mixmasterjay Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 i found the moon to be way too bright lastnight for my cam it was like taking a pic of a light bulb lol , like i said i will keep at it for sure and have a look for some more lenses too for it , regstax and wavelet mean nothing to me lmao Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamiyacowboy Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 yeah it is motion blur , im finding it hard to keep the camera and the telescope still even though the telescope is locked off lol , yeah it is on a full length tripod too , i will keep at it though for sure tamiya thats awesome mate drop the tripod legs a little bring the scopes COG lower. use a chair or something to sit on and brace yourself with, stooping down or leaning over scope becomes a hard task. take a shot then wait around 10/15s then place cam and take another, remember to check eyepiece as the moon will scoot across the sky fairly quickly, 700/10 = 70x ( a 10mm eyepiece and your scope gives 70x magnification ) 42/70 = 0.6 fov so a 10mm eyepiece in your scope will give a 70x mag and a Field of view at 0.6. the more pictures taken the more you will get from computer software to stack them into a half decent picture. i will try and do a short walk through with registax , this way you guys can mess around with multi frame shots/ AVI-Mpeg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixmasterjay Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 ive got 2 lenses one is H20MM and the other which is mostly used H2.5mm , the other is broke (sr4mm) ( , good advice there cheers , i will get the stool out tonight lol if its a clear night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richhrly Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Remove yourself entirely from the situation. No hands on the camera at all if possible. Self timer or similar to fire the camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixmasterjay Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 that i can't do mate , i have no tripod or anything for the camera so it has to be hand held Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkpalmer Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 This is what I was recommended on a astronomy website http://www.morgancomputers.co.uk/searchresults/?searchterm=Spc880 Then apparently you can take pics/vids direct on your pc/laptop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamiyacowboy Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 (edited) ive got 2 lenses one is H20MM and the other which is mostly used H2.5mm , the other is broke (sr4mm) ( , good advice there cheers , i will get the stool out tonight lol if its a clear night 700/20 = 35x mag 700/25 = 28x mag 700/4 = 175x mag (broken) 700/2.5 = 280x mag keep your old broken 4mm you can use this with a cheapy webcam and a short time converting it. throw telescope outside with webcam hooked on. turn on tv grab a beer, load up laptop and sharpcap ( free cam capture software) enjoy the evening and the warmth lol. best cams philips toucam/ pro/ II philips spc900 nc with a long exposure mod ( deep sky nebula etc etc ) ( 555 timer and sport/pport mod) the 880 can be flashed to a 900 version they run the exact same board as the 900 a few people have taken the newer HD cam and modded them to fit scopes, but i have not seen any with a long exposure hack, to be honest most webcams will work. the best shot i had last night is this one, Jupiter at 60x mag + 3x optical zoomed sony p72. had been put into gimp to remove most of the IR haze (pink tinge) Edited September 13, 2011 by Tamiyacowboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixmasterjay Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 keep the 4mm coolio i will do , webcam sounds cool idea tbh , the mooon was really close and bright at 6.30 am thismorning but too light to get an image of it in the telescope lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamiyacowboy Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 keep the 4mm coolio i will do , webcam sounds cool idea tbh , the mooon was really close and bright at 6.30 am thismorning but too light to get an image of it in the telescope lol tonight will be hard, its a full moon so will be very bright in the sky. yes webcams can give some cool images, a 4 min recording will yield a few thousand frames (pictures) thats a good amount of stacking. moon not so bad but stars move quick so a tracking mount would be ideal. i tend to shoot a good 5-10 pics before i settle down. i use those first shots to get the balance just right ( shutter speed =fast) then i pump a few shots off and have little breaks while i adjust scope to line up again. a tracking mount will follow a star at the same speed as the earth rotates, this gives you a static star and allows webcam to record every bit of light it can see. i cannot wait to get a 130mm or 200/250mm mirror telescope. yeah keep the broken one. when you upgrade to more expensive eyepieces you can hand down your cheaper versions to your children, they also act as a backup accidents will happen. light is a problem for us, it takes us around 20 mins for our eyes to adjust to the low light levels, using a red color torch lens allows you to work in the dark, also your eyes do not have to keep adjusting back an fourth. hawk good one on getting a public evening at a club, if you do not enjoy it the little lady will, lets hope for clear skys and some nice seeing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkpalmer Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 hawk good one on getting a public evening at a club, if you do not enjoy it the little lady will, lets hope for clear skys and some nice seeing Well it was pretty awesome and everyone was more than friendly and pointing out objects in the sky for us. The society has a Meade 90 which we was allowed and encouraged to use. Mainly looking at the moon and different parts of the moon ect, also the double star in the swan/summer triangle ect. Then we moved the scope for a better view of Jupiter and it's moons. We got to see Jupiter and 4 moons which was pretty awesome. Then a member invited us to view on his telescope and WOW!! Meade motorised with computer (dunno why model but it was BIG and cost nearly 2k) looking at the moon in fine detail was awesome. Could get right in close to al the details and zoom around the surface with handheld controller. He had Barlow lenses among others, couldn't Dermoptera tho as clouds come in and his scope too big/heavy to setup and move which was a shame but an amazing night and my daughter was very happy. We left at 11:30 and definitely going to get a telescope and attend more events including deep sky camping astrophotography nights. Awesome 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamiyacowboy Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 (edited) Really glad you and daughter had a great time, i spent an hour last night with the moon, but was to tired to stay up and wait for Jupiter to come around. you will find a few star partys around, we have a major one here at Kelling Heath. moon was super bright last night to much for any decent photo's. had to swap around the teflon bearing on my scope, it had become very loose in its swing arc. i was looking into scope and finding myself stooping ever lower. i usualy have it tensioned so i am able to move it with a light finger push. jupiter is an awesome sight. i am now able to find my way around the southern sky. once i found Vega it becomes more easy. forgot to say, last night was gazing skywards at vega, just allowing my eyes to adjust to the low light, about 5 mins after settling down, a large , i mean very large fireball appeared, a meteor more like but you could see flames and sparks coming off , as it smashed its way into our atmosphere, it came from around the south west'ish and headed on a north east heading, was able to see this for about 5 seconds+ then it dissapeared. at first i though maybe a satalite had died, but after a nights brain bashing i conculuded it to be an meteor. another tipbit of astrology : 96.5AU away from the sun is Eris a dwarf planet larger than Pluto, at its maximum Eris will be 97.6AU away ( Jupiter is 4.25AU away around 480 biilion miles).and will be the furthest planet in our solar system, Eris will come back into the system and towards the sun. 2256-2258 are the years it should be seen closest to our sun. Edited September 14, 2011 by Tamiyacowboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkpalmer Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Really glad you and daughter had a great time, i spent an hour last night with the moon, but was to tired to stay up and wait for Jupiter to come around. you will find a few star partys around, we have a major one here at Kelling Heath. Was just reading on my local society desire and they all going to this keeling Heath deep star party on 23-26 September?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamiyacowboy Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 (edited) Was just reading on my local society desire and they all going to this keeling Heath deep star party on 23-26 September?? yup thats the one, is on a very big heathland with old steam trains and thrack right through it. the park is more a campsite type holiday break place. tiz a large place and close to the coast, so can become very cold at night, and weather can change. your best to find one closer to home hawk for your first party. then maybe take a break around the time kelling heath kicks off. star partys happen everywhere , some are large affairs and others just friends and family. i would try a small party first then think about larger ones later, they can become busy and have a few rules you have to stick by. the large ones also cater for the amateur astronomer upto the hardcore astronomers and may have stalls running through the days ( weekend partys like kelling) Edited September 14, 2011 by Tamiyacowboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richhrly Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 http://gizmodo.com/5840392/everything-you-need-to-get-up-and-running-as-an-amateur-astronomer/gallery/1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkpalmer Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 This is what I have been advised to get but way out of my price range unless a 2nd hand set or parts of it come up, lool http://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/SkyWatcher_Explorer_200PDS_HEQ5_PRO_Reflector_Telescope.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamiyacowboy Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 yeah that is a little expensive for a first scope. go with something like a 130 -150 , you can add a tracking motor to the EQ1 EQ2 mounts, remeber all them pictures on websites etc etc are not the pictures you will see, a lot hype the mag power to. i would visit a local store with a selection of scopes, have a walk around and a look at them, do not buy one just look and get a feel. then make your choice and find online at a cheaper price and/or ask store if they can do a better price. it is what i shall be doing when i upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamiyacowboy Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 UARS : Re-entry is expected Sept. 23, plus or minus a day. The re-entry of UARS is advancing because of a sharp increase in solar activity since the beginning of this week. will crash land 57 degrees. on 8th spetember it was 151mi - 171mi @57 degrees iclanation. worth keeping eye up to the skys this comming week or two. could be a nice light show on behalf of NASA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamiyacowboy Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 http://www.nasa.gov/rss/uars_update.xml UARS is on its way down, is around 150 miles above earth, the atmosphere is now causing drag on the spacecraft and will be the reapers blade to this hunk of metal. should be one big fireball if it goes over UK. above link is direct to Nasa and the UARS misson re-entry Updates. BBC news has footage taken by an astronomer through a telescope and shows UARS in its tumbling fall from space Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkpalmer Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 So can/will we be able to see this hunk of junk and dies anyone know a timescale?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtokez Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 be crazy is someone dies. unlikely but there is a remote chance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamiyacowboy Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Ok as for a time scale + or - 6hrs either way. will it pass over us : kinda sketchy at the mo, tracking is not to easy. also predictions are as above (+/- 6hr) its around 115/105mi above us and orbits so each time it passes over a different area between 57 degree south and north. uk is around 56 degree. our atmosphere is expanding and contracting all the time, and it is this that makes predictions around 10%. around a couple hours before impact NASA etc etc will be able to roughly pinpoint its AOI (area of impact ). looking at around a 300 mile long debris field, remeber only very large chunks will survive the re-entry. Nasa has said around 26 parts could survive the re-entry. the 1-3600, is 1 person out of 3600 anywhere between 57 north and south, huge odds tbh. hope for clear skys and keep watching news and the UARS update link couple posts above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamiyacowboy Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 UPDATE UARS 23:00 hrs friday and 03:00 saturday at around 80km above it will start to spin and break up, its been said it may be possible to see it from the UK if we have clear skys. and will be a firey streak across the nights sky as it breaks up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stickybomb Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Tamiya where in the sky will it be? I think im going to bring out my telescope... it needs to be used and loved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamiyacowboy Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 (edited) Tamiya where in the sky will it be? I think im going to bring out my telescope... it needs to be used and loved Generally from north-west to south-east across the sky you should see it, but remember until it re-enters tracking is still hit and miss and this is a general area. so crank your camp bed to flat, grab a few beers and some good music in the ipod and wait. oh some news i got myself a microsoft VX5000 webcam , 720HD and 30fps for £21 in argos ( 925/5306 product code) so check it out for a bargain astrocam. i also aquired a simpsons duff beer mini cooler fridge that works via a Peltier cooler. so i am hopeful i can shoehorn it into half decent cooled astrocam conversion. the webcam is awesome i mean very nice picture with its lens lol , dont know once i have got my dirty hands into its insides. but the webcam looks to be using the same type fitting as the live cam HD cinema ( longer body ) and possible the same Cmos sensor. i will need to break out the 100x mag microscope and check the sensor plate for a makers number/model ID. so i should be running a quick'ish Homebrew webcam to astrocam walk through. Edited September 23, 2011 by Tamiyacowboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtokez Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 whats with the cooling mate, how come the cameras need it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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