Imaging v's Visual

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Thoughts from an ex-visual observer...

Please don't take offence - just thoughts/opinion that's all!

Over the years travelled the broken road from 4.5 - 8 - 12.5" scopes and never got what I wanted or craved from visual astronomy - granted, Televue eyepieces made the experience more pleasurable, but the green colour to DSOs never floated my boat so to speak!

Fought it all the way expecting so much more from the combination of scope/eyepiece till around 4 years ago when the penny finally dropped and the prospect of imaging on a budget became a realistic possibility...

From the first image out of the DSLR I was hooked - the colour, the texture, the possibilities!

Objects that were green, ethereal smudges on a black background became red, blue, green swirling, knotted 3 dimensional objects which the computer allowed me to manipulate to bring out detail unseen by the naked eye!

I love it - never thought about purchasing a TV eyepiece or Coma corrector ever since - now it's field flatteners and better focusers...I know different direction - different expenses,but...

Viva Imaging!!!!
WOOOOOOO ---- HOOOOOOO
Doug!!!!!!!!!

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I observe via the live views from my Gstar-Ex camera. No squinting at the eyepiece, just sit back and watch it all unfold on the monitor.
If I like what I see, I push a button on the remote control and capture an .avi to work on later.
Suits me. I like to take things easy nowadays.

[Ric]

I still enjoy both, there are nights when I'm just not bothered to go through the process of setting up the camera, software, focussing etc. Then it is just nice to stand at the scope for a few hours and enjoy the sights on offer.

I find that with this I spend more time chasing doubles and clusters which tend to be a bit neglected at times. I also use this time to check other possible target DSO's for imaging at a later date.

Cheers

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

One of the main delights for me, in visual astronomy, is finding the object. Hopping from constellation to constellation, keeping angles and relative distances between stars in my head while looking for the object is where the fun comes in for me. Even when I get there, a faint smudge in the eyepiece isn't why I'm in the game. There are very few objects that I've seen that actually excite me visually. Finding them, however, is a lot of fun.

Sure photography is great (I plan to do lots of it) - at the end of the day I can look at pictures that will always be better than mine in books. My interest in photography is to get the BEST quality image I can. I could take a million shots of the Moon and still be looking for a better image.

[h0ughy (David)]

LOL i can now live in both camps but imaging is far more rewarding, to say I took that and be able to identify the object. Saying that though, it was saturns first views that got me hooked.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Its great that many people find pleasure in imaging, but for me visual is about getting away from computers and just being out under the stars and enjoying the wonderful sights that the night sky has to offer. Communing with nature in a similar way as when I go trout fishing.

Now who in their right mind would want to cover up that lovely sky with a dome?

I enjoy looking at astro pics as much as the next person, but I'll leave all the hard work to the others
There are so many objects that images simply cannot do justice to.

[§AB]

I'm purely a visual guy, I hate computers, I am also lazy and imaging means computers (crashing, freezing, stuffing up etc etc)!

There's few things I enjoy more than sitting at the eyepiece with the atlas and hunting objects. I enjoy the both the hunt and the reward at the end There's just something unique about viewing vast galaxies and interstellar dust thousands to millions of light years away with your own eye.

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

LOL i can now live in both camps but imaging is far more rewarding, to say I took that and be able to identify the object. Saying that though, it was saturns first views that got me hooked.

I'd love to have a peak through your 16" LB, but my $2K would have to go on a GM8 if my $2k existed!!!

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Originally Posted by Starkler

Its great that many people find pleasure in imaging, but for me visual is about getting away from computers and just being out under the stars and enjoying the wonderful sights that the night sky has to offer. Communing with nature in a similar way as when I go trout fishing.

I tend to set up with minor computer time involved - get exposures underway then sit back with my light adapted eyes and enjoy the eyeball-only view! No glass in the way (apart from specs - or I wouldn't see a bloody thing!)

Don't have an observatory so I'm out there exposed to the elements so to speak!

Processing time at the PC is equally enjoyable to me I must admit!! Sad bugger!!! That's where the creative side comes out - that's where the magic happens!

[leon]

Doug maybe once a year I might have a peek at some thing, visual has never interested me, and as you say, imaging rules.

leon

[middy]

I enjoy imaging more. Staring at faint, grey smudges that all look the same just doesn't do it for me. Maybe it is because I live in the light polluted 'burbs. Maybe if I lived out in Woop Woop I might enjoy it more.
I can relate to Omaroo's post though about enjoying the hunt more. On the rare occasions when I do some visual work I like to star hop to try and find things. Then I find what I am looking for "Yep there it is, another faint smudge. I've done that one now ..... next!"

[avandonk]

Whether it is simply looking up with the naked eye, or with a telescope of any size, or taking images with basic or advanced equipment. It does not matter!

We are all doing the same thing, seeing back into time and where we came from.

We are all made from star stuff as is everything around us that nurtures us!

The wonder to me will never cease.

The important thing is we better understand than in the past when superstition was all the rage.

Bert

[Matty P (Matt)]

It really depends on what kind of mood I am in at the time. If I am in a lazy mood, I will usually only set up the scope for visual work but if I am in a good mood. I will set up the imaging equipment. Although, on most nights. I like to try and do both.

I totally agree, imaging is much more rewarding than visual work but sometimes I just can't pass on a good night of hunting those faint fuzzies.

Imaging Rules!