Orion Nebula

BubbleTelescope

BubbleTelescope

Active Member
A new one for me, the Orion Nebula!

Preview_jpeg_be1e2b8e-6a11-4ea9-b040-ca3586d5c9e6.jpg


When I got my Dob last year, I knew this would be one that I would want to photograph. It is big, bright, and colorful. As a result it is an easier target for someone like me who is operating outside of what my focus normally is (planetary astrophotography, with equipment optimized for PA).

This is a simple 10 second exposure. The tracking on my Dob is capable of an accurate track without trailing for up to 30 seconds, but I found it difficult to get the exposure settings right, and it was not necessary for my purposes. From initial setup to full takedown my entire session was only about 2 hours, and that included time to learn a bit about my new Electronic Automatic Focuser.

A simple goal, and a fun success. Tonight was a good night.
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
Getting a Dob and getting it to image is no simple or easy task. My hat goes off to you! I am a bit nervous about getting one of the Celestron 8" Edges to use on my existing mount, but using a Dob? That would make my knees shake!

It's amazing the detail that you got in a single 10 second exposure. What camera are you using?

When you get time, share some of your planetary images. That's the reason I am thinking about getting that Celestron 8", though I know its a bit short for planetary, I do hope to get my feet wet in the coming year, and I figured the 8" was a good place to start.
 
BubbleTelescope

BubbleTelescope

Active Member
JimFox said:
Getting a Dob and getting it to image is no simple or easy task. My hat goes off to you! I am a bit nervous about getting one of the Celestron 8" Edges to use on my existing mount, but using a Dob? That would make my knees shake!

It's amazing the detail that you got in a single 10 second exposure. What camera are you using?

When you get time, share some of your planetary images. That's the reason I am thinking about getting that Celestron 8", though I know its a bit short for planetary, I do hope to get my feet wet in the coming year, and I figured the 8" was a good place to start.
Click to expand...
I am using an ASI678MC, which is a Planetary Camera (and my only camera lol). It is back illuminated so it has an excellent snr and virtually no amp glow. It is not cooled however, and it's smaller pixels are better suited for PA. It is not a Deep Sky camera, but it is a very good camera. I like it leaps and bounds better over the 224MC, which is what I started with, and consider it well worth the slightly higher price.

I will definitely be returning to my primary discipline of Planetary Astrophotography. The weather has been less than cooperative here in Washington State, sidelining me for several months (I missed an ISS Moon Transit due to cloud cover!)

Any of the SCTs 8" or above is ideal for Planetary. They have a very long focal length and a small field of view. For me, the SCT took some getting used to. An 8" will allow you to set up and use frequently, and yield good pictures. And they are relatively inexpensive. You can always decide later to go up in aperture if you like it. I've seen people carry and mount the 9.25 inch by themselves, but anything bigger gets to be very heavy and cumbersome. A lot of folks have theirs permanently mounted on a pier. The C14 has generally been considered the Gold Standard.

Personally I ended up moving to a dob for a bit more ease of use, more aperture, and a brighter image. However my FL is actually shorter than most SCTs, so you will get a larger image to work with. I took the tradeoff, counting on the big mirror to make up for the flaws inherent in a Dob, and so far have not been disappointed. But the SCT is probably the best Planetary setup 👍👍
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
BubbleTelescope said:
I am using an ASI678MC, which is a Planetary Camera (and my only camera lol). It is back illuminated so it has an excellent snr and virtually no amp glow. It is not cooled however, and it's smaller pixels are better suited for PA. It is not a Deep Sky camera, but it is a very good camera. I like it leaps and bounds better over the 224MC, which is what I started with, and consider it well worth the slightly higher price.

I will definitely be returning to my primary discipline of Planetary Astrophotography. The weather has been less than cooperative here in Washington State, sidelining me for several months (I missed an ISS Moon Transit due to cloud cover!)

Any of the SCTs 8" or above is ideal for Planetary. They have a very long focal length and a small field of view. For me, the SCT took some getting used to. An 8" will allow you to set up and use frequently, and yield good pictures. And they are relatively inexpensive. You can always decide later to go up in aperture if you like it. I've seen people carry and mount the 9.25 inch by themselves, but anything bigger gets to be very heavy and cumbersome. A lot of folks have theirs permanently mounted on a pier. The C14 has generally been considered the Gold Standard.

Personally I ended up moving to a dob for a bit more ease of use, more aperture, and a brighter image. However my FL is actually shorter than most SCTs, so you will get a larger image to work with. I took the tradeoff, counting on the big mirror to make up for the flaws inherent in a Dob, and so far have not been disappointed. But the SCT is probably the best Planetary setup 👍👍
Click to expand...
A camera with no Amp Glow is really the way to go. When I got into Astro a few years back, the 2600mc Pro had just been released. I had the 1600mc pro being recommended by some friends, but the amp glow turned me off. The 2600 didn't have amp glow and it was a crop sensor which since I am coming from a regular photography background, the crop sensor appealed to me. Though I know in astro there is so many things to consider like pixel size matching up with field of views.

I appreciate the rest of the info. the portability of the 8" appeals to me, as I don't have a set place to image from, so I am traveling with my gear to dark sky sites with Joshua Tree National Park being one of my favorites. Though I have imaged from California to Wyoming with my gear.

Thanks!
 
JimFox

JimFox

Moderator
Staff member
PS. The ISS transit over the moon is on my list to things I want to capture. Clouds and time have been my main issue, but I would sure love to capture that this year. The frame rate on my 2600mc Pro isn't really fast enough, but hopefully it will do.
 
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