As some of you may know i very recently got my first scope - an 8" dobsonian.
I have tried to get some photos through it but have been unsuccesful in getting anything in which anything can be recognised.
I have a "Nikon coolpix L1" i realise that it is not made for astrophotography, but was under the impression that i would be able to get photos with it anyway (this is not the reason i bought the scope, so i will not get greatly angry if it turns out impossible). Other than it basically destroying my night vision - it is very difficult to get it alligned using a second tripod.
I have tried changing the exposure - but cannot find something to change the shutter speed.
Here are a couple of photos ive taken. http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/1...cropped4dz.jpg http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/5...cropped4ni.jpg
They are much clearer than that when looking with eyes, but thats the best i have managed with the camera.
Try taking some pictures of the moon through the scope first (which I know you'll have to wait a couple of days for now). The moon is nice and bright (I've found the fuller the better for a point-and-shoot shot) and any troubles you have there will highlight why your Jupiter shots didn't work. I would also recommend you get/make some kind of camera mount that is attached to the telescope, since the telescope has to move at some point to track the sky and a second tripod doesn't.
Your actually out of focus on those 2 shots posted. Yes overexposed slightly as well, but the biggest problem being you need to get a better focus.
I started off with a kodak easyshare, not easy to get the target on that little 50mm screen & keep it centred & then try to get it focused. 15-20 mins. sometimes spent just on that part alone.
You'll get there, comes with practice, plenty of practice!
I have managed to get some recognisable shots through a point and shoot digital camera of Saturn, Jupiter, and of course the moon.
I have used a Canon A40 2Mp camera with my shots. I'm not sure what you can play with with your camera, but when I took my shots I set the camera to the Macro (i.e. close-up) mode, but with everything else set to auto (accept the flash - turned that off, but I usually forget this for the first shot back after a break...must really scare the neighbours peering over the back fence ).
With everything on auto, the camera is left to evaluate the field of view and set the appropriate shutter speed and aperture. The trick I have found is to use the optical zoom of the camera. This means that the planet takes up more room in the field and it is easier for the auto settings to recognise the detail (such as banding on Jupiter). I find that it is easier for me to handhold the planet in the camera field of view. This also removes the field stop of the eyepeice from the shot - something you might see while snapping at the moon. When I don't zoom I seem to get more over exposure of the planet - banding virtually invisible on Jupiter.
I also use an 8mm Radian eyepiece which has long eye relief (and a large eye lens) and this maybe important - it certainly makes it a bit easier.
i was fairly close to sea level, im still looking out of my backyard, i havnt looked around for any nearby observing points yet, ive only had it a couple of days. Theres an exposure setting on my camera that goes from +2 to -2 ive tried both ends of the scale and bits inbetween- it just makes it a darker or lighter blur. I cant find any settings for shutter speed, i think with this camera its based on other settings and adjusts it itself. There is a setting that puts the focus at infinity that i first thought would be great, but it also gives a very long exposure so i get a smudge. i guess ill have to try experimenting with all the preset modes and find one that works well.
the first times out shooting the night sky can prove to be dissappointing sometimes, don't worry i had plenty of mis hits, but i dose get better with time.
Don't throw away your first attemps, they will be great to look back on when you achieve that stunning image, and you will.....
i have made a reasonable picture of saturn, i fiddled around with the modes (still cant find any way to manually change much except exposure) and came up with this - its not focused properly but the shutter speed is much quicker - its sports mode. i dont think its possible to actually set the shutter speed with this camera after a while i might thing about getting a camera for astrophotography, but that will come much later.
this was 11 images put through ppmcentre and registax quickly - im still not great with them, but its better than my first attempt. http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/2408/final4kz.png
it may not be great, but its definately saturn this time
There's a huge RGB shift needed there - when you pass it through registax, when you get to the wavelets screen, go to the "RGB Align" tab and click Estimate. You'll be amazed what it can do.
That's a great attempt anyway - also don't always go for the full crop. Sometimes resizing the image down can give a much more pleasing view.
thanks i didnt even see that rgb shift tab before, i thought it was a byproduct of the poor fousing. I need to find a way to set my camera's settings manually, but my brother says his camera can bet set completely manually, so i might get some better shots tonight.
(jupiter from 29 frames, saturn from 69)
By the way, when is mars going to be better to see from near melbourne? it sets pretty soon atm. And will i be able to see it well?
Well you have a great result there - and found the setting I was on the point of suggesting - most of the plantary work done is with webcams in video mode - you may get even more details if you can change the video compression to off or set the highest quality - mpeg/jpeg loses a fair bit of detail.
Hi Sheap, teh best mars shots occur every two years and we have just had out last one. The next best when mars is at opposition will be in 2007 but it will be getting progressively further away at opposition for quite a few years yet before it starts to improve again.
You've found the secret of planetary imaging. Video and stacking. Are you using Registax to stack your shots?
btw when you are posting images would you us the "Go Advance" button and use the "Manage Attachments" button on that page rather than the "Insert Image" button in the Quick Reply box. Using the "Man Att" button presents your images as thumbnails and allows the page to load faster for those on dialup.
okay will do with the image adding, and yes i am using registax - but im not to familiar with it yet. and thats a shame about mars :'( it seems i got my scope a little too late.
thankyou to all that gave help here, it was... well... very helpful. i know that some of you already know, but i came runner up in the Jupiter imaging competition, your assistance with tackling this skill has been greatly appreciated.
Sheap, both your images above are 480k - well above the forum guidelines. Please reduce the size by saving them as jpeg, and as Paul said, attach them to the post rather than posting them inline as you have.
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and we have just had out last one. The next best when mars is at opposition will be in 2007 but it will be getting progressively further away at opposition for quite a few years yet before it starts to improve again.
