Take what you can get

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Thefatkitty Canada
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Take what you can get

#1

Post by Thefatkitty »


Hey all, hope you're all good :D

I haven't been on here much of late; been busy with a few things. As well, the weather has been either thunderstorms or hot, hazy and humid. Add the constant forest fire smoke into the mix and you get scopes collecting dust...

Yesterday (Saturday) was quite clear out, though. I took a look at the Sun in the AM, but not much to see there; AR2858 was barely discernable. I spent the day puttering around, and at 5PM I started dinner. This consisted of steak, Mexican rice and salad. Nothing beats BBQ steaks...
BBQ.JPG

After that feast, I thought a few beers would be nice. Off to the store where I picked up a case of 12 tall cans. Hey, it was on sale ;)

I sat outside, cracked a beer, and marveled at the lack of humidity. I thought I might actually be able to get some observing time in, which hasn't happened a lot in the past year.

A few weeks ago I made this; things to do with cutlery, an old finder scope and a lot of skateboard wheel bearings :lol:
Me.jpg

Wishful thinking? Mayhaps. I look at it often and think, Ahhh, memories of clearer nights...

Of course the full Moon was rising tonight, but I still wanted to maybe have a look at Jupiter and Saturn. Well, just before 9PM, guess what started drifting in from the west. Naturally. They know when you're out there, waiting and hoping.

At around 10:30, the Moon was up with Jupiter above and to the left, and I had 5 beers in me. Good times. The clouds were still wreaking havoc, but there were a few clear patches of sky every now and then. Hmmm. Well, maybe I can take a few shots with just my camera. Haven't done that in a bit. I got my Canon 550D and the tripod that came with a Celeston 60mm I hacked into another scope. The mount is stable enough for my camera and the adapter I made for it:
Camera.jpg

I set the camera to Manual and monochrome mode. Maybe it was the beer; for some reason I wanted to try shooting with that. I opened beer number six, set the stock 18-55mm lens to manual focus, and framed the Moon and Jupiter. I took a few shots during a sort of break in the clouds at various exposures and ISO settings; this one at ISO 800 and 2.5 seconds exposure is probably the best of the lot:
Moon_Jupiter.jpg

I finished my beer, and brought all that back downstairs. On a whim, I grabbed my C80-HD and T-ring. I put the camera in the scope, and went back outside. I leave my CG4 mount in the shed all year, so I took that out and mounted the scope on it. I have a solar-finder on it; it also works with a full Moon. I set the scope on the Moon, locked the clutches, opened another beer, and waited.
C80-HD.jpg

Do you know I had to drink two beers for a break in the clouds to happen? I know, the absurdity of it all. My bladder was informing me I might have to make choices that may involve running when I got a break from the clouds. The camera was still in monochrome, so sitting there cross-legged, I took 15 shots at ISO 800 and 1/800th sec exp.

I put the remote shutter on the ground and raced upstairs :lol:

Feeling much better, I came outside and had another beer. Number nine, number nine was going through my head.

You might think I drink a lot to have this tolerance, but I don't. I have two things, be they good or bad; a high metabolism and a high tolerance for beer. This is why I don't drink much, as I easily could every day. I don't drink wine or liquor (except a shot of Bailey's at X-mas) as it doesn't make me a happy person. Don't need that going on. But I do like my beer, and every couple of weeks I'll get a six pack. Last night was an exception; I haven't drank that much in a long time. No excuses here, it's just the way I am.

I finished number nine and took the scope/camera downstairs. I felt a bit wobbly, kinda like the tripod on a department store scope :lol: But I'm careful, and all was good.

I cracked another and last beer, and processed my lunar shots.

I think I'm going to take shots of the Moon and maybe even the Sun in monochrome from now on. I have preset settings in PIPP, and it's for monochrome mode, both lunar and solar. As well, for solar I use ImPPG for my white light shots, and ImPPg gives you a monochrome image. Does it make sense to shoot in color only to scale it back to monochrome? Seems like a waste of digital data to me, but what do I know. I do know the mild processing in PS with the Camera RAW filter was "easier", for lack of a better term.

This is the resulting shot; the best 50% processed and stacked with PIPP, AS3, and PS 2020. Might not be my best effort, but I usually don't have that much beer in me whilst doing this :lol:
Moon_Aug_21-21-s.jpg

Full size image here

I finished my beer, made sure the cat was in, the shed and back door locked, and came back downstairs to stretch out on the couch. Not even five minutes later, this was me: :asleep:

BTW, I was up at just before 8AM today. No hangover, but hungry and needing coffee... ;)

Thanks for reading my drivel, have a great night and week!

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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Re: Take what you can get

#2

Post by Ylem »


Nice evening! Good food, beers and astronomy!
Nice Moon also.
Clear Skies,
-Jeff :telescopewink:


Member; ASTRA-NJ



Orion 80ED
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Re: Take what you can get

#3

Post by Juno16 »


Thanks for sharing your wonderful night with us Mark!

I very much enjoyed reading about your adventures!

Great start and a fine moon shot to finish it off!!!
Jim

Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), Orion 50mm Guide Scope, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, Orion SSAG, IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
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Re: Take what you can get

#4

Post by Lady Fraktor »


Nice images and glad you got some down time Mark :)
See Far Sticks: Antares Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser BV 127/1200, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II/ Argo Navis, Stellarvue M2C/ Argo Navis
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Takahashi prism, TAL, Vixen flip mirror
Eyepieces: Antares to Zeiss
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Re: Take what you can get

#5

Post by Butterfly Maiden »


It is great to read your posts again Mark, to be able to enjoy your wonderful exploits :smile:

Great images as usual too .
Vanessa

Nikon D82 Fieldscope with 30x/45x/56x angled eyepiece.
Olympus DPS-1 10x50 binoculars.
Leica 8x32BN binoculars.
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Re: Take what you can get

#6

Post by notFritzArgelander »


Good to hear!
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
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Graeme1858 Great Britain
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Re: Take what you can get

#7

Post by Graeme1858 »


Nice one Mark. Don't think I could get my head round processing a fine lunar image like that with 10 pints of beer in me!

Sounds like you had a great evening.

Regards

Graeme
______________________________________________
Celestron 9.25 f10 SCT, f6.3FR, CGX mount.
ASI1600MM Pro, ASI294MC Pro, ASI224MC
ZWO EFW, ZWO OAG, ASI220MM Mini.
APM 11x70 ED APO Binoculars.

https://www.averywayobservatory.co.uk/
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Re: Take what you can get

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Post by Makuser »


Hi Mark. It is great to see you back on the forum here again. Wow, charcoal steaks, cold beer, and some nice images too. I really like the full moon and Jupiter shot and the full sized full moon image too. Thanks for sharing these with us Mark, and the best of wishes to you and also to your family.
Marshall
Sky-Watcher 90mm f/13.8 Maksutov-Cassegrain on motorized Multimount
Orion Astroview 120ST f/5 Refractor on EQ3 mount
Celestron Comet Catcher 140mm f/3.64 Schmidt-Newtonian on alt-az mount
Celestron Omni XLT150R f/5 Refractor on CG4 mount with dual axis drives.
Orion 180mm f/15 Maksutov-Cassegrain on CG5-GT Goto mount.
Orion XT12i 12" f/4.9 Dobsonian Intelliscope.
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Re: Take what you can get

#9

Post by Bigzmey »


Some quality time there Mark! I can't have beer or steak, but I can certainly burn my retina on full Moon. :lol:
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.

Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2382, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 255
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Re: Take what you can get

#10

Post by Ozypic »


Thanks for your report Mark, great that you got some astronomy time in. Who would have thought that beer is the secret ingredient .... Thanks for sharing , Phill
Phill. Dreaming of Clear Skys .... :D :D :D
SCOPE : Skywatcher 120X600 ST Achromatic Refractor. 
EP's : 25mm & 10mm Plossl , Celestron 8/24mm Zoom EP,
Filters : Solar filter, Badder Fringe Killer & Moon/Skyglow. 
MOUNT : Skywatcher Star Discovery goto Mount.
CAMERAS : ZWO 120 asi MC. / Sony HX400V 50X Zoom.
Binoculars : Saxon 10x50
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Re: Take what you can get

#11

Post by starfield »


Not sure which image I like better, the moon or the steaks.... getting near dinner time so I know which way I'm leaning.....
Scopes: Esprit 100, 12.5" Telekit Dob
Camera: 294 MC Pro, 224 mc, 2600mm
Guiding: ZWO 290 mini on 120mm guide scope
Mounts: EQ6R-Pro, EQ Platform.
Filters: Optolong L-Pro & L-Enhance, Chroma 36mm LRGB, 5nm HA, 3nm OIII, 3nm SII.
Software: SharpCap, SGP, StarTools 1.7, Photoshop, Pixinsight
The Death Star Observatory
Astro Photos:https://www.astrobin.com/users/starfield/
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