What’s Your Preference?

praline3001 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 12:25 AM

My hubby is not into photography, he is all about astronomy. He has a really nice telescope that hooks to his laptop and does all kinds of thing a majigs (I am real technical aren't I?)
I know there is a way to set my camera up to his telescope (hehe that almost sounds romantically perverted) but I have enough trouble with just my tripod!

I was wondering if anyone took interesting photos of the moon using/not using a telescope?
How did you compose the shot so it didn't look boring? anyone have any interesting photos of the moon they would like to share?

It would be great if I could come up with a plan to rock my hubby's world with a purty photo of the moon (and I don't mean me getting dressed in the morning hehe)

Tzetsin · #2 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 12:58 AM

Hi there. The moon is something I point at quite a bit, unfortunately I dont have much thats very interesting ;D

This is one I did during the lunar eclipse a few weeks ago. I tried to make it as interesting as I could, but theres only so much you can do takeing photos in the dark with a telephoto lens.

EXIF

F/8
2 second exposure
ISO-1250
400mm on a 1.6x crop body

Something to try, when trying to make an interesting shot of the moon, is using as long a telephoto lens as you have. As you should know telephoto lenses will pull backgrounds in, so they look like they are on the same plane as the forground. This shot of the moon and the rig's derrick is like that. So find something interesting for forground material, then go there on a clear time when the moon will be within range, use the longest lens you have and the moon will "grow" and look very large and nicely detailed.

UlpilotSC · #3 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 01:19 AM

I used a 500mm telephoto, with a wide aperture and a high enough iso it didn't blur much.

As your husband knows, the more you magnify the moon, the faster it's apparent motion through the lens. You can use a long shutter speed, you just get a blur. You have to sacrifice the iso once your lens is as wide as it goes. Try a moon not quite full. The shadows at the edge of a quarter moon for example really show the craters in relief.

metallion58 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 02:30 AM

All you need to hook-up your camera with the telescope is a T-ring adapter. That will turn the scope into a really long lens.
A match made in heaven!
(Pun fully intended)

That being said, Is your hubby's scope motorized?
If so, you could even take some long exposures for planets, nebulae and galaxies.
Or put a nifty-fifty on your camera, piggyback it on the scope and take long exposures of a wide part of the sky.
Just try and google astrophotography for more options. You already have the basic equipment. You may need a few extra nicks-knacks but it wont cost much and you'll have a ball!

praline3001 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metallion58

All you need to hook-up your camera with the telescope is a T-ring adapter. That will turn the scope into a really long lens.
A match made in heaven!
(Pun fully intended)

That being said, Is your hubby's scope motorized?
If so, you could even take some long exposures for planets, nebulae and galaxies.
Or put a nifty-fifty on your camera, piggyback it on the scope and take long exposures of a wide part of the sky.
Just try and google astrophotography for more options. You already have the basic equipment. You may need a few extra nicks-knacks but it wont cost much and you'll have a ball!

That sounds like fun! I know nothing about his telescope but I do think its motorized as he can control it from his laptop? I know it has adapters or something that a camera can attach to it as well. I might have him pull out the owners manual to see what all has to be done. I have a 50mm f/1.4 lens, I am guessing that would work?

TZETSIN ~ what a wonderful shot!!! Is it taken from an oil rig? If so, you must live close to me.

Tzetsin · #6 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by praline3001

TZETSIN ~ what a wonderful shot!!! Is it taken from an oil rig? If so, you must live close to me.

Lol yes, thats a drilling rig, but if your in New Orleans, then we are not very close at all. You gotta find a map, then look up... way way up, and when you've got to the end of the United states, look up a little more, then West, way way West. When you get to the Canadian rocky mountains, you'll be close to where that was taken (Edson Alberta)

praline3001 · #7 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tzetsin

Lol yes, thats a drilling rig, but if your in New Orleans, then we are not very close at all. You gotta find a map, then look up... way way up, and when you've got to the end of the United states, look up a little more, then West, way way West. When you get to the Canadian rocky mountains, you'll be close to where that was taken (Edson Alberta)

AHHH ok =D

I am so used to the guys on the oil rigs here in the gulf I forget about you guys up at the North pole freezing your bums off!

Tzetsin · #8 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 05:28 AM

Its actually crazy warm here right now, its only -14C. Its normally much much colder this time of year.

praline3001 · #9 (**permalink**) 12-31-2011, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tzetsin

Its actually crazy warm here right now, its only -14C. Its normally much much colder this time of year.

Warm?
WARM?!

You call that warm?! Anything that has a - before it is NOT warm! I think an icicle fell on your head when you weren't looking

I don't think my temperature gauge GOES that low

Today we were at 73 F. I guess that would be around 23-24 C?

Remember this mantra = if it has a negative before the number its frigging too cold to breathe