Astrophotography help

[Jeff]

Hi les,

Down the track you'll probably be wanting to add the following also:
- cheap guide scope (via dovetail bar piggy backed onto your ED80 rings)
- guide camera (eg. QHY5, or Meade DSI pro/mono)
- PHD (or similar freeware) running on a laptop to manage the guiding

If you still want to play with the dob for astrophotography now, buy the 50mm extension tube suggested below now to also reach focus visually .... then also use with your refractor later.

If you want to also use the ED80 for visual, you'll want to get a 2" diagonal also for when object are high in the sky near the zenith. Having sail that, my 10" dob does much better visually in th suburbs, so my ED80 just gets imaging gigs.

Cheers,
Jeff

[lesbehrens (Les)]

Originally Posted by Jeff

Hi les,

Down the track you'll probably be wanting to add the following also:
- cheap guide scope (via dovetail bar piggy backed onto your ED80 rings)
- guide camera (eg. QHY5, or Meade DSI pro/mono)
- PHD (or similar freeware) running on a laptop to manage the guiding

If you still want to play with the dob for astrophotography now, buy the 50mm extension tube suggested below now to also reach focus visually .... then also use with your refractor later.

If you want to also use the ED80 for visual, you'll want to get a 2" diagonal also for when object are high in the sky near the zenith. Having sail that, my 10" dob does much better visually in th suburbs, so my ED80 just gets imaging gigs.

Cheers,
Jeff

hi. yes we will see what the future brings.
les

[luka]

Regarding visual observation and ED80 I should probably point out that from my light-poluted backyard I could not see much at all. Orion nebula, for example, was just a very faint fuzz, hardly noticable.

So don't expect to see much unless you have dark skies.

[renormalised (Carl)]

Originally Posted by luka

Regarding visual observation and ED80 I should probably point out that from my light-polluted backyard I could not see much at all. Orion nebula, for example, was just a very faint fuzz, hardly noticeable.

So don't expect to see much unless you have dark skies.

Les lives in Kilcoy....popn' about 1500 or so. Light pollution is hardly a problem

Living in Perth, you'd probably die of fright if you saw skies like in Kilcoy

You'd also do the same if a Yowie came up and tapped you on the shoulder (Kilcoy is known as the Home of the Yowie)

[lesbehrens (Les)]

Originally Posted by renormalised

Les lives in Kilcoy....popn' about 1500 or so. Light pollution is hardly a problem

Living in Perth, you'd probably die of fright if you saw skies like in Kilcoy

You'd also do the same if a Yowie came up and tapped you on the shoulder (Kilcoy is known as the Home of the Yowie)

the kilcoy yowie statue
http://extraonline.com.au/stories/images/11007.jpg

they are real, kilcoyers see them all the time.
les

[TheDecepticon]

Originally Posted by lesbehrens

so again u agree that a refractor is the way to go?
les

Not really. Some refractors wont come to focus either, depending on what you use to image with. You may have to use extension tubes on the focuser draw tube or shorten the telescope tube to move the focuser further up. Also, it is becoming more obvious that refractors can have as much coma as reflectors so a field flattener will be required also, and this then can change your focus point too.
Pick a scope and camera type to use, do whatever mods are required and go from there. Don't stress, enjoy the hobby and learn as you go, it takes a while to get it right!!
I am also a bit concerned that you have a low profile focuser and have moved the mirror up the tube and it still wont focus. Are you in an Astro Society where you could get some help from one of the imagers in the group?

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Originally Posted by lesbehrens

the kilcoy yowie statue

Unfortunately some of the local puritans removed his dangly bits. New ones get put back on, and they get taken again.
There must be Yowies up in the mountains though.
We get the occasional film crew from over seas trying to do a doco on them, so they must be real.

[lesbehrens (Les)]

Originally Posted by TheDecepticon

Not really. Some refractors wont come to focus either, depending on what you use to image with. You may have to use extension tubes on the focuser draw tube or shorten the telescope tube to move the focuser further up. Also, it is becoming more obvious that refractors can have as much coma as reflectors so a field flattener will be required also, and this then can change your focus point too.
Pick a scope and camera type to use, do whatever mods are required and go from there. Don't stress, enjoy the hobby and learn as you go, it takes a while to get it right!!
I am also a bit concerned that you have a low profile focuser and have moved the mirror up the tube and it still wont focus. Are you in an Astro Society where you could get some help from one of the imagers in the group?

hi. well i did get focus on a far away land object, but then i tried it at night it was as though the collimation was way out as i could see lots and lots of unfocused stars. i don't know what i did wrong??? because i moved the mirror up (i used longer bolts as i dont want to chop my tube), collimated it too and even tried a low profile focuser.????
thats why i am looking at a refractor to start with now thought it will be easer till i want to go to the next step again.
agin what do u think is a better scope to do astrophotography with?
les

[MrB (Simon)]

Originally Posted by renormalised

Andrews is selling SWED80's, full kit including eyepieces, carrying case etc, for $699.....and since you have an EQ6 mount, there's your piccie rig

Les, Andrews also has the PRO-ED80 gold tube for $479.
Tho this is for tube, rings and dovetail only.

[lesbehrens (Les)]

Originally Posted by MrB

Les, Andrews also has the PRO-ED80 gold tube for $479.
Tho this is for tube, rings and dovetail only.

hi. i have seen it going to give a ring tomorrow to see if any r still in stock.
les

[bmitchell82 (Brendan)]

As for your problem,
A- if you have used longer bolts for culmination, have you increased the spring tension to match?
B- Have you actually checked where focus is, because remember that for your eye pieces to come to focus the camera focus point is no different just where the focus pickup is.
C - Try a barlow see if you can reach focus.

you have to figure out how far away the camera sensor is from the focus point that will tell you if a low profile focuser will work, or a slight nip tuck of the tube is required.! over all, this is not a big task, just one for a steady hand.!

[telecasterguru (Frank)]

Les,
I just left a story on one of your threads about reaching focus.
I have a 10" dob and use an Eyepieces Project Camera Adaptor (with or without an ep) and a 2 times barlow and focus through my dslr is great.
It works for me.

[lesbehrens (Les)]

hi i am looking at the skywatcher ed 80 or the sw 150*750mm refractor. which it the best bet for astrophotography? with my canon 450 d.
thanks
les

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Originally Posted by lesbehrens

hi i am looking at the skywatcher ed 80 or the sw 150*750mm refractor. which it the best bet for astrophotography? with my canon 450 d.
thanks
les

ED80 all the way! The 150x750 refractor is an achromatic refractor - purple fringes around all the bright stars in photographs. Not so with the ED80 (apochromatic refractor). One thing, you'll find that around the edges of your images from the ED80 the stars will suffer from coma. This can be fixed by the use of a flattener/reducer.
Cheers
Doug

[lesbehrens (Les)]

ok. cool the ed 80 is still the better one.
les

[lesbehrens (Les)]

Originally Posted by bmitchell82

As for your problem,
A- if you have used longer bolts for culmination, have you increased the spring tension to match?
B- Have you actually checked where focus is, because remember that for your eye pieces to come to focus the camera focus point is no different just where the focus pickup is.
C - Try a barlow see if you can reach focus.

you have to figure out how far away the camera sensor is from the focus point that will tell you if a low profile focuser will work, or a slight nip tuck of the tube is required.! over all, this is not a big task, just one for a steady hand.!

hi. i did use a bar loe i did get focus but i didn't have my mirro adjusted up or low profile focuser in. i still want to use the 10"for visual to. thats y chopping is out + i didnt want to wreck the scope.
les

[lesbehrens (Les)]

can some one help me on this?? if i used a barlow and a reduser would i get a wider field of view or will it be no point.? would i need to use a low profile focuser to do this?
i still dont want to chop my tube.
les

Originally Posted by lesbehrens

hi. i did use a bar loe i did get focus but i didn't have my mirro adjusted up or low profile focuser in. i still want to use the 10"for visual to. thats y chopping is out + i didnt want to wreck the scope.
les

[AlexN]

if you were to use a 2x barlow and a .5 reducer, your camera would be further from the imaging plane than without the barlow and reducer, however the focus point would be unchanged.. ( I think ) depending on the order in which you placed the two...

I think your best bet is to image through the ED80, visual through the 16", sell the 10" to fund a guide scope, guide camera, and a field flattener for the ED80 and you'll be set.... You'll have a great wide field imaging setup, a brilliant 16" visual scope and a BIG smile on your face.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I agree with you totally on that Alex.
And Lesley, if you ever need anyone to look after your babies, I'm always here to baby sit.

[lesbehrens (Les)]

ok. thanks guys.
les