Luna 25 Jan 2021 - DSLR + Vixen 102M

[vineyard]

Hello,

Not one of these amazing mosaics that folks are posting (wow).  Just a quick video grabbed on an old Pentax K70 through a Vixen 102M on an alt-az mount.  Run through PIPP, AS!3, ImPPG & then GIMP.

Stay safe!

Vin

(I've been trying to see whether the DSLR could sub in for lunar & Ha-solar image capture - I have to say the lunar isn't that bad for the convenience it offers.  I couldn't really get the Ha-solar capture to work but that's probably a thread for another section!)

[WestCoastCannuck]

You can do quite a lot with that K70!  24mp crop is pretty good for full discs.   I would guess that you did not quite nail focus here.   Myself, I am a lunar addict, but I started with my 24mp crop dslr and a 400mm lens.   With good focus and exposure  - ( (your scope is an F10 I believe....  so about 1/100s and ISO 100 or so should be about right).    I used to just set up on a tripod and shoot as many as I could as it ran across the frame with a wired release.    You can achieve some VERY satisfiying results if you keep at it!

Clear skies!

 

Mike

[vineyard]

Thanks @WestCoastCannuck.  You got it almost spot on - ISO 100 setting, but I kept the exposure to 1/200s to try and keep it more moody 😂 And yes re the focus as well - I have a heavy hand, and its only a single-speed focuser so I find it tricky to get it spot on for photographic purposes (especially as I don't think I can zoom in on liveview on the camera to check finest focus on features - unless I've not read the manual properly).

Yes if I could get usage of the K70 nailed on for lunar & solar then I think I may lose my ASI178MC.  But I need to get it right before I do that (a camera in the hand is worth two in the bush - especially these days).  I tried a similar video capture w the K70 and Ha-solar.  Was much less satisfactory - the solar features didn't really show up at all (although they did a bit on stills) - this was with lowest ISO and pretty fast exposure.

Cheers