How do you 'view' your DSO's/planetary targets?

[AndyMac]

Thought I'd post a new thread on this (as things are a bit dead on here today) following on from the 'Top Ten DSO's' thread in the Deep Sky section.

I was just curious how many people here still tend to view either DSO's or the planets using the traditional method of eye to the eyepiece - and how many tend to use an electronic device hooked up to a laptop.

I know Steve, like me, is a 'tradionalist' insofar as he uses an eye to eyepiece set up - but what about the rest of you?

Do post & let me know, as I have been wondering about this for a while now.

[OXO]

Good Topic Andy i too am curious to see how other members view there Dso's...

Personally use 2 way's the traditional eye to eyepiece maybe use a Baader filter(fringe killer or contrast boost) and the other is to setup the Modified Toucam and view on the laptop screen the frames collected for longtime exposures this goes quite well on an evening with the Traditional way as it helps to confirm details seen at the eyepiece.

Has to be said though if i could only use one way it would be at the eyepiece as theres that certain romanace between the scope and the sky a Laptop screen will never show.

James

[Ant]

I almost never look through the EP now. I do initially to find the first object of the night...

But Once I've nailed the focus and found the first object then the camera doesn't get removed till I pack up.

Ant

[daz]

At the moment, its mostly EP while I play and practice with imaging - but intend to continue with EP's even when my imaging skills improve.

Daz

[Ant]

The trouble is unless you have two scopes you can't do both... It takes so long to get good focus and get the framing right that once I done that I don't remove the camera or I'll have to refocus all over again!

Imaging also takes so long, last night I took 50 frames of 1 minute each with 5 seconds between frames - which equates to just underr an hour. While all thats going on there is nothing to do except wait.

You can easily swap between the two (visual and imaging) but not on the same night IMO.

Ant

[AndyMac]

I'm lucky! With my 'out of the ark' set up, I can exchange my 32mm eyepiece (to find the object) with camera & not have to change the focus. So a second scope is not required (just as well - as I haven't got one)!