A couple of quickies

[Mickoid (Michael)]

These were shot last night just about an hour from Melbourne's CBD. I had to cut the session short on both my reflector telescope and camera zoom lens because the dew was so heavy from where I was shooting, it fogged the optics up in about 40 minutes of exposure. The targets I was shooting didn't help either, they were both high in the sky at the time of shooting. After a fairly warm dry summer, I'd forgotten how tricky it can be shooting under cold dewy conditions, there'll be more of this to come over the coming weeks as we approach winter. I'll make sure I'm more prepared next time.

M104 taken with a modded Canon 550d on a 8inch f5 Newt, 18 x 90sec unguided subs, 800iso.

Rho Ophiuchi taken with the same camera but with a UV/IR cut filter, 50 - 200mm Sigma apo zoom lens, at 200mm, f5.6, 18 x 90sec unguided subs 1600iso.

Obviously both targets require a lot more data, just as well they'll be hanging around for a while high in the sky to try them again.

[mynameiscd (Andy)]

Fine images for a short time.
Rho Ophiuchi is a great image, colours look good and the dark dust clouds are reslly clear.
I was out last night and i know what you mean by dew!!
I'm about to cut up an old yoga mat and start wrapping my newt for winter, it looks pretty crappy but it slows the dew right down but still have to work out what to do with the guide scope.
Cheers
Andy

[xelasnave]

Nice work.
Make a baffled dew tube which helps both with stray light and dew...makes imaged more contrasty in my view.
Alex

[Imme (Jon)]

Hi Mick, lovely pics mate for a short time. Good call re Saturday night, that smoke hung around all night through until morning like a fog on a winters night.

Really looking forward to getting out again myself

[Mickoid (Michael)]

Originally Posted by Imme

Hi Mick, lovely pics mate for a short time. Good call re Saturday night, that smoke hung around all night through until morning like a fog on a winters night.

Really looking forward to getting out again myself

Thanks Jon, conditions were far from ideal from where I was shooting but my decision to stay away from the fire zone proved the right one to make, thanks to you. Looking forward to coming up to your site for another crack under dark skies.

Originally Posted by xelasnave

Nice work.
Make a baffled dew tube which helps both with stray light and dew...makes imaged more contrasty in my view.
Alex

I reckon you're probably right there, Alex. After seeing your last Running Chicken post, the contrast you achieved seems to prove the point. Nice shot. Got to get something together if I want to control the dew in the coming months.

Originally Posted by mynameiscd

Fine images for a short time.
Rho Ophiuchi is a great image, colours look good and the dark dust clouds are reslly clear.
I was out last night and i know what you mean by dew!!
I'm about to cut up an old yoga mat and start wrapping my newt for winter, it looks pretty crappy but it slows the dew right down but still have to work out what to do with the guide scope.
Cheers
Andy

Thanks Andy, the dew is something to contend with and has to be considered a possibility most nights we go out from now on. The Yoga blanket idea is a good use of something light and waterproof to cover your OTA, I like it!

[Sunfish (Ray)]

The Sombrero is particularly good. Great natural colour.

I never previously worried about the dew other than a long dew shield with a couple of hiking shop handwarmers .

Just tried my dew heater bought from a fellow IISer and , wouldn't you know, I see a need for one at the mirror end . More cables. Or a cabin in the high desert.