Stargazing Stunning Telescope Photo of Vega Captured with 130mm Eyepiece - See the Beauty!

[bruha]

Hello,
I made some photos of Vega..just by mobile camera through telescope 130 mm eyepiece 12,5 mm.
Fig. "vega_cam" is made by usb camera eyepiece adapter but I did not manage to focus it properly..

 

[NFuller]

Your telescope appears to be moving around a lot. You might want to try better stabilizing your mount.

 

[davenn]

I made some photos of Vega..just by mobile camera through telescope 130 mm eyepiece 12,5 mm

great start, don't stop experimenting

Your telescope appears to be moving around a lot. You might want to try better stabilizing your mount.

agreed
90% of successful astrophotos relies on a stable mount and therefore a stable scopeDave

 

[slufoot]

thanks

 

[sophiecentaur]

Main reason for camera shake can be pressing the shutter release. Use the delay facility if you have one. It gives things time to settle down. If you can reduce the exposure, that will reduce shutter time. Vega is bright so you can still expect it to show.

 

[bruha]

Hello, thank you for advise.
Do you experienced about photos of space? Have you some nice shots?

Have nice day ,

 

[sophiecentaur]

Hello, thank you for advise.
Do you experienced about photos of space? Have you some nice shots?

Have nice day ,

I am definitely not an expert in this stuff (less than two years into Astronomy and much less into AP) but I did spend a bit of money and thought on buying some appropriate kit. I have been doing photography for many years and that has helped a lot. I learned a quick lesson that ones own photos are not going to look like Hubble or the best terrestrial pictures. The telescope suppliers LIE ! in their ads when they show you all those flashy pictures of the Orion Nebula and Jupiter's great red spot. However, you can always improve and that is very satisfying.
If you notice your pictures of Vega show strong evidence of camera movement, especially 630.jpg which has a semicircular 'trail'. That cannot be a normal star trail, bad focus or aberration. It has to be due to the camera /mount / telescope being moved during the exposure (imho). I use a DSLR and the clunky mirror mechanism is always a source of camera shake with critical pictures (despite my Anti Shake mechanism). I always use the timer and stand away from the setup for the exposure. It is usually best to ask the bus driver to stop the bus for that too (lol`)

Have you some nice shots?

I am reluctant to go public because there's always a better one from someone else. This moon shot was satisfying, though. My star pictures all have at least one something annoying wrong with them! The moon was through a 80mm ED Skywatcher Equinox directly onto the DSLR sensor (so-called Prime Focus)
Be very very careful before getting started on this business. It will demand a lot of your cash. Visual is much cheaper and you don't have 'the evidence' to show you got it wrong last night.

 

[davenn]

he moon was through a 80mm ED Skywatcher Equinox

really nice shot :)

I am reluctant to go public because there's always a better one from someone else.

Please don't let that put you off posting

it's all about sharing and learning ... I have been into astronomy for around 50 years and there are still many out there who are much better than me
When I see images better than mine, it's a chance for me to learn and be shown where I went wrong with my own image
either during the imaging or during the post processing

Dave

 

[davenn]

Hello, thank you for advise.
Do you experienced about photos of space? Have you some nice shots?

Have nice day ,

if you really want to produce some nice star photos and done in an easy way. Just use a camera and tripod
and a lens with focal length of 50mm or less.

Do you live in the country with a reasonably dark sky ?
or in a town or city ?
If in a city, are you able to drive a little way to get to a darker site ... I have to drive upwards of an hour to get to a reasonably dark site where the city sky glow is at an acceptable level

do you have a dslr camera ( camera that can interchange lenses) what make and model ?
if yes, what lenses do you have for it ?
do you have a tripod ?

a 14mm focal length, wide angle lens, on my full frame canon 5D3 and a 30 second exposure produced this ...

Dave

 

[NFuller]

Hello, thank you for advise.
Do you experienced about photos of space? Have you some nice shots?

Have nice day ,

What types of objects would you like to image? The techniques for imaging the moon and planets is different from imaging nebulas and galaxies. Depending on you interests, we can give you more directed advice.

Here is an image of Jupiter taken with an 8" Newtonian.

Here's the Orion nebula taken with the same telescope.

 

[bruha]

Hello, thank you it is very nice ( I have about 5" telescope Newtonian ),

 

[davenn]

Hello, thank you it is very nice ( I have about 5" telescope Newtonian ),

hi there

you didnt answer any of my questions

I am trying to help you ... but I need your response to be able to do that

Dave

 

[sophiecentaur]

What types of objects would you like to image? The techniques for imaging the moon and planets is different from imaging nebulas and galaxies. Depending on you interests, we can give you more directed advice.

Here is an image of Jupiter taken with an 8" Newtonian.Here's the Orion nebula taken with the same telescope.

Those are two nice pictures. The Nebula is really 'in your face'! Just imagine the energy that produced all that.

 

[bruha]

Hello,
I am apologize... so I am living in quite light polluted area therefore, from home I can just observe planets (saturn Jupiter ) and most bright stars (vega , arcturus..).
your orion nebula is really nice.. where you take this picture and which year season do you think is best for this..?
thank you

 

[sophiecentaur]

I can just observe planets (saturn Jupiter ) and most bright stars (vega , arcturus..).

This is the insidious thing about AstroPhotography. Taking several long time exposures enables you to 'see' some very impressive objects, even from a light polluted urban environment.
That involves a tracking mount and a reasonable sized telescope (plus a DSLR or, better still, a specialised, astro camera). You will need need to spend several hundred GBP, though even on the second hand market. If you can choose your time and use the odd hour or so of clearer skies, you would be surprised how good your pictures can be.
The second hand market in astronomical equipment is, in my experience, fairly reliable. There are a number of sites, in addition to eBay, which specialise in astro equipment and you can expect to pay 2/3 of the new price for a perfectly good piece of kit. You may have to wait for a month or two.
Enjoy.
You can see the Orion Nebula with the naked eye on a good night. It is really massive and binoculars can give you a really good view. Binoculars really are the best value for astronomy and you can often get a perfectly good pair for quite silly prices.

 

[NFuller]

Hello,
I am apologize... so I am living in quite light polluted area therefore, from home I can just observe planets (saturn Jupiter ) and most bright stars (vega , arcturus..).
your orion nebula is really nice.. where you take this picture and which year season do you think is best for this..?
thank you

I took both of these pictures under heavily light polluted skies in Michigan. The Orion nebula rises fairly early in the evening during the spring, so taking pictures of it during this time doesn't require you to stay up too late.

To echo sophiecentaur's point, capturing the Orion nebula image took some expensive equipment and a lot of time. Planetary imaging on the other hand is quite a bit cheaper and may serve as a good starting point for astrophotography.

 

[davenn]

Hello,
I am apologize... so I am living in quite light polluted area therefore, from home I can just observe planets (saturn Jupiter ) and most bright stars (vega , arcturus..).
your orion nebula is really nice.. where you take this picture and which year season do you think is best for this..?
thank you

you still haven't answered most of my questions
Again we are trying to help you do better for future. Here are the questions again
answer each of them so we know your situationif you really want to produce some nice star photos and done in an easy way. Just use a camera and tripod
and a lens with focal length of 50mm or less.

1) Do you live in the country with a reasonably dark sky ?
or in a town or city ?
2) If in a city, are you able to drive a little way to get to a darker site ... I have to drive upwards of an hour to get to a reasonably dark site where the city sky glow is at an acceptable level

3) do you have a dslr camera ( camera that can interchange lenses) what make and model ?
4) if yes, what lenses do you have for it ?
5) do you have a tripod ?OK you answered Q1 that you are in a city now please continue to answer the rest of the Q'sDave

 

[davenn]

going by @bruha 's profile, he is in the Prague area, and it's dreadfully light polluted

heading south or west a bit would get him into slightly darker skies
As I said in my earlier post, I'm also in a very light polluted area and need to travel up to an hour to get to
an acceptable level of sky glow

 

[bruha]

Hello,
thanks yes , I should try it on Bohmerwald (we have small house there..)

 

[sophiecentaur]

Hello,
thanks yes , I should try it on Bohmerwald (we have small house there..)

You may not want to come home, once you look at the skies there!
Those Moon pictures are severely vignetted, I think. Could you give a sketch of the actual arrangement that you are using (showing all the lenses and their positions)? The details could be important. I remember trying to use a half of a pair of binoculars with my DSLR and I got the same extreme vignetting.
I like the 'Prime Focus' arrangement because it is just a lens (telescope objective) and a camera sensor - just like a big camera. Easy to understand but, of course, the magnification is not very great unless you use a Barlow lens or similar.

 

[bruha]

Hello, (pardon which location you mean..?)
Anyway (you will laugh probably) -it is made just by mobile camera laying on eyepiece. but I have ordered eyepiece adapter for webcamera and hope that it will improve little bit. Do you have some nice pictures ?

 

[sophiecentaur]

Hello, (pardon which location you mean..?)
Anyway (you will laugh probably) -it is made just by mobile camera laying on eyepiece. but I have ordered eyepiece adapter for webcamera and hope that it will improve little bit. Do you have some nice pictures ?

We have all been there whilst trying to achieve a lot with a little!
Unfortunately, AP is very demanding and, unlike our eyeballs and brains, a photograph does not "eek out our imperfections". (Shakespear - The Tempest)

 

[davenn]

I give up ! I'm outta here

@bruha I have asked 3 times for info on what gear you have
so that I can start with helping you with good basic astrophotography, and I have been ignored

tis all very frustrating Dave

 

[sophiecentaur]

He said in post 21. So basic, I guess you missed it. Things may get better when the '"adapter" arrives.

 

[davenn]

He said in post 21. So basic, I guess you missed it. Things may get better when the '"adapter" arrives.

I assume you are referring to my comment and his web cam comment ?

If so, no I didn't miss it ... no it's not likely to get better if he doesn't learn the basics first
He didn't specifically answer the questions I askedI want to get him to put aside the telescope and web cam as that too difficult to get up and running in a good way
I would like him to get back to basics ... a standard camera and a tripod and start learning how to take star photos like my milky way photo of many posts back

He needs to learn the basics before getting into the more difficult use of a telescope etc

Many guys just use a camera, tripod and wide angle lens and produce beautiful nitetime star/land scapes like this one ...

courtesy of my mate, Doug Ingram, NSW, Australia

Then once @bruha has got the knack of doing that then he may look at advancing further and see what can be done
with the telescope and webcam

We all need to concentrate on getting him to learn to walk before he learns how to run and not confuse the issue
with all the other things

So again, I need to know if he has any other normal camera gear ?
what it is ?
what lenses
and if he has a tripodDave

 

[bruha]

I give up ! I'm outta here

@bruha I have asked 3 times for info on what gear you have
so that I can start with helping you with good basic astrophotography, and I have been ignored

tis all very frustrating Dave

Hello,
I am very sorry, probably I missed some of your post. So in fact I have not any good camera, I have just huawei mobile camera (10 MPx) and recently I bought Newtonian 130 mm. Now I got eyepiece adapter for webcamera, so I hope that I will made some improvement...

I give up ! I'm outta here

@bruha I have asked 3 times for info on what gear you have
so that I can start with helping you with good basic astrophotography, and I have been ignored

tis all very frustrating Dave

 

[russ_watters]

Hello,
thanks yes , I should try it on Bohmerwald (we have small house there..)

These photos look like extreme closeups of the moon with extreme vignetting caused by using a cell phone against an eyepiece (but in focus!). See if you can fold down the rubber cup on the eyepiece or remove the phone case to get the cell phone closer to the eyepiece...or get a lower power one to get more in the pictures.

For your first try with such imaging, I recommend getting a cheap webcam and removing the lens and taking photos with no eyepiece (prime focus).

This was my very first astrophoto, taken with a 60mm K-Mart Special refractor (60x900mm) and a webcam:

 

[russ_watters]

tis all very frustrating...

[separate]
... no it's not likely to get better if he doesn't learn the basics first
He didn't specifically answer the questions I asked

Relax, dave, the hobby is intimidating enough without getting aggressive help. Some people don't do well getting bombarded with questions and may just want to stumble along at their own pace/on their own path. And that's ok.

I want to get him to put aside the telescope and web cam as that too difficult to get up and running in a good way
I would like him to get back to basics ... a standard camera and a tripod and start learning how to take star photos like my milky way photo of many posts back

He needs to learn the basics before getting into the more difficult use of a telescope etc

Many guys just use a camera, tripod and wide angle lens and produce beautiful nitetime star/land scapes like this one ...

That's fine that you started that way, but there is more than one path to astrophotograhy; he's on the one I started on, with a manual telescope and webcam. It actually isn't all that hard and is cheaper than the DSLR route. It isn't "advanced" - it's a beginner stage.

Your wide angle photos are great, but I've been doing astrophotography for 15 years and have yet to attempt such a photo. It just doesn't interest me as much as shooting through a telescope. And that's ok!

 

[bruha]

Hello,
thank you for your advise...now I got webcam adpter as you reccomended , so I hope it will getting better, (taking such photo through mobile camera is really quite frustrating..) Your Saturn is really nice.. it looks as I can see through my telescope at lower magnification -I have 130 x 700 mm refractor

 

[bruha]

you still haven't answered most of my questions
Again we are trying to help you do better for future. Here are the questions again
answer each of them so we know your situationif you really want to produce some nice star photos and done in an easy way. Just use a camera and tripod
and a lens with focal length of 50mm or less.

1) Do you live in the country with a reasonably dark sky ?
or in a town or city ?
2) If in a city, are you able to drive a little way to get to a darker site ... I have to drive upwards of an hour to get to a reasonably dark site where the city sky glow is at an acceptable level

3) do you have a dslr camera ( camera that can interchange lenses) what make and model ?
4) if yes, what lenses do you have for it ?
5) do you have a tripod ?OK you answered Q1 that you are in a city now please continue to answer the rest of the Q'sDave

 

[davenn]

thank you for your advise...now I got webcam adpter as you reccomended , so I hope it will getting better

that's good
when it's hooked up to your laptop, you should be able to see a live view and then it should be easy to get a good focus

(taking such photo through mobile camera is really quite frustrating..)

indeed ... quite difficult to get reasonable results

-I have 130 x 700 mm refractor

OK ... what is it's make and model so I can have a look online at its specifications
Dave

 

[bruha]

Hello yes I can drive out of town to darker area..it is not a problem.
Concerning my equipment now I have Newton cca 700x 130 mm , webcam eyepce adapter ,(but it is needs for taking out.of home suitable notebook ...) and just mobile camera. it is all

 

[bruha]

And model of telescope I l send when will be home . I got eyepiece 20 12 and 4 mm and I bough additinaly 6mm as with 4mm I was not able to focuse properly..

 

[bruha]

Hello,
yesterday I made some pics of moon by webcam scope adapter (attached) -I think one problem is moon movement (webcam imaging has just one magnification) and not so good resolution of webcam viewer.. If you have some experiences with this technique I will appreciate...

 

[sophiecentaur]

-I think one problem is moon movement

Moon movement is negligible over the sort of exposure time you will be using but camera , telescope shake could be responsible ( particluarly as the blur seems to be in the vertical direction and it looks like the pictures are in the right orientation. If you can image a star, the shape of the trail will give you a better idea of the nature of the spurious movement. On my DSLR the mirror lifting causes a massive wiggle so I use the 3s delay feature. If you are operating the shutter with your finger then you can expect some movement. Try using the shutter delay with hands off. What exposure times are you using?
I have no experience of smart phone imaging but my comments apply in general.

 

[russ_watters]

Hello,
yesterday I made some pics of moon by webcam scope adapter (attached) -I think one problem is moon movement (webcam imaging has just one magnification) and not so good resolution of webcam viewer.. If you have some experiences with this technique I will appreciate...

I have no experience of smart phone imaging but my comments apply in general.

Those pictures are taken with a webcam, no lens on the webcam or eyepiece, and not touching the scope, right?

Yes, controlling magnification in that situation is difficult and the moon is big. You might try Saturn...

For the moon, you would probably want a focal reducer you can screw onto the adapter, which can cut the magnification by half. Next step: stacking...
http://www.astronomie.be/registax/

You can also try taking different sections of the moon and assembling a mosaic. Here's an early attempt of mine at a 2x3 mosaic, with a webcam;

http://www.russsscope.net/images/moon-12-29-06.jpg

 

[bruha]

Hi
thank you for advise and links... I will try (unfortunately Saturn at this time from my position is quite difficult to catch)..

 

[sophiecentaur]

Here's an early attempt of mine at a 2x3 mosaic, with a webcam;

That's nice. I bet you were quite pleased with it. And the money you saved by not buying a sensor with six times the area!