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For observing the sun visually I have a Konus 4.75" f/8.03 refractor and a Baader Astrasolar filter. My camera is the Canon Power shot S10 digital camera. The really great thing about this type of camera is there is know messing about with computers. Whilst I admit that you are not able to take long exposures of the sky, you can use it on bright objects such as the Sun the Moon and Planets with out the need to set the exposure value and then having to spend time focusing the telescope, I found this to be a real pain when I used my MX5. Please have a look at these pictures and feel free to e-mail me with your comments.
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For observing the "Sky at Night" I use my Orion Optics DX300 F/4.0 newt. I bought the scope because I wanted to look at DSO's (Deep Sky Objects) rather than take pictures . The scope comes with a Vixen DX mount which is considerably heavier than my old GP mount. I will also use this new telescope for images of the Moon and Planets and the results will appear on this page. One project is to try and image Uranus and Neptune using the Canon Power Shot. If you would like more information on telescopes from Orion Optics then click the link. http://www.orionoptics.co.uk/
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For CCD imaging I am now using my 14 year old 8 inch Newtonian which you can see here is mounted to my Losmandy G11 fitted with Gemini L4. This telescope has had the mirror re-figured buy the team at Orion Optics in Crewe and now has a 1/8th wave primary. And to complete this the telescope also comes with Hi-Lux mirror coatings. This coating not only increases the life of the 8 inch mirror, but also increases reflectivity.
The guide scope is a TeleVue Ranger which has a focal length of 488mm at f6.3. The 8" is 1200mm at f5.6. I use an Atik 5x Focal reducer to image the Deep sky with, which I am very happy with. The imaging cameras are an Atik 2-HS which I bought in May 2006, and a Philips ToUcam Pro 840K.
Sun Pictures.Here are a selection of images taken through my telescope with the Canon S10. It is my intention to keep up dating this section on a regular basis. The images are all a focal projection using a homemade bracket, and Vixen Lv Zoom eyepiece. The images were all processed in Adobe Photo Shop Version 5.
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sol9.jpg 16.04.00 sol13.jpg 23.04.00 sol16.jpg 23.04.00 sol19.jpg 23.04.00 sol22.jpg 24.04.00 sol25.jpg 26.04.00 sol28.jpg 13.05.00 noaa306 sun3.jpg 16.03.03 ar10486sol31.jpg 26.10.03 |
sol10.jpg 16.04.00 sol14.jpg 23.04.00 sol17.jpg 23.04.00 sol20.jpg 24.04.00 sol23.jpg 24.04.00 sol26.jpg 13.05.00 sol30.jpg 21.09.00 noaa306 sun4.jpg 16.03.03 ar10484sol32.jpg 26.10.03 |
sol11.jpg 16.04.00 sol15.jpg 23.04.00 sol18.jpg 23.04.00 sol21.jpg 24.04.00 sol24.jpg 26.04.00 sol27.jpg 13.05.00 noaa 10162.jpg 19.10.02 noaa306 sun5.jpg 16.03.03
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Moon Pictures.Here is selection of images taken of the Moon. They were all taken through my GX200 8"/f5.6 newt and my Vixen LV Zoom eyepiece.
The images which are dated 29 May 2001 are taken through my new Orion Optics DX300 f/4.0 telescope.
Mare Nectaris 09 April 2000
Gibbous
Phase 14th April 2000
Sinus
Iridium 14th April 2000
Wide
Gibbous 08 January 2001
January
9th 2001 Total Lunar Eclipse
Mount
Hadley 29th May 2001
Mare
Serenitatis 29th May 2001
Wide
Crescent Moon 29th May 2001
Mare
Crisium 29th Ma\y 2001
Gibbous
Moon. Taken through my Televue Ranger and Vixen Zoom eyepiece and
Cannon Power shot S10 digital camera. 03
November 2003
Mare
Imbrium with Plato and The Alpine Valley. 19th
February 2005
DX 300 with "Hi-Lux" coatings..24-8mm Vixen LV zoom and x3 Vixen Barlow.
6 Day Old Moon. Image taken at 20:30 13 April 2005
127mm f/8.03 Refractor Vixen 8-24mm LV zoom
7
Day Old Moon
Atlas and Hercules. Image taken at 20:11ut. 14th April 2005
DX 300 with "Hi-Lux" coatings. .Vixen LV 8-24mm & x2 Orion Optics Barlow
11
Day Old Moon 18th April 2005
Archimedes 20:00 ut
DX 300 with "Hi-Lux" coatings.4-8mm Vixen LV zoom and x3 Vixen Barlow.
8 Day Old Moon 17th May 2005
Suns Selenographic Colong 11.0 Lat 0.86
Earths Selenographic Long -3.8 Lat -5.1
Clavius 20:19:54 ut
GX200 8" F/6.0 Vixen DX mount with LV zoom and x2 Barlow.
Copernicus, Erastosthenes & Mons Apnnenius 20:06:23 ut
October 17th Hunters Moon 19:45 ut
480 mm f/6.3 TeleVue Ranger Vixen GP mount
DX300 with x2 Barlow and Philips Toucam pro 840k
February 08th 2006
Clavius
Gibbous Phase Moon.
November 3rd 2006
Taken through my new William Optics ZS66SD and 13nm H-Alpha filter
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The
Planets.All images were taken through my new Vixen GP mounted 200 mm f/5.6 Newtonian reflector.
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16th January 01 Conjunction 27th October 01
Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter November 4th 04. Jupiter 02nd April 2005
Seeing ANT IV Transparency fair. Canon Power Shot S10 running in continuous mode. Time: 22:28. Exposure Time 1/4 second. Aperture f/4.0. 8-24mm LV Zoom eyepiece x3 Barlow (8mm x3 Barlow 450x). 12" DX300 f/4.0. Stack of 263 images stacked, aligned and processed in Registax3. Saturn 18th February 2006 Seeing. A III Transparency. Good Stack of 790avi's from a 14 frame stack of 2797avi's.
Saturn 21st March 2007
Saturn taken on 21st March 2007 through my 8 inch SPX and Atik 2-HS. I used a 10mm Kelner together with a X2 Orion Optics Barlow, to increase the image scale. And a red filter to boost contrast. Seeing at the time was ANT III. Venus 08th April 2007
This image of Venus was captured at 18:15UT, through a Green filter and a AE X4 Image Mate Barlow. And I used my 8 inch SPX and Atik 2-HS to capture Venus. At the time the planet was well past the meridian, and on the screen of my Laptop, the planet was boiling away. This image is the best off 899 AVIS stacked in Registax 4.
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Deep Sky
Object name: M 27
Type: Planetary nebula
Constellation: Vulpecula
Size: 8'.0 x 5'7
Dist: 8151.ly
Wild Life.
Here are a selection of images taken through my 70mm TeleVue Ranger. Click on each image to see it at 640x480 resolution.
2003
2004: Back Garden
