How can i take full moon pictures with a GSO680?

[sharkbite]

Folks....

I can get some pretty decent pictures of parts of the moon with my GSO680, doing eyepiece projection with a 20mm eyepiece and a DLSR....
(well i am happy with them anyway - see attached)

I would like to get the entire moon in one shot - but this scope
won't work with prime focus....(can't focus in far enough)

I don't want to modify the scope in any way...so moving the primary mirror etc is not an option for me.

Is there another way to get a full moon picture in one frame with a scope like this?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[multiweb (Marc)]

The only way to take a full moon shot with your system would be to make a mosaic. Your FOV is too narrow. To get a bigger FOV you need a focal reducer. But even then you might not fit it all and you would get problems with the edges of your FOV. That or a larger sensor on your camera.

[malclocke (Malc)]

I have the same problem reaching prime focus with my GSO880 and a DSLR, but I work around it using a barlow rather than eyepiece projection. I am able to get enough in focus with a webcam and a QHY5 guide cam, but not my DSLR, can't rack it in far enough.

Generally I think people either fit a low profile focuser or cut down the tube, thus moving the mirror closer to the focuser, to get around it.

I haven't done the maths but I suspect I could get most of the moon in frame if I didn't have the barlow in place. As it is I use a mosaic app to stitch frames together, the results come out OK.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/malclocke/9506224363/

Malc

[rustigsmed (Russell)]

Hi Sharkbite,

I'd just make a mosaic, it can be really easy.

Just take the photos of the full moon with overlap and use a program like Microsoft Live Photo Gallery - which you may already have on your computer. It pretty much does it automatically (including multiple shots) and comes out with a fairly nice and even result.

Best of luck and post up the results if you go through with it!

Cheers,

Rusty

[sharkbite]

Thanks Rusty!

You mean like this?!!!

that's brilliant....

Now i just need to wait until the smoke clears and the wind stops,
and take my time focussing.....

Thanks again - very happy with this result!

cheers,

[doppler (Rick)]

This is how a prime focus pic of the moon looks like through an 8" f6 newtonian scope. I had to drill holes and move my primary forward about 50mm to get prime focus though.

[rustigsmed (Russell)]

Originally Posted by sharkbite

Thanks Rusty!

You mean like this?!!!

that's brilliant....

Now i just need to wait until the smoke clears and the wind stops,
and take my time focussing.....

Thanks again - very happy with this result!

cheers,

Oh yeah! now we're talking!!