Southern Milky Way

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JayTee United States of America
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Southern Milky Way

#1

Post by JayTee »


I had the opportunity on Wed, Thurs, Fri of last week to image (first completely clear nights in 11 months!). My choice of gear was driven by what I currently have that is working and what was worth shooting right now. Since I have no functioning EQ mount, long exposure AP was out. Since it was the new Moon (yay, I got clear skies during a new Moon - unheard of) and there aren't really any photo-worthy planets available (IMHO) all I was left with was taking Nightscape images (which I really enjoy doing). I have really been wanting to image the southern Milky Way as I have never done this before. Taking nightscapes also gave me a chance to try a new setup that I recently acquired. Here is a pic of what I used to capture the images.
SLT ETX Camera Setup.jpg
So last August I needed a new tripod for a Celestron SLT mount I just bought used off of eBay ($90). After watching CN classifieds for a few days, a Meade field tripod came up for sale. Since I already have one of these (for my GT mount) I know that they are a lightweight and very stable tripod, I immediately purchased it ($40). Well, much to my surprise when it arrived it had the ETX wedge mount attached to it (at no extra charge). Since the SLT has an EQ alignment procedure, it seemed that this was the perfect time to put this new setup into action. All that was needed to attach a Celestron goto mount a to a Meade tripod was a circular piece of wood with a couple of holes drilled into it in the correct spots.

Since I wasn't using my AVX mount, I wouldn't be autoguiding so no computer was needed. All I used to shoot the images you're about to see was my camera attached to the mount and an intervalometer to trigger the shutter. The camera used is my Canon T3i (unmodded) with a stock 35-85mm zoom set at 35mm and f/4.0. Focus was really finicky and some shots show better focus than the others. Also, this lens is not of very high quality (you'll see why) and I made the mistake of shooting at the lowest f/stop (never do this, and I know better, yet I still did it). If you zoom in on any of these images you'll see that the stars around the periphery look like smudges. So I have dubbed this lens my "Monet" lens - don't get too close to the images, it spoils the effect! All the images were processed with darks, flats, and bias images.

To all you newbie APers out there, here's what you get with some relatively inexpensive gear. So without ado, the images.
First one is the general Orion area - (21 images @ 192 seconds) total 67 minutes at ISO 1600
Orion Processed.jpg
Next is southern Canis Major down into Puppis - (25 images @ 91 seconds) total 38 minutes at ISO 1600
1 CMa Puppis Processed.jpg
Next is most of Vela into the west side of Carina - (26 images @ 101 seconds) total 44 minutes at ISO 1600
2 Vela Carina Processed.jpg
And finally, most of Carina (Eta Carina visible) with just a tad bit of the east side of Vela.
Carina Vela Processed.jpg
Stay tuned for a mosaic of everything but the Orion image. I hope you enjoyed this fun episode after 11 long months of drought (Atacama desert drought!)

Cheers,
JT
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."

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Juno16 United States of America
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Re: Southern Milky Way

#2

Post by Juno16 »


Great images JT. Fine deal on the he tripod too!

11 months!!! I thought that it was bad here! No way! My main problem is that when it’s good, the seeing is usually poor but you probably have that issue too!

Its really cool that you can capture these nightscapes from home.

New mount coming soon?
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
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
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sdbodin United States of America
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Re: Southern Milky Way

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Post by sdbodin »


Nice, I remember these views from my time in the 50th State. Get us Crux when it come up and skims the horizon in early spring.

Clear skies,
Steve
Scopes; Meade 16 LX200, AT80LE, plus bunch just sitting around gathering dust
Cameras; Atik 460ex mono, Zwo ASI1600MC-cool, QHY5L-II color and mono
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Baskevo
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Re: Southern Milky Way

#4

Post by Baskevo »


Wow! That is incredible! That's, what... less than $400 in gear including the camera? Incredible...

I had no idea you can see carina from Hawaii! Man, I would love a trip out there.

I can't wait to see what you can do with your new EQ mount! Bravo, JT! Thanks for sharing :)
-James W.

Telescope: Explore Scientific 80mm FCD100 Triplet APO Refractor
Mount: EQ6-R Pro
Cameras: ZWO ASI1600mm Pro (Cooled) | Canon DSLR EOS T7i
Auto-guiding: ZWO ASI120mm-Mini + Astromania 50mm Guidescope

Filters: ZWO 31mm Ha/Oiii/Sii 7nm + LRGB | Orion 2" Skyglow Filter
Accessories: Explore Scientific 2" Field Flattener, ZWO EFW 8 Position
Software: APT, SharpCap Pro, PHD2, CPWI | PixInsight, DeepSkyStacker, Photoshop

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/gp/186194203@N06/18B629
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bladekeeper
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Re: Southern Milky Way

#5

Post by bladekeeper »


Sweet images, JT!

Looking forward to the mosaic!
Bryan
Scopes: Apertura AD12 f/5; Celestron C6-R f/8; ES AR127 f/6.4; Stellarvue SV102T f/7; iOptron MC90 f/13.3; Orion ST80A f/5; ES ED80 f/6; Celestron Premium 80 f/11.4; Celestron C80 f/11.4; Unitron Model 142 f/16; Meade NG60 f/10
Mounts: Celestron AVX; Bresser EXOS-2; ES Twilight I; ES Twilight II; iOptron Cube-G; AZ3/wood tripod; Vixen Polaris
Binoculars: Pentax PCF WP II 10×50, Bresser Corvette 10×50, Bresser Hunter 16×50 and 8×40, Garrett Gemini 12×60 LW, Gordon 10×50, Apogee 20×100

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Bigzmey United States of America
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Re: Southern Milky Way

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Post by Bigzmey »


Nice captures JT! Did you manage anything between the clouds in those 11 months?
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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JayTee United States of America
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Re: Southern Milky Way

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Post by JayTee »


Bigzmey wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2020 1:49 am Nice captures JT! Did you manage anything between the clouds in those 11 months?
Yeah, the occasional 30 total minutes here and there of visual-only activities. It was pretty much observer for 60 seconds then wait 5 minutes for that batch of clouds to pass. Then you get another 60 seconds of observing before you are obscured again. This is pretty much "rinse and repeat" all night long. VERY FRUSTRATING!!!

On a very interesting side note, the mountain/hill in the picture is Koko Crater (elev 1208') in the Hawaiian language it is known as Kohelepelepe. I'm a bit uncomfortable to give you the translation on this post. Just google it with the word "meaning" to see what I mean.

Cheers,
JT
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3
∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."

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Bigzmey United States of America
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Re: Southern Milky Way

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Post by Bigzmey »


JayTee wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2020 1:58 am
Bigzmey wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2020 1:49 am Nice captures JT! Did you manage anything between the clouds in those 11 months?
On a very interesting side note, the mountain/hill in the picture is Koko Crater (elev 1208') in the Hawaiian language it is known as Kohelepelepe. I'm a bit uncomfortable to give you the translation on this post. Just google it with the word "meaning" to see what I mean.

Cheers,
JT
Good one JT! I needed a laugh today. :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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