Another M27....

[JohnP]

I popped out for a few hours last night & experimented with some Ha imaging using the EOS300D & ZS66 on M27 - results were not very successful so I won't post - I think I need to get the internal IR filter removed from the EOS as it blocks most of the Ha.... but not sure I want to go that route just yet...

Anyway I was using the SC3 through the MN56 to guide - The preview of M27 looked not too bad so I literally grabbed 100 X 10 sec frames as I was packing up - No filters - unguided. I'm actually quite pleased with the result for such a quick image - looks like it deserves some longer exposure & RGB...

Let me know what you think - cheers,  John.

[Fay]

John,

I think anyone would be pleased to get such a good image by grabbing it on the way back indoors!!!!!!!
I'm amazed.


Fay

[JohnP]

Thks Fay - looking forward to some images from you with all this clear weather..... John

[Fay]

John,

I have been messing about with Starry Night & Skymax Pro, controlling the telescope with them. SN worked well, at first, until I decided to download upgrades & the program started to freeze. I have got to download new data which will take about 2 hours!! I don't seem to be able to Sync Gaze with these programs. I have been outside a few times, but I think there is a bit of a shortage of subjects for my equipment at the moment. Took a couple of AVi's of Jupiter last night using my LP filter to see if I can see the difference. Your Canon is a lot better for deepsky than my Nikon. I thought that a CMOS chip was not as good as CCD, but your images are great. I do toy with the idea of selling the Nikon & getting a Canon.  
I can't beleive how you just seem to pop out (into the garden) & get fantastic images!!

[Fay]

John,

I have been messing about with Starry Night & Skymax Pro, controlling the telescope with them. SN worked well, at first, until I decided to download upgrades & the program started to freeze. I have got to download new data which will take about 2 hours!! I don't seem to be able to Sync Gaze with these programs. I have been outside a few times, but I think there is a bit of a shortage of subjects for my equipment at the moment. Took a couple of AVi's of Jupiter last night using my LP filter to see if I can see the difference. Your Canon is a lot better for deepsky than my Nikon. I thought that a CMOS chip was not as good as CCD, but your images are great. I do toy with the idea of selling the Nikon & getting a Canon.  
I can't beleive how you just seem to pop out (into the garden) & get fantastic images!!

Not sure if I have pressed submit twice here.

[JohnP]

Hi Fay,

I hope I didn't sound 'too cocky...' when I said I popped out into the garden..... I've been doing this imaging lark for nearly 4 years now & it has been a long & painful learning curve & I'm still near the bottom compared to some of the images I see posted - I agree that the Nikon camera you have is not really suited to deep sky work & there are not too many planets around at the moment but you have some great scopes & a great mount - it took me about 3 years before I got those..

Remember my Canon EOS300D is a digital SLR - so I can take the lens off the front & directly connect it to the telescope (without an eyepiece) - I do not have to rely on A-focal imaging through an eyepiece - this makes a big difference.

Keep at it & keep trying to image whenever you can - it gets easier...

Cheers,  John

[Fay]

John,

You certainly don't sound over confident. I would say you are always quite modest about your achievements.

[Mike]

Good image John. M27 looks great in Ha so maybe modding your Canon would be a good idea. If it is just a case of removing the filter couldn't you do that yourself? There are lots of websites explaining how to do it. You then just use an IR blocker when doing terrestrial shots.

[JohnP]

I don't know about the DIY thing.... I could hack messing up  a £50 webcam but playing around with a DSLR that cost me about £500 is a little different..... But saying that give it another year or two & I probably will....

Cheers,  John