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ClownFish
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/26/05
Posts: 5600
Loc: Islamabad, Pakistan
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Well it's been a very long time (>2 years) since I was able to get behind my camera and guidescope again and it feels great! I went out last week and went camping in a very dark area about 3 hours from my home. The weather was kind, and I managed to squeeze off a few shots before dew became an issue.
This is my first photo since 2005 and while it needs work, is posted here just to show I'm back on the horse again. My current scanner is not good at keeping my negatives flat (I'm using a cheap flatbed all-in-one scanner) and thus this image suffers from some curvy edges (cropped in this view). My wonderful Minolta Dimage ][ is still in storage in Virginia  Once I get a better scanner I will rescan this.
This is a single 10 minute manually guided exposure on Fuji 400F Provia slide film (I saved two rolls from when they stopped making it). I was using my trusty 27 year old Olympus OM-1 that was focused in seconds with an STI Stiletto focuser. Good gear!
Omega Centauri (NGC 5139) is a HUGE globular cluster in the constellation of Centaurus with an age of about 12 billion years. It is one of the few that can be seen with the naked eye, and is both the brightest and the largest known globular cluster in the Milky Way. Omega Centauri is located about 18,300 light-years from Earth and contains several million stars, many only 0.1 light years apart. If you were inhabiting a planet in there, you would have continuous daylight!
CF
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Learn all about POLAR ALIGNMENT with my Drift Method Tutorial and simulator!! Or visit my Foreign Service Blog!
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Mike D
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 08/15/07
Posts: 855
Loc: South GA
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While I must say I never knew you were gone, (you've been "gone" longer than I've even been on this forum) it's great to know you're out imaging again!
And I'm glad to see you're still manually guiding. I have to agree with you that there is at least some enjoyment while manually guiding, I mean, it is a great feeling when you get to take your eye from your reticle EP after a 30 minute exposure. It's almost a form a meditation.
What about the rumors of you picking up a DSLR? Have you snapped any photos with that yet?
Nice image, by the way? I assume it was taken with the gear in your sig?
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Vixen SXD
Vixen ED80Sf
Hutech 350D
STI Stiletto
Meade 2080
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Nebhunter
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/04/03
Posts: 1010
Loc: Frostbite Falls
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Great to have you back. Our film group is slowly growing, especially now that you are back. Looking forward to more pictures.
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Handle me with Care - The Traveling Wilburys.
TEC 140 "Katyusha" - Tec field flattener. Equinox 80 -
Atlas EQ6 SynScan GPS ADM conversion. ST-4 guider.
PENTAX 67 - 400 EDif - 300 - 200 - 135 - 90 lenses.
OM-1 300 Tamron - Konica 35-100 Varifocal STI Pro Stiletto.
http://nightfly.zoomshare.com/
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ClownFish
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/26/05
Posts: 5600
Loc: Islamabad, Pakistan
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It's good to be back!
When I left New Mexico in 2005 and moved to Poland, all my gear was left in storage in Virginia. Then when I moved here I was able to go back and have it sent here. But my home area here in South Africa is full of lights so I can't image from home. Now that I have been out camping and found some nice sights, I can get out and shoot again!
- I haven't bought the DSLR yet.
- Yes, the image was captured with all my old gear, same as my sig line.
CF
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Nightfly
super member
Reged: 06/20/07
Posts: 199
Loc: Sullivan, Maine
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I remember seeing Omega Centauri when I visited the southern US. I never see it here in Maine, 44.5 degrees north. Nice image. You'll have to post your last image taken with Provia 400F.
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Hambone
sage
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 442
Loc: Martin, TN
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Im glad to see you posting some photos again!
I viewed Omega Centauri at our astronomy club last weekend in Kentucky. Our club is at 36.7º North and Omega Centauri is just above the horizon. We have never been able to resolve any stars but it is a spring ritual. It has never looked like anything in the photo here. It looks more like a galaxy even in the best of skies. At least I can say I have seen it! Great shot ClownFish!
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8" Sky View Pro
60MM Meade (used very little now)
Golden Pond Kentucky
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ZachK
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/21/05
Posts: 667
Loc: Israel
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It should be visible from Israel, I plan to try and see it when I go to the Negev in a few weeks.
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Zach Kessin
Yesha Israel
Meade ETX 127 Mak-Cass
15x70 Celestron Skymaster Binoculars
Sinar F 4x5 view camera
Rolliflex Camera 80mm F2.8
Pentax K-1000 Camera 35,50 and 60--300mm zoom
3 kids, Large cat, small dog
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raydar
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/06/04
Posts: 679
Loc: Perth Western Australia
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Hi Clowny, welcome back mate.
I'm lucky enough to view Omega Centauri every night from down here in Western Australia. In fact, Omega Centauri is so bright and large, that it's more of a nuisance than anything. (jokes).
I do volunteer work at the government funded obs down here, and I get to point some large scopes at Omega Centauri, it is always an impressive sight. It's naked eye from light polluted suburbs as well. It looks like a faint fuzzy patch from inner city burbs.
Cheers
Ray
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My Astronomy Site
My Astrophotography Website
Cosmotography Clip
Takahashi Epsilon 160
Losmandy G-11
SBIG ST4
Meade8"SCT/LX-50-Milburn Wedge
NikonF2,Olympus OM1,PentaxSPII,
Western Australia
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ClownFish
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/26/05
Posts: 5600
Loc: Islamabad, Pakistan
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Same here, in South Africa.
Peter
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Learn all about POLAR ALIGNMENT with my Drift Method Tutorial and simulator!! Or visit my Foreign Service Blog!
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Tim A.
super member
Reged: 09/19/07
Posts: 104
Loc: 40 30'55.0"N 105 3'19.0W
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I got to enjoy Omega C. from central Mexico in mid-February (yes, in the wee hours). All I had were my 8x42s, but even so, I was blown away.
Nice photo, and many more to come (we hope!)
-- Tim
Colorado
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Starbuckets 12.5" Dobsonian
Celestron CPC800
Celestron CR-150 HD on CG5-GT
Meade Starfinder 6" f/8
Oberwerk Deluxe II 20x80
Oberwerk Ultra 10x50
Celestron Regal LX 8x42
"Me? Crazy? Oh, yeah. Crazy like an ox!"
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