backyard observatory - my ETX-70 image gallery

[tips101yi]

Wow, your photos are very sharp! Good job.

[qmriis]

Where are the images taken with the big scope?

[nytecam]

@qmriis No - thru the piggybacked ETX-70 as stated.

[qmriis]

@nytecam ?!@?!@?!? I'M AWARE OF THAT. Maybe you don't understand my question.

[nytecam]

@qmriis No - so what's the ?

[qmriis]

@nytecam Asking where your image collection of images taken with the larger scope is at... more scope, more light, better pictures, right? Why do you use the smaller one instead?

btw I got my own recently traded for scope aligned last night FINALLY and observed Saturn, so small and pretty! So I will be getting back into astronomy now, if I can afford it...

[nytecam]

@qmriis That's a ? I can understand [without a crystalball!] I like to test new scopes [especially small one that anyone can own] and see what they can do - and remarkably well they do! Now back to the big 12" scope with colour cam attached to discover, for example, my 1st supernova "SN2011az" as latest vid - enjoy.

[qmriis]

@nytecam Ah, ok. I want to try some imaging tonight maybe... I have a nice Kodak 12MP sensor digicam somewhere, and a crappy webcam as well. I've read some things that say to use ccd camera with no eyepiece... in that case, what is the magnification?

[nytecam]

@qmriis You can shoot the moon and brighter planets by holding a camera [complete with lens] to the telescope eyepiece and just snap away! A digiscope adapter will clamp camera to eyepiece and remove camera shake. For galaxy pics a cam without lens replaces the eyepiece and turns 'scope into a very 'long' lens. But galaxies are very faint and need long 'guided' exposures - there's the rub;-).

[anthonyhibbitt25]

i bet you have no light pollution

[nytecam]

@anthonyhibbitt25 Don't make me laff! I'm in Bortle 0/1 - the worst possible so no good for 'looking' BUT my cam cuts through the muck;-)

[KhalsaSoulja]

I know this is a really personal question but i have to ask.

How much did you spend on materials for your dome? And if someone constructed it how much did you spend all together?

[nytecam]

@KhalsaSoulja Hi - didn't cost it but about the same as a garden shed of similar volume eg ~£250.

[casulamall]

Look like you have some NASA quality images...Well done Nytecam

[nikbookworm]

another advantage of a dome is that it shields out other light that might be distracting

[nytecam]

A dome is virtually essential in suburbia with heavy light pollution both local from neighbours and general skyglow. A dome also gives complete protection from cold winds etc for both user and scopes.

[micinnj]

hello- your outside observatory is interesting,would you post a little detail of how you constructed it, im looking to build somthing simular---thankyou

[ScrewAttackChina]

est

[ScrewAttackChina]

is there a reason why observatories always have a dome? wouldn't it be easier to make it the shape of a cube with a sky door that opens? just wondering why its always a dome shape

[nytecam]

A sphere [just like natures raindrop, planet or even the sun! ] this the minimum enclosing shape and even when lightweight, as in my dome, is very strong and can be the fraction of the weight of a rectagular box doing the same job - just the architect in me coming out;-)

[nytecam]

Thanks for your interest - I've posted #3 video on diffuse+planetaries today and #1 [galaxies] is taking a little longer!

Nytecam

[bosb33r]

Super!!!!! 5*****

[rogertangodotcom]

Very nice, thanks for posting!

[malachik]

Great work! I especially loved the wow finish with the Rosette!