show me your 9.25" SCT planet shots

[troypiggo]

I've heard the 9.25" SCT's are quite good for planets etc. Might be considering one down the track and would like to see some sample shots. I'd be interested to hear the brand/model of yours, too. The one I was thinking about was the Celestron http://www.adorama.com/CNOT9AX.html

[matt]

Hi Troy.

I've got that same scope and have found it performs excellently as a planetary imaging scope.

I've posted many images in the planetary imaging section of this website.

Just trawl through the forum and you'll find them.

[Kal]

Click here (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/search.php?searchid=934116) for a list of Matts' planetary work, some excellent stuff there indeed

[matt]

Thanks, Kal:thumbsup:

[Dennis]

Hi Troy

Its great to see enthusiasm for high resolution planetary imaging, or indeed anything related to astronomy, and Matt has produced some top class images of Jupiter, but, here comes the but…

Behind Matt’s success lies a long apprenticeship, so factor in the learning time for developing your skills in areas such as collimating the ‘scope, reading the weather patterns (e.g. Jet Stream map), image processing, etc.

Consider also that hi-res planetary image may be too narrow an objective? For the last couple of years, in the Southern Hemisphere, we have been blessed with a very favourable apparition of Jupiter and I’m not too sure how many more years are left for us lucky souls down under?

Mars and Saturn haven’t been too well placed in comparison, but then there is always good old faithful himself – our Moon, a very rewarding target for hi-res work.

So, make sure you have a firm idea on what you want to do, make sure those objects will be around in that time frame and high up enough above the horizon to mitigate the blurring effects of our atmosphere.

If you decide to go down that path, I’m sure you’ll have a ball, but don’t be lulled into thinking that what people like Matt, Mike (Iceman) and Anthony (Bird) have achieved is easy!

Cheers

Dennis

[AlexN]

Indeed.. Planetary imaging should not be seen as the "easy" entry into astro photography. Sure your tracking doesnt need to be as good as deep sky, you dont need a guider etc etc.. however the more you increase your focal length, the more important perfect collimation becomes.. Collimation and focus are not easy to achieve for long focal lengths.

I dont mean to discourage you at all, Just letting you know that its can be a long path just to capture good data.. From there, delicate processing..

All that being said... the C9.25 is a great place to start!! :) They are a brilliant scope.

[troypiggo]

Thanks for the links to images. Some awesome shots there, Matt.

And thanks also for the tips (or warning) on planetary imaging. I don't plan to buy this scope just yet. I'd like to get comfortable with DSO first with a wider, hopefully more forgiving, scope. Get that side of things down, then worry about the longer focal lengths etc.

It was the same when I started out taking macro photos of insects. Start shooting them pretty close, then try 1:1 lifesize, get comfortable with that, then worry about higher magnifications using extension tubes, then worry about the MP-E 65 5x lifesize macro lens ;)

That's right. I like shooting the very close and tiny (macro), and am looking into shooting the huge and very far (astro). Can't shoot people to save myself. :)

[AlexN]

:) I hear you mate.. I started photography with a 50mm lens, moved to a 200mm, 400mm etc etc.. moved up to 2800mm 11" SCT now... But photograph a human? No chance! :P

[troypiggo]

Sorry about the thread resurrection...

Been reading some more about these scopes, got 3 questions.

1. Mirror shift problems. Is this as you focus the mirror creeps a little so the image moves in the frame and you have to recompose? Once focused I assume it's all good?

2. Ads for it quote 1.25" connection on the back. Does this mean you can't use 2" gear? And I can't connect my SLR, only DSI II?

3. Dovetail bar. Seems to be 2 different types. Can't find HEQ5Pro compatibility mentioned anywhere on either of the 2 dovetail bars available. CG5 or CGE or something else?

[Dennis]

On my C9.25 mirror shift is quite small and unobjectionable. None the less, I have fitted a motorized Crayford Focuser (JMI model) so that once I have got good focus with the Celestron focus knob; I then use the JMI for fine focusing.

My C9.25 back can accept 1 ¼” and 2” fittings with the correct adapters. I think that the C9.25 opening is around 45mm plus, as I believe that the SCT thread is a 2” (50mm) thread?

My C9.25 has the full length CGE dovetail which is the Losmandy style dovetail, although it also comes with the (narrower) Vixen style full length dovetail.

Cheers

Dennis

[troypiggo]

Thanks for the clarifications, Dennis.

Back on the dovetail - I don't know enough about the different types. Which one would, hypothetically, work on a HEQ5 Pro mount?

[AlexN]

The vixen style rail will work on the HEQ5/EQ6.. The CGE bar is designed for mounts with the losmandy style dovetail saddle... the likes of obviously losmandy, some celestron mounts, astrophysics, tak etc...

The losmandy bars are definitely more stable, however for the weight of the C9.25 I dont think it would be needed... You can upgrade the HEQ5/EQ6 mounts to have a losmandy saddle, www.admaccessories.com has a wide variety of options to that end...

[troypiggo]

Cheers, thanks Alex.