Astronomical Stargazer Thread

[Miner]

Interesting tonight. Clear night in Melbourne (Au) with the Cross high in the sky. After a discussion with a few beers pulled out a Fuji 14x40 gyro bino and pointed them up rather than down.

 

You can see Alpha Centauri as double star with a "hand held" bino

[Corinthian]

One positive result (albeit temporarily) of this quarantine is that the night skies have less light pollution in urban areas. Over here, it is noticeable. I can see the Orion Nebula with my bad eyesight here at home when I couldn't prior to the pandemic and quarantine.

Edited April 28, 2020 by Corinthian

[JamesR]

One positive result (albeit temporarily) of this quarantine is that the night skies have less light pollution in urban areas. Over here, it is noticeable. I can see the Orion Nebula with my bad eyesight here at home when I couldn't prior to the pandemic and quarantine.

That's really saying something about the pollution!

 

Nice composite btw. I need to try something of that this summer.

[Ssnake]

I can see the Orion Nebula with my bad eyesight here at home when I couldn't prior to the pandemic and quarantine.

 

Ooo!

Proof that the coronavirus cures bad eyesight!

[Corinthian]

 

I can see the Orion Nebula with my bad eyesight here at home when I couldn't prior to the pandemic and quarantine.

 

Ooo!

Proof that the coronavirus cures bad eyesight!

 

BWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

I couldn't resist, I ordered a clip-in astro multispectra filter for my Lumix GX85 from STC. It's nice that I am spending my money on a Taiwanese (not Chicom) product. It ought to be coming sometime next week I hope. Also coming from the UK is a Bahtinov mask for my telescope and some other stuff. Ordered an OVL Flattener as well for the telescope so I can start taking pix with my camera. :D

[JamesR]

First image from the 8" scope. M81, aka Bodes Galaxy. I've 16 hours of exposure in this one.

 

[Ssnake]

Before Hubble and adaptive optics (and being in the wet film era), this was professional level astrophotography.

[Corinthian]

Beautiful capture, JamesR!

I'm due to receive a Bahtinov Mask for my telescope and a bunch of other stuff hopefully this week from FLO, same as the filter from STC. The OVL Flattener and other stuff haven't been shipped by FLO yet.

 

Too bad I'm too north to see Comet SWAN. It'll be visible very low on the horizon during dawn. Even if I go to the roof of the house, I wouldn't be able to see it due to other obstructions. I would've flown south to Mindanao to see that but with the pandemic going on, traveling is a no-go.

[Rick]

Before Hubble and adaptive optics (and being in the wet film era), this was professional level astrophotography.

Still is! Most impressive!

[Rick]

Beautiful capture, JamesR!

 

I'm due to receive a Bahtinov Mask for my telescope and a bunch of other stuff hopefully this week from FLO, same as the filter from STC. The OVL Flattener and other stuff haven't been shipped by FLO yet.

 

Too bad I'm too north to see Comet SWAN. It'll be visible very low on the horizon during dawn. Even if I go to the roof of the house, I wouldn't be able to see it due to other obstructions. I would've flown south to Mindanao to see that but with the pandemic going on, traveling is a no-go.

So you have not quite obtain the abilities to take over swarming comets Patience, Grasshopper

[Ivanhoe]

Obviously "The Expanse" has got his juices flowing...

[Corinthian]

 

Beautiful capture, JamesR!

 

I'm due to receive a Bahtinov Mask for my telescope and a bunch of other stuff hopefully this week from FLO, same as the filter from STC. The OVL Flattener and other stuff haven't been shipped by FLO yet.

 

Too bad I'm too north to see Comet SWAN. It'll be visible very low on the horizon during dawn. Even if I go to the roof of the house, I wouldn't be able to see it due to other obstructions. I would've flown south to Mindanao to see that but with the pandemic going on, traveling is a no-go.

So you have not quite obtain the abilities to take over swarming comets Patience, Grasshopper

 

 

I got the Bahtinov mask from FLO and they left out the mounting screws. I informed them about it as well as my pending order for the OVL Flattener. After they sorted out the mounting screw issue, they took a look at my third order (which I wasn't following up), and told me that the flattener I ordered would take 8 more weeks to arrive. They suggested if I could accept another flattener which was essentially the same just that it has an adapter for M48 mount, but they could throw in a T-adapter for it for free. I said yes, and now I got a notification that my parcel will be arriving 11 May 2020 soonest. Once I have that, I'll *finally* be able to take photos with the telescope. FLO is awesome, I'm getting most of my astro stuff from them.

 

I also ordered and got the STC Astro Multispectra clip-in filter for my camera. It's a filter designed for areas under heavy light pollution. I tried it out a few nights ago and it works as advertised. I am amazed the camera was able to capture stars despite an almost full moon and a nearby (around 10 or less meters away) street lamp. Settings were ISO1600 30s shutter speed f1.7. I forgot to turn on the tracker so the photoshoot was a bust, but the fail did show the abilities of the clip-in filter.

[JamesR]

 

 

Beautiful capture, JamesR!

 

I'm due to receive a Bahtinov Mask for my telescope and a bunch of other stuff hopefully this week from FLO, same as the filter from STC. The OVL Flattener and other stuff haven't been shipped by FLO yet.

 

Too bad I'm too north to see Comet SWAN. It'll be visible very low on the horizon during dawn. Even if I go to the roof of the house, I wouldn't be able to see it due to other obstructions. I would've flown south to Mindanao to see that but with the pandemic going on, traveling is a no-go.

So you have not quite obtain the abilities to take over swarming comets Patience, Grasshopper

 

 

I got the Bahtinov mask from FLO and they left out the mounting screws. I informed them about it as well as my pending order for the OVL Flattener. After they sorted out the mounting screw issue, they took a look at my third order (which I wasn't following up), and told me that the flattener I ordered would take 8 more weeks to arrive. They suggested if I could accept another flattener which was essentially the same just that it has an adapter for M48 mount, but they could throw in a T-adapter for it for free. I said yes, and now I got a notification that my parcel will be arriving 11 May 2020 soonest. Once I have that, I'll *finally* be able to take photos with the telescope. FLO is awesome, I'm getting most of my astro stuff from them.

 

I also ordered and got the STC Astro Multispectra clip-in filter for my camera. It's a filter designed for areas under heavy light pollution. I tried it out a few nights ago and it works as advertised. I am amazed the camera was able to capture stars despite an almost full moon and a nearby (around 10 or less meters away) street lamp. Settings were ISO1600 30s shutter speed f1.7. I forgot to turn on the tracker so the photoshoot was a bust, but the fail did show the abilities of the clip-in filter.

 

 

Looking forward to seeing how the new scope works out. Have you selected a target?

 

[Corinthian]

Not yet, JamesR. I'm checking the night sky for 11 May at Stellarium and I have a short window before the Moon goes up on that night. Some of the nice DSOs are to the west and I have barely two hours to image either of them. Many are to the south but there's a big house blocking the field of view and the Moon will be up by then, so no real chance of imaging any of the objects there. That said, I'm looking at the Rosette Nebula, that might be my first target, albeit I have very short window to capture it.

[lucklucky]

https://iss-sim.spacex.com/

[lucklucky]

[Corinthian]

 

Finally a decent photo with my gear.

 

Finally some decent output with my astrophotography setup! Made use of my new Starwatcher EvoStar 72ED telescope. Both are stacked and tracked.

Saturn - 221 frames, at 1/640s ISO6400

Jupiter system - 15 frames, at 0.8s ISO200

Both stacked in PIPP+AutoStakkert!3

Skywatcher EvoStar 72ED telescope

Lumix GX85 camera

StellaMira 0.8x reducer/flattener

Skyguider Pro tracking mount

[Nobu]

Nice. And visual proof that the observatory complex on the island is now fully operational.

[Ssnake]

Telescope, or Giant Death Laser array mounted on dormant volcano lair?

You be the judge.

[Corinthian]

Nobu, Ssnake: :lol:

[JamesR]

 

Finally a decent photo with my gear.

 

Finally some decent output with my astrophotography setup! Made use of my new Starwatcher EvoStar 72ED telescope. Both are stacked and tracked.

 

Saturn - 221 frames, at 1/640s ISO6400

 

Jupiter system - 15 frames, at 0.8s ISO200

 

Both stacked in PIPP+AutoStakkert!3

 

Skywatcher EvoStar 72ED telescope

 

Lumix GX85 camera

 

StellaMira 0.8x reducer/flattener

 

Skyguider Pro tracking mount

 

Bet it felt good to get the new scope up and running.

 

[JamesR]

Here's my latest image, M51. I have a total of 11 hours worth of exposure on this one. I might try to get more data on it but it looks like I'm going to be rained in for a bit.

 

[Adam Peter]

Beautiful shots, if only they move!

[Ivanhoe]

Telescope, or Giant Death Laser array mounted on dormant volcano lair?

You be the judge.

 

Why does it have to be an either/or?

 

"Telescope" may just be cover for "long-range optical sighting system."

 

[Ssnake]

Are you promising us an Earth shattering Kaboom?