Alright, this is for sharing of your observation experience. Or, if you are arranging gatherings, star-gazing expeditions or just want some company to go observing together, you can shout it out here.
Hi,
After a clear sky alert from CC, I checked out the sky and realised it was quite clear. Called a few people but no one seem to want to go to Dempsey tonight as it was a working day tomorrow. So popped by to my multi-storey car park and powered up my ETX for the first time in months.
Did not view anything much but trying out my remote controller for my Nikon 4300 and spent 2+ hrs taking astrophotos of Saturn and Jupiter.
Tried to take Orion too but it was a hopeless effort. Initially nothing at all but then I realised my Noise Reduction "on" treated the nebula as noise and removed it, so switched that off. The result is a messy star-trail. Looks like the tracking is not good enough even for 30s - 1 min exposure..
Anyway, I have attached my effort below. Trimmed it down to less than 50K, so that CC will not come after me!
hey rich, those are really great raw pics! alot of detail man.. did you manage to get enough to stack? i wanted to go last night but too bad had to wake up early next morning.. sigh..
hey anyone planning any ob in the west tmr night? toa payoh is a bit far, unfortunately haha last night was really cool, my eyepiece was bursting with nebulosity when viewing orion nebula nv viewed it so near the zenith before, just found out what a diff it makes haha..
Observing tonight though, with fellow SP Astronomers' Members in SP Stadium. Preparing to do some serious comet hunting tonight!
Anyone wanna join, do msg me at 91837064.
May the Force be with me!
dew wrote:
hey rich, those are really great raw pics! alot of detail man.. did you manage to get enough to stack? i wanted to go last night but too bad had to wake up early next morning.. sigh..
eu-wen
I was not too happy with the Jupiter efforts. Although she is much nearer than Saturn, images seems softer but fairly pleased with the Saturn effort as I have seen images taken with the ETX and this is really about the best one can do without stacking.
No, did not take that many shots to stack. problem is the image tends to drift out of the FOV and I am constantly adjusting. also there was a strong cool breeze, unlike previous sessions when I was perspiring like mad! the breeze essentially caused alot of wobble and I had to wait till it died down abit before taking.
I suspect I will not be able to use registrax since all the images are not at the same location with my constant adjustment to centre it. The image always shifts with the slightest adjustment, eg. when I replace the controller, etc.
I also went to max digital zoom and took what looked like good images on the camera LCD screen but when I went back to d/l to the computer, they were all horrible blurred blobs! Here is a sample below. The nicer image earlier on was taken using x 3 optical zoom only.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Airconvent on Wed Dec 31, 2003 1:30 am, edited 2 times in total.
The Boldly Go Where No Meade Has Gone Before Captain, RSS Enterprise NCC1701R United Federation of the Planets
Hi,
I thought you should have no problem with the tracking since you are using a GOTO scope??? Anyway, I would recommend you not to use the digital zoom, the result is just bad. Are you using the max resolution??? You should try using the max resolution of your camera and with the 3x optical zoom. This will give you a nice size raw image.
By the way, you can still use the RegiStax to stack even not align properly(I also have this problem )... just turn on the misalignment warning and RegiStax will ask you to re-align if necessary....
Happy imaging!!
Yang Weixing "The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance."
weixing wrote:Hi,
I thought you should have no problem with the tracking since you are using a GOTO scope??? Anyway, I would recommend you not to use the digital zoom, the result is just bad. Are you using the max resolution??? You should try using the max resolution of your camera and with the 3x optical zoom. This will give you a nice size raw image.
By the way, you can still use the RegiStax to stack even not align properly(I also have this problem )... just turn on the misalignment warning and RegiStax will ask you to re-align if necessary....
Happy imaging!!
The goto works well if you are using it to observe only! But for imaging, any subtle pressure such as replacing the controller to the bracket will cause the image to drift. The fact that the scopetronix adapter gives a very narrow FOV makes it worse since we have only a small area to locate the object. Yes, I am using max resolution (4MP at "fine" mode) but no TIF.
I agree with Euwen that the MC-EU1 controller definitely makes like easier but I sorely miss an electrical focusser. But at way over $200 for it, I am not too tempted!
Euwen : Do you have problems operating the MC-EU1? When I plug it in, sometimes the screen blanks off and the camera appear to be off. No amount of pressing anything will restore it. Not too sure how to activate it.
The zoom is a good function on the controller...
rich
The Boldly Go Where No Meade Has Gone Before Captain, RSS Enterprise NCC1701R United Federation of the Planets
Hi,
I also have a MC-EU1 for my CoolPix 4500 . If I'm not wrong, you need to turn off the Camera before you plug in the MC-EU1 and press the shoot button after you switch on your camera to activate.
I initially also have same problem, but I do not have this problem now after I do the above mention.
Have a nice day.
Yang Weixing "The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance."
weixing wrote:Hi,
I also have a MC-EU1 for my CoolPix 4500 . If I'm not wrong, you need to turn off the Camera before you plug in the MC-EU1 and press the shoot button after you switch on your camera to activate.
I initially also have same problem, but I do not have this problem now after I do the above mention.
Have a nice day.
ooh..that's useful..thanks!
btw, do you switch on , then press shoot button or switch on WHILE pressing the shoot button?
cheers
rich
The Boldly Go Where No Meade Has Gone Before Captain, RSS Enterprise NCC1701R United Federation of the Planets
haha last night was really cool, my eyepiece was bursting with nebulosity when viewing orion nebula 
nv viewed it so near the zenith before, just found out what a diff it makes haha..
The sky here in town is now sparkling clear with passing clouds...
"The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance."