32 replies to this topic

[Matroskin]

Here's a picture of Mars I 've made recently via my Meade LT-8 SC:

 

 

Meade LT-8 SC, 2x Barlow Meade 4000 series, DSLR Canon EOS 600D, ISO 400, 1/40", 50 frames of 1000.

00:00 MSK (20:00 UTC) 12/11 April 2014, my balcony. Russian Federation, Saratov (51º30' N 46º02' E).

[MistrBadgr]

As elusive as Mars had been for me so far this pass, I think your picture is great!  Thank you for sharing it!

 

Bill Steen

[Matroskin]

Despite a temperature -20 C degrees (-4 F degrees) my Mead LT-8 SC works fine! 5 hours long - and there was not a single problem both for visuals and photo. The only new thing I added - a soft bag for the battery to protect it from moisture. That's the usualf bag from my binoculars - and it really helps. M42, Juppiter, telescope:

 

http://astrodummies....1/274941823.jpg

http://astrodummies..../258062045.jpg

http://astrodummies....2/112267194.jpg

 

All pics were made by Canon EOS 600D cam.

[MistrBadgr]

Good shots of the Orion Nebula and Jupiter. The Jupiter shot lets me know what I can expect to see visually with my scope. I like your dew shield! In your weather, that seems to me would be absolutely necessary.

Thanks for sharing!

Bill Steen

[Matroskin]

My dewshield is totally DIY, I used pressed paper and stick tape so it was extremely cheap - but it works well and I can easily fold it for the transportation. Without a dewshield a corrector lens very quickly covers with moisture - or, if to say about autumn/winter/spring, with a frost. Absolutely necessary accessoire for LT-8, yeah... As for Jupiter's pics - I suspect I can get some better results, but I need Jupiter to be higher in the sky. On my latitude (~ +52 degrees) planets rarely get really high so the image usually strongly suffers from the atmosphere chromatism. I always need to use RGB layers correction in Registax to get better results (example: http://astrodummies....low_test/3-0-77).

[Matroskin]

Just have returned from the Caucasus mountains. Never have yet took pictures on the 10 000 feet height. Here are some results (Meade LT-8, Canon EOS 600D, 30 s exp, 12800 ISO, noise correction in DSI, curves correction in GIMP): M8, M27, M82 and NGC7009 nebulas.

 

 

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[MistrBadgr]

Wow!  Those are really nice!

 

I thought about you last week sometime and wondered what you were up to.  Looks like you were up to a lot!

 

The LT and LS scope framework was not built with imaging in mind, more along the lines of portability, but they still seem to do a pretty good job.

 

I think of M-27 as being the "Apple Core Nebula."  M-82 is one of my favorites.  It is a real challenge object for me with a small scope.  I was able to see the supernova in it a year or so ago, while it was at Mag 11, with a 60 mm refractor from my suburban back yard.  I am so proud of that simple accomplishment that it seems silly to me.

 

Thank you for sharing!

 

Bill Steen

[Matroskin]

Thank you Bill!

 

I travelled with a small group of Russian amateur astronomers, we set up our camp in the Shaukam mountain pass (43⁰ N 42⁰ E). The weather is really unstable there and nights are really cold (for the July, -5 C/+23 F degrees). Nevertheless, the sky was really brilliant when it was clear - I saw M13, M33 and M8 with a naked eye; NGC6960 and NGC 6992 could be easily seen via 15x70 binoculars. About Meade LT-8 SC - yes, it is not for taking pictures, but you can take ones, if you wish. And not every telescope is so reliable - my LT-8 endured cold, rain and even snow and it nevertheless worked perfectly. No Audiostar errors at all.

 

Some more astropictures (M17, M20, M16, M31) made w/LT-8 SC:

 

 

 

 

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[MistrBadgr]

Yes, the LT is a really rugged scope, which is what you need.  I really like your image of the Lagoon Nebula!  The elevation seems to have helped you show the outer portions of the nebulosity very well.

[Matroskin]

Yeah here in Russia latitudes are high, so, for example, in Moscow you cannot see M7 cluster - it doesnt raise above horizon at all. I was so excited when I saw the whole Scorpio constellation! Our group:

P.S.: http://astrodummies..../2015-07-27-164

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[MistrBadgr]

Your group looks like one that would fit in rather well with a bunch of people I know over here, or maybe the other way around.  Something tells me you had a great time.

[Matroskin]

P.S.

 

(ISO 1600, 1/30 s exp, 40 s x 25 f/s, 53 frames stacked in the Registax) I cannot say this pic of Saturn is perfect, but there was really strong wind and it was very hard to focus my telescope properly. In any way, I have some important conclusions about LT-8 for viewing and imaging, and the most important one is the rather long time of termostabilization. The longer your telescope will be waiting on the open air - the better quality of picture you'll get in the eyepiece as a result.

[MistrBadgr]

That is definitely true!