A Closer Look at Luna

[nighthound]

Here are a couple higher magnification Lunar shots. These were taken with a Nikon Coolpix 4300 attached to the telescope eyepiece.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Nighthd/Astrophotography/Lunar%20Photography/View.jpg

The crater Copernicus. 60 miles across.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y67/Nighthd/Astrophotography/Lunar%20Photography/View-3.jpg

NH

[Jonathan]

WOW a coolpix...i bow my head in shamebowdown; Love the composition in the first one. This is some great detail and it puts you in outerspace!! Very Sci-fi

[Rudi]

Nice work, NH!

I loved my old Coolpix 990 for these kinds of shots (will have to dig them up). The filter thread was the perfect size to attach directly to the eyepiece adaptor for high magnification photography through the telescope.

P.S. Copernicus has to be everyone's favourite crater! :)

[Roger]

What telescope and telescope eyepiece did you use for this?

I wonder what I would need to do the same with my Rebel Xt....

[Lisa]

NH:

These are awesome, yet again! I cannot believe these were taken with a Coolpix! Just excellent work....sure hope to see more!

[Kevin]

I bet I'd be entertained for hours just browsing around your harddrive looking at all your astro photos!

[nighthound]

Thanks everyone.

Lundrog, it's been a while, couple years actually since I took these. I shot the first image using a Meade LXD55 5" refractor and if my memory serves me right I used a 20 or 26mm Plossl eyepiece. That scope has no tracking but with lunar images it's not manditory because exposures are relatively short.(1/200-1/500th on average at 200 ISO).

The second shot was taken with a 10" Meade LX200 which does have tracking and I used a 20mm eyepiece for that one. I attached the camera to the eyepieces with a Scopetronix Digi-T adapter. I set the zoom to almost full to get the lens as close to the eyepiece as possible. This helps minimize vignetting and helps with focus, which the camera does. I set the delay timer, press the shutter button and wait for exposure. I haven't done any afocal imaging in quite a while. Prime focus is more suited for the objects I go after these days. I'll do it again, I'm just pressing myself to learn the ins and outs of deep sky imaging right now.

NH

[Roger]

Thanks everyone.

Lundrog, it's been a while, couple years actually since I took these. I shot the first image using a Meade LXD55 5" refractor and if my memory serves me right I used a 20 or 26mm Plossl eyepiece. That scope has no tracking but with lunar images it's not manditory because exposures are relatively short.(1/200-1/500th on average at 200 ISO).

The second shot was taken with a 10" Meade LX200 which does have tracking and I used a 20mm eyepiece for that one. I attached the camera to the eyepieces with a Scopetronix Digi-T adapter. I set the zoom to almost full to get the lens as close to the eyepiece as possible. This helps minimize vignetting and helps with focus, which the camera does. I set the delay timer, press the shutter button and wait for exposure. I haven't done any afocal imaging in quite a while. Prime focus is more suited for the objects I go after these days. I'll do it again, I'm just pressing myself to learn the ins and outs of deep sky imaging right now.

NH


Well that makes sense, I thought those had to be from a high quailty telescope. I wonder if you could get anyting good out of a walmart brand....

[Robert]

Wow! I can't believe the resolution you've achieved. So much of what's out in space is inaccessible to view and that, for me ,is one of the reasons I find your images so wonderful to see.:)