*** The Official Astronomy & Universe Thread ***

Soldato
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Well maybe one day ;)

Would be interesting if it's an entirely liquid planet (well, on the surface). We need to learn how to talk to Dolphins damnit! :p

Although personally i find Gliese 581 and it's various exoplanets a more tantalizing prospect, as at just 20 light years it would be feasible with actual technology to reach it in within a human lifespan.
 
Associate
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Really enjoying this thread, keep up the good work guys!

just gonna dump this here,

HorseheadNebula.jpg


http://www.global-rent-a-scope.com/
 
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Associate
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:eek:

What equipment do you have and how easy is it, do you live remotely so no light pollution.

Well actually I live and image from smack bang in the center of London - It makes things trickier and you are definitely more limited but there are still very effective ways around the light pollution such as narrowband filters.
 
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:cool:

Welcome to astronomy gadget acquisition syndrome.. won't be long before you'll end up with this:

PA280071_800.jpg

Is that your setup Nick? Very nice :)

I just bought a QHY9 and filter wheel so I too should have some new pictures coming through soon, as soon as I get these bloody QHY drivers to work - they're horrendous!
 
Soldato
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Is that your setup Nick? Very nice :)

I just bought a QHY9 and filter wheel so I too should have some new pictures coming through soon, as soon as I get these bloody QHY drivers to work - they're horrendous!

Yup, that's my baby. I went with ATIK because the 16ic was so good and hearing a higher proportion of horror stories from QY cams. I've actually ended up porting their driver library for them from Windows to Mac :D.
 
Associate
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Hmmmmmm dont you just hate it when after doing some looking around you end up more confused about what to get ......

Andrews Communications said:
Skywatcher 150 x 750P w/EQ3-2
equatorial mount/tripod package

New low price!

$499.00 AUD
In stock!
Don't pay $559+ elsewhere!

Excellent quality 150mm x 750mm
full focal length parabolic Newtonian reflector on the medium duty EQ3-2 equatorial mount and tripod! Not a short-tube catadioptric design.

or

Andrews Communications said:
Skywatcher Black Diamond
130 x 650P EQ2

New low price!

$349.00 AUD
In stock!

Excellent quality 130mm x 650mm Newtonian reflector with PARABOLIC primary mirror for extra sharp clarity, on the stable EQ2 equatorial mount with adjustable height aluminium tripod legs.

Or the celestron a few posts above?
 
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Then I think it will be the EQ3-2 option :)
As we live in the city in a apartment day to day it will be living in our storeroom next to our parking space, so easy to just put in the back of the car and then out to somewhere darker to have a bit of stargazing fun :)
 
Associate
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Another Orion, this time in colour:

6478975629_db9f1bcf7c_b.jpg


And a 200% zoom and crop of the original:

6474931009_9260ee470b_b.jpg


The above images were only 4 single shot exposures in LRGB with no calibration files as I didn't really have time. These are the first shots I've taken with my new QHY9 cooled CCD (such a huge difference to using an uncooled DSLR!) I'll be adding more possibly this weekend and multiplying them over these will make a much smoother image.

Actually to demonstrate the difference between a DSLR and cooled CCD I can make a comparison picture to show the difference and post it up here incase anyone is interested in making the jump like I did.

Also here's a bad picture of my setup:

6476653395_a2a4a21512_b.jpg
 
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Associate
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Unfortunately I couldn't find an old DSLR image which matched all the same setting as my latest but here is one that is quite close and illustrates the difference quite well. The CCD image was 5 minutes while I think the DSLR was 8 or 9:

6474838335_d59d73d16f_b.jpg
 
Soldato
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Unfortunately I couldn't find an old DSLR image which matched all the same setting as my latest but here is one that is quite close and illustrates the difference quite well. The CCD image was 5 minutes while I think the DSLR was 8 or 9:

6474838335_d59d73d16f_b.jpg

Careful with burning out the core! You may want to run a set of short length subs and then use pawnshop layers to solve the burn out of the trapezium.

A CCD is a very different beast compared to a daylight camera..
 
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Yea that was just a first light really - I would've done a few short length subs but I'd already started packing away and thought I would save that for next time.

Had a chance to play around with your Atik yet? Can't wait to see the images!
 
Soldato
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Yea that was just a first light really - I would've done a few short length subs but I'd already started packing away and thought I would save that for next time.

Had a chance to play around with your Atik yet? Can't wait to see the images!

A little, unfortunately tonight may be clear as a bell.. but I'm shattered!
 
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We won't see all of it but:

December 10th - 15:00 onwards

There is a total eclipse of the Moon on the 10th but, sadly, we will only be able to observe the final part of the partial phase and it will probably only appear as if a "bite" has been taken out of it. Look towards the North-East and the further north and east your location in the UK the better. The Moon rises at 15:24 in Aberdeen, 15:49 in Manchester, 15:51 in London but 16:09 in Exeter. The Earth's shadow finally clears the Moon's surface at 16:18 pm. As should be apparent, this will be the night of the Full Moon. I am not convinced that it is worth travelling to the northern tip of Scotland for this one!

http://www.jodrellbank.manchester.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/
 
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