The Old Way

[Larryp]

I thought I would post a couple of images I took back in 1988, using gas hypered Konica SRV3200 film, Nikon F2 camera body with Nikon astro focusing screen and using a waste level finder attachment for easy viewing.
The scope was a Meade 2120LX3, using a Lumicon Giant Easyguider, Lumicon Deep Sky filter and an illuminated reticle eyepiece for guiding-the first autoguiders (ST4) were just about coming out then, I think.
All I have done is use my printer scanner to scan the original prints. Exposures were 10 mins f6 for M8 and 9mins f6 for NGC5139
:)

[RickS]

It must have required some serious dedication to guide manually. Great images given the technology of the time!

[cometcatcher]

They are quite respectable shots. Thanks for posting.

Personally I was always two steps behind with colour film. By the time I heard of films that had any Ha sensitivity they went and changed the emulsion so it was no longer red sensitive. I ended up just sticking to Tech Pan 2415.

Did you get any shots of Halley in 85/86? I didn't get hold of hypered Tech Pan until 1987 so only have ultra grainy Ilford HP5 and Fuji 1600 pics of it.

[stardust steve]

nice work Laurie.
:thumbsup:

[strongmanmike]

Yep, those were the days Larry! :thumbsup: Guiding by eye and hand.....

Mike

[sjastro]

Yes they were the days.:(

One of the very few preoccupations that required being still in below freezing conditions for a few hours.

Regards

Steven

[allan gould]

Laurie, excellent images as you say for the technology of the time. I remember taking M42 and guiding for 30 min at a time to get something on film and rushing to the 60 min developing service with the slide film or print film, and then being disappointed as they all had star trails or some other defect.
Sooooo much easier now.

[Larryp]

Thanks everyone for your kind comments. The original prints are much better than they display here, since I didn't do high-res scans-wouldn't be able to load them here.
I'm just in the process of acquiring new equipment after an absence of 15 or so years from the hobby, and have much to learn about ccd imaging, but I'm sure that with so many helpful people on this site, I will get plenty of help when I need it.

[David Fitz-Henr]

Nice shots Laurie. Omega Cen is my pick - quite good resolution, especially when you consider the film has first been developed, then transferred to print, age 24 years and finally scanned!

[Larryp]

Thanks David:thumbsup:

[jjjnettie]

Yep, Omega Centauri is my favourite as well. Great resolution of the core. M8 is pretty damn good as well. :)

[ourkind]

What an amazing feat Laurie! I cannot begin to imagine how complicated that must have been, you couldn't even log onto forums like this one to share and discuss results. You deserve a knighthood! :thumbsup: Love both!

ps I hope you do have a Halleys Comet lying around somewhere...

[Larryp]

Thanks JJJ and Carlos. I don't have any photos of Halley's. Actually Halley's was what started me in astronomy. I bought binoculars to see it, got hooked on astronomy and signed up for an introductory course with Sutherland Astronomical Society-things just went from there.

[dvj]

Ah yes the good old days.

Hypering tanks, Forming gas, even dry ice. Manually guding a C8 for hours at a time. And we kept at it month after month. Today, you don't even need to drive to a dark sky site or even own a telescope.

[Stevec35]

Ah yes - hypered Konica 3200. I remember it well. Nice shots Laurie.

Cheers

Steve

[Larryp]

Thanks Steve

[leon]

Those were the days Laurie, great captures buy the way. ;)

I have one of Halleys Comet Kevin, March 1986 sometime, quite pleased at the time, how things have changed.:)
Hypered 2415 Film

Leon :thumbsup:

[Nico13]

Great stuff Laurie,
Reminded me of a series of a total Lunar eclipse I did as Halley's was leaving and while the moon was in eclipse we swung over and grabbed a few last shots of the Comet as it headed out all done with manual guiding.
A bit different now.

Will have to get the old album out and have a look.

Thanks for posting. :thumbsup:

[Larryp]

Thanks Ken and Leon
Great image of Halley's, Leon

[cometcatcher]

Thanks Leon. Yes March was the best month for Halley. I got some shots at that time on unhypered Ektachrome slide film. I traced out a 10 degree tail in binoculars.

[Ross G]

Great photos Laurie.

Everything is so much easier these days.

Ross.

[Larryp]

I hope its easier Ross. I have yet to try ccd imaging
Great to see such images of Halley's-thanks Leon and Kevin

[multiweb]

Really beautiful shots. :thumbsup: I never did film but I can only imagine the set of skills involved in getting those results. We've got it good nowadays. :lol:

[multiweb]

Wow! That's a beaute Leon. I remember seeing that one visually in April 86. My first refractor. A 65mm Vixen at the time. It was just a blob by then.

[cometcatcher]

Yes the tail was poor in April. The news media didn't help, they claimed the best viewing would be in April, but the comet had other plans. March was the best month for tail visibility, and also May. I remember the total luna eclipse in May 1986 revealed a nice 7 degree tail.

So many people thought it was a fizzer because the only time they saw it was in April. This is a pic from April. Tail angle was no good so it was just a blob with a short fan tail.

[cometcatcher]

By the way Laurie, I'm still using the same EQ mount now that I used to take these pics in 1986, though I did buy a new single axis motor drive for it this year. Still guiding manually with a guide scope, getting achy back and neck. The only thing different is I use a DSLR now.

[Larryp]

You're certainly getting good use out of it, Kevin

[cometcatcher]

Yeah I'd say my parents got their money's worth. They bought it for me in 1976 when I was 13 lol. It was a Tasco 10K 80mm F15 refractor on an EQ mount.