I took this picture through the ED127 last night and was hopeful that someone might help me out.
Details are
Canon 350D
F-Stop f/0
Exposure time 1/4 sec
ISO 400
Exposure bias 0 step
White Balance Auto
What can I do to get better pictures? I have tried changing ISO from 100 to 1600 but ISO 400 seems the best but as you can see Jupiter is over exposed but the 4 moons are sort of OK (yes 4 moons you can just make out the moon just below Jupiter).
I have set the camera up with a barlow (without the lens) so I can achieve focus until the parts I ordered arrive from Andrews Comm.
Any help would be appreciated.
Adrian, the best planetary photos are taken with video cameras. You zoom in with like a 10-12" dob on a GEM at F25+ (max barlow) and snap off 2K+ shots as it passes over head. Combine the best chuck the rest, software dependant. This one is overexposed.
Last edited by Tandum; 20-06-2009 at 10:21 AM.
Reason: I can't spell
The main problem is overexposure. You just need to use a faster shutter speed. 1/4s is just too long. It's a digital camera - try different settings and check the histogram after each shot to make sure you're not overexposed.
It might mean you lose the moons, because they'll be too dim, but that's ok.
Thanks for the replies. When this weather clears up again I'll try different shutter speeds and just target the planet itself. I think I had better setup the laptop with the webcam and try as well.
Your webcam will do a much better job on the planets than your DSLR.
What program will you use for stacking?
Dont know which program yet, any suggestions? I will be using the wecam when I get the adaptors from Andrews Com hopefully today, but in typical fashion buy new gear it clouds up.
Thanks for the links. I did use an earlier version of this program and it crashed too many times to want to leave it on my PC. I will have a look at d/l the newer version tonight and wait for clear skies again.
try an exposure of say around 1/250 of a second if you are using the DSLR, with a webcam use K3ccdtools as your capture program. It has a freeware version, for stacking frames go with registax.
The DSLR is not really the right piece of kit for this particular job, but you could get something a lot better.
So in that vane, use low iso of 100, play around with the shutter but start at 1/250th of a second and work backwards until the image look exposed correctly. Don't worry if your image looks a little under exposed, you can do a histo stretch.
try an exposure of say around 1/250 of a second if you are using the DSLR, with a webcam use K3ccdtools as your capture program. It has a freeware version, for stacking frames go with registax.
The DSLR is not really the right piece of kit for this particular job, but you could get something a lot better.
So in that vane, use low iso of 100, play around with the shutter but start at 1/250th of a second and work backwards until the image look exposed correctly. Don't worry if your image looks a little under exposed, you can do a histo stretch.
Thanks Paul I will try the settings you suggest and try again when this *&^&%$#$^ weather clears again. I will try the webcam but at the moment no matter what I buy I cannot seem to achieve focus with the webcam/ED127 setup (the one in my signature) it works if I put the original lens back on. I have tried the K3ccdtools program but I couldnt get it to run after about 10 days, trial licence expired so I never bothered with it again (I thought I downloaded freeware version).
You need to just simply copy and paste the license key from the site each 90 days. He may have made this sooner, it may well be 10 days now. However it is still freeware.
As for the telescope, you may need an extension to reach focus. I noted that my ED80 needed an extension to reach focus. This maybe the case for your scope.
You need to just simply copy and paste the license key from the site each 90 days. He may have made this sooner, it may well be 10 days now. However it is still freeware.
As for the telescope, you may need an extension to reach focus. I noted that my ED80 needed an extension to reach focus. This maybe the case for your scope.
I will have another look at K3ccdTools tonight when I get home.
I have bought 3 extension tubes for the scope 2X75mm and 1X45mm tubes and have used combinations but cannot get it to focus, but I will have another look tonight, hopefully I will have another adaptor in the mail this afternoon to fit on the WO66 and hopefully get focus.
