sarge69 Loc: Ft Myers, FL

There was a question about taking deep space pictures with a telescope. I asked my brother, a semi-expert in this stuff and his reply was:

Orion is a perfect target for an alt/az mount such as the Nexstar, it's bright and images well with short exposures. Here's an image of M42 taken last year with an iOptron Cube alt/az mount:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/astronewb2011/6457058415/

And here's the same taken with a iOptron iEQ45 equatorial mount this year:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/astronewb2011/7983581928/

The longer exposures available with the Eq mount add more dust details, but the alt/az image is just fine.

Hope the info helps.

Paul

NOTE: I noticed the photos were his. So he does know about this I guess. LOL

:thumbup: :thumbup:

BW326 Loc: Boynton Beach, Florida

Wow! Great pictures. I was looking at some of the product reviews on the ED80T refractor that he used and alt/az mounts and they were all excellent. I may have to go out and get another piggy bank and start saving for something like that.

I used to dabble a bit many years aqgo when I built my own 12 1/2 Donsonia reflector but never got into photography so didn't know what it was like until I started looking at some of the equipment your brother is using and the outstanding results he is getting. :thumbup: :thumbup:

tommyld Loc: Liverpool UK

Wow!!!... :thumbup: :thumbup:

ngc1514 Loc: Atlanta, Ga., Lancaster, Oh. and Stuart, Fl.

Alt-az mounts are fine, but you need to keep exposures short. Even if the alt-az is tracking, the field of view slowly rotates. Stacking a bunch of short images is the way to go. Your brother does some nice work! Never get tired of looking at M42 - either through the eyepiece or a good image.

Nevada Chuck

Sarge69:

Please don't take this the wrong way and be offended, but looking at your military medal that you use as an avatar, I'm not familiar with it and am wondering if it might possibly be issued by either the current Russian Federation or even the old USSR?

Again, please don't read anything negative into my question. I'm something of an amatuer military history buff and am simply looking to broaden my knowledge.

sarge69 Loc: Ft Myers, FL

Nothing negative taken. It is the Meritorious Service Medal. It is the 7th medal in ' Order Of Precedence' I have been awarded.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritorious_Service_Medal_(United_States)

Take care

Sarge69

Nevada Chuck

Thanks, Sarge, for the quick response, and for the link; very interesting. I think you can see how I was reasoning in coming up with the possible Russian connection, namely the partially hidden star behind the eagle's outstretched wings, and the overall appearance and color choices.

Happy snapping.