jeepguy553

The stacking you are referring to is probably "Merge to HDR" and it is included in Photoshop. You can take multiple exposures of the same image (preferably a non-moving object) and stack the exposures into a single resultant image. The color and detail that result from this can be unbelievable. If your camera has a RAW image setting you can probably take a single exposure as a RAW image and use PS or even your camera's editing software to produce multiple exposures that you can then merge into a single HDR image. I have never tried it using the RAW format, but in theory it should work.
I am about to order that adapter. It looks like it should fit into the upper eyepiece port of my scope...where the Barlow doubler is...then I can change the focal point as needed with the scope focused on the Barlow to bring out the details I want. The worst part of this is getting the scope to balance and track properly with the camera mounted. My scope doesn't have any provisions for counterweights.

genesbro

The stacker that came with my imager is called registax and there is a version available online for free download. I just bought a new celestron 80mm nexstar gt computer controlled scope. Got it for 150 bucks on ebay. It is not a current model but I wanted to get that one because it is F5 instead of F11 or so for the new longer focal length models. I went to world wide telecsope and downloaded some software that will control the scope via rs232 interface. I have an adapter that converts one of my usb ports to rs232. Been using a little cheap tasco 60mm with the neximage rubber banded to the teleconverter to get my shots, have that piggybacked onto my old celestron 60mm with eq mount. Now I will be able to actually put it into the eyepiece adapter like it was desinged to be used. Can't wait to get it, the larger diameter should give me a lot more detail in Jupiter, might even be able to capture the bands with the new one. Have seen the bands before in a friends 80mm scope. Can see them faintly in my 60 celestron but with the higher f-stop it has it doesn't work as well with the imager, that is why I wanted to get an 80 with a low f number. Will post up some pics on a new thread when I get it.

jeepguy553

Sounds like a freaking helluva set-up! I can't wait to see some pics. My little 60mm scope is f/8 (I think)...might be f/6.6. I can just BARELY pull in the bands on Jupiter, but I CAN see the moons when they are aligned right. I think if I could get a pic of Jupiter through the Barlow, I would be able to enhance it enough with PS that the bands would be visible.
Are you in OKC? My dad is in McAlester. We are there all the time. He has a ranch out on Lake Eufaula where we do Jeepin' trips, hunting, fishing, and stargazing. His place is 20 miles out of town so the light pollution is minimal.

genesbro

That is my current setup. The little one on top is the one I use right now to capture images. I just capture with the imager by holding it against the teleadapter using a rubber band. I bought the celestron when I was taking astronomy in college right when halleys comet came around the last time back in the late 80s. Nice to finally be getting something more modern. If you click on the star shot you can see all four of the normally viewed jupiter moons.

genesbro

Oh yeah I live almost 2 hours west of OK city out in the country with very dark skys. The viewing out here is great. I have seen satelites going accross the sky more than once while just sitting back and looking at all the stars. Can even make out naked eye a couple star cluster below cassiopia by using averted vision.

jeepguy553

Dude that Jupiter shot is EXACTLY the one I am trying to get but I can't get enough magnification to focus it properly. I see that same image all the time. VERY nice shot.

Sounds like you have a perfect place to view the skies. I have to drive about 30 minutes in any direction to get far enough away from Shreveport that the light pollution is minimized. Have you ever tried to track and photograph satellites and/or the Hubble?

genesbro

The planet was a little hard to tell if it was in focus or not so what I did was just make sure the moons were pinpoints as best as possible because then I knew it would be the correct focus. As I get used to this setup I hope to catch them in the various configurations and then print out a picture that has them all on it.

The skys out here are just about perfect for viewing for sure. If I am able to get a good Olympus dslr so I can hold the shutter open for some time I plan on using that to capture some crossings. Have seen the space station a few times making its crossing, not sure I have seen hubble or not.

jeepguy553

I have seen the shuttle cross here too. It moves pretty fast though. The Hubble is in the NW sky I think at about 60 degrees alt.

If you get an Olympus DSLR let me know. I have a piece of discontinued Olympus software called Studio that allows you to control your camera from a laptop. They quit producing it for some reason. I sent them an email and they immediately got back to me with a FREE/COMPLIMENTARY copy of the software and a full license for it. That's what I call good customer support. Yet another reason to keep using Olympus equipment. The Olympus platform I have (e-420) is IMO a great DSLR that has just about all of the functionality that the comparable Nikon and Canon cameras have. I think you can still get the e-420 new. I know they offer the e-520 model and it is every bit as good. Get on their US website and look at the models they offer currently. There are two drawbacks to these cameras that I can see:
1.) The lenses are EXPENSIVE.
2.) The lens mount isn't standard. It is a Four-Thirds mount and you have to use a special T-ring to adapt it to your scope. I'll look at mine when I get home and post up the part number and the name of the place where I got mine.

neopj3

Glad to know that there are a few folks on the forum that are into astronomy, and I'm not the only one.... I've been crazy busy at work and just got a free moment to check back in. I can read a star chart and can pick out a few of the planets with out it. I know a good amount of the constellations. I watched the levey comets hit Jupiter through my dads old 8" reflector, I'd really like to get one some day but i need to learn a lot more about telescopes and what all the different scales and differences are. I Found an ETX 80 backpack model for a good price, did some research and got it. So far I'm pretty happy with it. The tripod is really light and a bit wobbly but if u hang a few bottles of water from the hook on the bottom it makes it a bot more stable. Focusing with it is a pain, I've got bog hands and the knob is tiny, so i made a motorized focusor out of an old servo I had. Works great!!!!! I can see Jupiter clearly and the two main color bands pretty well. Last weekend I saw the four main moons, Galilean, and spent a lot of time trying to take a picture of it. I need more practice I think. Couldn't get it focused. I'll probably start photographing the moon and work my way up to the other solar bodies. The goto feature has yet to be used, I like finding things in the sky the old fashioned way, but the I have used the motorized base for tracking and it works well. For a refractor it's compact, stores well and is light at around 11 pounds total including tripod. The eye pieces are supper plossels and sports to be quality units. I'll write more and post pics later after I get some more free time a snap a few pics of the moon.

genesbro

Neopj3 sounds like you got a pretty good scope. It is amazing how much more you can pick out with an 80 verses a 60. Can't wait to get my 80, had a large dia refractor years ago that wasn't high quality so I traded it for something. Kind of wish I had kept it even though it was only good for looking at very dim objects, anything bright made so much distortion that it looked horrible, that is why I got rid of it. Looking forward to seeing some pics of what yours can do. Never get tired of seeing pics of the stars and such, almost as much fun looking at what others have captured as doing it yourself.