Images from Celestron C-8 to ED80 on HEQ5 mount.

[batema]

Last night I tried unsuccessfully to post a photo from our new scope. Scince then I thought I would share how our excitement levels went from up there when imaging using our Celestron C-8 wedge mount to way out there using our new Skywatcher ED 80 on HEQ5. The first photo is Piggy Back on C-8 wedge mount of Eta Carina. 5x2 Min + 2 Darks stacked & processed. The second is Omega Centauri eyepiece projection through C-8 for 1 Min single shot . The final is our first real attempt at Orion Nebula through ED80. 12 x 90 Sec 800 iso with 4 x darks 90 sec stacked with deepskystacker and GIMP processed. If any feedback obout improvements please let me know. All shot with Cannon eos 400d. Thanks Mark.

[edwardsdj]

Hi Mark,

That Orion nebula shot is amazing! What a difference the HEQ5 mount makes. The "Running Man" nebula has come out beautifully as well!

I'm also amazed you got that 2 minute exposure of Omega Centauri on the wedge. Did you have problems fitting the camera between the telescope and the mount when pointing this far South? I've only got the Wedgepod for my C8 and doubt I could fit the camera in, let alone have enough stability for a 2 minute exposure.

Again: amazing shot of the Orion Nebula :)

Have fun,
Doug

[batema]

Hi Doug, We took the photo of Omega C when it was about I'm guessing 30 degrees above the south western horizon. We have a teleextender deluxe that goes to the back of the scope with stacks of time trying to level and get scope as good as possible. Glad to have the new mount. Mark

[Alchemy]

nice to see your pics.... sounds like youre enjoying the process.

put your post with the pics in the deep sky section you will get the advice your after.( and you can check out others images there too)

cheers for now:)

[batema]

Doug, My apologies the Omega C is 60 sec and could have been stacked but unsure.

[Ric]

A nice selection of images Mark, well done.

Cheers

[iceman]

Great images Mark. I really like the Eta widefield, however it looks like focus is just a bit soft in that one and there's some slight star trails.

An excellent effort.

With the C8 + ED80 piggybacked, will you start doing guiding through the C8 while photographing through the ED80?

[batema]

That is also what we want to do however we have stretched our budget and frienship with our science head of department so we thought we would give him a break before we hit him up for the dovetail and rings early in 2008. Very early. Would guiding through the ED80 and photgraphing through the c-8 be OK. Should the c-8 optics be good as well to use???

[iceman]

Yes you can do it both ways.

But the C8, with it's longer focal length, makes imaging more of a challenge. Guiding has to be more accurate, focus has to be more accurate.

But obviously the longer focal length lets you get closer into the small objects that are under 30 arcminutes. With an ED80 and reducer, they'll appear quite small on the chip of the DSLR.

[batema]

We also have a Zenithstar 66 that is piggybacked to the Ed80 that we will guide through using our shoestring adapter and Phd guiding. It would be interesting to see any images taken with the Zenithstar if a usable scope for photography. All we need on the sunshine coast is fine weather which has disappeared since we bought the scope. Thanks for your advice Mike. Mark.