Field of view

[Racer888]

Hi to all, this is my first post here and hope this is in the correct forum. 

I have a nexstar 8se and will be using it with my canon t3i to photograph the upcoming eclipse. I took some test photos today after installing a Meade 6.3 focal reducer and while now I can comfortably get the entire sun in the frame it doesn't leave room for much else such as the effects during totality. Is there anything else I could do to pull the image back a little more? I apologize if this has been discussed before but I could not find anything. 

Jim

[HunterHarling]

What adapter are you using?

[Racer888]

1 hour ago, HunterHarling said:

What adapter are you using?

Hi, I have the Meade reducer attached directly to the scope then a celestron t-adapter (93633-a) which is then attached to a canon eos adapter ring which is on the camera. 

[michael8554]

Hi Jim

For imaging a star field the 0.63 reducer has to be at the correct distance (105mm ?) from the imaging sensor to give good results in the corners of the frame.

But for imaging the sun I would think you could experiment with increasing that distance to get a larger reduction fraction, vignetting then becoming the limiting factor.

Michael

[Racer888]

15 minutes ago, michael8554 said:

Hi Jim

For imaging a star field the 0.63 reducer has to be at the correct distance (105mm ?) from the imaging sensor to give good results in the corners of the frame.

But for imaging the sun I would think you could experiment with increasing that distance to get a larger reduction fraction, vignetting then becoming the limiting factor.

Michael

What adapter is available that would move the reducer back from the scope? Or is there another way to move it further away?

[michael8554]

The camera end of the Celestron T-Adapter is T2  (M42 x 0.75mm).

You can get different length spacers with this thread from Astronomy stores - here's a UK one:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-t2-extension-tube.html

I would point your setup at the sun (with Solar Filter on of course), detach the camera from the reducer, and hold it about 10mm behind the reducer and see how it looks  (size and vignetting) through the camera viewfinder.

A bit fiddly but it will give you proof of concept and an idea of the length of spacer you need.

Michael

[Racer888]

25 minutes ago, michael8554 said:

The camera end of the Celestron T-Adapter is T2  (M42 x 0.75mm).

You can get different length spacers with this thread from Astronomy stores - here's a UK one:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/baader-t2-extension-tube.html

I would point your setup at the sun (with Solar Filter on of course), detach the camera from the reducer, and hold it about 10mm behind the reducer and see how it looks  (size and vignetting) through the camera viewfinder.

A bit fiddly but it will give you proof of concept and an idea of the length of spacer you need.

Michael

Thanks for the info Michael. I managed to find a kit that has an 8, 10, 20 and 40mm extensions with the correct threads. I will try these out this week, weather permitting and hopefully one of these will give me the picture size I am looking for. The Meade reducer is close but I need a little more room in the frame to get the full corona in at totality. 

Jim

[ollypenrice]

I'd have thought the focal length was simply too long and that you'd get a more exciting image from a camera lens. Most of the interest lies in the corona, which is very large. 

Olly

[michael8554]

I agree with Olly that Totality, with the Diamond Ring, Bailey's Beads, and the corona, are the interesting bits.

My 500D (Rebel T1i) with a 500mm lens is not bad  - field of view is about 150 x 100 arcmins, the sun's diameter is about 30 arcmins.

Michael

 

 

[Moonshed]

I appreciate this thread is all about taking photographs but I would like to add my two penny worth. Having seen two total eclipses and not taken a single image I have to say I am 100% happy I made the right decision, for me. I have watched those taking images getting so involved in getting that perfect shot they got no real pleasure from actually being there and enjoying looking at it. Talking to others at meetings afterwards it was clear to me how important I found  it was to be able to enjoy the experience of the day and have wonderful memories of those occasions, enjoying the day with my friends and family as the excitement mounted. To the photographers however, it was all about showing their photos and who's was best, in a good natured way of course. It truly is a wonderful, awe Inspiring moment, that once seen and enjoyed stays in the mind forever. I spend roughly equall time at the telescope both looking through it and taking images through it. I fully appreciate the pleasure that we all get from astrophotography, but would just ask you to consider the alternative. This advice was given to me by a previous eclipse photographer who now just looks at them. I am so glad I took his advice, but we are all different and find pleasure in different ways. I just don't happen think one can take serious photographs of the eclipse and at the same time seriously enjoy looking at it, but freely admit that could just be me.

Anyway, for what it's worth, just a point that I feel worth considering. Either way, I wish you good weather, good company, and good enjoyment of a wonderful occasion never to be forgotten!

[SonnyE]

I plan to use my GEM mount set to track the Sun, with my Tamron 150-600mm lens, Baader filtered, running by my Intervalometer.

A set it, and forget it imaging session. I've made many test runs and have it figured out.

I had no inklings to use my telescope for this, as I feel the telephoto lens would also afford a quick zoom out if needed if the Corona effect is broader than my FOV at the moment. And using the telephoto lens affords a bit of both the automatics and the manual settings to do it the way I'd like to.

There will be virtually no end to fantastic images across the web anyway, so competing isn't my objective. Just maybe catching something I may have missed, but the camera catches.

So both worlds for me, camera clicking away for maybe a time lapse; but being free to watch the show.

Don't forget your Solar Eclipse Glasses!

[Racer888]

Decided to go with my T3i with the 55-250mm lens and  2x teleconverter I found that will work with the EFS lens. Took some test pictures yesterday and everything worked out fine. Here is a picture of the sunset over the mountain I took yesterday.

[SonnyE]

2 hours ago, Racer888 said:

Decided to go with my T3i with the 55-250mm lens and  2x teleconverter I found that will work with the EFS lens. Took some test pictures yesterday and everything worked out fine. Here is a picture of the sunset over the mountain I took yesterday.

Beautiful image Racer!

[Alien 13]

2 hours ago, Racer888 said:

Decided to go with my T3i with the 55-250mm lens and  2x teleconverter I found that will work with the EFS lens. Took some test pictures yesterday and everything worked out fine. Here is a picture of the sunset over the mountain I took yesterday.

Thats a perfect FOV for an eclipse, happy hunting on the big day.

Alan

[Racer888]

2 hours ago, SonnyE said:

Beautiful image Racer!

Thank you! I hope you also have a great eclipse day!

[Racer888]

2 hours ago, Alien 13 said:

Thats a perfect FOV for an eclipse, happy hunting on the big day.

Alan

Thanks, I was getting nervous that I would not find a good combination for either the scope or the camera but it all worked out!

[SonnyE]

2 minutes ago, Racer888 said:

Thank you! I hope you also have a great eclipse day!

Thanks! I'm staying home. In the 60% zone.

I was going to travel, but why jump into the madness? It's going to be (and already is) all over the TV. I set my DVR to record the coverage. And most likely it will be much better than I could do, anyway. 

Hope you have a Great Day, too!

[Racer888]

5 hours ago, SonnyE said:

Thanks! I'm staying home. In the 60% zone.

I was going to travel, but why jump into the madness? It's going to be (and already is) all over the TV. I set my DVR to record the coverage. And most likely it will be much better than I could do, anyway. 

Hope you have a Great Day, too!

We are in the small town of Cashiers, NC and our pop is usually around 10,000 but we expect more than 50,000 here this weekend through Monday.  We are dead on the 100% totality for 2:36 minutes. We have a house in the mountains with a good view and are staying put for the week. I am hoping the weather cooperates and I get some good photos. Let me know if you want a few!