Set ups

[jpro747]

Hi,

Not sure if this topic has already been created, but I thought it would be a good idea to show each other our set ups and how we are taking our photos. This way we can help each other solve problems that occur when taking photos.
I am having trouble finding a good way of attaching my camera to my telescope, so I wondered if anyone could help?

here is my setup:

Canon 350D (setting 'M' on 400 or 500) T-ring Telescope eyepiece

Canon 350D:
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n58/ ... 0184-1.jpg
Celestron Starhopper Telescope:
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n58/ ... 010185.jpg"
Attatching the camera to telescope:
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n58/ ... 010186.jpg
Camera attatched to eyepiece of telescope:
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n58/ ... 010187.jpg

I am having trouble with keeping the camera still as I have to hold the camera over the eyepiece, also it is hard to keep the camera clean inside, because it is exposed to the air so dust is getting in the sensor and mirrors.

[grztus]

Hi ContrailsUK

great idea about this topic!

I don't have any photo of my equipment now, but I'm using it in a little different way: Synta -> T2/EOS (with 2"->1,25" reduction) -> Eos 350d.

Like you see, I'm not using an exepiece, so I don't have any problems with handling my camera during taking a pictures. Of course I have the same problem as you with the dust. I'll try to add some photos next week.

[jpro747]

Hi,

Interesting set up grztus. I have tried using the telescope without an eyepiece, but I cant focus the scope on contrailing aircraft. I can only focus on things which are no more than 100m away. It seems strange as our telescopes are very similar. My knowledge of photography with telescopes isnt very good so I have a few more questions to ask:

Are you taking pics through any lens or eyepiece at all?

You say you use a reducer, is this helping you focus on the aircraft?

BTW, your emirates 777 pic is very good, congratulations on getting the peoples choice award on jetphotos!!!

[grztus]

I cannot take a photo, so I've tried to draw it
- blue - focuser

-red - 2"=>1.25" reducer

- green - T2/EOS reduction

I've tried to keep some proportions: the focuser is pull out at about 5 milimeters (and it's very similar type to yours), 2"=>1.25" is a reduction from the Synta's kit (it has maybe 2 mm) and the T2/EOS is about 2mm thin.

http://images22.fotosik.pl/14/bfa2325854451176.gif

My friend have the Celestron 114 scope (900mm/114mm) with 1"25 focuser and he couldn't focus infinity with Nikon so he have cutted few milimeters of his focuser and it's working now
I'm not using any exepiece or lens to focus my Synta on airplanes.

2"=>1.25" don't help me to focus, it don't have any influence on my photos.

I can't find any photo of T2/Eos reduction, but it's very similar to M42/Eos like this one:
http://www.astrokrak.pl/sklep/images/fu ... 42_eos.jpg
The difference is only inside: thread of T2/Eos has about 37mm (1.25") and M42/Eos has 42mm. By this thread you connect the camera and 2"=>1.25" reduction (which is connected to Synta scope).

[jpro747]

aaaaaaaah now I see!

I thing my t-ring is too big, so the camera isnt close enough to the focuser of the telescope. Ive just had a go with taking a pic, it seems to work now

Its going to be hard to get used to the image being the right way up after so long of looking at upside down planes

[grztus]

Last few days I have received an e-mail from our Belgium friend. Becouse I cannot send him a reply message (the server is returning some problem with his e-mail adress) I will give my answer here, hope that Stef sometimes are visiting our forum:

Here is the message from Stef:

Cytat:
Hi,

I'm Stef from Belgium and am taking for quite some years contrail pictures.

Recently, switched to a 8" Skywatcher and am experimenting with a short barlow 2x lens of TAL which goes straight into the tube without eyepiece.

Seems when using the barlow, I get always a brighter spot in the middle of my picture, this due to the spider vain (to hold the secondary mirror).

I wonder if you encounter the same problem when using your barlow, so pls check the picture in attach: any feedback welcome.

Regards, Stef

There was one photo in attachment.

And here is my reply:

Cytat:
Hello Stef, nice to meet you!
Nice photo of Austrian, the number of details and sharpness are really great!

There can be few reasons of problem you have wrote about, the spider vain can be one of it. In my Synta 10" I have a standard four arms secondary mirror holder.
I was looking for brighter spot on my photos with and without barlow, and I didn't found it.

In my scope the focuser have 2" diameter and the Soligor Barlow has also 2" diameter - it's giving him 38mm of active diameter, in 1.25" barlows it's about 24mm. And the CMOS/CCD sensors have usually about 22x15mm dimension. So if you are using 1.25" barlow one of the reason of brighter scope can be an active diameter of barlow lense: picture near the edges of focuser are quite darker than in the middle, and the 1.25" barlow can amplify this effect on the edges of it lense.

The other reason can be the black quality of your scope fuselage (I'mmnot an astronome, I don't known technical language from this area ).

It's mean that inside the tube of our scope there is need to have near ideal black walls, but in my scope walls are dark, but not black (it's about 70% grey). That's why the contrast are lower and the whole picture is brighter, so even if I have the same effect (brighter spot in centre)

I cannot find it on my photos.

Best regards,

Grzegorz Tuszyński

[jpro747]

Yes, Stef is on www.luchtzak.be

I have informed him of this forum

[grztus]

Thank you, I was wondering if you know him.

If you have any contact with, please let him know about my answer.

[jpro747]

I have sent your reply to him on the luchtzak.be forums.

[jpro747]

Hi, Grztus, I have noticed you have taken pictures of the sun, and therefore have a solar filter. I just wanted to know what kind of filter you are using as I am thinking of getting one.
Also, Stef says thanks very much!!

[grztus]

For this kind of spotting I'm using a solar foil http://deltaoptical.pl/deltasklep/shopp ... 00&lang=en. I have bought it with telescope. I was thinking of getting also some special solar filter to it (H-alpha or Solar Continuum), but they are a little expensive for me, so I'm using only this Baaders foil.

Of course you need to get as many foil, as your telescope diameter, becouse you must mount it behind the telescope tube (not in the focuser ).

On Monday I have seen the ISS station with Sun in background, I was ready for this with my camera, but the transit was really short and I was late with shutter button... When you will have your foil, check http://www.calsky.com/
Of course you will need to synchronize your clock, I'm using http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/what1.html

[jpro747]

Hi, I have gone for the cheap option and chosen baader planetarium astrosolar film (comes in A4 size), which is sort of like yours, except you have to build the filter yourself. I too was thinking of getting a h-alpha filter, but I also need to save up.