Log in

View Full Version here: : First DSO shot from new "observatory"

tornado33
12-12-2007, 10:56 PM
Hi
I wanted to exploit a rather brief break in the cloudy weather to image M42 area. I raised the garage door to stary taking out my gear when I realised that I could see M42 from where I keep the mount. So I thought I will just polar align it where it is and image from there. Getting correct altitude was easy as I had used a spirit level last time after drift aligning, all I had to do was level it using the same spirit level. Drift aligning for azimuth took only round 10 mins.

The actual shot is 8x2 mins ISO200, with uvir filter, modded 350D hand guided. Poor conditions though, lot of haze and light pollution in the east, m42 was about 45 degrees high at the time.

Heres a pic of the system just after taking the pic, guarded by our faithful BHP Steelworks born cat, Joey, and the neighbours white cat "Fluffy"
Scott
ballaratdragons
12-12-2007, 11:00 PM
What a great Observatory, Scott!!!

Hey, if it works, go for it :thumbsup:

Nice Orion too :)
iceman
13-12-2007, 06:49 AM
Nice result Scott, conditions have been terrible and anything under these skies we've had is a win!
sheeny
13-12-2007, 07:09 AM
Good one Scott!

You realise this is the first step on a slippery slope... you'll have the scope set up beside the bed shooting through the bedroom window before long! You won't even have to get out of bed!

Al.
Garyh
13-12-2007, 07:45 AM
Well why not image from the garage...lol
I bet if you brought it out the sky would have been overcast in minutes.
Nice widefield shot.
cheers
theodog
13-12-2007, 08:35 AM
Good one Scott. Just have to convince the olds to unhitch the roof and full view will be there.
There must be something crazy about this passtime that has many of us going to extraodinary lengths to get our fix of night light.:screwy::lol:

Cheers
Lee
13-12-2007, 08:21 PM
Nice shot..... 16 minutes exposure - that's about the sum total of clear December skies so far I think!
Phil
13-12-2007, 08:55 PM
nice wield field Scott well done.
Phil
Ric
13-12-2007, 11:02 PM
What, there was a break in the clouds, damn I missed it.

That a lovely widefield though, well done Scott.

I love those sabre toothed Smiladons,

Cheers
tornado33
15-12-2007, 08:19 AM
Thanks all :)
Correct, when I took the pic the length of exposure was about the sum total of clear weather time Id had over last few weeks
Scott