my new astro toy

Hi gang
Gosh into Feb already, the year is seriously zooming. well we have had 3 weeks of day and nite rain. Was really starting to go stir crazy!!

Finally a clear nite last nite and was able to have another blast with my new telescope. And for a quick test tried a few images through it with the camera.
In the astronomy world we call this style of photography "Prime Focus"...
There is no eyepiece in the telescope and no lens on the camera. The camera is mated to where the eyepiece normally goes so that the telescope is basically a huge telephoto lens.
in this case f10 and a f/l = 2350mm ( yes that a focal length of 2.35 metres) The primary mirror is 9.25 inches diameter











Note that I have yet to sort out a mounting adaptor for the camera to the scope ... I need a Pentax K T-ring adaptor to a 2" outside diameter tube for it to fit into the eyepiece holder.
These pics were taken with the camera just being held to the eyepiece holder tube.
The Moon pics were 160th sec @ ISO 400
The Jupiter pic was 100th sec @ ISO 800

cheers
Dave

PS... yeah thats you'res truely beside the scope, I dont mind if ya laugh

It looks a bit fuzzy. I'll be glad to take it off your hands. You don't even have to pay postage

I try to stop people laughing. I attempt to never stand in front of a camera.

That is a very nice toy...

hahaha good try mate.

hey it came from a supplier over your direction, Perth

http://www.telescopesdirect.com.au/C...&category=-289

and the day after I bought it, the price on the www went up $200

cheers
Dave

Yes, I've gazed at that web site in the past...

Keep posting your shots. I want to live the massive lens life -- vicariously if needs be!

Yeah that is pretty cool. I will keep admiring, keep posting.

I really love the pics Dave - I'd also like to see more as you get a chance to take them.

Both my wife and I are really keen on getting a telescope once we move (we live in a city centre apartment with no garden or balcony, plus far too much light pollution). Hopefully we'll be moving soon, so perhaps we'll get a chance for some astrophotography!

Have you attempted any nebulae shots yet?

Thanks Jackorocko and Ian

I will post more images as I get the chance

@ Ian, yes I know that problem Ian, I did attempt a little astronomy from an apartment balcony some years back with my original, 8" Dobsonian scope from the inner suburbs of Sydney. VERY trying conditions !!
Still live in Sydney but in a stand alone home so have a bit of a back yard to be able to move the scope around. Still a very bright sky, you can almost read the newspaper outside at nite

Ian, as far as buying a scope goes, what to get, depends on your intended use..
mainly visual observing, visual and photography or serious photography.
And really the sky's the limit in gear available and the prices can get ASTRONOMICAL !!! hahaha pun intended
but seriously for a scope that you can do good observing and some astrophotography work something like my new one will be great. Dont know when yoour planned move of location is ? maybe it will give you time to start saving a bit
If your planned new loc is a respectable dark site and you will only use the scope from home then you could look at anything from an 8" to a 12" diameter mirrored scope. But if like me and you need to regularly travel to a dark site, then you need a scope that can be moved without breaking your back and will fit easily into your vehicle. So a 8 or 9" scope is a fair size limit. That scope of mine is fairly heavy the main scope/fork mount section is 26kg, the tripod another 18kg. But it will fit into my little Toyota Echo hatch

If all you ever wanted top do was visual observing, you could get a decent Dobsonian mount scope again 8 - 12" and it would set you back ~ AU$500-600 for an 8" and up to maybe AU $1200 for a 12" scope. They would be Newtonian type optical setup.

But if you want to consider astrophotography then you really have no choice to spend signif funds and get something similar to mine. Its going to be motorised with tracking ability and you are going to start at ~ AU$2500 and upwards from there.

As winter approaches and the nites get longer I will look forward to going out to some darker sky sites out of the city and having some serious fun

No nebula pics yet Ian, definately need a dark site for that, can only see 2 or 3 of the really brightest ones fom home, like M42 in Orion.

Before I forget ..... If you have a bit of an interest or full on interest in astronomy. There is a nice software package (FREE) available for download Stellarium
http://www.stellarium.org/
and choose you OS from the top right list.
I put it on my laptop so I can take it out beside me at the scope. Set it up for your location, time zone etc and go for it.

ok enough waffle for this post
any Q's just ask

cheers
Dave

Thanks for the tips Dave! We're hoping to move sometime later on this year, so the telescope may follow the next year, depending on how things go. We're moving about 10 miles out of the city (but still inside a moderate size town), so it may be that light pollution is still too bad. Perhaps some trips to the countryside will be needed!

Looking forward to seeing your next set of pics .

Wow, great pictures!

Thanks Gammon