Topic: The Milky Way

[GillE]

The weather over the last couple of nights has been almost perfect for astrophotography - clear skies, warm, no moon - so I decided to attempt to photograph the Milky Way from my garden.  I'm really just taking baby steps with this sort of photography but I was quite pleased with the outcome.  The next step is to get more drama into my images and possibly go out on location.  The thought of going out into the wilds at night on my own is scary, especially after trying astrophotography at Gibraltar Point near Skegness and running into local drug dealers!

In the bottom left you can see Jupiter (which is quite large) and, just above it and further to the left is Saturn.

[Clive]

Very impressive Gill! 

[Clive]

It's not easy taking photos of the night sky because of light reciprocity raining on your parade.  It's the astrophotographers biggest enemy.  It's made even more difficult owing to the Earth refusing to stay still while you take a long exposure.  But you have certainly captured the Milky Way Galaxy and the Sagittarius star clouds.  Jipiter and Saturn are very clear. 

[GillE]

Thanks guys. 

My hubby has a Celestron telescope and I'd love to use it for photography.  I've got an adapter for my Nikons to fit its eyepiece.  Unfortunately, the electrical gubbins which rotates the telescope has snapped and I don't know how to get it fixed.  If you've got any suggestions, I'd be very interested.

I'm secretly hoping Santa leaves me an equatorial mount for my tripod at Christmas.  Alternatively, my birthday is just a couple of weeks later.  I'd need something capable of taking the weight of my Nikon D850 camera and Sigma 150-600S lens, though. (This photo was taken with a wide-angle lens - there's a huge weight difference.)

[Clive]

I'm not clear what it is that has snapped Gill - but I'm assuming it's the motorised drive for the Celestron.  Perhaps a camera shop might take a look at it for you?  Beacon Hill Telescopes   http://beaconhilltelescopes.org.uk/ have always had a very good reputation among amateur astronomers and will give you advice as well as have a good stock of equipment and accessories. 

[GillE]

Blimey, Clive - Beacon Hill Telescopes is in Louth, the nearest town of any size to where I live!

 

Thank you so much for the recommendation.  I'll be phoning them sometime over the next couple of days. 

[Clive]

I thought it might be in your area.  I've dealt with them in the past and found them to be most helpful.