Say Joe, is the view of # 2 from the Allegheny River from the North Side of the river? I see the Gulf building in the view to the left. BTW, it it still called the Gulf Building and does it still light up at night giving the weather forecast? Its been a loooong time sine I lived there-- 1964. RFB

snuck that one in, didn't yeah!!!

Got it Sonny. I have been using that combo for about two years and I was concerned that it would be a challenge to guide my RC 8 inch with this setup using PHD2 It seems to work, but I was just trying to see if there can be any improvement with a different combo. BTW, I tried an Off Axis Guider but the prism cast a shadow on the image so that is out. If the camera sensor was smaller, it my work, but I have a ZWO 071 and it is a ASP-c sensor from Sony. So I will keep the combo and besides, it tracke very well having less than a .5 Arcsec error. I think I will keep using it. RFB

Sonny, hte reason I asked is that I have a QHY 5II color camera with the guide scope and a combination. It is only markrd as a 130 mm lens. I suspect that this is its focal length, not the aperture. With my 8 inch RC reflector, I was wondering if this combination was adequate for guiding. I need some advice on this. should I keep it or scrap it out and get a new guide scope/camera?

hi Sonny,
Looking good! Where did you shoot these and what guide camera/guide scope are you using? RFB

Really good. I like the composition.

This shot was 25 seconds at ISO 6400 o a Canon 6D unmodified camera. With a 14 mm lens, the 500 rule gives me 35 seconds max. I cut it down to 25 seconds for round stars. BTW, I shot this full open at f2.8.

BeckyBoo, As the other photographers have stated, use the fastest lens you have in your arsenal and the widest angle. Now to photograph the stars, use what we call the Rule of 500: set the exposure be dividing the lens size by 500. For example, I have a 14 mm Rokanon lens so I divide 500 by 14 and get about 35 second exposure time. This allows round stars without streaks. Shorten up the exposure in my example to about 25 seconds. Use your histogram to position the peak about 1/3 from the left. adjust your ISO according to the best fit for your camera. Remember that all cameras are not alike. test to determine the optimal ISO. Here is a photo using this technique with a little adjustment in Lightroom for area exposure.

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By permission of the author:

The Mourning Wall


The sun spills its light and warmth
On that cold, black granite wall,
To shed its stillness of fog shrouded mists.
To be drawn to it, to scan the heroes,
But I have turned away,
But I have turned away.

That mourning wall I have tried to view
To see names of my comrades I once knew
I have tried three times to visit them,
To commune with these, my fallen friends,
But I have turned away.
But I have turned away.

I tried to see but my nerve did falter
To stand in awe at this hallowed altar
To give honor to my brothers-at-arms
While I still live,
But I have turned away.
But I have turned away.

For I cannot face that black granite wall
With names etched into the cold stone.
Friends and strangers but to share
Only I cannot be there to stare.
But I have turned away.
But I have turned away.

I have tried to see, but my eyes grow damp,
I cannot gaze through the mist of tears,
I am saddened at the sight of the black block,
All that is left of my brothers in arms.
But I have turned away.
But I have turned away.

When at last I will go to see
I do not know when the time will be
I will seek out my friends, those on the wall
Who will always live in Heaven’s halls,
Of their family and friends and all
To see, and then,
I will not turn away,
I will not turn away.

Jimmy, I see all the static displays, but where is the action? I'm a railfan since the 70s and when I saw action, there was a train in my shot. Sorry, but I don't see anything. Include a train on the next series of images.
RFB

Thanks Sonny, I have been watching your stuff and you have nothing to be ashamed with. Yours is great!

Thanks Ballard. This was one in a series of subs. I just thought I would keep it just because of its uniqueness. Satellites are many, but an a/s across the frame, that's different. RFB

While shooting the Bode and Cigar Galaxies, a 737 flew right into my vies and left his tracks behind. Using my RC 8 and my CEM 40 mount, I was tracking the two galaxies when this 737 flew through. Now you may be asking yourself, "how does he know that the aircraft was a 737?". Simple by the process of elimination since Southwest has the most flights between LAS and LAX, it would seem logical that the aircraft was Southwest and they only fly Boeing 737s. I rest my case. But all is not lost, I shot the North America Nebula and the Veil Nebula on succeeding nights from my driveway in Las Vegas--seems like Bortle 10 here!!! Only about two dozen stars are visible and that is an optimistic count!!! RFB

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ZWO 071 with dual band filter Ha & Oiii Tamaron 70 -300 mm at 130 mm

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ZWO 071 with dual band filter Ha & Oiii Tamaron 70 -300 mm at 130 mm

(Download)

You can try Star Walk 2. You can find it in the app store. When I got it, it was 9.99 complete with updates. On a laptop Stellarium really fills the bill for astrophotography. RFB

beautiful picture, but I am an Also fan and I think the PA 1 was the most beautiful diesel engine ever made, MHO... RFB