safe haven for tiny formats

[Corran]

Morning Memorial Service for 9/11

Nikon D2X, 50mm f/1.4 AF-D

[Corran]

Ultra-tiny format time! For when sensor size is a liability.

I finally did some planetary imaging, using video and "lucky imaging." I used my Celestron C8, a 2x doubler, and a ZWO ASI224MC camera I bought both for guiding duty and the occasional planet. This has a sensor about 6mm in diagonal, so that with the 2032mm telescope +2x I was imaging at I believe around 28,000mm terms of "35mm equivalent," which means nothing in astro world but is fun to think about.

I got Jupiter, its moon Io, and the shadow as Io transited. I also got Saturn and some nice definition in the rings.

[Tin Can]

Like!


Pictorial planets!

[John Earley]

Tampa by JOHN EARLEY, on Flickr

[John Earley]

Tampa-16 by JOHN EARLEY, on Flickr

[nbagno]

zzz

[Pali K]

Bryan,

Your image made me give it a go myself as the sky finally opened up for decent imaging after many months. My setup is way too high a focal length for this target but I like the details I got of the same galaxy. My attempt below

Andromeda Galaxy M31 by Pali K, on Flickr

Celestron CGX | EdgeHD 8 | EOS RA
111 120" Subs at ISO 800
DSS Stack: 25 Darks | 25 Flats | 200 Bias
Pinxinsight and PS

Keep inspiring me to do more of these please

Pali

Okay so, I'm sorry if you're bored of Andromeda. I'm not though! We had unexpectedly clear skies last night with decently low turbulence and I was able to get about 2.5 hours of good imaging. Tonight is supposed to be even better and the local observatory is open so I'll probably spend all night there or until they kick me out getting more data and trying some other images, perhaps some widefield images of our galaxy on film. Anyway, here's my latest, taken with the Nikon D800E and adapted Pentax 6x7 400mm f/4 lens:

[Corran]

Very nice Pali! Some detail in the core area is very interesting as well.

Last night was supposed to be some of the best seeing since 2020 but...because of wildfire smoke settling into my area in the last few days I could barely see Vega and a very ruddy Moon and that's it .

My collection of long Pentax 67 lenses have become invaluable tools for some "wider" field images, at least compared to an SCT. I also got a field flattener for my older Celestron C8 so I think I'll try Triangulum soon, with any luck.

[Pali K]

Thank you, Bryan. I have been tweaking my workflow and I am getting better with each session and what I have found is that underexposing the frames and shooting more of them has proved to be better for highlight detail without messing up the shadows terribly.

Sorry to hear about the wildfires and not being able to get more data for your images. I think the worst of the summer gloom for Astro is over and we should be getting better and better astrophotography nights until spring next year. BTW, I am anxiously waiting for my EdgeHD 11 (back-ordered since Dec 20) because I want to go for galaxies with a mono setup soon. Should be painful but fun.

[tuco]

Nice stuff Bryan and Pauli.

Earlier this year I spent the weekend in Christmas Valley, Oregon. I got up in the middle of the night and saw the clearest sky in my life, I think. It was better than at the Alvord Dessert when I was there. I saw the Miikey Way from horizon-to-horizon and it was like a band of fog because it was so dense with stars.