Astrophotography by @perchloratepenguin and @xorinet, noobs to astrophotography. As we are students, our budget is low so we do astrophotography without tracking mounts.
Tips and advice are appreciated. Thanks!
Noob astrophotography
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- Posts: 28
- Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2021 11:00 am
- Favourite scope: Celestron 127slt
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- Posts: 28
- Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2021 11:00 am
- Favourite scope: Celestron 127slt
Re: Noob astrophotography
Shot on 23/4/2022 from 4-6am
Shot with Olympus OMD EM5 with M.Zuiko ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ
12mm, ISO 640, Shutter speed 8s, f3.5, Custom white balance
200 pictures stacked on Siril and touched up with GIMP
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Last edited by perchloratepenguin on Sun Apr 24, 2022 2:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Noob astrophotography
On the topic of the Milky Way, here's an image also taken near to the galactic core:
Shot on 24/4/2022 from 4:30-5:30am
Shot with Nikon D5500 (full spec mod) with AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G
200mm (cropped in postproc), ISO 1250, shutter speed 4s, f5.3, custom white balance
550 pictures stacked with Siril, touched up with GIMP
Star trailing was inevitable, I needed long exposures to cut down on the noise (and save some disk space) and my slow, coma-riddled lens only made it worse. Nevertheless, I don't think it's too bad.
M8, M20Shot on 24/4/2022 from 4:30-5:30am
Shot with Nikon D5500 (full spec mod) with AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G
200mm (cropped in postproc), ISO 1250, shutter speed 4s, f5.3, custom white balance
550 pictures stacked with Siril, touched up with GIMP
Star trailing was inevitable, I needed long exposures to cut down on the noise (and save some disk space) and my slow, coma-riddled lens only made it worse. Nevertheless, I don't think it's too bad.
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Re: Noob astrophotography
Not bad results for the setup.
A star tracker isn't really expensive -- and I guess -- way below what your astro-mod cam cost.
A star tracker isn't really expensive -- and I guess -- way below what your astro-mod cam cost.
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- Posts: 28
- Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2021 11:00 am
- Favourite scope: Celestron 127slt
Re: Noob astrophotography
The astromod cam was $165 on carousell. A bit old, but still works fine.
Re: Noob astrophotography
Yep, it was second-hand. Carousell is a magic place ;)
We're also planning to make a DIY star tracker similar in functionality to the Star Adventurer, but much less expensive (under $100), so we'll see how that goes haha
We're also planning to make a DIY star tracker similar in functionality to the Star Adventurer, but much less expensive (under $100), so we'll see how that goes haha
Re: Noob astrophotography
We're starting the design from scratch, without reference - we already have a basic design planned out, albeit with many failure points, but I'm sure they'll iron themselves out as we go 

- joachim.ong
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:40 pm
- Favourite scope: 150cm Telescope at Gunma Observatory
- Contact:
Re: Noob astrophotography
Way to go! Heartening to the see the next generation of students still loving the hobby
. When I was about your age I tried building a barn door tracker without much success but I'm sure you'll do better. Feel free to post on the diy thread if you need help, I'm sure there are others here with some experience. And actually I didn't expect the camera to still be useful for astrophotography after I botched the pc control port so good job guys.
![good-job [smilie=good-job.gif]](./images/smilies/good-job.gif)

![good-job [smilie=good-job.gif]](./images/smilies/good-job.gif)
Re: Noob astrophotography
Thanks for the words of encouragement! (I really like your pictures, by the way, very nice work
I hope I can be as good as you one day)
feel kinda bad now ;( probably would have cost much more had it been fine

Ah, about that; I tested it and it still worksjoachim.ong wrote: ↑Wed Apr 27, 2022 9:13 pm I didn't expect the camera to still be useful for astrophotography after I botched the pc control port
feel kinda bad now ;( probably would have cost much more had it been fine
Re: Noob astrophotography
Last picture before exam season. Till after then, see you! We'll be working hard fighting numbers and (hopefully) raising our GPAs.
M42, Alnitak etc.
Shot on 30/4/2022 from 8:00-8:45pm
Shot with Nikon D5500 (full spec mod) with AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G
135mm (cropped in postproc), ISO 1000, shutter speed 3s, f6.7, custom white balance
600 pictures stacked with Siril, touched up with GIMP
Wanted to make the best out of this classic target before it disappears into the horizon and we won't get to see it for another half a year. Quite noisy; I had to take the images by a light-polluted roadside bustling with people, and the camera was pointed straight above someone's house (the session was very intense). Clouds were also a problem. Had to stop down and increase ISO because of coma. Oof.
M42, Alnitak etc.
Shot on 30/4/2022 from 8:00-8:45pm
Shot with Nikon D5500 (full spec mod) with AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G
135mm (cropped in postproc), ISO 1000, shutter speed 3s, f6.7, custom white balance
600 pictures stacked with Siril, touched up with GIMP
Wanted to make the best out of this classic target before it disappears into the horizon and we won't get to see it for another half a year. Quite noisy; I had to take the images by a light-polluted roadside bustling with people, and the camera was pointed straight above someone's house (the session was very intense). Clouds were also a problem. Had to stop down and increase ISO because of coma. Oof.
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