Pictures through my telescope...

Footbag · 08-27-2009, 04:28 PM

A while back, I picked up a new hobby. I bought a telescope and a bunch of photography equipment and started channeling my inner scientist. Well, now I'm an amateur astronomer, and it's a great hobby. I'd suggest it to anyone with kids, or just a general interest. I've joined our local astronomy club and have been helping with outreach, and just love watching kids or even adults develop an interest. Plus, it's nice to know what you are looking at when you are outside late smoking a cigar.
That said, I've decided to share some of my results. Enjoy!

The Eagle Nebula

Andromeda

The Veil Nebula

I have a few more photo's up at the Lackawanna Astronomical Society website gallery. Adam & Kerry's gallery. I also designed the website. Feel free to check it out or even show up for an event.

markem · 08-27-2009, 04:29 PM

nice! what's your setup?

Footbag · 08-27-2009, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markem

nice! what's your setup?

My main scope is a wedge mounted Celestron CPC-800, but a number of my shots are from a smaller William Optics 66 which is mounted on the CPC. I'm shooting with a Canon Rebel XS camera and I do my processing in Photoshop.

Here's a picture of the scope without all of my camera gear.

icehog3 · 08-27-2009, 04:29 PM

Those are very cool Adam!

Blindjimme · 08-27-2009, 04:33 PM

Those are beautiful photos Adam. Nicely done.

The Poet · 08-27-2009, 04:34 PM

Very nice shots there. Meade catadioptric, mebbe 6-inch?

bigloo · 08-27-2009, 04:34 PM

YEah, what is your setup... how long did you unshutter to capture those? You must have nice equipment!

The Poet · 08-27-2009, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigloo

You must have nice equipment!

Sorry, I got a dirty mind.

Footbag · 08-27-2009, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigloo

YEah, what is your setup... how long did you unshutter to capture those? You must have nice equipment!

Each of the photo's were multiple exposures of 3 or 5 minutes. Andromeda was 7 shots x 5m, Veil 17 x 3m and I think the Eagle was about 15 x 5m.

The CPC is a great telescope. When I was getting into the hobby, I knew I wanted to do photography and that was the main reason I bought such a nice scope. But photography is very demanding of the equipment. You could buy a very nice scope for a lot less then I payed if you don't care to take photographs.

WyGuy · 08-27-2009, 04:36 PM

Very cool! Thanks for sharing.

akakirby · 08-27-2009, 04:38 PM

cool pics!

Skywalker · 08-27-2009, 04:43 PM

Wow!!! Very impressive!!!

This is all I ever see:

G G · 08-27-2009, 04:48 PM

Nice photos.

HK3- · 08-27-2009, 05:23 PM

That is really awesome!

We used to have a decent telescope when I was a kid. Great hobby!

MedicCook · 08-27-2009, 05:31 PM

Some awesome photos Adam. I spend a lot of time looking up into the stars when I am smoking outside at night.

TheTraveler · 08-27-2009, 06:00 PM

Wow, really nice. Those are cool shots. I really enjoyed my two astronomy classes in college. Spending evenings at the school's observatory in was fun.

I'd like to sit back with three fingers of Scotch and a good cigar, just pondering the universe. Hmmmm, that just became my plan for tonight.

Footbag · 08-27-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheTraveler

I'd like to sit back with three fingers of Scotch and a good cigar, just pondering the universe. Hmmmm, that just became my plan for tonight.

Sounds like a good plan!

Thanks for the comments guys!

08-27-2009, 07:19 PM

Keep the photos coming!

Thank you!

jjirons69 · 08-27-2009, 08:18 PM

Great job, Adam! Did some photographing myself back around 15 years ago. Used a Canon AE-1 with a shutter release cable. Used lots of high speed film. All the development was done at Walmart or one hour shops. Not the best, but I got some cool pics. Used a homemade barndoor unit.

I also have an 8" Orion Deep Space Explorer that's 12 years old. It's not driven, it's manual. You do get to see some cool stuff, though.

Great job on those photos!!! There's lots of cool stuff out there see. Congrats on the new hobby. It's a good one.

Footbag · 08-27-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjirons69

Great job, Adam! Did some photographing myself back around 15 years ago. Used a Canon AE-1 with a shutter release cable. Used lots of high speed film. All the development was done at Walmart or one hour shops. Not the best, but I got some cool pics. Used a homemade barndoor unit.

I also have an 8" Orion Deep Space Explorer that's 12 years old. It's not driven, it's manual. You do get to see some cool stuff, though.

Great job on those photos!!! There's lots of cool stuff out there see. Congrats on the new hobby. It's a good one.

It's funny how far the technology has come. I take all of the photo's from my laptop hooked up to the camera[actually two]. The CPC does the rest. I can sit in my living room and have the images pop up on the laptop.

When the astronomy club does outreach at state parks, they bring their manual telescope. They asked me to keep my eyes on one and someone told me Saturn moved out of the frame. I tried to help, but I realized I had no idea how to work the scope. No remote control?

I can't imagine how tough it must have been to work with film. A lot of the clubmembers images in the gallery of the website I posted above were film. There are some amazing photo's in there.

08-27-2009, 04:28 PM	#1
Footbag I Need My Space Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Adam Location: NEPA Posts: 1,216 Trading: (7)	Pictures through my telescope... A while back, I picked up a new hobby. I bought a telescope and a bunch of photography equipment and started channeling my inner scientist. Well, now I'm an amateur astronomer, and it's a great hobby. I'd suggest it to anyone with kids, or just a general interest. I've joined our local astronomy club and have been helping with outreach, and just love watching kids or even adults develop an interest. Plus, it's nice to know what you are looking at when you are outside late smoking a cigar. That said, I've decided to share some of my results. Enjoy! The Eagle Nebula Andromeda The Veil Nebula I have a few more photo's up at the Lackawanna Astronomical Society website gallery. Adam & Kerry's gallery. I also designed the website. Feel free to check it out or even show up for an event.

08-27-2009, 04:29 PM	#2
markem Bunion Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Mark Location: Second Star on the Right Posts: 22,626 Trading: (47)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... nice! what's your setup? __________________ I refuse to belong to any organization that would have me as a member. ~ Groucho Marx

08-27-2009, 04:29 PM	#4
icehog3 Admiral Douchebag Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Clermont, Kentucky Posts: 71,494 Trading: (60)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... Those are very cool Adam! __________________ Thanks Dave, Julian, James, Kelly, Peter, Gerry, Dave, Mo, Frank, Týr and Mr. Mark!

08-27-2009, 04:33 PM	#5
Blindjimme Judgement Impaired Join Date: Apr 2009 First Name: JB Location: North OC, CA Posts: 790 Trading: (14)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... Those are beautiful photos Adam. Nicely done.

08-27-2009, 04:34 PM	#6
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... Very nice shots there. Meade catadioptric, mebbe 6-inch?

08-27-2009, 04:34 PM	#7
bigloo Crazy like a fox Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Lu Location: Rose City Posts: 905 Trading: (27)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... YEah, what is your setup... how long did you unshutter to capture those? You must have nice equipment!

08-27-2009, 04:36 PM	#10
WyGuy Boiler Up! Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Mike Location: MN Posts: 1,359 Trading: (16)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... Very cool! Thanks for sharing.

08-27-2009, 04:38 PM	#11
akakirby Feeling at Home Join Date: May 2009 First Name: Daniel Location: Richmond, Va Posts: 565 Trading: (20)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... cool pics!

08-27-2009, 04:43 PM	#12
Skywalker BABOTL Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Dice Location: Galaxy Far Far Away Posts: 10,168 Trading: (18)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... Wow!!! Very impressive!!! This is all I ever see: __________________ Smoke what you like!!!

08-27-2009, 04:48 PM	#13
G G BR549 Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Greg Location: Taylor, FL. Posts: 12,731 Trading: (10)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... Nice photos.

08-27-2009, 05:23 PM	#14
HK3- Cashmere Jungle Lord Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Boffa Location: The town so nice they named it twice Posts: 5,035 Trading: (48)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... That is really awesome! We used to have a decent telescope when I was a kid. Great hobby!

08-27-2009, 05:31 PM	#15
MedicCook Mila smoked my cigar Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Ryan Location: Schaghticoke, NY Posts: 10,946 Trading: (7)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... Some awesome photos Adam. I spend a lot of time looking up into the stars when I am smoking outside at night. __________________ 27 World Series Championship's "If your wife doesn't like the aroma of your cigar, change your wife.", Zino Davidoff

08-27-2009, 06:00 PM	#16
TheTraveler giggity giggitty Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Jonathan Location: Near a Walmart Posts: 1,813 Trading: (12)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... Wow, really nice. Those are cool shots. I really enjoyed my two astronomy classes in college. Spending evenings at the school's observatory in was fun. I'd like to sit back with three fingers of Scotch and a good cigar, just pondering the universe. Hmmmm, that just became my plan for tonight. __________________ "My life is my own."

08-27-2009, 07:19 PM	#18
ahc4353 Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Pictures through my telescope... Keep the photos coming! Thank you!

08-27-2009, 08:18 PM	#19
jjirons69 Haberdasher Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Jamie Location: Chucktown, SC Posts: 4,120 Trading: (94)	Re: Pictures through my telescope... Great job, Adam! Did some photographing myself back around 15 years ago. Used a Canon AE-1 with a shutter release cable. Used lots of high speed film. All the development was done at Walmart or one hour shops. Not the best, but I got some cool pics. Used a homemade barndoor unit. I also have an 8" Orion Deep Space Explorer that's 12 years old. It's not driven, it's manual. You do get to see some cool stuff, though. Great job on those photos!!! There's lots of cool stuff out there see. Congrats on the new hobby. It's a good one. __________________ Somebody has to go back and get a chitload of dimes