Quote:
Originally Posted by SharonW
Superb, Dave, looks like you had a great trip.
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Thanks Sharon, yes it was superb - we are already talking about next time. (Well you can dream!)
Quote from Sasson "
Southern sky is so beautiful. Don't know why? Even McNaught when reaching to southern sky showed its best. May be they have the sky in their side (Minus the Northern star)."
Things always seem to happen where you are not. Interestingly on this trip we were introduced to Robert McNaught at Siding Springs Observatory. In spite of his name I hadn't realised that he was from Scotland.
Quote from Sassan "
Dave when taking these wide angle picture at 5 minute time, you must have used the camera on a tracking device as no star tracing seen, am I right? Or did you use several short interval images with stocking in pp."
Yes you are right I did use a driven mount (the details are on my website) but it took me much of the time mastering how to polar align it. Most pictures were taken in the last two days. For some of the images (longer focal lengths) I did have to take some short exposures and then stack them but the Milky Way pictures were only one exposure.
Quote from Sassan
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BTW just another dumb question, What could we expect from sky with wide angle lens in Northern hemisphere, in other words, when and were to point the lens next time, if sky was clear of pollution and stray light of city, if opportunity permits. Any suggestions?"
The Milky Way is the best target. The centre of the Milky Way is easily the best part but we don't quite see it from the UK. If you are further south than us you may be able to see it late Summer. I think I did post a Milky Way shot from here earlier in the year when I was practicing for this trip.
A standard lens (e.g. 24mm) would be good for constellation shots even from a fixed tripod. Something like 20s using iso 400 should produce something interesting.
Whenever there is a comet around it is worth trying with a standard lens but there is no predicting when that may happen.
Dave