Check out what 30 years of imaging advancements can do

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

30 years of imaging (scroll down)

We have come a long way huh?

Mike

[alpal]

Makes you wonder what you'll produce when you're 77.

Well done.

cheers
Allan

[cybereye (Mario)]

Mike,

It amazes me that at the age of 17 you had fashioned a chilled film camera, let alone been able to image M104 as well as you did!

It is incredible how far we've come in the last 30 years, not only in imaging technology but also scope technology. I look at the new GSO 16" RC scopes on an EQ8 as something that is now very much affordable. Even 5 years ago this would have been unthinkable for me! I wonder how many high powered telescopes are peering skywards each night in the world compared to 30 years ago? I hazard a guess that it would be several orders of magnitude!

Love the M104 comparison and the image of you in an "Adidas style" tracksuit top - 4 stripes versus 3! I think everyone had one in those days!

Cheers,
Mario

PS 30 years ago I was playing First Grade Rugby League... in Adelaide!

[rustigsmed (Russell)]

awesome comparo Mike.
in another 30 years? adaptive optics for amateurs? iTelescope from orbit?

[Rod771 (Rod)]

Wow! Both images are great!

Makes you sit back and appreciate what we can achieve.

I bet you couldn't stop looking at that exposure back in 1984, its very good.

[Chris.B (Christopher)]

Boy oh boy have we come a long way.
Great shots the both of them. Thanks for putting this up.

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

I'm still taking pictures like yours 30 years ago. Maybe in another 30 years I can take M104 like you do now...

[LewisM]

Good God, he was a skinny runt once

Just have to love the latest M104. Just fantastic detail and fidelity.

[RickS (Rick)]

We have come a long way in astro imaging indeed, Mikey! Not sure about fashion though

Both great M104 images for their time

Cheers,
Rick.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Hey thanks for all the nice comments guys, ah sighhh memories.. always good to look back huh?

Oh and I was 100kg in that photo by the way...always a lump and OI!..what's wrong with the Adidas tracky

Cold cameras, always thought they were the Holy Grail

Mike

[gts055 (Mark)]

Both images are excellent for their time, but I guess the 1984 image was more a challenge given the equipment available back then.
Can you tell how you came to get to use the Oddie refractor back in 1984. That would have been an exciting thing to do for anyone let alone a 17 year old. Mark

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Cold cameras, always thought they were the Holy Grail

Mike

They still are. Turn the cooling off your CCD and see what happens.

[Kunama]

That brings back some memories Mike, it was 5 years earlier that I first sat in that chair back in 1979 peering through the Oddie

[h0ughy (David)]

a legend and over 25 years now an antique relic. great to see

[hobbit]

HP5?
I use that in my TLR. Had no idea it had been around so long.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Thanks everyone

Originally Posted by gts055

Both images are excellent for their time, but I guess the 1984 image was more a challenge given the equipment available back then.
Can you tell how you came to get to use the Oddie refractor back in 1984. That would have been an exciting thing to do for anyone let alone a 17 year old. Mark

Yes the Oddie had an annoying approx 10" jump in the drive gear which had to be anticipated in order to guide it out by pulling on long string cords that acted as the drive corrector ...as you can see form the 84 shot we weren't all that successful there

The Oddie was available to secondary college students (Yr 11/12) in Canberra as well as members of the Canberra Astronomical Society, both of which I was.

Originally Posted by h0ughy

a legend and over 25 years now an antique relic. great to see

30 years even

Originally Posted by Kunama

That brings back some memories Mike, it was 5 years earlier that I first sat in that chair back in 1979 peering through the Oddie

It was a fanstastic scope indeed, a long focal length 9" refractor is a killer visual instrument.

Originally Posted by hobbit

HP5?
I use that in my TLR. Had no idea it had been around so long.

Ah yes HP5 not very sensitive without chilling I remember

[MrB (Simon)]

Originally Posted by hobbit

HP5?
I use that in my TLR. Had no idea it had been around so long.

I still have a 30m bulk roll in my fridge

[Ric]

Great pictures Mike

Not sure if your balancing act conforms to OH&S standards.

[strongmanmike (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Ric

Great pictures Mike

Not sure if your balancing act conforms to OH&S standards.

Meeeah, nothing has changed then I guess

MIike

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by strongmanmike

Meeeah, nothing has changed then I guess

MIike

Romans love their statues.....