingers - cloudy nights syndrome !

Cant help with the usbcamera / software  but will be watching with interest.

Apols to all Challengers for this little diversion.

 

[Physopto]

31st June ?     On SGL banner before log in. 

[Grant]

8 hours ago, Physopto said:

31st June ?     On SGL banner before log in. 

Tis fixed

[Physopto]

3 hours ago, Grant said:

Tis fixed

Had to smile!   ?

[A budding astronomer]

Is a Neximage camera ideal for imaging satellites?

Edited April 10, 2017 by A budding astronomer

[melsky]

Jupiter and 23 Geostationary Satellites

Here's my entry for the satellite challenge, it was taken on the 21st March (equinox) which is when geostationary satellites tend to reflect most light back to us. I noticed that Jupiter was very close in alignment to their orbit so thought I'd see if I could get some in the same field of view. I was using a 200mm Canon lens on my Sony A7s body and took a series of 5 second exposures @6400iso, the kit was all mounted on my Astrotrac, I used startrails program to combine 15 consecutive frames to make this image. If you zoom in on Jupiter you can also make out a couple of its moons.

Mel

[DarkStarLord]

I've just joined, so I assume I won't be able to post any images in time, but this looks epic, I can't wait to take a look at the entries. 

Ive wanted to have a go at the ISS for ages and seeing this gave me a nice excuse to have a go... fingers crossed for some clear skies this week

[Davey-T]

7 minutes ago, DarkStarLord said:

I've just joined, so I assume I won't be able to post any images in time, but this looks epic, I can't wait to take a look at the entries. 

Ive wanted to have a go at the ISS for ages and seeing this gave me a nice excuse to have a go... fingers crossed for some clear skies this week

Welcome to SGL, if you post in the welcome section more folk will know you are here, you can also sign you post with your real first name so we know what to call you, unless it really is Dark 

Dave

[DarkStarLord]

11 hours ago, Davey-T said:

Welcome to SGL, if you post in the welcome section more folk will know you are here, you can also sign you post with your real first name so we know what to call you, unless it really is Dark 

Dave

Hi Dave, thanks for the tip, I'll be sure to sign off properly in future, but as it wasn't directed at anyone in particular my brain left it off .

 

I've never been a fan of standing on a box and shouting hello world, especially as I've used my Oculus Rift name for my handle here, which on here is possibly a little cheeky to those who have not yet had the (mis/) fortune of my digital company. I just came on and used the excellent app (i've been using the IOS one) through the web link.  No clear skies for me until Friday. Sadly the ISS will be blocked by the house on its passes then, so she escapes me once again, drat.

have you taken any satalite shots recently? 

Ive got to collect some photos of satalites and hopefully shoot some video of the ISS, as I've had many comments on a video posted to a YouTube video of mine, assuring me that these things are a figment of NASA's lies, so naturally i'm going to respond with some proof for them to ignore or label CGI ha.

 

clear skies,

Adam 

[JOC]

8 hours ago, DarkStarLord said:

especially as I've used my Oculus Rift name for my handle here, which on here is possibly a little cheeky to those who have not yet had the (mis/) fortune of my digital company.

Oculus Rift?  So are you responsible for the VR DarkNet?  I am not a gamer, but Samsung sent me a free VR headset and when I tried experimenting with it I discovered DarkNet.  I don't get much time with it, but it is quite brilliantly addictive.

[Davey-T]

Hi Adam, it's not required to use your real name but it's nice to be able to communicate with folk using it, the youngsters today seem happy to put their whole life on social media then go all shy on this sort of forum 

It's a good time of year to catch the ISS as you get some nice long passes, I've done a few images of it over the years generally using 10"SCT to try and get some detail, still trying to capture a solar transit.

Dave

[Grant]

All - just a reminder, this imaging challenge ends 31st May