Astrophotography Thread

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Astrophotography Thread (Page 1 of 20)

Posted: 11/11/2016 9:05:01 AM EST

I want to start an astrophotography thread, I really need to get back into this. Every since I was a kid I've wanted to shoot the night sky, but now that I'm older, finally have access to awesome cameras, a sweet telescope mount I just cannot find the time to do this.

I had cancer last year, did chemo through the summer, had a baby girl born in august, now free time is slowly starting to come back and this thread and hopefully you guys can help motivate me to start shooting again. I bought a sweet mount for astrophotography two years ago but have yet to actually shoot anything on it, its just an expensive coat rack right now.

So enough bullshit, I'm going to start doing this again, I have all the gear, that honestly I have almost no experience using.

Here is my current setup with the photos I've been working on over the past month

Here is the mount with two scope setup with the laptop

and here are the shots from my old mount. I should be able to get much longer exposures with the new mount and sharper stars

ISS paying us a visit

post up picks if you have them and join me in the journey. I envy those that live in dark sky sites, I live in light polluted usually cloudy skies upstate NY

Posted: 11/11/2016 9:16:01 AM EST

[#1]

I'm looking forward to this thread already. Off to a great start, and I am impressed with what you think are the shots that will be improved upon.

They are already great.

Posted: 11/11/2016 10:45:08 AM EST

[#2]

Very nice work.

I'm looking forward to more.

Posted: 11/11/2016 11:04:12 AM EST

[#3]

Cool, subscribed for more!

I haven't attempted many moon / star photos, hopefully I learn a thing or two from you folks.

Posted: 11/11/2016 11:19:19 AM EST

[#4]

I'm in on this. I've got equipment around that is begging to get used again.

Posted: 11/11/2016 11:27:02 AM EST

[#5]

this will be a huge learning process for me, I get so little time to practice that I'm very rusty. I'll pull my equipment out this weekend and shoot it for you guys this weekend. I've got the gear, just not the skill with the telescope or the time

Posted: 11/11/2016 12:06:22 PM EST

[#6]

Taggage for reading later.

Posted: 11/11/2016 3:34:12 PM EST

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
this will be a huge learning process for me, I get so little time to practice that I'm very rusty. I'll pull my equipment out this weekend and shoot it for you guys this weekend. I've got the gear, just not the skill with the telescope or the time

View Quote

Make time.

The stars will be there for a very long while ................. but you won't.

Posted: 11/11/2016 8:03:32 PM EST

[#8]

Love the deep field shots, I'd love to eventually get set up to get photos like that. Here are a couple wide angle shots I got this summer.

Milky Way by Justin Springer, on Flickr

Milky Way over Flagstaff by Justin Springer, on Flickr

Posted: 11/11/2016 8:27:32 PM EST

[#9]

Great thread.

Recycle of the some old pix...

DSC_8848-Moon160124 Early by FredMan, on Flickr

Silo Starstack 2016-03-29 by FredMan, on Flickr

DSC_3657-Melk Weg by FredMan, on Flickr

Edit by FredMan, on Flickr

Milky House Vert by FredMan, on Flickr

DSC_0100-Jupiter by FredMan, on Flickr

Posted: 11/12/2016 6:38:31 PM EST

[#10]

Dude

I've got probably a 18 year old Meade telescope I might need to see if I can adapt my D7200 to.

Posted: 11/12/2016 7:03:33 PM EST

[#11]

Not quite there. About 35 hours to the closest approach.

Penultimate Supermoon 2016-11-12 by FredMan, on Flickr

Posted: 11/12/2016 9:32:27 PM EST

[#12]

messed around with my scope tonight, took a few test shots with a new way to mount my camera. Moon was washing pretty much everything in the sky out, but I'll post up some pics tomorrow.

Posted: 11/13/2016 10:57:54 AM EST

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
messed around with my scope tonight, took a few test shots with a new way to mount my camera. Moon was washing pretty much everything in the sky out, but I'll post up some pics tomorrow.

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Just for fun, try the Pleiades some night when you can't think of anything else, if you can get a wide enough field. (1.5 degrees should do it.)

Posted: 11/13/2016 6:41:46 PM EST

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:

Just for fun, try the Pleiades some night when you can't think of anything else, if you can get a wide enough field. (1.5 degrees should do it.)

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Quoted:

Quoted:
messed around with my scope tonight, took a few test shots with a new way to mount my camera. Moon was washing pretty much everything in the sky out, but I'll post up some pics tomorrow.

Just for fun, try the Pleiades some night when you can't think of anything else, if you can get a wide enough field. (1.5 degrees should do it.)

I love looking at them through my scope. I was actually going to shoot them because they are an easy target but the moon was washing everything out, I doubt I would have picked up the nebulae

Posted: 11/13/2016 8:24:01 PM EST

[#15]

This is my current 'artistic' obsession, planning long driving trips for it..

I have a shit tripod and rudimentary skills (well I got A's in my photography classes in college, but that was film and theory) but I can make some neat things.

Anaconda_ABE_DBE by sseagle, on Flickr

Did I say I could make neat things? No this was some technical wizardry with a free stacking program and a very expensive astrophotography program, all wrapped up with following a checklist because I haven't sat down and learned and read and absorbed.

You are way ahead of me, I have no tracking, no great lens or any kind of telescope.

Posted: 11/13/2016 9:24:19 PM EST

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:

I love looking at them through my scope. I was actually going to shoot them because they are an easy target but the moon was washing everything out, I doubt I would have picked up the nebulae

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
messed around with my scope tonight, took a few test shots with a new way to mount my camera. Moon was washing pretty much everything in the sky out, but I'll post up some pics tomorrow.

Just for fun, try the Pleiades some night when you can't think of anything else, if you can get a wide enough field. (1.5 degrees should do it.)

I love looking at them through my scope. I was actually going to shoot them because they are an easy target but the moon was washing everything out, I doubt I would have picked up the nebulae

If the sun were at the distance of the Pleiades it would be seen as an 11th magnitude star, so just imagine how bright the brightest Pleiades really are.

Also the double cluster in Perseus is nice.

Posted: 11/13/2016 9:49:38 PM EST

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:

If the sun were at the distance of the Pleiades it would be seen as an 11th magnitude star, so just imagine how bright the brightest Pleiades really are.

Also the double cluster in Perseus is nice.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
messed around with my scope tonight, took a few test shots with a new way to mount my camera. Moon was washing pretty much everything in the sky out, but I'll post up some pics tomorrow.

Just for fun, try the Pleiades some night when you can't think of anything else, if you can get a wide enough field. (1.5 degrees should do it.)

I love looking at them through my scope. I was actually going to shoot them because they are an easy target but the moon was washing everything out, I doubt I would have picked up the nebulae

If the sun were at the distance of the Pleiades it would be seen as an 11th magnitude star, so just imagine how bright the brightest Pleiades really are.

Also the double cluster in Perseus is nice.

The double cluster was one of the first objects i saw through a telescope and has remained a personal favorite. I did take a shot of it last night, i just havent had time to work on anything to show you guys.

I need to go over my gear and relearn a lot about my mount, between cancer and babies its been well over a year and i'm rusty. Once i start getting good alignments and my guide scope set up i hope to start producing decent photos.

Posted: 11/13/2016 9:50:16 PM EST

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:
This is my current 'artistic' obsession, planning long driving trips for it..

I have a shit tripod and rudimentary skills (well I got A's in my photography classes in college, but that was film and theory) but I can make some neat things.

<a href="https://flic.kr/p/LUjDLp" target="_blank">https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5491/29471794643_cc0f9aed0c_o.jpg</a>Anaconda_ABE_DBE by sseagle, on Flickr

Did I say I could make neat things? No this was some technical wizardry with a free stacking program and a very expensive astrophotography program, all wrapped up with following a checklist because I haven't sat down and learned and read and absorbed.

You are way ahead of me, I have no tracking, no great lens or any kind of telescope.

View Quote

Love it man, post more shots!

Posted: 11/13/2016 10:06:48 PM EST

[#19]

Quote History

Quoted:

Love it man, post more shots!

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This was my first attempt.

_010216_ABE by sseagle, on Flickr

This was when Mars was large and in charge. (damn clouds+light pollution) I think the lower, lefter object was jupiter.

Autosave_ABEx by sseagle, on Flickr

Lots of light pollution, even two hours from home.

_DSC3061 by sseagle, on Flickr

Posted: 11/13/2016 11:11:09 PM EST

[#20]

http://www.cleardarksky.com/csk/index.html#chart_list

Here is a helpful resource for guys looking to find dark areas to try out night photography. It give the Bortle rating of locations which is a basically a rating of how much light pollution there is for that area. The scale goes from 1 which is the darkest/best (very few locations like this anymore, parts of Big Bend state park and Natl Park in Texas are some of the few in the lower 48) to 9 which would be like downtown in any major city. It also gives an astronomical forecast for viewing conditions by the hour based on cloud cover and a couple other atmospheric conditions.

Posted: 11/15/2016 5:27:14 PM EST

[#21]

I really like the M81/M82 photo.

Posted: 11/17/2016 1:59:14 PM EST

[#22]

waiting on clear skies and a night with no moon

snow and rain are forecast for the next week here

I'm going to spend a few hours on one target next chance I get and just shoot and shoot.

most great astro photos have hours of exposure time into them

Posted: 11/22/2016 8:18:27 AM EST

[#23]

still waiting on clear skies

It was 70 degrees on Saturday. Its now 28 degrees and I have over 2 feet of snow in my yard

wtf nature?

Posted: 11/22/2016 8:57:08 AM EST

[#24]

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still waiting on clear skies

It was 70 degrees on Saturday. Its now 28 degrees and I have over 2 feet of snow in my yard

wtf nature?

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Global warming. Yep. That's the one.

Posted: 11/22/2016 4:30:11 PM EST

[#25]

The weather knows when you are off. That's why it's always cloudy on Friday and Saturday nights here.

Posted: 11/28/2016 4:47:49 PM EST

[#26]

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Quoted:
The weather knows when you are off. That's why it's always cloudy on Friday and Saturday nights here.

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its been endless cloudy skies here. So what I'm going to do tomorrow is find a few of my old Orion shots and show you guys how I process them

Posted: 12/4/2016 9:35:42 PM EST

[#27]

Quote History

Quoted:

its been endless cloudy skies here. So what I'm going to do tomorrow is find a few of my old Orion shots and show you guys how I process them

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That's kind of what I've been dealing with. We've been dry and clear here for several months, to the point we've had burn bans and stuff in effect. But then I buy a new toy in a DSLR and it's done nothing but rain since last weekend when I bought it. Even on the few days that it hasn't rained, the skies have been way to overcast to take any good pictures of anything.

Posted: 12/5/2016 9:36:03 PM EST

[#28]

This is the best I could do, about 50 miles NW of downtown Phoenix (it would be another 50 miles out for dark skies). Probably about 20 shots and 10 darks combined at 35mm.

This is from the backyard, at 600mm.

Posted: 12/7/2016 3:34:17 PM EST

[#29]

Posted: 12/7/2016 7:30:32 PM EST

[#30]

Quote History

Quoted:

Global warming. Yep. That's the one.

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Just sounds like regular Texas weather

Posted: 12/7/2016 7:31:23 PM EST

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:
http://i.imgur.com/ddSQIPj.png

http://i.imgur.com/4mviMXM.gif

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Looks like you should take some snow pictures

Posted: 12/8/2016 8:36:12 PM EST

[#32]

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Quoted:

Looks like you should take some snow pictures

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Took some the other day when we got our first snow, but you've already seen them.

Posted: 12/8/2016 9:03:47 PM EST

[#33]

I'm dying for a clear night, doesn't look likely soon. Was planning on renting a Rokinon for the xmas-new year week and going out.

_DSC3253 by sseagle, on Flickr

This is where I did my last series of shots with teh shitty lens. Going to pack a tent and bag next trip.

Posted: 12/9/2016 5:41:23 AM EST

[#34]

So this is kind of my first "real" shot at astrophotography. The fastest lens I have is the 50mm f/1.8 so it isn't perfect but I think I did okay. Orion pops up perfectly over the driveway around 1am this time of year so I tried to get a shot of it.

Unfortunately this also made me realize I have a lot that I need to improve on. I'm thinking the 5 second exposure was too long coupled with not getting the focus perfectly dialed in, but other than aurora shots I have zero experience with this kind of stuff. I need to get better at it, considering I really want to buy a D810 (or 810A) and throw the 14-24 on it. Kinda my dream camera setup right there.

D7200 with 50mm f/1.8
ISO 400 5 second exposure

Posted: 12/9/2016 11:55:29 AM EST

[#35]

Nice thread..

My contribution.
Single shot
Nikon D810
Nikkor 14-24mm 2.8
30 second exposure
Backlit by me and a Fenix flashlight.

Posted: 12/9/2016 1:59:43 PM EST

[#36]

Quote History

Quoted:
Nice thread..

My contribution.
Single shot
Nikon D810
Nikkor 14-24mm 2.8
30 second exposure
Backlit by me and a Fenix flashlight.

View Quote

I think you forgot the picture

Posted: 12/9/2016 2:08:01 PM EST

[#37]

when I finally have money to buy shit I don't need again I'll probably get this for quick grab and go

Quote History

Quoted:
So this is kind of my first "real" shot at astrophotography. The fastest lens I have is the 50mm f/1.8 so it isn't perfect but I think I did okay. Orion pops up perfectly over the driveway around 1am this time of year so I tried to get a shot of it.

Unfortunately this also made me realize I have a lot that I need to improve on. I'm thinking the 5 second exposure was too long coupled with not getting the focus perfectly dialed in, but other than aurora shots I have zero experience with this kind of stuff. I need to get better at it, considering I really want to buy a D810 (or 810A) and throw the 14-24 on it. Kinda my dream camera setup right there.

D7200 with 50mm f/1.8
ISO 400 5 second exposure

http://img11.deviantart.net/0f4b/i/2016/344/5/c/orion_over_alaska_by_aknorthpolar-dar4t1c.jpg?1

View Quote

Hey we all have to start somewhere. Astrophotography is a serious challenge. I've been thinking about building a barn door tracker for wide field shots

http://www.astropix.com/bgda/sample2/sample2.html

iOptron SkyTracker Pro Camera Mount with Polar Scope, 6.6lbs Capacity

iOptron SkyTracker Pro Camera Mount with Polar Scope - Alt-azi Base (Installed) - AccuAlign Dark Field Illuminated Polar Scope - Brass 3/8" and 1/4" Threaded Ball Head Mounting Post(Installed) - Padded Carry Bag - Micro USB Charging Cable - iOptron 1 Year Limited Warranty
Mount: Ultra compact single axis EQ
Body material: Die-cast aluminum with ABS cover

SkyWatcher S20510 Star Adventurer Astro Package (Black)

Multiple preprogrammed speeds for time lapse photography
Tracking rate selectable between Sidereal, Solar and Lunar
Built in polar scope with illuminator

Posted: 12/9/2016 2:25:15 PM EST

[#38]

Yeah.. got some sort of error.. trying again.

Attached File

Posted: 12/9/2016 2:34:55 PM EST

[#39]

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Quoted:
Yeah.. got some sort of error.. trying again.https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/156207/IMG-0042-103587.JPG

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sweet.

Is that a flashlight? strobe? aliens?

Posted: 12/9/2016 2:43:10 PM EST

[#40]

flashlight.

I had the camera on an interval timer. Taking a 30 second photo every 32 seconds.. Walked around the tree. Tried several brightness settings on the camera over several shots. This is the one I liked the most.

Posted: 12/9/2016 2:47:07 PM EST

[#41]

Another image.

Attached File

Almost new moon on the right and a comet on the left. Shot several years ago.
D700
300mm 2.8 Nikkor
middle of South Dakota after driving several hours from my home in the Twin Cities as this was the only day that this conjunction would occur. Snowing back home and prayed for a break in the clouds when I got to where my weather sources said it would be clear.

Posted: 12/9/2016 2:50:01 PM EST

[#42]

To keep this going.

Attached File

Used a series of single images stitched together to make this sweeping pano. Shot on the north shore of Superior in Minnesota. Split Rock Lighthouse in the background with just a hint of the aurora.