#1  
Old 06-06-2007, 12:25 AM
flearosie
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Query On Dobsonians

Hi

I am a total newbie and was just wondering if there was anyway possible to take photos using a Dobsonian?

Thanks heaps
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Old 06-06-2007, 04:15 AM
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iceman (Mike)
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Hi there.

It's indeed possible, but only of the planets and moon. You can't take deep-space images using a non-tracking dobsonian, due to the simple fact that a deep-space image needs a long exposure. During that long exposure, the object has moved in the FOV because you don't have tracking!

But you can certainly take great pics of the moon just by pointing the camera into the eyepiece. Planets are a little more difficult, but certainly can be done.

There are adapters you can buy to mount the camera onto the eyepiece to make it all a bit easier.

To start, have a read of an article I wrote a couple of years ago:

Astrophotography with a Dob.

I hope that answers most of your questions, but please keep on asking them if you're unsure.

Welcome to IIS!
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Old 07-06-2007, 10:42 PM
flearosie
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Hi Iceman

Your reply is much appreciated. We live in a lovely dark sky area and have just recently purchased our first telescope. We are stumbling our way through it all and at the moment are happy just looking around at everything in general. My husband is interested in photography so I wondered about using the Dob,will study your weblink tomorrow,thank you so much.

Cheers
Lesley
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  #4  
Old 07-06-2007, 10:50 PM
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ballaratdragons (Ken)
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Lesley,

you are only 71k away from our Astro Club at Snake Valley. We have quite a few members who regularly come 100-150k each month (several are members in here). You would certainly be welcome to come along and we can help you with your Dob, and how to take images with it.

Our next club night is 15th this Month!
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  #5  
Old 08-06-2007, 12:14 AM
gary
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flearosie View Post
Hi

I am a total newbie and was just wondering if there was anyway possible to take photos using a Dobsonian?

Thanks heaps
Hi there!

One of the myths that pops up on online forums is that it is only
possible to use Dobsonians to photograph the Moon and planets.

The reality is that there are growing number of people using Dobsonians
to image deep sky objects.

For example, check out this web page of one of our customers,
Johannes Brachtendorf.
See http://homepages.uni-tuebingen.de/jo....brachtendorf/
Be sure to follow the links to the images.

In Johannes case, he use an 18" Obsession fitted with one of
our Argo Navis computers that in turn is controlling a ServoCAT.
The ServoCAT operates servo motors on the mount to allow it to
track. The Argo Navis performs all of the tracking rate calculations
in real-time.

Since the field will rotate on an Alt/Az mount, Johannes keeps his imaging time
short and stacks multiple images in software. However, growing number of
enthusiasts are using mechanical field derotators.

So imaging on Dobs of deep sky objects is not only possible, we keep see
more and more people doing it.

In fact, in the world of professional astronomy, which is totally
centered around imaging of one sort or the other these days, the vast
majority of the world's largest scopes are on Alt/Az mounts. A Dob
is simply an example of an Alt/Az mount. These large scopes also
use tracking systems and field derotators.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Managing Director
Wildcard Innovations Pty. Ltd.
20 Kilmory Place, Mount Kuring-Gai
NSW. 2080. Australia
Phone +61-2-9457-9049
Fax +61-2-9457-9593
sales@wildcard-innovations.com.au
http://www.wildcard-innovations.com.au
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  #6  
Old 08-06-2007, 12:14 PM
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ving (David)
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pretty impressive gary.

jeanette here on this forum has taken some DSO pics with her non tracking dob. a extremely sensitive camera and really short exposures is needed.
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Old 08-06-2007, 01:37 PM
gary
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Hi Ving,

Thanks for the heads-up on what Jeanette has achieved!

As you can imagine, I get to interact with a lot of people and I never
cease to be flabbergasted with some of the results people are getting
from imaging on Dobs of DSO's.

Knowing that it can be done often helps those who are really visual
observers at heart and would really like to purchase a good quality Dob
but thought they would be excluded from doing some imaging if it should
ever take their fancy.

As the imaging equipment keeps getting better and better (and cheaper
and cheaper), people are pushing the envelope more and more.

Some are also overcoming the limitations of short exposures with field
de-rotators.

Exciting times indeed!

Thanks again for the heads-up!

Best Regards

Gary
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  #8  
Old 08-06-2007, 03:04 PM
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ving (David)
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no problem gary
of course keep in mind that the pics arent anything like the type you'd get with tracking and its the brighter ones but still....
she uses the gstar ex the my astro shop has.

try this thread: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=20430
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  #9  
Old 08-06-2007, 07:29 PM
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jjjnettie (Jeanette)
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Thanks for the plug Mr Ving.
So yes you can do DSO's but the results are only so so. On par to what you would see through the eyepiece.
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  #10  
Old 09-06-2007, 11:49 PM
gary
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The eye of the beholder

Quote:
Originally Posted by jjjnettie View Post
Thanks for the plug Mr Ving.
So yes you can do DSO's but the results are only so so. On par to what you would see through the eyepiece.
Jeanette,

It's all relative. Recently I got to see M51 visually through a 36" Dob from the
northern part of the world and all I can say is that some exceptionally good
astrophotographs would almost be as good.

Best regards

Gary
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Old 10-06-2007, 11:28 PM
flearosie
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Hello Mike

Thanks for the invitation to visit. Will try and make it happen, how regular are your meetings? Must say, this site is very friendly and helpful and hope I live long enough to learn heaps!!!!
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Old 10-06-2007, 11:34 PM
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ballaratdragons (Ken)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flearosie View Post
Hello Mike

Thanks for the invitation to visit. Will try and make it happen, how regular are your meetings? Must say, this site is very friendly and helpful and hope I live long enough to learn heaps!!!!
ummm . . . I invited you, not Mike

We meet every month. This month it's on the 15th. That's next Friday night

Rain hail or . . . hmmm, there's no shine at night We always meet on the closest Friday to the New Moon.
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  #13  
Old 13-06-2007, 12:24 AM
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ballaratdragons (Ken)
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Excellent!!! This Friday Club night (15th) has a fantastic weather forecast.
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