Beginners Start Here! - Page 85

Hauler (Mike) · #**1681** 23-12-2015, 05:23 PM

Just thought I'd say Hi to all. I'm a brand new, wet behind the ears budding astronomer. I don't yet know enough to ask any questions - have just bought a 6" Dobson + 15mm eyepiece for the daughter and I to use. After we unwrap it on Xmas Day I'm sure we'll be back here asking plenty of questions.

Mike.

Akwestland (Andrew and Kim) · #**1682** 23-12-2015, 09:22 PM

Mike,

First off welcome.

I am also a newbie here, but rest assured this is a great place to be while learning. Ask lots of questions and enjoy the experience.

Andrew.

Randomguy (Jedd) · #**1683** 23-12-2015, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akwestland

Jedd,

This has just been listed, maybe worth a look. :-)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/OZScopes-...QAAOSwPcVVoltn

An 8" for under your budget, in Melbourne.

Andrew.

Thanks Andrew!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akwestland

My understanding is 16 exposures(photos) of 90 seconds each that are then "stacked" to form one image.

So 16 photos taken every 90 seconds?

Akwestland (Andrew and Kim) · #**1684** 24-12-2015, 05:00 PM

Jedd,

I meant to say also that I have no affiliation with the sale of that telescope, it is just one I saw.

As for the photos, you are not quite correct there. No it is 16 photos in total, each photo is a long time exposure of 90 seconds each. The time in between has little to to consequence. So, photo one - open shutter for 90 seconds - close shutter. Photo 2 same deal, but it could be one minute after the first or 10 minutes. the ability to stack the photos means that the highlights are being aligned for each of the photos in order to get more detail from all of the photos combined.

I hope that am right here, I have not done this yet, just read about it all. If I am wrong then hopefully some of the astrophotographers here can chime in and set both of us right.

And have a great christmas and stay safe.

Andrew.

Randomguy (Jedd) · #**1685** 24-12-2015, 05:06 PM

Thanks or all your help Andrew!

Merry Christmas!

kasshall (Kass) · #**1686** 27-12-2015, 05:47 PM

Hello, I am Kass and

Hubby stalked your forums for 3 months before buying me a Saxon EQ2 mount reflector telescope. I have assembled it but I feel like that was the easy part - I have NO idea what I am doing and, frankly, I am terrified!! The instruction manual talks in language I am not yet across and this is all very new to me!!

I feel a little bit

Hubby tells me this is an excellent forum so maybe it's time I just read threads and try to figure it all out......to think I thought my summer holiday from Uni was going to be a brain rest

!!

Kass

sharptrack2 (Kevin) · #**1687** 27-12-2015, 06:25 PM

Welcome Kass,

You're not alone in your apprehensions. So many of us start out in the same position as you. This forum is excellent, as is Cloudy Nights (more Northern hemisphere but still very informative). I started out with a basic understanding of Astronomy and Optics, and am astounded by how much I didn't know and could be found here on the forum.

Good luck with your new found obses... err... hobby, it is extremely rewarding when you see your target with your own eyes. Just be prepared to immediately want a larger telescope, and then capture in pictures, what you see.

It can quickly be addicting!

Again,

kasshall (Kass) · #**1688** 27-12-2015, 06:46 PM

Thank you Kevin!! I am not sure, with that book/art supply/expensive shoe hab--- I mean, HOBBY I have, I can afford bigger and better - but I am forewarned!!

Kass

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharptrack2

Welcome Kass,

You're not alone in your apprehensions. So many of us start out in the same position as you. This forum is excellent, as is Cloudy Nights (more Northern hemisphere but still very informative). I started out with a basic understanding of Astronomy and Optics, and am astounded by how much I didn't know and could be found here on the forum.

Good luck with your new found obses... err... hobby, it is extremely rewarding when you see your target with your own eyes. Just be prepared to immediately want a larger telescope, and then capture in pictures, what you see.

It can quickly be addicting!

Again,

Jen · #**1689** 27-12-2015, 07:00 PM

Gday Kass welcome to IIS

depends on where about you are near Melb there is a few places where you can go to viewing nights etc you will learn so much from these nights or an Astro camp at snake valley in March

enjoy your new obsession

caj1311 (Cindi) · #**1690** 28-12-2015, 11:14 AM

Hi everyone,
My name is Cindi and like a lot of people I guess I have come here as an absolute beginner trying to work out how my new telescope works! I am a keen photographer and after repeatedly telling my husband over a number of years that I would like to try some astrophotography, he bought me a telescope and mount for Christmas. However in his usual style he bought me something "top of the range" for astrophotography - and now I am trying to work it all out! My previous exposure to astronomy has been high school astronomy nights (many years ago!) and lying out on the lawn with my kids looking at basic constellations. So much to learn...I have already learnt a lot just reading through the threads and some of the listed resources. Anyway, just wanted to do a quick intro as you will likely see me popping up asking some basic questions as I try to piece it all together.
Cheers,
Cindi

kasshall (Kass) · #**1691** 28-12-2015, 01:39 PM

Our hubby's - bless them - sound exactly the same!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by caj1311

Hi everyone,
My name is Cindi and like a lot of people I guess I have come here as an absolute beginner trying to work out how my new telescope works! I am a keen photographer and after repeatedly telling my husband over a number of years that I would like to try some astrophotography, he bought me a telescope and mount for Christmas. However in his usual style he bought me something "top of the range" for astrophotography - and now I am trying to work it all out! My previous exposure to astronomy has been high school astronomy nights (many years ago!) and lying out on the lawn with my kids looking at basic constellations. So much to learn...I have already learnt a lot just reading through the threads and some of the listed resources. Anyway, just wanted to do a quick intro as you will likely see me popping up asking some basic questions as I try to piece it all together.
Cheers,
Cindi

barx1963 (Malcolm) · #**1692** 28-12-2015, 08:43 PM

Hi Cindi
Welcome and congrats on both the gear and the husband!!
What gear did you end up with? Although I am not by any measure an imager, if we know what you have it will help.

Cheers

Malcolm

caj1311 (Cindi) · #**1693** 28-12-2015, 10:27 PM

Hi Malcolm,
I am the proud but somewhat bemused owner of a Celestron CGEM DX mount with a Celestron 1100EdgeHD OTA (Did I use the right abbreviation LOL?). It has other exciting goodies like a SkySync GPS and a set of eyepieces and filters. It is absolutely enormous and weighs a tonne. He also got me the "Astronomy 2016 Australia" book which has been very informative. In terms of the photography I intend using my DSLR (Nikon D810), but want to get the basics of astronomy at least sort of sorted before I try taking photos. Of course we have had overcast skies since Christmas, so I am champing at the bit. I got to take it out one night and got some great views of the moon, but could not get the alignment right for the computerised tracking to look for anything else. I have been reading a lot since then and I think I now have a much better idea of what to do, so just want a clear night to give it another go. Looking forward to it all!

barx1963 (Malcolm) · #**1694** 29-12-2015, 08:17 PM

That sounds like an excellent piece of kit. You will find it has a fairly steep learning curve though! The only downside is that the scope is a fairly lonfg focal length which makes accurate polar aligning and guiding a must for imaging.
Best bet is to try and hookup with a club or group in your area to help with the setup and be very patient.

Malcolm

GG (Garret) · #**1695** 25-01-2016, 05:56 PM

Hi IIS, Just signed up after being a reader for a while, have been using my 130p with my son since we got it last year and also recently bought a homemade 10" scope on a motorized EQ mount in need of repair. Thought I'd join up so I could share my project and also get help when I need.

Somnium (Aidan) · #**1696** 25-01-2016, 06:10 PM

Welcome Garret

Loki · #**1697** 13-02-2016, 01:00 PM

Hi everybody, I am Loki. Looking to get into astrophotography using dslr camera and I have no idea what to get all im reading seems to be fan boy posts of Nikon vs Canon. I have a budget of just over $1100 Aussie dollars. I will need a lens with it like a rockmax or what ever they are called, with high iso. Any help is very much appreciated as i really want to research everything now and not be disappointed when I get them.

Loki

barx1963 (Malcolm) · #**1698** 13-02-2016, 04:01 PM

Loki
Welcome to IIS. Not sure what a "Rockmax" is, maybe you mean a Rokinon lense? Just be aware that they are a manual focus lense.
Traditionally, Canons have been favoured by many astrophotographers for a coupe of main reasons. Firstly, the Nikons for a long while had a very aggressive noise rejection algorithm that often deleted stars thinking they are noise (aka the Nikon Star Eater). I believe this has been less of an issue of late. Canon also until recently was the only maker t make a dedicated astro DSLR, firstly the 20Da and back in 2012 the 60Da. Unfortunately these were only limited releases.

I have been using a Canon 760d recently which cost about $1000 for the body and have found to be very capable. Of course if your $1100 budget is going to cover camera, lenses, telescopes, mount etc, you are going to have some hard choices. How were you thinking of mounting your gear and were you wanting to image through a scope or just the camera and lense?

Cheers

Malcolm

Loki · #**1699** 14-02-2016, 11:02 AM

Yes that budget is for all cam, lens, tripod. to begin with i only want to use the camera and lens and if that is successful i would look at adding a scope to that also but further down the track. Oh and yes i did mean Rokinon lens and manual focus is perfect as I have been told I will need to foucs on infinity anyway. I suppose they have the dial on them with the infinity symbol?

barx1963 (Malcolm) · #**1700** 14-02-2016, 11:41 AM

Loki
As a rule, don't trust the infinity symbol on lenses. It is rarely accurate. Also if using a tripod only, you will not have any tracking ability so you are limited to relatively short exposures, unless you are aiming for star trails anyway!!

This book http://www.bintel.com.au/Accessories...oductview.aspx is a not bad introduction to using a DSLR for astro. It is getting a little dated and the equipment it mentions are all no longer around, but the principles in it are still relevant. A quick search on the net will reveal more up to date books I am sure.

Malcolm