Orion Belt and Sword

[Sparrow]

I still need to refine my techniques for widefield work and really I could do with better camera lenses for the job, but these are my early attempts. Hope you like them

[Martin Whitaker]

Hi Sparrow, the pics look good to me I like the wide field view, what exposure times did you have.

I am about to start the same with a newly aquired Canon 300d-hope I can do as well.

Cheers.

[saturn5]

Very good indeed,the second one has M42,Flame and HH area all showing well.

Is there a hint of Barnard's Loop there as well ?? or am i imagining it.There are certainly a few faint red curves showing.

What lens did you use?

[barkis]

Those are splendind images Sparrow.

Such a lot of nebulosity captured around Alnitak.

Widefield stuff always impresses me, especially when they are this good.

Ron.

[Sparrow]

Thanks for those comments - Saturn5 - you're not imagining it - Barnard's loop is just becoming visible - I tried hard to bring it out but the light pollution just defeated me. Unfortuantely, as Orion get's higher in the sky it becomes obscured behind my neighbour's trees so I have to image it lower in the sky, pointing right over Chester City Centre - not even the CLS LP filter can remove all the LP.

The first image is taken with 8 second exposures at F5.6 with a Tamron 70-300mm lense (at 70mm) ISO1600 - just 5 subs - camera on the camera tripod, so no tracking.

For the second picture, the camera was on the telescope mount tracking. Same settings except exposure length of 2.5 minutes - 27 subs.

I do want to improve on this so I'll be experimenting with different settings to try and bring out more of Barnard's loop

[saturn5]

Thanks for those comments - Saturn5 - you're not imagining it - Barnard's loop is just becoming visible - I tried hard to bring it out but the light pollution just defeated me. Unfortuantely, as Orion get's higher in the sky it becomes obscured behind my neighbour's trees so I have to image it lower in the sky, pointing right over Chester City Centre - not even the CLS LP filter can remove all the LP.

The first image is taken with 8 second exposures at F5.6 with a Tamron 70-300mm lense (at 70mm) ISO1600 - just 5 subs - camera on the camera tripod, so no tracking.

For the second picture, the camera was on the telescope mount tracking. Same settings except exposure length of 2.5 minutes - 27 subs.

I do want to improve on this so I'll be experimenting with different settings to try and bring out more of Barnard's loop

I have the same trouble with Orion,i'm shooting right over roof tops and across the town to get it but now i've got the little Merlin goto i'll get out of town and give it a go.

[russ]

Excellent pics, especially the crop of M42 and Horsehead.......very nice!

[Shibby]

Awesome widefield of Orion, that second one. You've picked up an astounding amount of nebulosity, I can see Barnard's loop too. Where's Betelgeuse? It must be just out of frame

Is your 1000d modified, by the way?

[Kerrp30]

Great pictures, the only thing about this is people say nice picture of the horsehead and barnards loop but I do not have a clue what these things are, anyone mark the picture up.

I find this in the sky at night magazine as well. Only useful if you have unlimited knowledge of the universe.

Not being critical more of a cry for help!

[spaceboy]

Great picture Sparrow!!! Makes me want to get a DSLR but I just can't afford to go down that road

[Sparrow]

Thanks for those comments - Shibby - Yes Betelgeuse is just out of frame. Until more pennies come along for a good Canon EF 50mm lense (about £80) I'm stuck using my Tamron at its lowest zoom of 70mm so the FOV isn't quite as wide as I would like. BTW - the 1000D is unmodded. Again, the money pot has dried up so I can;t afford to get it modded at the moment and having read the articles there is no way I'm going to use my "pork sausage" fingers to try and do the mod myself.

Kerrp - my sympathies. It's sometimes a hard learning curve and I know what you mean. I'll post the image again shortly with labels for you.

Regards

John

[Sparrow]

Here you go Kerrp

[Kerrp30]

Thanks for that I have learned something

[Sierra Golf Mike]

Nice pictures. I don't have a driven scope but 8 second subs should not be a problem. I must give it a go soon.

Steve

[Sparrow]

The first of the two images was taken with the camera just on the camera tripod and not on the scope mount. With a 50mm lense you should be OK at 10 second exposures.

[Tadakun]

what was the setting sand equipment used for capturing that second photograph?

[MaCross]

Well done! I would be happy with them!

[Kerrp30]

I am just about to receive my piggyback mount for my CPC800 and wanted to use my canon 500d to take some wideangle shots of orions belt.

I want to know how I set up my camera in terms of focusing to infinity. This is with the standard 18-55 EFs lense that came with the camera.

Thanks

Paul

[GWARmachine]

Hello all, I'm new to this site and this was the first thread that I came to. I'm simply wondering, what are 'subs'? I've been experimenting with astrophotography but haven't seen that word used before. Thank you.

[daz]

Subs = exposures

And welcome to SGL!

[Ender Of Days]

On the "noted" pic just under the "H" (bernards loop ident) theres another nebula is there not ?

I can't remember the name off hand :)

JJ..

[Stargazer Jack]

The first is good however the second is superb! Well done

[laser_jock99]

Liking the second image. I can see Barnards Loop just. It's one of those tough faint targets that really needs a dark sky site to begin showing well. Even here in rural Wales I have struggled to image it. I'll have another crack at it this winter when Orion gets higher. I'm considering using multiple exposures some with deep red (H-alpha) type filters mixed with shorter unfiltered shots.

[Ant]

Very good indeed,the second one has M42,Flame and HH area all showing well.

Is there a hint of Barnard's Loop there as well ?? or am i imagining it.There are certainly a few faint red curves showing.

What lens did you use?

I think that your right Stewart! Barnard's loop does look like it's there. Thats pretty damn good for an unmodded camera isn't it?

Certainly better than anything that I've ever managed to get.

Well done and congratulations - the first M42 that I've seen this time round

Ant

[brantuk]

I agree with all above - that's brilliant for an un mod'ed 1000D - there's plenty of colour and shape in M42 there - very nice start indeed