1st AP post / 2nd Light

[ChrisM]

After my first attempt to polar align via the drift method, I thought I'd snap a quick pic of Eta Car. This is 2nd light for the new scope (TV127 NP) and camera (20D). (I snapped M42 before Christmas.)

Focus was (obviously) a bit rough due to no live view; just focused through the view finder which is very difficult at the angle it was at!

The pic is a single frame of 60 seconds, with about 15 seconds of simple processing in PS2. ICNR was turned on, so there was a dark subtraction in-camera. There is no guiding.

I think that this is my first :confused2: AP post. It will be all onwards and upwards from here as I get some practice focusing and managing a few other aspects of AP.

Chris

[OzRob]

That looks pretty good. Your eyes must be better than mine as there is no way I could focus so well through the view finder. You might want to think about getting a Bahtinov mask (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=47090) for easier focusing.

[Deborah53]

This Page is all new to Me. Without reading anywords that explain what I am looking at... I will be in AWE..just looking at the pics. But I know in my heart I wil love what I'm about to get into.

[Saturn%5]

A very nice effort Chris :thumbsup:

[jenchris]

If I did a single frame of 60 seconds, I could probably call it a dark......
That's a sweet image

[jjjnettie]

Nice one Chris.
Sounds like you need a right angle finder for your camera. :)
I bought mine from here, but you may find them cheaper else where.
http://www.linkdelight.com/A1D-1-2.5X-Angle-Finder-for-Canon-Nikon-Leica-Pentax-DSLR.html

[ChrisM]

Rob, thanks for the Bahtinov suggestion. I've got an 8" one for my SCT so will consider one for the 5" too, although I have to say that I was a little disappointed with my first attempt at using one. I found that I had to have a bright star, and I found that the critical focus point was not as sensitive to focus adjustment as I imagined that it might be...

Deborah - I hope that you enjoy the journey!

Graeme - thanks!

Jennifer - I must admit that I was surprised how much light was gathered too. I first tried a 2 minute exposure and it was washed out.

JJJ - Thanks for the suggestion - a right-angle camera finder would make it easier, but I really would like to be able to get the pics onto a PC screen. Unfortunately there does not seem to be a Canon 20D driver to Windows 7, so I can't even control the camera from the PC. Works in progress..,..

Chris

[niko]

that's a mighty fine effort especially focussing through the viewfinder. Well done!

Next step - take multiple shots and stack. It'll give you so much more data to work with in Photoshop

niko

[Hagar]

Looks good Chris. Looking like you have een swayed overto the dark side. Now you can spend on like the rest of us. I do hope you enjoy the journey and get some lovely images.

[LightningNZ]

I struggle to believe that's a single frame! Very, very impressive. The colour is not quite right - you can always go by checking the stars to see what colour they should be. Spectral classes are the way to go.

Awesome stuff,
Cam

[ChrisM]

Niko - thanks for the encouragement. I'm going to get myself a copy of Pix Insight and plan to use that rather than learn PS. I've seen some great results from it and it's designed for AP.

Doug - yes - well - sort of. Actually keeping a foot in both camps!

Cam - yes - definitely just the one frame. In fact, I tweaked the jpeg file and posted that one rather than attack the RAW image. In PS2, I just adjusted back the red component to a nominal 67% (due to the camera not having the IR filter) and then clicked on "auto level" under the enhancement option. I might try to refine the red correction step to get truer colours.

Chris

[brian nordstrom]

:thumbsup:Very nice Chris , I was wondering , what mount are you using ?
Your scope needs no introductions , TV are very , very nice , I have your 127's baby brother ;) , and the build quality of the TelVue's is awsome , not to mention the optics , well done .
Brian.

[ChrisM]

Hi Brian, the 127 is piggy-backed on a SCT on an AP 1200. You can see a pic of the setup in post #60 here: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=36222

I'm very happy with the build quality of the refractor - everything moves perfectly and fits just so.
Chris

[midnight]

Great start Chris!

Keep clicking away and rack up some hours to improve your skills!

Darrin...

[DJT]

Hi Chris

Great shot. Looking at your comments on focussing and wanting to get it on your PC, I suggest you try Backyard EOS (google it). I have the Canon 30D and like you there are no drivers for Windows 7 so its going to be difficult to get all the functionality you want out of most of the astro DSLR software without doing some tricks, and that includes Canons own EOS utility system..

You can use BYE to do initial focussing and more importantly to frame your image. BYE will let you control your older camera up to and including 30 second exposures which means you can deal with focus (With a Bhatimov)and framing before embarking on longer subs. Even if you dont have live view you can loop short exposures and adjust the focus as you go, the same as you would with say a starshoot autoguider. If you have a more up to date camera you can take full control.

I use a wireless interval release for my Canon which is about $90 (Georges in Sydney), pretty good when compared to Canons own at $290..You can get seriously cheaper on the interweb but..you gets what you pay for I say.

Also would recommend an angled view finder. Got fed up finding that every pair of jeans I owned had mud on the knees..

You can get or make a shutter release cable to work with the usb cable and Backyard EOS but you then also need to faff around getting a serial to USB adapter as well assuming you have a recent laptop and it all starts to get a bit too difficult...so be pragmatic, use a wireless or dedicated interval timer for the long exposures but leverage the software to get focus and framing spot on. If you want I can send you the link to the tech specs for making your own...

You are stuffed on support for Windows 7 by the way..Canon have a specific built in obscelesence policy, but having said that I reckon the older Canons are pretty bloody good for astro. Mine was a 2nd hand one found on the sad and lonely shelf at Paxtons. I have no intention of ever sticking a lens on it..

Keep churning out the piccies...

[ChrisM]

Thanks for the Back Yard Astonomy suggestion David - I will have to investigate that one further.

I have already purchased a remote timer / intervalometer device that plugs into the camera, so it is easy enough to take exposures longer than the native 30 seconds. I also plan to automate the focussing routine down the track a bit, because once that's done, the rest is much easier.

I might hang off getting an angled viewfinder until I see what the other options are for getting the image onto a PC monitor.

Thanks again,
Chris

[Rigel003]

Well done Chris. Great result for a single exposure. You've managed well at focusing through the viewfinder but that can be a bit hit and miss, especially for fainter objects. I'd second the Bahtinov mask suggestion. Use it on a bright star to nail focus and then swing over to your object. I tried to check out the Sandy Ridge Observatory webpage (attracted by your avatar image) but the links on the home page don't seem to work.