Astrophotography from around Australia
A Showcase of images and Videos from Amateur Astronomers across Australia
M42 Orion Nebula
Andrew Wall - Paralowie South Australia
Eta Carina Widefield
Paul Brown - N.S.W.
1x400 sec, 1600 ISO, Canon 350d with 75mm lens
Lagoon and Trifid Nebulas
David Hough - Wallsend N.S.W.
Antares Region
David Hough - Wallsend N.S.W.
Horsehead and Flame Nebulas
Mike Sidonio & Dennis Zambellis
Mike Sidonio & Dennis Zambellis
Small Magellanic Cloud and Globular Cluster 47 Tucana
Bert van Donkelaar - Imaged from Melbourne - Canon 5DH
Bert van Donkelaar - Imaged from Melbourne - Canon 5DH
Comet McNaught
Phil Davis - Tasmania
Widefield
'Centre of the Constellation of Orion'
Andrew Wall - Paralowie, South Australia
Canon 400D, 18-55mm lens, 5x75 second images
Processed in PhotoShop
Sunspots
Ken James - Snake Valley, Victoria - Saxon ED80, Solar Filter, Toucam 840k Pro II
Our Colourful Moon
Ken James - Snake Valley, Victoria - 12" GSO Dobsonian, Toucam 840k Pro II -
9 section Mosaic stitched together in Autostitch
Jupiter
Paul Haese - Blackwood, South Australia
DEEP SKY ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY
USING THE
MODIFIED TOUCAM 840K PRO II
This section gives an example of the images that can be achieved through a simple Modified Webcam
All images were taken by Ken James using a Modified Toucam in an ED80 on an EQ6 mount with Manual Guiding
Omega Centauri Globular Cluster
M42 Orion Nebula
NGC 4945
Great Edgewise Spiral In Centaurus
Centaurus 'A'
Radio Galaxy
VIDEOS
This is a video of my work with a Modified Toucam
Starting at the Moon and Planets with the Toucam in Normal Mode, then progressing out to Deep Space Objects with the Toucam on 'Modified' Mode
Part 1
VIDEO
Part 2
Part 2
Part 3
VIDEOS
FROM OTHER AUSTRALIAN AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS
Deep Sky Imaging
DSO (Deep Sky Objects) imaging is very rewarding.
Why?
Because you can capture images of very distant objects, VERY distant!!! And it is also a snapshot of the past!!!
Imagine, with basic gear, being able to capture a fairly reasonable image of an object millions of light years away, and capturing that object as it was, millions of years ago.
You can, and you don't need a zillion dollars to do so. But there is a minimum level of equipment. Don't expect to rush out and buy a supermarket telescope or a Dob and a cheapie digital snapshot camera and get happy Snaps of Galaxies and Nebulae. Imaging DSO's just doesn't work that way.
Obviously, the better the gear, the better the image. But not always. A talented driver can win a race in a bomb, over an inexperienced driver in a Hot Rod!
The Mount.
The basics, and all within reach for most people starting out, is a reliable, steady EQ (Equatorial) mount. You do not need to purchase a $10,000 mount.
Many great DSO images are captured using EQ5, HEQ5, and EQ6 mounts. Prices vary from a used EQ5 to a brand new EQ6, but usually for between $500 and $2000.
It is also essential that your EQ mount has motorised tracking. Cheap motor drives can be purchased if you can't find a mount with motors already fitted. Even Bolt on Go-To's are now available for the EQ5 at a reasonable price.
Next is the scope. No, you don't NEED a Takahashi, Astro-Physics or Televue scope. The most popular, and respected DSO scope is the humble ED80!
Yes, it is only 80mm, but its performance is amazing!!
Now comes the camera.
There is a whole range of cameras entering into the market place promising outstanding images, but often with outstanding prices too.
The most basic camera to get you started taking reasonable DSO's for a cheap price is a modified 'Phillips 840k Toucam' webcam, or a modified 'Phillips SPC900NC' webcam.
These can be purchased already modified. The modification allows you to take long exposures, needed for DSO work.
Also canon 300d, 350d and 400d are all within reach these days and give fantastic results!
As long as you have a computer, or a laptop (with a parallel port or an adaptor to accept parallel connection if you choose a Toucam) you are ready to start.
Polar aligning is extremely important (but that is covered in many thousands of websites).
Locate your object (GoTo is extremely handy here, but not essential), track the object and start taking exposures.
I make it sound simple, and it can be. I prefer to keep things simple, and when I use my Toucam I STILL use the simplest program available. It is called 'Desire' (a free program). Many people will say use 'K3ccdTools' or this one or that one, but if you want to start with the best of simplicity, use 'Desire'. It was written specifically for the modified cameras mentioned above, and only them. And it's settings are the easiest to use.
Once you become familiar with how your camera works, then you can move onto other programs, but I am trying to expalin the 'easiest' DSO imaging method.
If you decide on a Canon DSLR, you don't necessarily need to connect it to a computer for imaging (but it helps to connect). Just connect to a computer for downloading the images.
The idea with DSO imaging is to capture an object for anywhere from 1 second to many minutes. You need to take a minimum of about 8 images of the object, then stack them in Registax (free program), Deep Sky Stacker (free program), or purchase a program.
The more images you can take of your object, the better the result after stacking.
Once the images are stacked, you can then take the stacked image into PhotoShop or PaintShop Pro, or any one of the Photo Processing suites, where you can manipulate the image to bring out detail, subtract unwanted electronic 'noise' etc.
Processing is another ball-game all together which is covered by many people in many sites. The point of this article is to let you know that you can get fairly good to great images with the minimum of equipment and not break the bank.
Once you are confident in your work (months, years), then you can move onto better mounts, better cameras etc, but make sure you are confident with your imaging at the basic level first. There are many other aspects to learn (good focus, colour balance, Dark Frames, Flat Frames, guiding, etc), but this thread is about equipment, not techniques.
For a list of Astronomy retailers to help you in your purchase of equipment go to 'THIS PAGE'
Good Luck, and enjoy learning DSO imaging
Imagine, with basic gear, being able to capture a fairly reasonable image of an object millions of light years away, and capturing that object as it was, millions of years ago.
You can, and you don't need a zillion dollars to do so. But there is a minimum level of equipment. Don't expect to rush out and buy a supermarket telescope or a Dob and a cheapie digital snapshot camera and get happy Snaps of Galaxies and Nebulae. Imaging DSO's just doesn't work that way.
Obviously, the better the gear, the better the image. But not always. A talented driver can win a race in a bomb, over an inexperienced driver in a Hot Rod!
The Mount.
The basics, and all within reach for most people starting out, is a reliable, steady EQ (Equatorial) mount. You do not need to purchase a $10,000 mount.
Many great DSO images are captured using EQ5, HEQ5, and EQ6 mounts. Prices vary from a used EQ5 to a brand new EQ6, but usually for between $500 and $2000.
It is also essential that your EQ mount has motorised tracking. Cheap motor drives can be purchased if you can't find a mount with motors already fitted. Even Bolt on Go-To's are now available for the EQ5 at a reasonable price.
Next is the scope. No, you don't NEED a Takahashi, Astro-Physics or Televue scope. The most popular, and respected DSO scope is the humble ED80!
Yes, it is only 80mm, but its performance is amazing!!
Now comes the camera.
There is a whole range of cameras entering into the market place promising outstanding images, but often with outstanding prices too.
The most basic camera to get you started taking reasonable DSO's for a cheap price is a modified 'Phillips 840k Toucam' webcam, or a modified 'Phillips SPC900NC' webcam.
These can be purchased already modified. The modification allows you to take long exposures, needed for DSO work.
Also canon 300d, 350d and 400d are all within reach these days and give fantastic results!
As long as you have a computer, or a laptop (with a parallel port or an adaptor to accept parallel connection if you choose a Toucam) you are ready to start.
Polar aligning is extremely important (but that is covered in many thousands of websites).
Locate your object (GoTo is extremely handy here, but not essential), track the object and start taking exposures.
I make it sound simple, and it can be. I prefer to keep things simple, and when I use my Toucam I STILL use the simplest program available. It is called 'Desire' (a free program). Many people will say use 'K3ccdTools' or this one or that one, but if you want to start with the best of simplicity, use 'Desire'. It was written specifically for the modified cameras mentioned above, and only them. And it's settings are the easiest to use.
Once you become familiar with how your camera works, then you can move onto other programs, but I am trying to expalin the 'easiest' DSO imaging method.
If you decide on a Canon DSLR, you don't necessarily need to connect it to a computer for imaging (but it helps to connect). Just connect to a computer for downloading the images.
The idea with DSO imaging is to capture an object for anywhere from 1 second to many minutes. You need to take a minimum of about 8 images of the object, then stack them in Registax (free program), Deep Sky Stacker (free program), or purchase a program.
The more images you can take of your object, the better the result after stacking.
Once the images are stacked, you can then take the stacked image into PhotoShop or PaintShop Pro, or any one of the Photo Processing suites, where you can manipulate the image to bring out detail, subtract unwanted electronic 'noise' etc.
Processing is another ball-game all together which is covered by many people in many sites. The point of this article is to let you know that you can get fairly good to great images with the minimum of equipment and not break the bank.
Once you are confident in your work (months, years), then you can move onto better mounts, better cameras etc, but make sure you are confident with your imaging at the basic level first. There are many other aspects to learn (good focus, colour balance, Dark Frames, Flat Frames, guiding, etc), but this thread is about equipment, not techniques.
For a list of Astronomy retailers to help you in your purchase of equipment go to 'THIS PAGE'
Good Luck, and enjoy learning DSO imaging
Astrophotography on a
BUDGET
Below are images from Australian Amateur Astronomers without using expensive equipment, showing that good images can still be taken with almost any camera
and Telescope
These images are captured using relatively cheap pocket Cameras and Video Cameras
Jupiter and Saturn
Jeanette Dunphy - Kilcoy, Queensland
Jupiter
Jeanette Dunphy - Kilcoy, Queensland
The image on the right shows the shadows of
2 Galilean Moons
For these images, Jeanette used a
Panasonic DV Camcorder, and a Canon Powershot
Astrophotography on a Budget - Methods
Probably the most simple method of Astrophotography on a Budget is to simply point your camera at the sky and shoot.
To get Planetary or Lunar shots, the easiest method is to hold the Camera up to the Eyepiece of a Telescope. This method is known as 'Afocal'. Using the 'Afocal' method fairly good images can be obtained with the simplest cheapest cameras.
There are also many varieties of Brackets available to hold small cameras up to the telescope for you.
Video cameras also work well and you can transfer the video to a 'frame stacking' program like 'Registax' (free to download) to gain lots of detail from what may look like a crummy movie!
Happy Snapping!
For further reading on 'Afocal' Astrophotography
HERE
Samples of my own 'Afocal' images using
a small Kodak CX7310 Easyshare Camera
bravenet.com