· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article 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 You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Astrophotography and Sketching >> Beginning and Intermediate Imaging Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 HoustonSteve member Reged: 12/04/11 Beginning Astrophotography Question       #5309894 - 07/09/12 02:12 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Folks, I am a relatively newbie to astrophotography. I currently have an Orion Atlas mount with an Orion ED80T CF refractor and have been using this set-up intermittently since around March with decent results. I've been using a Nikon D90, but have recently acquired a Canon 5D Mark ii full frame camera (unmodified), so will be using this going forward. I have an Orion autoguider package for guidance using PhD and will be getting Nebulosity once I start using the Canon. I am taking a trip in August to a dark sky park as well as other pretty good parks where I will be doing some more imaging, so I've decided to add an AstroTech AT8RC to my "stable" since I've seen very impressive results with this scope and want to be able to get objects at greater focal length, such as galaxies. This group was HUGELY helpful to me as I was getting started, so I wanted to pick the groups collective brains again, because I am still a relative newbie to all this. I have two questions: 1. Is there any critical equipment that I will need to go with the new AT8RC (ordered, but on backorder so not arrived yet)? 2. Can folks in here recommend good targets for early August? I am particularly interested to get a few galaxies as well as some of the great nebula that are available in the summer months. I currently only have a light pollution filter and have not done any narrow band imaging yet. I hope to get a dedicated CCD camera and narrow band filters in the future, but for right now my wife is fed up with my telescope and camera expenditures (the 5D Mark ii was for terrestrial use as well)! Any advice the group could give would be much appreciated! Thanks, Steve Post Extras:       Vladimir Elvov sage Reged: 08/21/11 Loc: Munich, Germany Re: Beginning Astrophotography Question [Re: HoustonSteve]       #5309903 - 07/09/12 02:18 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Steve, Perhaps a diamond ring bought at discount for your wife it the best run-once investment for AP. Other than this Andromeda galaxy should be somewhere around in August and there is nothing to stop an atro-imager to shoot Crescent nebula though it may be hard for unmod Canon. You can also try M20 if it's available from your skies. Good luck! Post Extras:       HoustonSteve member Reged: 12/04/11 Re: Beginning Astrophotography Question [Re: Vladimir Elvov]       #5309911 - 07/09/12 02:22 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Great idea RE the diamond ring! LOL. I will be shooting from North America. I will look for your suggested targets. Thanks! Post Extras:       BubbyD professor emeritus Reged: 04/22/10 Loc: Troy, Ohio Re: Beginning Astrophotography Question [Re: HoustonSteve]       #5309941 - 07/09/12 02:42 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I think Orion sells a self centering 1.25" EP adapter that would be useful. I have the 10RC and collimation is VERY important. Mine came with a collimation EP, but getting it perfectly centered in the focuser is fairly difficult. Post Extras:       HoustonSteve member Reged: 12/04/11 Re: Beginning Astrophotography Question [Re: BubbyD]       #5309953 - 07/09/12 02:48 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks, bubbyD. I don't think the AT8RC comes with a collimation EP, but I am not sure to be honest with you! I've been using a refractor, so I've not had to do any collimation. I suppose this is some added work that is necessary when using a RC. Is there anything else I would need for collimation? Post Extras:       KDizzle professor emeritus Reged: 09/12/08 Loc: Woodinville, WA Re: Beginning Astrophotography Question [Re: HoustonSteve]       #5310112 - 07/09/12 04:46 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   M31 great for wide fields -- but it is really big in apparent size and the 8RC isn't going to pick it all up in your field. M81/82 or M51 might be a bit of a better fit. Of course, M13 is super excellent as well. M27 is a great nebula candidate for narrowband, as is mostly all of Cygnus (!) Post Extras:       HoustonSteve member Reged: 12/04/11 Re: Beginning Astrophotography Question [Re: KDizzle]       #5310168 - 07/09/12 05:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks, KDizzle. In addition to the 8RC, I have the Orion ED80T CF, which should be pretty good for M31, I think. I will also look into M81/82 and M51. I'm afraid I don't have the set-up yet to do any narrow band work, but may try and hit some of the more dramatic emission nebula, such as the Lagoon or Trifid nebulas, which may look good even with an unmodified Canon 5D Mark ii. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 7 registered and 14 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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