Why do you image?

[MikeP]

Why image? Images can be downloaded that have been taken by experienced imagers using esoteric equipment under skies that we never experience in the UK. Even Hubble images are easy to obtain.

Imagers are never satisfied, there is always something that can be improved upon, usually requiring yet more money to be spent.

I have a very mild case of the imaging bug, so I have some insight but you die-hard imagers - what drives you on?

Mike

[JohnC]

Only a beginner myself. I had these sentiments too, however...

I still remember my first image, Saturn (4 years ago i think) through an 8" LX90 using the LPI. Got focus spot on by luck not skill...when the image popped up all i could think was WOW!!! Doing it yourself is strangley addictive, but very frustrating.

[Psychobilly]

Insanity...

[mik]

Good question Mike,

I always get in a right mess, laptop stops working, webcam freeze, 1 hour setting up to see the clouds roll in and then pack it all away.

Regards Mick.

[SteveL]

I image because I can

I image because I am a techie and love the process of setting up the kit, cameras, cables, software, hardware, polar alignment, guiding

I image because I know that the images I create are mine, not a "no satisfaction" file that I have downloaded from the internet

I image because I use the images I create to make the next ones better

I image because I`m not artistic in any way, and yet the images that come out of the process are just beautiful

I image because you never really know what the final image will be like when you start. The post processing steps taken are different for each sequence, and there are a few different ways that an image can turn out.... light and whispy, harsh and colorful, stars-a-plenty, nebulas enhanced, galaxy arms deconvolved, and all of these need to be blended into one final output to the best of my ability.

I image because I find it soothing and calming, it relaxes me (and I am getting good at coping with sleep deprevation)

I image because it leaves me with a great sense of personal pride from the learning experience that we all have to go through to progress in this hobby

I image because it leaves me in awe of what is in the heavens, waiting for us to find them, view them, discuss them, wonder about them

I image because visual observing doesnt capture my attention as much as imaging. I`d like the time and weather to have two setups, one for imaging and one for visual, but the lack of clear skies means a decision needs to be made... imaging or visual... for me, its no contest. I honestly cannot tell you the last time I actually looked through any of my OTAs.

Did I miss anything?

[CELESCOPE]

Well i could ask the same about Golf Mike ehheheheh ,what drives you on , its an ongoing question as we are never happy with what we do , we strive to get better ,we seldom reach that target of satisfaction, till in the end we change our Hobby ,

But for me i guess its the feeling of achieving the mystery thats out there , to say ,!! i done that ,all on my little own,

now i can sit down with a cool beer and relax.

Rog:D

[Psychobilly]

I image because ......

Did I miss anything?

Pretty comprehensive

[ashenlight]

Steve, that reminds me of a presidential speech...

[mik]

I image because I can

I image because I am a techie and love the process of setting up the kit, cameras, cables, software, hardware, polar alignment, guiding

I image because I know that the images I create are mine, not a "no satisfaction" file that I have downloaded from the internet

I image because I use the images I create to make the next ones better

I image because I`m not artistic in any way, and yet the images that come out of the process are just beautiful

I image because you never really know what the final image will be like when you start. The post processing steps taken are different for each sequence, and there are a few different ways that an image can turn out.... light and whispy, harsh and colorful, stars-a-plenty, nebulas enhanced, galaxy arms deconvolved, and all of these need to be blended into one final output to the best of my ability.

I image because I find it soothing and calming, it relaxes me (and I am getting good at coping with sleep deprevation)

I image because it leaves me with a great sense of personal pride from the learning experience that we all have to go through to progress in this hobby

I image because it leaves me in awe of what is in the heavens, waiting for us to find them, view them, discuss them, wonder about them

I image because visual observing doesnt capture my attention as much as imaging. I`d like the time and weather to have two setups, one for imaging and one for visual, but the lack of clear skies means a decision needs to be made... imaging or visual... for me, its no contest. I honestly cannot tell you the last time I actually looked through any of my OTAs.

Did I miss anything?

Erm yes you did as far as i am aware you do this 100% of the time.

Mick.

[Whippy]

'tis a good question Mike. I took up imaging because I wanted to see more that what I can see with a scope from my back garden and whilst I could just DL an image, I wanted my image of it.

I think I'm happy with what I've got and if I can get my Mak-Newt imaging as well, I reckon I'm well covered kit-wise. Of course, that'll probably change next week...

I did get slightly obsessed after Kelling last autumn when things weren't going well and it got me down a bit. I had to take a step back and had to remember it's only a hobby and if I'm not enjoying it, I shouldn't be doing it.

Like most hobbies, you get out of it what you put into it and given my situation with a family and whatnot, I can't see myself making any real big improvements in imaging because I simply don't have the time, money or patience. But by and large I'm happy with the results I get and I've got a huge list of objects to image so until that runs out, I've got plenty to keep me occupied.

One thing though, if I had to stop imaging for whatever reason, it wouldn't kill me to sell the kit off. Observing on the other hand....

Tony..

[ashenlight]

Tony, just been looking through your SGL albums. You should be mightyhappy. They are wonderful!

We have such a high grade of imagers here

[Sam]

I like imaging because I like recording what I'm observing. I normally spend quite a bit of time observing the target I'm imaging and it's nice to compare. I don't consider myself an imager or an observer but a very amateur astronomer. I also enjoy imaging as it's great to see what appears on the screen after all of that effort.

Sam

[Leegsi]

I like 'seeing' the image with my own eyes BUT it would be great to capture what you have seen and review it over and over.

[roundycat]

that is a blumming good question. Why don't you buy all my gear and I'll go and do something else.

Dennis

[Paxo]

I took up imaging as my light pollution where I live is fairly restrictive for DSO visuals. I also come from a high-tech research background so I do like to push the technology to it's limits and beat the pollution.

Oh, it gets me out of the house as well....................

Steve..

[Whippy]

Tony, just been looking through your SGL albums. You should be mightyhappy. They are wonderful!

We have such a high grade of imagers here

That's very nice of you to say so Amanda, thank you . If I'm being honest, if it wasn't being on here I wouldn't be imaging and if it wasn't for the advice and encouragement I've recieved and continue to do, I would have given it up.

Tony..

[ncjunk]

I image because I like setting everything up and automating things..it is why I became an engineer. The problem with work is there is too much paper involved now whereas with Astronomy I can just enjoy tinkering with technology and not have to sign off a test document to prove the blumming thing works. Ahh yes at home I can live in denial!

That and I want to get a perfect image from my setup....aahhh one day.

Neil C

[beamish]

I just like trying !

[ashenlight]

I think that can be said for quite a few other people Tony. Certainly with my observing, I wouldn't be where I am today without SGL.

We'll just have to keep doing what we're doing as a forum then, coz we are greating excellent results

[Ant]

I'm similar to Steve, but less dedicated.

I have a couple of eyepeices, don't know what they are. I think I have a low and medium power.

I bought them in case someone asks can they look through a scope...

In which case I'll go get the spare scope from the garage and they can look through that

I enjoy the look of bemusement on people faces as I connect all the wires and turn on the laptop...

I enjoy capturing the date and struggling to get something from it.

I enjoy the end result.

My images aren't great compared with most, but they are mine.

Ant

[narrowbandpaul]

like most folk perhaps, I began observing. Even have a 12" lightbridge, which has served me very well under the dark skies of Edzell, just 40miles SW of aberdeen.

But quickly I realised (in less than a year) that I was looking at the same things again and again. I began only wanting to record what I had observed, just a quick image, say of the seven or so stars that make up the pleiades.

but I had a friend who is one of scotlands best imagers, and he told what I needed, still does.

i still image because I can capture in a few seconds, more than what the eye can see. In several hours of exposure I can view very faint and very distant objects. Suddenly there is no real premium on a inky black sky. You can see far off objects from a moderately LP sky.

each image captured takes a lot of different components coming together. Polar alignment, guiding, perfect focus...and then there are things beyond your control....seeing, transparency, cloud cover, humidity....

these things mean that each time you go out, you could get a better result. One imaging session is never the same as another.

i do emission line imaging because the results are cool. A lot more structure and details can be seen in emission filters

plus you get to use the longest word in the history of words....

astrophotographer......

[beamish]

My images aren't great compared with most, but they are mine.

Ant

Exactly !!

[narrowbandpaul]

tony, you keep at it.

your images are very very good, and I for one dont want you to leave the hobby.

stick in there, one day we might even get 3 nights in a row.....and then complain its too clear and we cant sleep :-)

[jgs001]

I started out visual, I still do visual, normally whilst the main rig is capturing data with a pair of bins... but... I love the sense of achievement when I get an end result. It's kind of combined in with the photography bug I seem to have caught... capturing the scene/view in some way... and there's no way I can ever see the detail the camera captures. I'd love a Dob though to use instead of the bins. I have 4 eyepieces... and I know what they are...

[JamesC]

Once I'm done with visual observations, I might yet get into imaging. I imagine that with a sizeable war chest and plenty of spare time, I could do quite a good job. I like the idea of trying to develop my own processing techniques. Another thing that attracts me is learning more about exactly what is out there. It's one thing to see a photo in a book or on the web, but if you take the image yourself, you're going to know exactly where it is and what processing you did to bring out certain features, and just how prominent those features are.

I've vowed not to get into imaging until I'm at least 40 (or move somewhere far from dark skies), but I feel the attraction. One thing that puts me off is I already spend most of my day coding, de-bugging and looking at data, so doing the same thing in the evening might be a bit much! The cost puts me off quite a lot (it certainly isn't going to be possible until I've stopped spending on visual equipment), and also the shear amount of equipment puts me off. Will I ever get round to it? Don't know really!