My old friend returns

Today is the first day of school for my youngest daughter. So, contrary to other times, I was up. As I went outside to let the dog out, I noticed that Orion was up. Orion is quite possibly my favorite constellation, as it has so many things in it to look at.

I quickly went inside and retrieved my 10 x 50 binoculars and was able to see the Orion Nebula (M42) to some extent. The dawn was already breaking, so it was not very clear because it was fighting sunlight and morning clouds.

However, it’s good to see my old friend again. I can’t wait until I can see it in darkness again.

Transparency was 1, seeing was 8.

Astrophotography with a Fisheye, take two… and Observation of the Summer Triangle

Folks, I will post an entry re my time at Stellafane, I promise. However, the editor of our astronomical club newsletter forced me at gunpoint (really, he did! Really!) to write an article for the newsletter, so I will share something after that is published.

One thing that happened when I went there is that I tried to do astrophotography using a fisheye lens but screwed up with using too low an ISO (a measure of film sensitivity, leading to photos that were too dark (you’ll see them later.

After the debacle that was my failed attempt at astrophotography at Stellafane, I decided to try again.

This time, I originally planned to go to StarFest 2014 at Hopewell Furnace tonight, which is another amateur astronomy conference. However, I managed to get a light fever, and did not feel like going everybody else sick instead. I decided to do astrophotography work at home, and to also break out my telescope. There was not much that I could see in my sky, because there’s so much light pollution in Havertown, and the summer haze makes it worse. However, I was able to see the Big Dipper, four stars of the Little Dipper, and various other stars. I’d rate the transparency at a 4 and the seeing around 6. For here, It was a good night. I did manage to see Cygnus and the Summer Triangle, which was unusual for this time of year.

So, these are some pictures of my slightly better attempt at stack astrophotography. In the last two final photos, there are some slight diagonal lines. That’s due to the fact that I’m trying out a demo of Nebulosity 3–it’s a Mac program that does photo stacking. I was using my Canon 60D using my Rokinon 8mm Fisheye, set at infinity with an ISO of 1250 for a 10 sec exposure after a 10 second delay. I didn’t use bias or flat images, just dark images.

Notes about the individual photos are below.

First step of stacking is taking pics with the lens caps on to help the stacking program (Nebulosity 3) figure out what sensor errors are present.

Since so many pictures are very dark when I do this, it helps to use my red flashlight to mark the beginning of sets.

This is the sky taken without stacking. Unfortunately, all of the ambient light against the dark led to many pictures of the lens’ apeture being open (the reddish spots). I hate light pollution.

The final stacked image. I used high contrast, lower exposure, more blue, increased clarity, and vignetting in Adobe Lightroom to cut down on the light pollution effect.

Some of the things that were visible. Of course, the Northern Cross was visible as well, but I didn’t want to confuse the Summer Triangle picture with it, which overlaps.

Picked up some stuff

At Stellafane they have a swap table, where fellow enthusiasts sell the stuff that they no longer need.

I picked up an equalizer (compensates for the weight of 2″ eyepieces while using 1.25″ eyepieces so one can just counterweight the scope and be done with it (I no longer have to ask my child to be tied to the other end of the scope). I also got a Peterson mount for my 25x100s (it ain’t pretty, but it lets me use the 25x100s at zenith), and the seller threw in a set of Oberwork 20x90s with a 1.5x finder for $110.

I also picked up a Tele Vue 2x Barlow and a 6 and 9mm couple of Bushnell 1.25″ eyepieces for $130.

I think I did well.

Of course, as someone here said, if I don’t like it, I can always bring it back and sell it at the swap table. I responded to him that now I understand why there are people here who have come to each Stellafane since 1969, to much laughter.

Oops.

That moment when you set up your camera with an intervalometer to make a time lapse video of the night sky by taking a picture every minute–over 200 pictures–to find, hours later, that you did not remove the lens cap after taking dark shots for photo stacking correction purposes.

Just shoot me now. Please. It’ll be an act of mercy.

Thankfully, other photos worked.

First Day and Night at Stellafane 2014

Hi all.

It’s late, but I wanted to let you know I made it.

Here’s the camping setup for my gypsy wagon (aka Prius). Made it there with a side trip to Albany on a full tank of about $28.00 of gas.

There will be more later. Suffice it to say, my viewing from here on in around Philly is now ruined.

A peaceful night

Compline*  by the fire pit on a clear night with iced tea, the Big Dipper above, relative suburban silence, and fireflies.

Doesn’t get better than this, folks.

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

 

*Compline is the final, bedtime prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours.

T-4 Days….

Until Stellafane!

I’ve been busy starting to do packing work and realize I have a bit more packing to do in front of me.  I’ll be ready in time, though.

I’m looking forward to Stellafane, hanging out with fellow members of the Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers, and learning about amateur telescope making (ATM).  I already have two telescopes (10″ and 8″ reflectors) as well as three binos, so after I get a 80mm refractor, I’m done.  But, I’d like to see how they are made.

I’d also like to try to pick up an 11mm Nagler eyepiece for mid-range observation (I have a 24mm eyepiece).  I also have my eye set on a 3-6mm Nagler for really up close work, but that resides on my Amazon Wish List and won’t happen until after my next quarterly bonus.

I’ll have a bit more to post after this coming week after I go to Stellafane.  Stay tuned.

In the meantime, check out this cool commercial for the Weather Channel about Cherry Springs State Park in the boonies of PA.  That’s my next major destination.

Useful tool for identifying objects in the night sky

OK, so I haven’t posted anything recently. My sincere apologies, and there are more things coming.

There are a couple of other things that would be useful to add to this guide to identifying objects in the night sky. Here they are:

1) Does it explode, burning your retinas and evaporating your body? It’s an incoming nuclear missile.
2) Is it humanoid in shape and diverts #1? It’s a super hero.
3) Is it constantly in and out of rehab and does it say, “You like me! You really like me!”? It’s a Hollywood star.

Any other objects you care to add?

A little astronomy knowledge can wreck your childhood.

First trial run of Prius car camping

 

Big Dipper taken from inside my car using Night Moves, an iphone photo app, and Photoshop Express, another Iphone app.

Last night I did a test of car camping to see how it would go.  I didn’t have all of my equipment (that’s a chore for a later trip.  In addition, I use a C-PAP, and the car charger I purchased for it decided not to keep a charge, so I had to run it off the battery in READY mode (otherwise know as “ON”).  It used perhaps the larger part of a gallon of gas for the whole night.  Other than that, it was a suitable trial run.  If the kids are willing (not likely), I might be up to taking them on a real overnight in the Poconos or Assateague in June for a maiden voyage.

SETUP

The weather forecast was spotty, so I knew i’d have to hurry with the setup.

I used a Habitent (from Habitents.com, also see my earlier post) as the main shelter add on to the Prius.   I also put up a sun shield for privacy.

On the rear side windows I put no-see-um mesh to allow ventilation.  The mesh windows are from Skeeter Beater (http://theskeeterbeater.com/) and were simple to install.  I plan to get rain guards for the windows of the Prius so that if there is rain, ventilation can still happen.

I chose the camoflauge pattern to break up the view of what is inside to help with privacy.  It worked pretty well last night, although I do think one skeeter bit my butt, however, you probably didn’t need that image.

The inside was set up pretty much as I stated in my earlier post.  I basically put what equipment I did have in the car in the front seats.  I used my great kilt as my sleeping bag, simply folded once under and over me (What’s a great kilt? ) on top of a Thermarest pad and exercise pad.

 

I also had a DD 3×3 tarp which I originally wanted to put up over the Habitent, but it didn’t work.  Instead, I stored things under it in leanto mode.

It’s held up by REI Hiker staffs that have street hockey balls on the spikes to make them more socially friendly.  In retrospect, I’m not happy with that setup, as it is still too low.  However, I’m not guaranteed trees to set up with.  I’m seeking ideas on what to do with that.

If you are used to tarp camping and wondering why I set it up in such a haphazard way, the reason why is because I was rained out!

I was pretty much just able to set it up like that in time to run into the car and wait out the storm.  The tarp held up, so I just left it as is.

HOW IT WENT

I finally got settled and hooked up my C-PAP and went to sleep around 10p.  Around 11:30, I was awoken by a flashlight shining on my face.  Turns out my daughter Noel, who earlier had stated she didn’t want to try camping, changed her mind and decided to camp with me.  So, I moved what equipment I had around, and put some in the front seat, some under the tarp, and she got sleeping supplies and joined me.

Around 2 AM, I got up to watch the Camelopardalids meteor shower.  I nudged Noel to see if she wanted to see it also, but she is a teenager.  At first there were quite a few clouds, then they cleared and I got out of the car to look.  Unfortunately, I was not out in the desert of Arizona, but in my driveway, which is near Philadelphia, PA.  I know that a meteor shower happened because I would see occasional streaks, but the tree, street light, and ambient light pollution kind of got in the way, sadly.  You can see those meteors, right?

I settled in for the rest of the night after that, waking up to a little bit of a backache, which was resolved in a half hour.

CONCLUSION

The night went well overall.  There was some condensation on the tent, but no leakage, despite a storm.  Both the tent and tarp worked as advertised.  The Skeeter Beater did its job, although one or two may have gotten through anyway.  Ventilation was only a problem during the storm, so I plan to get rain guards for the windows to help alleviate that.  The C-PAP worked fine, although I still need to work out an arrangement due to the fact that the engine makes noise when it kicks in to recharge the battery.  I do need to rethink how to handle the tarp so that I can get more height and thereby use out of it.  The Prius handled the two of us comfortably.

I’d love your suggestions for ways to improve the setup, and I look forward to the next attempt!