First night out with the iOptron
Mar 8, 2015 15:02:24 #
I have had it for awhile, and it looks like tonight may be right to try and grab the Orion Nebula.
Mar 8, 2015 18:19:57 #
I will be waiting to see Mark. I would like to get into this too. But so far work has got in the way. I want to buy the right one the first time.
MarkintheHV wrote:
I have had it for awhile, and it looks like tonight may be right to try and grab the Orion Nebula.
Mar 8, 2015 22:10:42 #
Ok, first night out, lots of lessons learned. This is going to take quite a bit of practice, but with Orion rising early, I should be able to shoot it often. For now, I am going to stay in town, and work out the kinks in the driveway. Overall, I am very satisfied with the iOptron. My lens creeped in from 270 to 143....arrgh
Here is one from tonight. Lots of practice ahead :)
Here is one from tonight. Lots of practice ahead :)
Mar 8, 2015 22:22:39 #
That looks pretty nice to me! I was out trying to get a shot of Orion tonight. Just wasn't happening with the haze we had. I might go out and give the Moon a chance. With the time chafe it is going to be late.:)
MarkintheHV wrote:
Ok, first night out, lots of lessons learned. This is going to take quite a bit of practice, but with Orion rising early, I should be able to shoot it often. For now, I am going to stay in town, and work out the kinks in the driveway. Overall, I am very satisfied with the iOptron. My lens creeped in from 270 to 143....arrgh
Here is one from tonight. Lots of practice ahead :)
Here is one from tonight. Lots of practice ahead :)
Mar 8, 2015 22:35:38 #
That looks like one hell of a good start, Mark!
It took me a second read to realize your lens was creeping down.
I never looked for that yet in my feeble attempts.
I do know that with 350-399, 400+ exposures, Polaris creeps a little on me and I get a bit of a star trail (very small bit).
But I'm just starting and goofing around in my horribly light polluted back yard.
I have hit upon some very promising looking real estate up in the National Forest above where I live.
Right now I'm torn between a Sky Tracker, or spending a bit more and getting a GPS model with a telescope to play with.
I'm thinking of running a series with the Tamron 150-600mm.
Curious George the monkey here.
Tamron's site sez at 600mm, the lens equivalents at 930mm with an ASP-C sensor.
Does anybody know what that equates to in Power? (Like 60X, or 40X or what? Sorry to be so dumb.)
Well it's dark, I think I shall go fiddle. :-D
It took me a second read to realize your lens was creeping down.
I never looked for that yet in my feeble attempts.
I do know that with 350-399, 400+ exposures, Polaris creeps a little on me and I get a bit of a star trail (very small bit).
But I'm just starting and goofing around in my horribly light polluted back yard.
I have hit upon some very promising looking real estate up in the National Forest above where I live.
Right now I'm torn between a Sky Tracker, or spending a bit more and getting a GPS model with a telescope to play with.
I'm thinking of running a series with the Tamron 150-600mm.
Curious George the monkey here.
Tamron's site sez at 600mm, the lens equivalents at 930mm with an ASP-C sensor.
Does anybody know what that equates to in Power? (Like 60X, or 40X or what? Sorry to be so dumb.)
Well it's dark, I think I shall go fiddle. :-D
Mar 8, 2015 22:39:06 #
Thanks guys. Tuesday night is the next play night. Looking forward to that one for sure :)
Mar 9, 2015 13:46:00 #
Well, my attempts went out the computers fan in a big green cloud... :lol:
I did a run with my Big Tammy. I got it all set up, then came inside for a second battery...
When I went out and started the run I got a batch something over a hundred exposures using the Intervalometer at a fast clip.
Just to see, and to have something to stack....
So since it was a fairly nice evening, not too cold, almost perfectly clear, I stuck a different card in. Changed lenses to my wide angle, aimed it nearly straight up, and let-er run...
The stacker was plugging along with the Tammy run anyway...
So I sat out and played with my spotting scope.
After a while I came in to a nice stack of images... with nothing in them.
Then it hit me, it works MUCH better with the lens cap removed. :oops: :shock: :? :lol:
Appearently I'm getting pretty good at making dark images, I could email you some.
So... after napping at my desk... :hunf: I go gather up the camera, tripods, and stuff, for the night. I took the card and put it in the Startrails program, and went to bed.
Ahh, coffee and lets see... humm, looks like gummy worms.
Little fat gummy worms that weren't very long.
Oh well, maybe another time... :lol:
I did a run with my Big Tammy. I got it all set up, then came inside for a second battery...
When I went out and started the run I got a batch something over a hundred exposures using the Intervalometer at a fast clip.
Just to see, and to have something to stack....
So since it was a fairly nice evening, not too cold, almost perfectly clear, I stuck a different card in. Changed lenses to my wide angle, aimed it nearly straight up, and let-er run...
The stacker was plugging along with the Tammy run anyway...
So I sat out and played with my spotting scope.
After a while I came in to a nice stack of images... with nothing in them.
Then it hit me, it works MUCH better with the lens cap removed. :oops: :shock: :? :lol:
Appearently I'm getting pretty good at making dark images, I could email you some.
So... after napping at my desk... :hunf: I go gather up the camera, tripods, and stuff, for the night. I took the card and put it in the Startrails program, and went to bed.
Ahh, coffee and lets see... humm, looks like gummy worms.
Little fat gummy worms that weren't very long.
Oh well, maybe another time... :lol:
Mar 9, 2015 14:09:22 #
SonnyE wrote:
After a while I came in to a nice stack of images... with nothing in them.
Then it hit me, it works MUCH better with the lens cap removed. :oops: :shock: :? :lol:
Appearently I'm getting pretty good at making dark images, I could email you some.
:lol:
After a while I came in to a nice stack of images... with nothing in them.
Then it hit me, it works MUCH better with the lens cap removed. :oops: :shock: :? :lol:
Appearently I'm getting pretty good at making dark images, I could email you some.
:lol:
I had blue gummy worms my first couple of attempts. I am headed back out tomorrow night and work some more.
Mar 9, 2015 15:21:42 #
Not too shabby! Check out www.nightskiesnetwork.com
about video astrophotograpy. Good Luck!.
Clear skies,
Tom Richardson
Memphis Astronomical Society
about video astrophotograpy. Good Luck!.
Clear skies,
Tom Richardson
Memphis Astronomical Society
Mar 9, 2015 21:11:23 #
Night two's results. I had a better alignment on Polaris, so the pics were nicer
Mar 10, 2015 01:06:13 #
Holy Moly! What a difference a day made!
So is that with the same lens this time?
Beautiful, Mark.
:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
(I'm running another star trails tonight. So I'm back and forth.)
So is that with the same lens this time?
Beautiful, Mark.
:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
(I'm running another star trails tonight. So I'm back and forth.)
Mar 10, 2015 01:34:36 #
Mar 10, 2015 01:47:46 #
Well, it's great in spite of the light pollution.
I think you will have to travel to get away from it. :?
Here's a world map of light pollution.
Just grab and drag with your mouse to get the US in view.
I'd say that iOptron is definitely doing it's job.
How many exposures?
Share the details?
Gotta run check my count....
;)
I think you will have to travel to get away from it. :?
Here's a world map of light pollution.
Just grab and drag with your mouse to get the US in view.
I'd say that iOptron is definitely doing it's job.
How many exposures?
Share the details?
Gotta run check my count....
;)
Mar 10, 2015 06:25:39 #
Mar 10, 2015 08:24:44 #
MarkintheHV wrote:
Night two's results. I had a better alignment on Polaris, so the pics were nicer
Moving right on along with these shots.
:thumbup: :thumbup:
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.