Pelican & Other Nebulas

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

First image with astro-modified DSLR

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I spent good few hours at the weekend rescuing this image. I hope you like it!

Neil

[peak4Participant @peak4]

yes I do like it

Just out of curiosity What were you using for a camera/scope combination?

I've an old TAL1 6" reflector (Unused by me yet, but that's a long story) which could do with a replacement secondary mirror, or at least the current one re-silvering; Any suggestions

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

Not bad Neil. I'm always interested in times and the gear used etc. When I look around astrobin I see hours of integration and very little else.

John

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[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

Posted by peak4 on 09/11/2015 12:18:02:

yes I do like it

Just out of curiosity What were you using for a camera/scope combination?

I've an old TAL1 6" reflector (Unused by me yet, but that's a long story) which could do with a replacement secondary mirror, or at least the current one re-silvering; Any suggestions

You might find one here at some point but currently you would have to buy a mirror and flat and maybe sell the mirror on ebay or where ever. 

**LINK**

Or you could put a wanted add here if there are none for sale.

**LINK**

If you search telescope mirror making kits there are a few companies about that sell flats along with mirrors, mirror blanks and grits for grinding them etc. I should add that some of these will recoat mirrors as well.

John

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Edited By John W1 on 09/11/2015 12:38:38

Edited By John W1 on 09/11/2015 12:39:29

[OldMetallerParticipant @oldmetaller]

Neil, if you keep posting awesome pictures like that, I'm going to have to get me a telescope!

Regards,

John.

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

Posted by OldMetaller on 09/11/2015 13:51:42:

Neil, if you keep posting awesome pictures like that, I'm going to have to get me a telescope!

Regards,

John.

Take care. It can be a much worse experience than buying lathes – even baby ones.

John

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[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

No telescope used for that! I'm pretty tight-fisted , and anyway if I'm flush I will spend it on the workshop – astronomy is just another excuse to make things (various adaptors, motor drives etc.)

£30 Canon 10D off ebay, with the IR filter removed (ok I had a disaster and had to spend £16 on a second hand replacement sensor).

400mm PrinzGalaxy lens, I saw one on ebay for £15, but I bought mine second hand well over 30 years ago. Dismantled and adjusted so it will focus to infinity with the modded camera – the loss of 3mm of glass means the lens needs 1mm of extra travel.

EQ3 mount that came with my £180 second hand scope, on a a £40 tripod (EQ5)

Side by side camera and scope mount made by grafting the head of a knackered old tripod onto a spare dovetail and miling a scope clamp for the other end. Effectively free.

Home made stepper drive, all bits box except <£10 of components.

Dew shield made out of a length of aluminium fire extinguisher (single wrap of duck tape inside makes it a comfortable sliding fit!)

Various extras – second hand CF card, spare battery and charger, remote release, interval timer, cheap 1 1/4" IR filter (blu tacked inside t-mount), various T-mount adaptors. I think only the filter cost more than £10.

Polarscope for aligning mount ~£30 – one essential!

Lots of software, mostly freeware or demo – so far I've spent £15 on software plus a couple of modest donations for good freeware, but will buy some of the others when demo periods run out.

(I do have couple of scopes, an inexpensive achromatic refractor and a decent 6" Newtonian reflector).

As for the actual process, it was 40 shots of 80 seconds each at ISO 1600, stacked in the free Deep Space Stacker, and beaten half to death in photoshop with the help of 'action' from Noel Carboneri and Steve Richards – and one of my own

You can easily spend ten or twenty times as much, and the results will be stunning, but at my skill level I don't think they would be 10 to 20 times better. I'd be better off spending that sort of money on holidays in places with less light pollution.

Tonight's project – putting back together my 58mm lens so it will focus to infinity.

Neil

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

You must be one of the few happy users of an EQ3 head Neil. I've often thought that the biggest problem with the smaller heads is the tripod. I tried and EQ1 and 2 initially and wasn't too happy with an EQ4 with the scope that came with it on. All gone now.

John

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[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

The last mirrors I got coated were done by Galvoptics in Essex, a home ground and figured an 8 inch and a 10inch objective.

http://www.galvoptics.co.uk/products/telescope-products-andamp-services/

They have a whole section on the website dedicated to telescopes

regards Martin

[AjohnwParticipant @ajohnw51620]

I think these people can help too

**LINK**

or

**LINK**

I decided to get my grits from these people this time. No pitch though as they have problems with their usual supplier. However they suggested visiting the Jewellery Quarter and getting it from there. It's used for as a support while working on certain metals.

John

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Edited By John W1 on 10/11/2015 11:44:55

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Beacon Hill Telescopes is a very helpfull man running a telescope building service from his shed. I got mirror blanks and grit etc from him a while back which he sourced mostly from Galvoptics and Orion Optics so if you want coatings or components look to them. If you need someone to build or repair then Beacon Hill is worth a punt.

regards Martin

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Finally a decent clear night! I've waited nearly amonth, but at last, a decent picture of M42, the Orion Nebula.

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