first light - eq6pro + 70-200F/4L

[AlexN]

I wish i could accomplish a 2min exposure at the moment.... tonight it doesnt like 60sec @ 70mm :/ Its gone sour as. however as stated, the alignment is crap, and even after reading about drift alignment 10 or 11 times I still dont quite get it... Im going to get some hands on experience on sunday, DaveO from the forums here is coming down to the AAQ Lunar/planetary observing night to show me the EQ6 ropes..

[RB (Andrew)]

Well you're off to a great start Alex and with a bit of practice polar alignment gets easier.

[Robert_T]

Originally Posted by AlexN

I wish i could accomplish a 2min exposure at the moment.... tonight it doesnt like 60sec @ 70mm :/ Its gone sour as. however as stated, the alignment is crap, and even after reading about drift alignment 10 or 11 times I still dont quite get it... Im going to get some hands on experience on sunday, DaveO from the forums here is coming down to the AAQ Lunar/planetary observing night to show me the EQ6 ropes..

Alex - I know how you feel, I've struggled trying to understand drift aligning for years, but it's like trying to hold smoke. I've finally got enough of a hang of it to improve my alignment... I'm now too scared to bring the LXD75 back inside so it sit's out in the weather under a garbage bag

I reckon the pics from that lens show heaps of promise.

Good Luck,

Rob

[AlexN]

HAH!

Just realised that its Thursday... (READ: Payday!!)

GPUSB ordered, 5x powermate ordered, timed shutter release cable for 350D ordered....


I love toys... Did I ever mention that?

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Alex - autoguiding is the panacea of the modern imager!
Soon you'll move on to triplet refractors and your belly will go hungry and grumble!
"And lo, beast looked upon beauty and was lost" or some s@#t

Good luck mate, I can tell you've got the bug!!!

[AlexN]

Yeah, it bit me hard as soon as I saw the first widefield image show up on the camera LCD... I had a quick look and the smile across my face was epic...

Yeah I have been looking at a few refractors... I like the Orion EON80/EON100... that will probably be then next big $ spending for me... However I've got my eye on a 300mm f/2.8 also... I think I NEED one of those too.

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Originally Posted by AlexN

Yeah, it bit me hard as soon as I saw the first widefield image show up on the camera LCD... I had a quick look and the smile across my face was epic...

I totally concur - that's where it gets me too, out there in the dark cold night...I push that preview button and I'm like "WOW" then I remember to turn off quick as excessive LCD use causes noise!!!!!!
small pleasures!!!!!!

[vash (Ashley)]

Just wait till you get a 5 minute exposure of a nebulae and it fills the whole image, then there's a "wow" factor.

[jase (Jason)]

Good first light Alex. Rather strange, but my favourite image you've presented here is the full size crop of M20/M8. Pretty cool to see them in such a miniature form/image scale, yet they still show glimpses of detail. Well done.

[AlexN]

Thanks jase, I was amazed to see a bit of structure in the trifid considering its tiny scale too... longer subs can only make it better I say..

[skeltz (Rob)]

Nice widefield alex helps put things into perspective .
Keep it up.
cheers

[Tilt (Michael)]

I'm in the same boat as you are Alex, no guiding... yet.

Here is 30 x 2mins, 350D, Canon 70-200 f/2.8 (set at f/4), 160mm, ISO1600, ICNR, tracked on a EQ6.

Michael

[AlexN]

nice... your stars are alot tighter than mine! focus is great!