My very first digital astrophoto

[bloodhound31]

Hello people,<br />I just added a new Canon EOS400D camera to the observatory. At this stage I still havent the adaptor to put it into the telescope, but I did practice a few shots using the camera's standard telephoto lens, mounted piggyback on top of the telescope, using the scope as a tracking platform only.<br /><br />This, amomg many, is an idea of what this camera can do. remember, this is my first night with the camera so the tracking is not perfect and the focus is slightly out. I will be learning how to improve on this in time. I know nothing about this camera, not much about photography in general and even less about how to manipulate the image using software. It took me a couple of hours just to work out how to compress it small enough for emails. This also may atribute a little image quality loss.<br />http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=24949&d=1174697421<br /><br />Stay tuned on the website for the additions of astrophotos on the astrophotography page.<br /><br />http://www.aussiepeople.com.au/asignobservatory/<br /><br />God bless,<br /><br />Barry.

 

[Aetius]

Beautiful picture!

 

[qso1]

Excellent pic considering its your first. Is that the Horsehead nebula? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>

 

[bloodhound31]

Thanks people! No, its not the Horsehead, although I did have a go at it. All I got so far is a very dim impression of the flame nebula right beside it.<br /><br />This photo is M42, the Orion nebula.<br /><br />Baz.

 

[heyscottie]

Would you mind posting a few details such as ISO settings, lens focal length, aperture, and shutter speed? I would be interested to know how long it takes to acquire an image such as this...<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Scott

 

[docm]

Dunno about bloodhound31, but on my 16" w/CCD I shoot 11 lumance images @100 seconds then 3 each red/green/blue channels also @100 seconds each then combine them, all in Maxim DL/CCD. <br /><br />I always shoot more frames of each than needed and pick the best ones for the stack because some will always be low quality due to atmospherics etc. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[heyscottie]

Bloodhound is clearly doing something simpler than that -- he is using a comsumer digital camera, similar to the one I have, and I don't expect he is stacking frames at all here. I don't have nearly the equipment needed to do what you are doing, but I may be able to come up with something like what bloodhound is doing, if it is simple enough...

 

[docm]

Depending on the camera it could relate in giving him a baseline exposure for a through-the-scope exposure: about 400 seconds at a low ISO, say 64-100. Bracket that (100, 200, 800) and he <i>should</i> get close enough to zero in after a few attempts. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bloodhound31]

20 seconds at ISO 400 F5.6 with the standard 75-300mm telephoto lens that you get with the twin lens kit upon purchase of the 400D. <br /><br />One exposure, unguided sitting on top of my telescope.<br /><br />It was my first night with the camera and I had no Idea what I was doing. I still don't. <br /><br />If the weather would give me a break, then I might learn a bit by trial and error.<br /><br />If this is what the camera can do on its own, I cant wait to get a camera adaptor and use the C11!<br /><br />Baz.<br /><br />A.S.I.G.N. Observatory<br />http://www.aussiepeople.com.au/asignobservatory/