Please comment picture

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Sebushka
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Please comment picture

#1

Post by Sebushka »


Hello guys,
I have had such a busy day. I've done tons of modifications to my scope and quickly perform test images. Mount roughly alligned with Polaris and scope aimed to Procyon - fired up motorized unit and adjust the speed.
Here it is, my first ever long exposure:
https://ibb.co/XyPf8Ny

Without motor up and running I was able to take max 1 sec exposures until stars start trailing - 20 sec with decent result makes me very happy, however, I would like to ask experienced users to comment this picture. Please, let me know what's wrong with it. What I mean.. main star looks quite good (probably not perfect) but, what's the other things on the pic? Are these other stars ? Not focused stars ? Should I focus more ? Is it star trail? Or that's something else?
.....
I just browsed other pics taken, I can assume that the other dots are stars, so main question is:
That 20 sec exposure picture has a focus problem or star trail?

Here is the pic of 1 sec if necessary to compare:
https://ibb.co/QfyH3kd

Thanks
Astromaster 130EQ MD
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OzEclipse Australia
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Re: Please comment picture

#2

Post by OzEclipse »


Hi Sebushka,
The other things in the background are stars that are quite out of focus.

If this is at the prime focus of the scope, the tracking seems to be ok.

Joe
Image
Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
Memberships Astronomical Association of Queensland; RASNZ Occultations Section; Single Exposure Milky Way Facebook Group (Moderator) (12k members)
Sebushka
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Re: Please comment picture

#3

Post by Sebushka »


Hi Joe
Yes, it is prime focus
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ARock
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Post by ARock »


A Bahtinov mask is an inexpensive way to focus better. You can buy, make, or 3D print one with the right size for your scope.
AR
Scopes: Zhumell Z8, Meade Adventure 80mm, Bushnell 1300x100 Goto Mak.
Mount: ES EXOS Nano EQ Mount, DIY Arduino+Stepper drives.
AP: 50mm guidescope, AR0130 based guidecam, Canon T3i, UHC filter.
EPs: ES82 18,11,6.7mm, Zhumell 30,9mm FJ Ortho 9mm, assorted plossls, Meade 2x S-F Barlow, DGM NPB filter.
Binos: Celestron Skymaster 15x70 (Albott tripod/monopod), Nikon Naturalist 7x35.
Sebushka
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Re: Please comment picture

#5

Post by Sebushka »


Thanks Arock
I have made one today
https://ibb.co/fdwKmTx
And I used it on a brightest star best I could! Star was so small and adjusting "lines" was so fine moves... I was pretty sure - according to main star - that it was in focus. But looks like I was wrong.
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Re: Please comment picture

#6

Post by ARock »


Sebushka wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2020 10:21 pm Thanks Arock
I have made one today
https://ibb.co/fdwKmTx
And I used it on a brightest star best I could! Star was so small and adjusting "lines" was so fine moves... I was pretty sure - according to main star - that it was in focus. But looks like I was wrong.
Are you taking the pictures using a computer? Or a remote shutter? You could connect your laptop to the camera, use Digicamcontrol (free) and look at the pictures on a larger screen. If your focus star is not very bright, raise the exposure time (10-20s), increase ISO, and you will get a better picture through the bahtinov mask.

Make sure to lock down the focus, after you have focused it accurately.
AR
Scopes: Zhumell Z8, Meade Adventure 80mm, Bushnell 1300x100 Goto Mak.
Mount: ES EXOS Nano EQ Mount, DIY Arduino+Stepper drives.
AP: 50mm guidescope, AR0130 based guidecam, Canon T3i, UHC filter.
EPs: ES82 18,11,6.7mm, Zhumell 30,9mm FJ Ortho 9mm, assorted plossls, Meade 2x S-F Barlow, DGM NPB filter.
Binos: Celestron Skymaster 15x70 (Albott tripod/monopod), Nikon Naturalist 7x35.
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Re: Please comment picture

#7

Post by Sebushka »


I have used canon 1000d with Eos remote suite (official canon software) and backyard Eos.... I have tried to obtain focus on both programs live views, even with zoom, max iso

I need to browse YouTube in terms of focusing and perform more tests, even daylights.
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Re: Please comment picture

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Post by ARock »


Try taking a 20 second single shot with a Bahtinov mask, instead of live view. You can use jpeg instead of RAW for this shot for faster download.
AR
Scopes: Zhumell Z8, Meade Adventure 80mm, Bushnell 1300x100 Goto Mak.
Mount: ES EXOS Nano EQ Mount, DIY Arduino+Stepper drives.
AP: 50mm guidescope, AR0130 based guidecam, Canon T3i, UHC filter.
EPs: ES82 18,11,6.7mm, Zhumell 30,9mm FJ Ortho 9mm, assorted plossls, Meade 2x S-F Barlow, DGM NPB filter.
Binos: Celestron Skymaster 15x70 (Albott tripod/monopod), Nikon Naturalist 7x35.
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lsintampa
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Re: Please comment picture

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Post by lsintampa »


Sebushka,

I feel your pain. I've been hacking at AP for about two weeks. Although I've had decent results, very few I might add, I'm still struggling.

Currently the biggest problem I'm dealing with is focusing.

When I started, my camera did not have live view, and it was suggested that a camera with live view would help. I upgraded to a Nikon D5300, that does have live view, but I've really not been able to see how that has helped at all. When I try live view, I can never see any stars on the screen. Makes it hard to focus.

Usually if I use the viewfinder I can "get close" . But even then, it's really just hit and miss for me.

My comments are based on only using the camera and zoom lens. Using prime, focusing is much easier IMHO.

I'm following along here as I'd like to learn how to get good focus with just a DSLR.
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metastable
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Re: Please comment picture

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Post by metastable »


lsintampa wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:17 pm Sebushka,

I feel your pain. I've been hacking at AP for about two weeks. Although I've had decent results, very few I might add, I'm still struggling.

Currently the biggest problem I'm dealing with is focusing.

When I started, my camera did not have live view, and it was suggested that a camera with live view would help. I upgraded to a Nikon D5300, that does have live view, but I've really not been able to see how that has helped at all. When I try live view, I can never see any stars on the screen. Makes it hard to focus.

Usually if I use the viewfinder I can "get close" . But even then, it's really just hit and miss for me.

My comments are based on only using the camera and zoom lens. Using prime, focusing is much easier IMHO.

I'm following along here as I'd like to learn how to get good focus with just a DSLR.
You probably need to use a 2.8f aperature, set the iso higher, make sure a very bright star is in the field of view, and “zoom” into the live view to the highest magnification (my camera has directional buttons for scrolling around once zoomed in)... all these steps increase the sensitivity, and then once the bright star is in live view, adjust the focus till it looks as pointlike as possible
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Baurice
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Re: Please comment picture

#11

Post by Baurice »


I think I should make a mask. A lot of aiming, focussing, etc comes down to practice but I still get it wrong at times, especially at long focal lengths. It is a lot easier at short focal lengths.
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OzEclipse Australia
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Re: Please comment picture

#12

Post by OzEclipse »


lsintampa wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:17 pm Sebushka,

I feel your pain. I've been hacking at AP for about two weeks. Although I've had decent results, very few I might add, I'm still struggling.

Currently the biggest problem I'm dealing with is focusing.

When I started, my camera did not have live view, and it was suggested that a camera with live view would help. I upgraded to a Nikon D5300, that does have live view, but I've really not been able to see how that has helped at all. When I try live view, I can never see any stars on the screen. Makes it hard to focus.

Usually if I use the viewfinder I can "get close" . But even then, it's really just hit and miss for me.

My comments are based on only using the camera and zoom lens. Using prime, focusing is much easier IMHO.

I'm following along here as I'd like to learn how to get good focus with just a DSLR.
I'll just add to metastable's good advice.

Definitely use higher ISO and f2.8. The reason you might not see stars is that they are out of focus. When the starlight spreads, it becomes too faint to be detected by live view.

If the camera live view lacks sensitivity remember that you can focus on the brightest star in the sky then frame the shot afterwards. Centre the star in the camera field of view, activate live view with f2.8 and higher ISO as suggested by metastable. Use the magnifying function and zoom in to the bright star. Then focus.
Image
Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
Mounts: Takahashi EM-200, iOptron iEQ45, Push dobsonian with Nexus DSC, three homemade EQ's.
Eyepieces: TV Naglers 31, 17, 12, 7; Denkmeier D21 & D14; Pentax XW10, XW5, Unitron 40mm Kellner, Meade Or 25,12
Cameras : Pentax K1, K5, K01, K10D / VIDEO CAMS : TacosBD, Lihmsec.
Cam/guider/controllers: Lacerta MGEN 3, SW Synguider, Simulation Curriculum SkyFi 3+Sky safari
Memberships Astronomical Association of Queensland; RASNZ Occultations Section; Single Exposure Milky Way Facebook Group (Moderator) (12k members)
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Thefatkitty Canada
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Re: Please comment picture

#13

Post by Thefatkitty »


metastable wrote: Tue Jan 21, 2020 3:02 pm You probably need to use a 2.8f aperature, set the iso higher, make sure a very bright star is in the field of view, and “zoom” into the live view to the highest magnification (my camera has directional buttons for scrolling around once zoomed in)... all these steps increase the sensitivity, and then once the bright star is in live view, adjust the focus till it looks as pointlike as possible
I couldn't agree more... :D I've been playing around with a 76mm newt and my Canon T3 with manual tracking. I set the ISO to 6400, find a bright star, and set focus from the live view. Your mount and scope have to be pretty solid together to get a stable view.
Once that's done, the ISO gets set to 1600 and I'm good to go; just make sure your finderscope is set properly with the scope itself.

All the best,
Mark

"The Hankmeister" Celestron 8SE, orange tube Vixen made C80, CG4 & AZ-EQ5 mounts.
Too much Towa glass/mirrors.

H/A - PST stage 2 mod with a Baader 90mm ERF on a Celestron XLT 102 (thanks Mike!)
Ca-K - W/O 61mm, Antares 1.6 barlow, Baader 3.8 OD and Ca-K filters with a ZWO ASI174mm.
W/L - C80-HD with Baader 5.0 & 3.8 Solar film, Solar Continuum 7.5nm and UV/IR filters with a Canon EOS 550D.

Oh yeah, and Solar Cycle 25 :D
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