Getting moon in frame with camera & scope

[Dylan1]

Hi All,

Complete beginner here, with this being my first post to the forum. 
I recently bought my first scope and I've had a couple nights so far with just viewing. I've now decided to try my hand at utilising my camera and hoping to try stack images and get a decent shot of the moon. The issue I'm having at the moment is that I can't seem to get the moon fully in frame. Using a T ring adapter and Barlow lens attached to my scope I'm essentially cropping out edges of the moon, however when I remove the actual barlow lens and use only the adapter, T ring and my scope as the prime, I can't seem to focus. 

This may be a pretty basic issue, so apologies, I haven't had much luck with google yet. I'm unsure if I require some sort of reducer or if I'm perhaps overlooking something. 

For reference I'm using the following:

• Celestron 130 EQ
• Fujifilm XT3 (APS-C)
• Barlow adapter/lens
• Kipon T2 Adapter for Fuji

Really appreciate any guidance or advice you can offer. 

Dylan

 

[Messy Hair 101]

Sounds like you don't have enough back focus. I'm assuming you have an eyepiece adapter which connects the T ring to the focuser? Try moving the camera and adapter out of the focuser slowly to see if the target starts to come to focus. You could practice on a distant object in the day like a TV aerial. If you find it does come to focus, you need a longer adapter. 

Another option is to use your Barlow and take a mosaic or the moon and stitch the images together to get a really detailed shot. Although I appreciate that's a step further when you're just starting out.

[Cornelius Varley]

Hello and welcome to SGL. If you cannot get the full image of the moon in frame then take a series over overlapping frames and stitch them together in Microsoft ICE .MICE will automatically align and stitch the images for further tweeking.

[Dylan1]

Thank you both for the advice!
I think you're right and I will need a longer adapter. 
I'll try look for one and in the meantime I may look into the Mosaic method with Microsoft ICE and get some practice in. 

Thanks again guys. Very much appreciated!
- Dylan
 

[Cornelius Varley]

11 minutes ago, Dylan1 said:

I think you're right and I will need a longer adapter.

Probably not. the reason why the telescope won't focus using the camera is because the camera cannot get close enough to the point of focus, it needs to be closer to the secondary mirror rather than further away. The barlow lens has the effect of moving the point of focus outwards which then allows the telescope to reach focus with the camera attached.

[Dylan1]

5 hours ago, Cornelius Varley said:

Probably not. the reason why the telescope won't focus using the camera is because the camera cannot get close enough to the point of focus, it needs to be closer to the secondary mirror rather than further away. The barlow lens has the effect of moving the point of focus outwards which then allows the telescope to reach focus with the camera attached.

Hi Peter,

Thanks a million! I was able to try slowly move the camera set up away from the focuser, as well as removing the t adapter and slowly moving it towards the focuser. I was able to see objects begin to come into view from the latter. So I'll need to reduce the distance between the camera and the focuser. 
I'm unsure how to go about doing this yet, but at least I'm now aware of the cause. 
Thanks for your help! Very much appreciated! 
- Dylan

 

Edited June 9, 2020 by Dylan1

[Messy Hair 101]

Ah I was going the wrong way! Glad you have got it sorted though.

[Mick J]

Is this one of the scopes that need the main mirror moving 'up the tube' to assist camera focus ?