What’s Your Preference?

ressalg · #1 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 04:00 PM

Well, I finally got my new astrophotography setup working beautifully last night. It was the first time I really got a chance to be able to learn all the little quirks. But with the help of a friend everything was working as it should... then dew started to be a factor. I guess that's what you get for being out at 1am when there's 63% humidity.

This is the best shot I got before lenses started fogging over.

The Andromeda Galaxy: Also known as Messier 31 (M31), along with it's two companion galaxies, M110 (above) and M32 (below... brightest fuzzy patch). Approximately 2.9 million light years away... and heading straight for us!!!! Don't worry though... we won't start colliding with it for another 2.5 billion years.

EXIF:
Camera: Canon 20Da
Exposure: 301 sec. (5 mins)
ISO Speed: 400
Lens: William Optics FLT-98CF not actually a lens... it's a refracting telescope

Other than a slight crop for resizing purposes, this is straight out of the camera.
Be sure to check out the larger version on my Flickr page by clicking on the image above.

Edited through RAW conversion process only:

Edited based on suggestions from a more experienced astrophotographer:

Fred flyfisher · #2 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 04:46 PM

That's an amazing shot... I am looking forward to more of your astrophotos. Nice work.

imik · #3 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 04:49 PM

Umm... ok WOW! i wanna do this too! lol i am fascinated by stars and space, i just can't believe you took this. It's amazing! i need to see more Sooooo, looks like you'll need to be out till 1 a.m. often

its an amazing shot Rob! Kimi

ressalg · #4 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred flyfisher

That's an amazing shot... I am looking forward to more of your astrophotos. Nice work.

Thanks Fred... I kinda figured you'd be one of the ones to really like this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by imik

Umm... ok WOW! i wanna do this too! lol i am fascinated by stars and space, i just can't believe you took this. It's amazing! i need to see more Sooooo, looks like you'll need to be out till 1 a.m. often

its an amazing shot Rob! Kimi

Thanks Kimi. The forecast is a little better for this evening... so far only forecasting 23% humidity. Should be better than last night. As long as the forecast holds.

Hopefully I'll have some more to post tomorrow.

cmpool · #5 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 05:13 PM

That is just amazing! What kind of rig do you use to track with? Is light pollution a problem in your area? I would love to be able to do this! Great Shot!

shiraq · #6 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 05:23 PM

amazing shot. if u can tell us how to make it? i have 100-400 mm Lens and an 2x extender so practicaly I have 800 mm. the best I can do îs moon shoot with good detail. how to shoot with my gear what u shoot? thanks for sharing.

ressalg · #7 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmpool

That is just amazing! What kind of rig do you use to track with? Is light pollution a problem in your area? I would love to be able to do this! Great Shot!

I actually drive to the local astronomy club's observatory... about 20 mins. outside of the city. Light pollution is still an issue but not as bad as it would be from my backyard in a city of a million people.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shiraq

amazing shot. if u can tell us how to make it? i have 100-400 mm Lens and an 2x extender so practicaly I have 800 mm. the best I can do îs moon shoot with good detail. how to shoot with my gear what u shoot? thanks for sharing.

I think you'd be able to do a shot like this with your equipment but the biggest thing would be to have some sort of mount that can track the sky. It certainly wouldn't have to be as complex as my setup. Something like this would probably do the trick for you:

http://www.skynews.ca/PDFs/Review_PD...roTracso08.pdf

Here's a picture of my setup:

Telescope: William Optics FLT-98CF
Camera: Canon 20Da (IR filtre factory replaced with one that passes more of the red spectrum)
Guide Scope: KWIQ guider package (QHY5 camera w/ 50mm finder scope)
Mount: Skywatcher EQ6

paulh428 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 05:49 PM

Hi, ressalg. Amazing astrophotograph. How much did you end up spending for all of the equipment? I was interested in astrophotography but can't really afford a good enough scope.

Anyways, love it. I think if you use different filters or something like that, you can get different spectrums of light. Hope to see more.

ressalg · #9 (**permalink**) 07-18-2009, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulh428

Hi, ressalg. Amazing astrophotograph. How much did you end up spending for all of the equipment? I was interested in astrophotography but can't really afford a good enough scope.

Anyways, love it. I think if you use different filters or something like that, you can get different spectrums of light. Hope to see more.

Thanks so much for your kind words. Total cost for my setup is around $6000 CND. The scope itself is about $2200 CND.

Generally, colour filtres are only used with the monochrome CCD cameras... it's the only way you can get colour from them. Using a DSLR means that you will get colour without having to use filtres. But it also means you have to use various exposures and then stack them so you don't lose detail from parts being over exposed... it sort of reminds of how people do HDR photos. Which is why I want to learn more about HDR... to see if the process couldn't be applied to astrophotography, too.