Image of the day

Captured by
Lawrence Parchman

Sculptor Galaxy (NGC 253)

About Astromart

My Account

New to Astromart?

Register an account...

Need Help?

Posts Made By: Alex McConahay

January 13, 2007 02:55 AM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

McNaught

Posted By Alex McConahay
Got myself a comet tonight.

1/4 sec, ISO 400, In-camera noise suppression, TV 85 on tripod. 20D.

Looks a lot better full res and not compressed into jpg.

Alex

February 1, 2007 03:12 AM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

Alnitak and a some nebulous friends

Posted By Alex McConahay
This is Alnitak shining brightly near the flame and the horsie.

Alex

20D, 12 x 5 minutes, ISO 800, Meade 10" F4.5 newt riding a Losmandy G-11, ST-4, Images Plus for conversion and stacking and Photosop for color etc. On a 17 degree night in Landers, CA (Looks better full res and TIFF.)


February 8, 2007 03:08 PM Forum: Star Parties

RTMC Astronomy Expo Registration open

Posted By Alex McConahay
The paper registration information for RTMC Astronomy Expo went out in the mail last week. If you are on the mailing list, you should be getting it right about now. If you are not on the list, you can go to:

http://www.rtmcastronomyexpo.org/registration.html

to register as an individual (or find a link there to register as a vendor).

Alex

February 22, 2007 12:53 AM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

M46 and Planetary

Posted By Alex McConahay
I captured this last Friday at Goat Mountain, Landers, California. I was disappointed in the seeing, which made focus pretty tough. But it did make for a good object for my camera and telescope.

Canon 20D, 10 inch F4.5 Meade Newt, Losmandy G11, St-4. 15 x 300 seconds. Images Plus and Photoshop.

Alex

March 14, 2007 01:56 PM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

M108 and 97

Posted By Alex McConahay
Took this last Saturday. Barely fit in my 10 inch F4.5 newt w/ Para-corr. On a G-11 w/ ST-4. Canon 20D. Images plus and Photoshop. 15 x 300 seconds at 800 iso.

May 10, 2007 01:02 PM Forum: Star Parties

RTMC Program Available

Posted By Alex McConahay
Hi all,

The RTMC Astronomy Expo program has been posted on the web through a link at

http://www.rtmcastronomyexpo.org/detailed.htm

Hope to see you all there. Stop by the Beginner's Corner and say hello.

Alex

May 18, 2007 07:34 PM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

M5

Posted By Alex McConahay
From Landers, California, GMARS, Riverside Astronomical Society dark sky site, Friday night May 11.

Took 33 exposures, 5 minutes each, 800 ISO, 10" F4.5. Meade Newt, on Losmandy G-11, with ST-4 on guidescope.

Canon 20 D.

Threw out 6 exposures for inferior focus/seeing, etc. Processed the rest in Images Plus and Photoshop.

Hope you like it.

Alex

May 29, 2007 02:33 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

Focuser Advice

Posted By Alex McConahay
I would like to go to automated focusing.

Any suggestions and advice as to what techniques to use.

I use a DSLR mostly, and use DSLR Focus and Images Plus. So much of what I have seen--which is based on CCD--does not apply. I cannot see paying for MAXIM DSLR or something since I am already happy with my processing options.

Any ideas?

Alex

June 7, 2007 07:18 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Vandenberg Launch tonight

Posted By Alex McConahay
Southern California will be treated to a launch of a Delta from Vandenberg tonight (Thursday). Launch window starts at 7:21 and runs to 7:24 pm PDT.

These are fun to watch. It is a little to early in the evening to be a spectacular/colorful, but should be interesting nevertheless. (The best are right at or jsut after sunset.)

Alex

June 13, 2007 05:22 PM Forum: Eyepieces

Re: Number of eyepieces one "needs"

Posted By Alex McConahay
Greg,

This is a very important distinction that you have made.

You will notice that in the other thread we were careful to mention that "FOR ANY GIVEN SCOPE" and other fudge words. Point is, there is a use for probably every eyepiece ever made.....(Okay, let's not start down that path!).

The question is, if the budget (or the eyepiece case, or in extreme examples, the load capacity of the truck that carries the equipment to the observing site) is limited, how many, practically speaking, is enough.

And, as you can see from most of the answers in that thread, most people are satisfied with two to five or so.

More power(s) to the people who need more, and greater peace to those who are happier with less. But if a newbie asks me how many he or she needs, I generally tell them about three (highest quality and widest AFOV they can afford) and a Barlow.

Alex

Funding Member

Sponsors


View all sponsors

Search