10 Minute Exposure of Milky way.

[Astroman]

Hi all,

This is a test images of the Milky Way. Total time exposed is 10 minutes, but I broke it down to 5 x 2min exposures. Taken with a Canon 400D, 17-40mm Lens @ 24mm (17 on lens :confused013)

Taken on new tracking system I made. Insert shows a 100% crop.

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo73/AstromanSID/Astronomy/startest2.jpg

[Kym]

:kewl: The clear nights must help!

[ameerat42]

Gee, Astroman! I'm confused. You have the post in the NFC section and yet you show C+C always appreciated. Anyway, I'd like to know about the tracking system you made, and was wondering about the exposure settings for each shot. Am.

[Borg2000]

17-40mm Lens @ 24mm (17 on lens :confused013)


Nothing to worry about thar on the camera you should see a symbol (white on most modern cameras) a circle with a line through it.

That would be where the film would be in a SLR so its a distance to film/sensor + the lens

Or so i understand i could be wrong :cool:

Nice photo by the way very interesting.

[Dylan & Marianne]

very interesting - I didn't know you could make your own tracking system? I always thought it would be frightfully technical and expensive too

[Astroman]

Gee, Astroman! I'm confused. You have the post in the NFC section and yet you show C+C always appreciated. Anyway, I'd like to know about the tracking system you made, and was wondering about the exposure settings for each shot. Am.

Umm yeah, oops, it's on my signature. I out it here because it was a simple test shot which wasn't a final image, so thats why I put it here, maybe the wrong section for it, but if the mods are happy for it to be here, then okay by me, maybe better off somewhere else :confused013

Anyway, the tracking device I used is a modified Automatic Gate opener and Stepper motor controller. I have been running it for some time adjusting it slightly here and there to get the speed right. Here is a pic of it while I was working out a way to mount it, havent got a final pic yet. Been too busy cleaning up an old Metal Lathe I got.

[Astroman]

I actually had to travel 30 minutes out of Adelaide to shoot this image, you can still see some light pollution on the right hand side of the image.

[soulman]

Anyway, the tracking device I used is a modified Automatic Gate opener and Stepper motor controller...Heath Robinson would be proud. Trés cool!

[feral1]

very interesting Astro, I am going to be going on an outing one of these days with a bunch of Astro nuts.
The stuff they use is mind boggling, but your little invention is just the ticket, as it does the job very well mate.

I am going to have to get off my but and work out when I can get out with them, might if I remember give you a yell as well.

Peter

[Jeanette]

hey Andrew .. great photos and wow . .you are clever.. you could make and sell those devices ?

[peterking]

I'm always amazed at what you present.
I think what makes it spectacular for me is that I know it's out there but you bring it in here.
Brilliant.

[SRR33]

Incredible image!! A great start and i love your mount you made :)

[ving]

no dark frames andrew? alot of detail there and your tracking looks spot on! :D

[joele]

great image and even better once you explained how you actually got it.. :eek:

[Lincolnbl]

great image and always love seeing peoples astro setups. Ingenious!

[Rattus79]

Reckon that setup would double for a pan head for time lapse stuff perfectly too!

[dche5390]

Impressive work and effort.

[Fantasyphoto]

Fantastic shot Andrew, I bumped into David Malin a couple of times last year both in Sydney and at the Parkes radio telescope and I reckon you guys are crazy staying up all night.

[Judd]

Really Cool, I hear Mars is at its closest orbit, so might be another subject

[AMD72]

Nice work Andrew - tracking is spot on.



Really Cool, I hear Mars is at its closest orbit, so might be another subject

This is a re-occurring hoax that pops up every August, especially the bit claiming Mars as big as the moon. It spawned out of the closest approach of Mars to earth in 2004. At present Mars is quite small through a scope and getting smaller in the near future

[kmaisch]

Awesome tracking system you've made there! Do you need to re-calibrate the speed of the motor, etc. for each shot you take? (depending on what direction you are shooting in or something?)
Kim

[AdamR]

In photo is pretty cool, but the ingenuity astounds me. I cant even fix my door handle and Ive been shown how to do it twice.

[Kerro]

awesome pic, and thanks for telling us how we can do it too

[ricktas]

great result there Andrew, good to see you willing to share how you did it, with the AP members.

[Astroman]

Thanks everyone for the replies... I cannot sell this unit as it is already copyrighted by the company, I could make a modified version, but need to find a micro step stepper motor controller. I have used this for panning in timelapses also, but unfortunately conditions at the time were not perfect, I hope to get out again with it, if the weather/moon cooperates.

Here is a sample of the panning from the device with a timelapse...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7MHWDJP_C4

[Rattus79]

That's pretty cool, I've been meaning to have some fun with my old technic leggo and see if I can't dodgy up a panning head for this kinda stuff.

[Clubmanmc]

That is really really cool!!

And yes i am shouting cos it is that good

m

[azagil]

Love the pic and great job on the do it yourself tracker.......way to advance for me......might just stick with the working out of the camera first. lol:D

[reaction]

great pic
how does the tracker know how/where to move?

[JM Tran]

great job and ingenuity there Andrew very nice!