Imaging by Moonlight...

[RichieJarvis]

Not sure whether this needs to go in the wide-field, equipment gallery, or the pure Photography section!

Took this tonight whilst my imaging rig was at work imaging the Bubble Nebula.

Taken with a Canon 350D - 10 seconds, F/3.5, ISO400

[Doc]

Your set up looks well cool.

[Cloudwatcher]

That's a beaut................. Scope and sky..................... Great depth of field!

Cheers.CW

[ChrisEdu]

Is the scope the GSO 150mm Newt?

[RichieJarvis]

Aye - yep it is....

Its busy imaging through narrowband filters at the moment.... Bubble processed and just about to post it...

Cheers,

Richie

[ChrisEdu]

I took some pictures with my NexStar 4SE earlier tonight.

[Neon]

Nice rig, but great picture! That kind of captures all the things I like about doing astronomy and makes me wish I was outside under dark skies now.

[RichieJarvis]

Thanks for the compliments...

That pic for me just sums up what I love about Photography in general... I don't take alot of normal pictures that I would frame, but that is definitely a keeper methinks!

[markcol]

Very nice shot of your very nice rig, Richie!

Pity it always seems clear around the full moon isn't it?

Mark

[ChrisEdu]

Very nice shot of your very nice rig, Richie!

Pity it always seems clear around the full moon isn't it?

Mark

It would be interesting to have a statistical analysis on that.

[saturn5]

Superb image,DOF perfect,focus perfect in fact it sums up astronomy perfectly.

For what its worth it would be my image of the week and its now going on my desktop. :thumbright:

[Doc]

Beat you...

I've had it as my desktop since yesterday..

Looks great.

[barkis]

It's great to see a system actually doing the job it was put together for.

No operator in sight, but the electronics controlling everything purring away. A real meaningful image. Wonderful.

Richie, I look forward to seeing the photons that were collected, transformed into the superb Image you are hoping for.

Ron.

Just been for a looksee. I love it. Well done Richie

[thing]

One of the best offbeat images I've seen on here Richie. Made me feel like a kid again looking up at the sky. Really superb image.

[Neon]

Actually I've been thinking about this image since it really does capture that 'special something' about astronomy. I mean, we all get to look at the amazing images that people manage to capture of nebulae and the planets, but there's kind of a gulf there between how you practice astronomy and the end result.

The other type of photography here is of our telescopes or when we're at events. Whilst they're interesting to look at (for us), I'm sure that for many people pictures of men in bobble-hats with expensive coloured pipes makes what we do look a bit dull (ha! what do they know?)

But I think that this picture by Richie has captured something that we've all experienced whilst enjoying a nights observing.

As a suggestion (and this is just a suggestion) how about trying to produce some photographs that capture the essence of astronomy, like the one above? We're always having to explain to beginners that they won't see all the colours of the dumbell with a 3" frac, but how about for the year of astronomy trying to produce some pictures that represent that special something we enjoy about the hobby? Something to point to and say "that's astronomy".

[saturn5]

Deserves to be on the front cover of Astronomy Now or S at N.

[Psychobilly]

indeed it is a superb shot

[RichieJarvis]

Thanks guys....

Really appreciate the lovely comments. Good idea though - I'll submit it to S @ N, and see what they say...

Cheers,

Richie

[barkis]

I have only just noticed the Faint circular disc in the Image. It is probably a lens reflection from the bright light on the right, but to me it is like a ghost moon which seems to fit in with the rest of the scene. A sort of accidental prop. as it were. Of course, as there are stars in the foreground it makes a nonsense of that Idea.

Ron.

[Starjumper]

Super shot.

John

[thing]

Now proudly on my desktop. If there was a prize for the magic of astronomy I think that image would get it. It's probably one of the best images you will ever take, and that's no disrespect to the excellent work that you produce.

[vincentnm]

You've got your equipment in matching black & whites.

Mine's a caricature of Gold (ED80), Blue (Finder), Black and Orange (C9.25), and White (EQ6). Looks like carnival.

Regards,

Vincent.