Astromart

February 17, 2008 06:58 PM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

DSLR Choices

With your D70, have you tried shooting with the long exposure noise reduction function turned ON? The camera does a good job at getting rid of the amp glow. It basically takes an identical exposure without opening the shutter to capture just the glow, then subtracts the results. The whole in-camera noise reduction process my eat some of the very faint stars, mistaking them for noise. I have had a lot of fun shooting DSO's with my D70, but most of the folks here will tell you to get a Canon, modified of course. Forget about the budget, though. If you are still new at this, there is a lot you can do with that D70. In my anser to your next post, I suggest software for subtracting dark frames from your JPEGS.

Steve

February 21, 2008 10:06 PM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

Eclipse from SC

Posted By Steve Mathis

That's a beauty!

February 25, 2008 12:04 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Deep Sky

NGC2170 and NGC 2182

Posted By Steve Mathis

A very cool image! And thanks for introducing me to these objects!

Steve

February 26, 2008 04:08 PM Forum: Off Topic Discussions

Mercury in 'Green' Energy Saver Bulbs

Posted By Steve Mathis

I've been thinking the same thing. I found this:

http://www.worldwise.com/recfluorlig.html

I don't think this company has any reason to cook the numbers. If we convert entirely over to CFL, there will need to be a big education campaign to get people to recycle these bulbs. And lots of convenient places to drop them off.

Steve

February 28, 2008 06:24 PM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Saturn one night past opposition - 6" - afocal

Posted By Steve Mathis

Pretty amazing! Do you have to use VirtualDub or similar software to get the images into Registax? Are you using Registax? I can't ever seem to get it to choose the good images...I would be interested in your method. Thank for posting!

Steve

March 12, 2008 08:16 PM Forum: Off Topic Discussions

Earth, Air & Water

Posted By Steve Mathis

Pretty cool. Sort of makes you think we should be more careful just how much crap we dump into those little spheres. I like the guy's mathematical analysis in the link. Thanks for posting this!

Steve

March 12, 2008 11:27 PM Forum: Beginning Astronomy?

Printing problems

Posted By Steve Mathis

It is never too late to get hooked on something new!

A couple of questions: What size print did you make? And when viewing the photo with Photoshop, were you seeing it at 100% size. If you are looking at it in Photoshop at, say, 25%, then make a print 8x10 that could result in bigger stars. Another factor may be going from computer monitor to print. I know my good photo printer has a hard time with astrophotos. Any print is going to have far less dynamic range (range of light to dark) than you will see on your monitor. If you want to attach your image to a forum post, look below the box where you type your post. You see where it says Attach Image:? There is button right there that says Browse...if you click it, you will get the directory for your computer. If you know where your M42 picture file is, you can go there, highlight it, and click open. Then click Post. If the picture file is really big, it may be rejected. Let me know if you need help to get it re-sized.

Well, this was pretty wordy!

Steve

April 9, 2008 12:17 PM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography