smr's Astrophotography

Random Guy Esq. · 31 Oct 2019 at 01:36

Amazing!

Zirax · 2 Nov 2019 at 21:12

Excellent work, bet you are loving the longer nights

Just curious but would a light pollution filter make that much difference?

smr · 4 Nov 2019 at 09:17

The_Abyss said:
Meh, when you’ve seen one galaxy...

Awesome, as always.

Thanks. Yeah you'd be surprised though! This and Andromeda look quite similar but as you'll know there are so many varied galaxies.

Random Guy Esq. said:
Amazing!

Thanks!

Zirax said:
Excellent work, bet you are loving the longer nights

Just curious but would a light pollution filter make that much difference?

Thanks. Yes the longer nights are welcome, might be colder but that's better for noise and being able to image from 6pm is great.

Where I am I don't think I need a light pollution filter for some targets, ie. ones that are quite high in the sky nearer the zenith. the winter constellations are quite low though, nearer the sky fog, so I think I will buy a decent light pollution filter for them - probably the IDAS D2, but it's not cheap, it's about £180, although it does help with LED lights and although I don't have any direct source of LED Lights there's that general sky glow which is more whiteish.

smr · 4 Nov 2019 at 09:18

Vlog on the Triangulum Galaxy image here

Zirax · 22 Dec 2019 at 16:14

Have you been upto anything recently?

Minstadave · 22 Dec 2019 at 16:18

No-One said:
I only have a 70D with the 18-135 IS STM and a Sigma 10-20 but I did get these at Rutland Water back in March. They're more nightscapes than astro but they still give a general idea of what the sky is like here

When I was on holiday in Tenerife last year I managed to go on a trip up Mt. Teide at night. The view of the night sky from that altitude was incredible. I want to go back now and rent a car just so I can spend time up there with my camera. I did get a couple of shots of the milky way core but nothing special

Nice to see another Rutlander! Bought my daughter a telescope for xmas, so hopefully will get to do a little astro photography this year.

smr · 24 Dec 2019 at 12:45

Zirax said:
Have you been upto anything recently?

I've got a couple of images coming soon.. perhaps before the end of the year.

Also made a new video on my gear and how it all connects etc. Oh yeah and a new rendering of Andromeda at the end of the video which you can see below too.

Messier 31 by Joel Spencer, on Flickr

Cyclone · 25 Jan 2020 at 23:45

Stunning pictures smr

I've just got an AstroMaster 130eq, and I know its a beginners scope, I hope to get something similar (although not as good

)

Mcnumpty2323 · 26 Jan 2020 at 00:00

Stunning stuff mate

Spent a lot of time up the West Coast of the Highlands
Shame cameras weren't something I was into
As would have got some great shots
No idea what a bortle reading is
Lol
But I can assure you that it was really bloody dark up there.

The_Arbiter · 26 Jan 2020 at 09:49

These are nice, amazing work. For some reason i failed to acknowledge that even small telescopes have to expose for so long, bit of a durrr thought.

I remember stopping in the middle of Arizona at night, looking at the stars was in awe. Never imagined the light pollution here was that bad.

NickK · 26 Jan 2020 at 21:09

Super pictures.

I have a Pentax 105SDP on an old school NEQ6 mount with some ATIK cameras. I have a concrete mount in the back garden

After a break of 5 years I’ve just finishing the rebuilding/updates of my control system (Kstars + INDI) only for a hospital op to pause play.

I might then get a chance to get some photo time.

Rannoch · 26 Jan 2020 at 21:16

Very nice. I’m looking at a new scope just now. How I miss my 22”, I don’t miss the hassle that it brings though.

NickK · 26 Jan 2020 at 21:30

Cyclone said:
Stunning pictures smr

I've just got an AstroMaster 130eq, and I know its a beginners scope, I hope to get something similar (although not as good )

Cool - you can take shorter exposures (trapezium for example) letting the object drift across the field of view. Then stack using one of the free tools and you’re on your way

I did that with m51 about 30 second exposures on a visual eq alignment. Forgot about it (the guy next to me had an absolutely stunning self made 28” dob with ludicrous f 1/10 mirrors - gob smacking visuals). Only later I stacked and got a really nice image

koolpc · 26 Jan 2020 at 22:14

Stunning captures. Quite a bit of thought and work gone into the whole process. Well done indeed. Very fascinating subject.

Thanks for sharing.

smr · 6 Apr 2020 at 21:59

Hi all,

A photograph of the Moon on Sunday night... 85 percent Waxing Gibbous.

Moon by Joel Spencer, on Flickr

Video on it here;

Quartz · 6 Apr 2020 at 22:19

That 'star' near the moon is Venus, isn't it?

smr · 7 Apr 2020 at 23:32

Cyclone said:
Stunning pictures smr

I've just got an AstroMaster 130eq, and I know its a beginners scope, I hope to get something similar (although not as good )

Thanks very much. How are you getting on with your scope, it seems to have good reviews.

Mcnumpty2323 said:
Stunning stuff mate

Spent a lot of time up the West Coast of the Highlands
Shame cameras weren't something I was into
As would have got some great shots
No idea what a bortle reading is
Lol
But I can assure you that it was really bloody dark up there.

Thanks ! Bortle scale;

The_Arbiter said:
These are nice, amazing work. For some reason i failed to acknowledge that even small telescopes have to expose for so long, bit of a durrr thought.

I remember stopping in the middle of Arizona at night, looking at the stars was in awe. Never imagined the light pollution here was that bad.

Yep the light pollution in most places in the UK isn't good really. Wales seems to have quite a bit of land free from light pollution.

NickK said:
Super pictures.

I have a Pentax 105SDP on an old school NEQ6 mount with some ATIK cameras. I have a concrete mount in the back garden

After a break of 5 years I’ve just finishing the rebuilding/updates of my control system (Kstars + INDI) only for a hospital op to pause play.

I might then get a chance to get some photo time.

Thanks, managed to get out with your gear?

Rannoch said:
Very nice. I’m looking at a new scope just now. How I miss my 22”, I don’t miss the hassle that it brings though.

22" wow, heavy I expect?

koolpc said:
Stunning captures. Quite a bit of thought and work gone into the whole process. Well done indeed. Very fascinating subject.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks very much for looking!

Quartz said:
That 'star' near the moon is Venus, isn't it?

Not Venus no as that was over to the West and the Star I was referring to was over to the East. It was bright but at the moment Venus is bright too.

Rannoch · 7 Apr 2020 at 23:45

@smr the 22” was a big lump. I had it for a few years ans sold it on Stargazers Lounge. In February I drove down south to pickup an Obsession 18”, lovely scope, the mirrors are in mint condition and it’s very easy to manage.

Mcnumpty2323 · 8 Apr 2020 at 08:11

Given the incredible distance away the objects you are photographing are
Are you actually photographing the object?
Or simply capturing the light that left the object a long time ago?
Ie could something you photograph actually be no longer physically there?
Guess that's more of an astrophysics question than photography lol
But always wondered about that

whitecrook · 8 Apr 2020 at 10:40

Mcnumpty2323 said:
Given the incredible distance away the objects you are photographing are
Are you actually photographing the object?
Or simply capturing the light that left the object a long time ago?
Ie could something you photograph actually be no longer physically there?
Guess that's more of an astrophysics question than photography lol
But always wondered about that

a) whats the difference between photographing the object or capturing the light?

theres no difference

b) yes