The Moon 08/10/06

[Tony G]

Hi all.
finally managed to do some veiwing and some imaging of the Moon last night, which has been a problem of late, trying to get a good night when I don't have to be up early the next morning, so I can get a lay in (roll on DSC). Well it seems like i'm the last one left at the moment with an unmodified webcam so the moon and the planets are my only targets and until the planets are about at a decent hour ,the moon last night was my objective. It did look hit and miss with the weather but luck was on my side for once. So here are a couple of images from last night. (the second image I fitted the webcam to a 25mm eyepiece and that was the result)



Mare Crisium



(feel free to comment but only good comments accepted)

Clear Skies (please)

Tony G

[JohnP]

Hi Tony,

Nice images & very well annotated. It's interesting to see the FOV you got with your 25mm eyepiece - it would have been great if you could have got the whole moon - perhaps a longer focal length eyepiece like a 40mm would do the trick. Have you got any barlows - with the focal length of your scope & say a X2 barlow you could get some great 'closeup' images of craters along the terminator etc. My scope is a much shorter focal length so I struggle to do decent lunar/ planetary stuff with it.. I've got a TAL X3 barlow which you are welcome to borrow anytime.

Not long to wait until Saturn starts getting high again at a decent time - especially when clocks go back at the end of the month. Have you got a modified webcam or similar on your Santa list for this year...?

Cheers, John

[JohnP]

Hi Tony,

Came across this link which might be of interest...

http://pictures.ed-morana.com/ISSTransits/#ISSLunarTransits

Now if you could do something like this with your webcam I think we would all be highly impressed...... Make sure you check out the video link it's pretty cool...

John.

[Fay]

Tony,

I think they are great images. I want to do some closeups of the Moon etc.

I am struggling with processing a Canon image at the moment, haven't got a clue what I am doing.

Fay

[Tony G]

Thanks for the comments,
John I've got a slight problem at the moment with that I sold my celestron eyepieces on eBay which had 5 various eyepieces and a x2 barlow and with the proceeds plus a bit more I was going to purchase some baader eyepieces, but something else at home came up    so I have to make do at the moment with the 2 eyepieces I recieved with my scope which are not to bad, but i'm restricted to 9mm and 25mm. Looking at getting the new eyepieces before DSC plus i'm looking at one of those Phenix 125mm or 150mm refractors. (worth a look for your boy maybe).
I was also wondering with the modified webcam, can you still image the moon and planets or is the chip to sensitive.
John as for the transit project every time I tried to image the ISS passing the moon, I checked on Heavens-Above and it was passing over Sydney.
Just my luck, anyway with my luck I been having it was nice to see the Moon, let alone the ISS.
Fay, i'm still waiting to see some more of your images with the new webcam, M31 (andromeda) would definately be my first target, would like to see an image of this, there you go, John gave me the ISS project and so i'm giving you M31. Good luck.

Speak to you later.

Tony G

[Rocket Pooch]

Well I think thats a very nice picture.

I must admit, I do grin thinking of Fay and Tony every clear night battling with their equipment to get good pictures  I remember the days, anyway I'm positive it will all become very easy very soon, honest.

[Fay]

Chris,

every day brings another list of questions!! I only want to take a few pictures!!!!!!!!

On another note, does anyone know how to stop fox's digging up the lawn every night?

John has tried marking his territory!!!!!!


Fay

[Anonymous]

Fay
either employ the local Hunt to wreck the garden in the process of catching the fox which by law they are not permitted to do (but who going to grass on them) or concrete the whole garden, this way creating a lovely solid base for the tripod.

Tony G

[Rick]

On another note, does anyone know how to stop fox's digging up the lawn every night?

Just be thankful it isn't badgers. When they're snuffling around you can almost her them saying "Nice lawn you have there. Be a shame if it got damaged. Now, where's the food?"

[Anonymous]

A big dog with pointy teeth will do the job.

Or get swampy down from Headcorn, he will scare anything off, but having said that I'd rather have the foxes.

[Mike]

Landmines.