Greg Hewgill ([info]ghewgill) wrote,
2003-10-28 21:01:00

astrophotography

Several years ago I bought a telescope, a really nice one (Takahashi FS-102). Unfortunately, I haven't really used it very much, perhaps I bought just a bit too much telescope. It's probably 50 pounds of stuff that can't be conveniently moved all at once. I think I can count on one hand the number of nights I've used it so far. (This will change.)

Today was one of those nights. I got home shortly after sunset, a bit too late to get any good sunset pictures. But I noticed the moon was fairly bright and crisp. So I decided to drag out the telescope to see if I could get any pictures through it. This involves simply placing a digital camera (Canon S110 in my case) up to the eyepiece and taking a picture (with the camera set to infinite focus). I'd never tried this before, but had seen others do the same with good results.

Anyway, I got some reasonably nice pictures of the waxing crescent moon. Click on the picture for a few more.

Tags: astrophotography

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  • 15 comments

[info]openmynd

October 28 2003, 19:33:43 UTC 8 years ago

Fucking spectacular! That's what I say! :-)

Now, find the fittings needed to bolt your camera to your telescope, equip it with a tracker (if it doesn't already have one), and take some other cool pics! :-)

[info]ghewgill

October 28 2003, 19:56:17 UTC 8 years ago

Thanks! I have a really nice equatorial mount for my telescope, so that's under control (though I couldn't make it work correctly last time I tried to use it, but I suspect that was just me). I'm not sure whether there is an easy way to bolt a digicam to a telescope though.

I might have to go all out and get a real CCD imager. Some day, I will. :)

[info]cetan

October 29 2003, 06:24:33 UTC 8 years ago

The problem with "real" CCD imagers is all the liquid nitrogen you have to keep around to get rid of the thermal noise.

[info]ghewgill

October 29 2003, 06:53:47 UTC 8 years ago

I only said real, not hard core. :) I've seen some that use Peltier coolers to keep the imaging element cool enough. I'm sure there is a middle ground that I can get into without having to spend an arm and a leg.

[info]cetan

October 29 2003, 07:28:26 UTC 8 years ago

If you're going to go...go all the way!

[info]goulo

October 28 2003, 20:31:30 UTC 8 years ago

Sankta feko, ĉi tiuj bildoj bonegas!

Nun mi volas vidi vian forvidilon! (Kaj kompreneble, vidi per ĝin. :)

[info]ghewgill

October 29 2003, 06:54:40 UTC 8 years ago

Aŭ vere, per ĝi. :)

[info]goulo

October 29 2003, 07:14:57 UTC 8 years ago

Damne! Kial mi estas tiel akuzativebria? :)

[info]eng1ne

October 28 2003, 22:17:06 UTC 8 years ago

Nice!

Gorgeous.

So, these shots are gonna make it into your next version of the earth simulator right, as an extension? ^_^

[info]ghewgill

October 29 2003, 06:58:00 UTC 8 years ago

Re: Nice!

Thanks! As for xearth, well, it's xearth, not xmoon. Though the latter might make a nice screensaver...

[info]novi

October 29 2003, 08:41:28 UTC 8 years ago

very very nice, i say. for a starter on astrophotography, those moon pictures are great. but i don't do astrophotography, i just like to look at them and wish i could do it. and wish that i had a decent telescope and a nice digital camera instead of a refurbished digital camera. my digicam has a sticker on it that says refurbished. i thought it was funny.

yeah, i added you to my friends, hope you don't mind. your journal looks interesting and fun.

:D

[info]ghewgill

October 29 2003, 10:16:15 UTC 8 years ago

Thanks and welcome. :) You can probably get decent pictures with most any digicam and telescope. Give it a try, I found it was pretty easy. The hardest part was getting the focus right.

[info]x_archer_x

November 2 2003, 17:27:34 UTC 8 years ago

Wow. Goregous.

[info]ameya_raine

June 10 2004, 20:30:26 UTC 7 years ago

wow, i think the pictures are amazing!
Adn if that was only your first time taking the photos.

First the moon, next... saturn and its rings would be very cool!!

I was wondering if i could use one of the pictures as my LJ icon??? Of course i would credit you in my journal...

Fire_faerie

[info]ghewgill

June 11 2004, 20:07:23 UTC 7 years ago

I think I'll have to acquire more toys before I can take pictures of the planets. It's on my list though.

Feel free to use my pictures in your icon.
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