DSOs... restarting on good basis !
3 min accurate polar alignment for astrophotography !
3 min perfect focusing technic !
Stunning difference between Sony
A7s original vs Astrodon Halpha
(C8 Edge at main focus, same exposure 30s, same ISO 12800, clic
for full size)
ASI224MC, M42 100x3s exposures without autoguiding
Fluo102/900 & Meade 3.3 reducer
Mosaic of 4 fields with 30% margin + 100x1s for heart of M42 (mixed in PSP)
Finishing SGP4, Irfanview
Click on image to see 100% size
ASI174MM, M42 19x30s exposures without autoguiding
Fluo102/900F
Click on image to see 100% size
STL11000M around M47 50x30s exposures (+darks, flats,
bias)
Right click on image to download 100% size PNG (cropped
from original)
Taking advantage of a clearing
of about an hour , I had the possibility to capture the Orion Nebula
(M42).
After many item purchasing over a long period, it is the first time I quickly setup all the equipment ! Conditions: Technical details : During disassembly and storage just before the
return of the rain : Image processing: DeepSkyStacker (My first use ... I really liked it ! How easy !) : Loading all images Irfanview: In Paint Shop Pro : Item used : Orion 80ED Of course, it will be possible to do better with
the same intruments next time with more time But anyhow I like the result in my rather polluted skies ! |
3 min accurate polar alignment for astrophotography !!
Example : with LXD75 mount ... No coordinates, even no date/time needed :
Simplified
Clay's Kochab's Clock
(Polar Alignment Method For The German Equatorial Mount)
The perfect solution if you don't have a camera with live view ... almost as fast and accurate !
Just print your own calculated
for you refractor or telescope on a transparency film with a laser printer*
!
glue it and scotch it on a stripe of foam (roll of sleeping foam used when
hiking) as below & then get very good focus in an instant !!
(*Then you don't have to cut
out the white / The .svg file can be open and printed easily
with Irfanview+plugins / I use 2 prints ajusted together for better contrast)
Bahtinov Focusing Mask Generator
is at http://astrojargon.net/MaskGenerator.aspx
(Example : Orion 80ED .svg file to print twice
at exactly 114mm diameter)
Look at a few sec exposure on Vega (ISO 1600) with the mask :
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Main line not centered ...
bad focus |
1 min later, line centered
... Very good focus !! |
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Result 1 : very small bright
dots on lunar terminator |
Result 2 : nicely focused
stars |
Hint : I you are shooting in HAlpha, I guess it is
possible to use another filter of the same
thickness (LPS eg.) for focusing then change it back for shooting ...
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