More 200mm lens shots

[strongmanmike]

Lovely night here in Canberra last night soooo, after receiving yet
another carrot on a stick in the form of the interferogram and
optical data of my impending N12 mirror, I got out that lill'ol
200mm Pentax lens and shot some Ha of the Orion Nebula region and
theeeen...had a quickie with Eta Carina (hubba hubba) :-)

Orion Nebula (75K)

http://upload.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70363274/large (http://upload.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70363274/large)

Orion Nebula (500K):

http://upload.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70363274/original (http://upload.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70363274/original)

Eta Carina Nebula (100K)

http://upload.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70364113/large (http://upload.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70364113/large)

Eta Carina Nebula (500K)

http://upload.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70364113/original (http://upload.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70364113/original)

Eta was still quite low so the seeing wasn't the best :-(

You can see the optical data on my impending ASA 12" mirror for the N12 astrograph at:

http://www.pbase.com/strongmanmike2002/image/70359638/large

Mike

[Ric]

Great images Mike, lots of lovely detail in both of them.
It certainly was a great night last night, definitely made a change from the last few weeks.

cheers

[strongmanmike]

Totally agree about the weather Ric. I was really busy at work during the week in my new job and was hanging for a night of imaging when there was no work the next day sooo peeerfect! It is now 10.24am and I haven't been to bed yet he he he...

Mike

[Ric]

I'm the same Mike, I really only get Friday and Saturdays to get the scope out, so you have to make the most of it.

Theres always the dreaded Public service Flu that strikes on a clear afternoon mid week and lasts until 4:51 the next day. :whistle: :lol:

It's a great day as well so things are looking good for tonight as well.

cheers

[beren]

Awesome...HA or B&W {:shrug:} images are very striking :thumbsup:

[FOOTPRINT]

Hi Mike,
Fantasic pictures, is that an "ED" glass lens.

regards.....Jim

[ving]

excellent images all! :D

[Garyh]

Love those Ha shots Mike, really brings out the faint stuff thats invisible to us DSLR users...
You will have to get some RGB filters to screw on the front of your lense and do some HaRGB shots..
Cheers Gary

[strongmanmike]

Yes it is looking very clear huh? Thing is I still haven't been to sleep and it's 1.36pm now :-o

I'm with the AFP now and I work some time on weekends here and there so I acumulate TOIL (time off in lieu) I have been there a month now and already have 1 days toil worked up sooo I'll save a few for use when I now its gunna be clear!

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Are you asking if it was a Luminance shot or a Halpha shot? If so it does indicate what it is under each image..?

Mike

[strongmanmike]

I doubt it is ED as it was purchased in the mid 80's..?

Mike

[strongmanmike]

Yes some colour data would be the icing onthe cake huh? Not sure the coloured filters on the front idea would work..?.. would it?

Mike

[Garyh]

I think you can buy red,blue,green filter sets made by Hoya and other brands from a camera shop (pop filter set). Don`t know how accurate the colors would be? but worth a look I reckon. Don`t know if you would have to refocus with each color filter as well? most likely....
Cheers Gary

[strongmanmike]

The front of the lens is 76mm diameter, so I guess thats a pretty big set of filters? :shrug:

Mike

[2020BC]

Steve Mogg's adapters can have threads made inside them to take 1.25" filters. This saves having to put a big filter on the front of a lens. If yours is a similar design to mine he can thread the centre of the adapter to take a 1.25" filter. If there isn't a thread there already I think it likely that he can easily put one in. I asked him to put one in mine and it worked okay when I was doing RGB with my Pentax SLR lens. The only downside is that you have to remove the lens off the adapter to change the filter.

[strongmanmike]

The problem is Bill that the 200mm lens needs heafty support in two Losmandy 90mm guide scope rings. THius to change filters is not straight forward. It means losening the three point holders, removing the lens changing the filter, reassembling the whole lot and repositioning it in the guide rings with the correct orientation, re-aquire and centre the target, re focus bah!... a lot of stuffing around and...?...I'm lazy :-)

I have the filter adapter, that is what is holding the single filter between the camera and the Mogg adapter at the moment.

Once Steve comes out with aan adapter that allows filters to be slipped in from outside and still allows for infinity focus I'll jjst do single fliter B&W stuff, besides I like the B&W high contrast look - must be the Hypered 2415 Tech pan days still in me?

Mike

[Ric]

Hi Mike, It looks like I put a jinx on myself last night. After saying how great the day was it all went pear shaped and the clouds rolled in :doh: .

So technically, If I comment how great the clouds are today, then they should all be gone by 6:00 pm this evening :D .
It pays to be an optimist with this hobby :lol:

cheers

[2020BC]

Last night I spent 2+ hours setting up the full rig in the driveway. Everything was in readiness for the clouds to begin rolling in.

The day sky on Saturday was a pristine, clear blue - not a cloud in the sky. I spent most of Saturday night until 3 a.m. battling the cloud. I did not get a single image. Each time I was going to pack up a big clear break would open and suck me in for another hour.:doh: Sometimes this sport is heartbreaking.:lol: Ditto with the filters.

[iceman]

Wow they're great shots Mike, well done! Great to see Eta again.

[spearo]

Hi Mike,
Nice shots, my favorite if the Orion Complex, very nice.
so crisp and sharp!
frank

[Octane]

Mike,

Look at all that detail in the Orion Nebula shot. Wow!

Love the Eta Carina, too.

Well done.

Regards,
Humayun