Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums
Privacy Policy |
Please read our Terms
of Service | Signup and
Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User
midway199
super member
Reged: 04/21/04
Posts: 108
Loc: Illinois
|
|
An excerpt from an entry I just made in my blog:
...
Before calling it a night I noticed Arturus was positioned nicely for a quick peek at M3. Previously, I hadn't been that impressed with views of globular clusters via the StellaCam. I had much more memorable views through my 18" dob with binoviewers. This night changed all that. Once again, tinkering for mere seconds with the controls milked out the most stars I've ever seen in this object. It appeared more like M13. In fact, it was better than any visual view of M13! Faint stellar members on the outskirts of the cluster filled the screen from one side to the other, while larger members were resolved right to the core. This image looked nothing like the M3 I've familiarized myself with visually over the years. This is a new M3. It's "The Deep M3". I can only imagine what M13 is going to reveal with Stellacam's penetrating eye. Until the other night, I wasn't really interested in Messier globular clusters. Now I can't wait to re-discover them all anew.
I got into a little debate with a fellow a while back. He insisted that observing with video cameras was not "visual observing". I disagreed with him because I was still using my eyes, so it's got to be considered visual observing. Then he pointed out how those original photons that had been travelling for eons through space weren't being directed through the telescope optics into my eyes, so it's not visual. Well, he can keep his stale, old photons. I like mine bakery fresh right off the screen. I'll concede that he was right. This isn't visual observing, it's "better visual observing." 
--------------------
Matthew Sherman
StellaCam 3
Celestron NexStar 11 @ f/3.3
Starmaster 12.5"
Starmaster 18"
Tom Osypowski Equatorial Platform
Butterfield East Video Observatory
|
Sky Captain
Scope Builder
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 5742
Loc: Seattle Washington
|
|
Quote:
This isn't visual observing, it's "better visual observing."
--------------------
Matthew Sherman
I agree! 
--------------------
Equipment Overload!
Kerry.
|
JimT
member
Reged: 08/13/05
Posts: 76
Loc: Madison NC
|
|
WELL SAID SIR .
--------------------
ScopesNC
JimT
CGE 1400 XLT
Nexstar 102
|
panhard
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/20/08
Posts: 2574
Loc: Markham Ont.
|
|
Would i have to have a tracking mount to use Stella cam? I am assuming so.
--------------------
Orion xt10i
8 & 17mm Hyperion eye pieces
koning 32mm 25mm skywatcher eyepieces
lumicon 0111 & antares variable polarizing filters
12x50 binos
A love for this hobby
"What goes around comes around."
"She who must be obeyed."
Herb c
cloudy nights my # 1 site
43.53°n 79.17°w
|
smokin oakum
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/24/07
Posts: 1425
Loc: Wilmington, NC
|
|
Quote:
Would i have to have a tracking mount to use Stella cam? I am assuming so.
In a word, YES!
--------------------
Broadcasting live views of the night sky @
Sparkcast
C11 CGE / Hyperstar
MallinCam Hyper Plus Color
Orion 12" XTi f/4.9
MoonLite Focuser
Round Table Platform
12" Parralax rings
Cape Fear Astronomy Club
|
Chris Schroeder
Postmaster
Reged: 12/11/04
Posts: 5096
Loc: N.E. WI Sky Glow
|
|
As Neil has said yes, now to the type of tracking, you should get decent results with up to 30sec integration with a goto alt/az mount like the Celestron CPC. Beyond that you will get better results with an equatorial mount with tracking.
--------------------
Chris
Mallincam Color Hyper Plus
10" DSH with SC DSC, CPC 800 XLT
M102ED S.V., ZS 80FD 10th Anniv, ZS 66SD, PST
POD XL3 http://POD.SchroederCity.com
|
rolandlinda3
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 01/24/06
Posts: 1612
Loc: Crozet VA 22932
|
|
Clusters are just wonderful using astro video. The apparent depth of field that is developed from even short integration periods makes this type of observing excellent. Your experience is mirrored by the former president of our local club when he came to my house to check out an older STELLA CAM EX. It only took two clusters (small ones he always had difficulty finding easily) with the camera and he bought it for the club. Public observing changed from that night because of the ease with which the clusters can be viewed. Enjoy finding them again.
Roland
|
Bob D
super member
Reged: 05/24/08
Posts: 118
Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA
|
|
Matthew,
Tell your friend that there are a lot of popular misconceptions about photons, especially regarding their supposed "individual identity." The "fundamental/photon-level" differences in these forms of viewing are not nearly as great as he imagines. The appropriate comparison is roughly more like "2nd cousins" vs. "3rd cousins."
It's a fun subject to discuss over a few samples of your favorite beverage. 
--------------------
Bob
CPC 925 XLT
JMI EV-1c + Smart Focus
TV Everbrite 2" diagonal
TV 3x Barlow and a few eyepieces
Orion SSSSI-II
Canon 450D/XSi, D60, and many lenses
|
Mike Harvey
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/01/04
Posts: 589
Loc: Orlando, FL.
|
|
Quote:
I got into a little debate with a fellow a while back. He insisted that observing with video cameras was not "visual observing". I disagreed with him because I was still using my eyes, so it's got to be considered visual observing. Then he pointed out how those original photons that had been travelling for eons through space weren't being directed through the telescope optics into my eyes, so it's not visual.
A few years ago, the 'dinosaurs' of amateur astronomy were wailing over the advent of DSC's. And NO self-respecting astronomer would stoop the the heresy of GOTO!
Hmmmmmm, I believe both systems are pretty well considered "standard equipment" nowadays!
Tell your "friend" that, if his argument is valid, he can no longer use a UHC, O-III, Hb or any other type of filter and call it "visual observing".
All the MallinCam does is amplify the light captured by the telescope and present it on a screen instead of the focal plane of an eyepiece...the filters actually CHANGE it!
Mike
|
|
5 registered and 0 anonymous users are browsing this forum.
Moderator: Chris Schroeder
Print Thread
|
Forum Permissions
You cannot start new topics
You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled
UBBCode is enabled
|
Thread views: 591
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
