So, we took our motorhome 'Bryony' (it was going to be named 'Brian' after the snail in The Magic Roundabout. But, the motorhome didn't look a 'Brian' - more a 'Bryony! So there's the story. Our old caravan was 'Florence'; our car is 'Zebedee'. You can see a theme here! Sixties child! Sorry I digress!) down to Charmouth for a week.
A combined trip - fossil hunting for the Boss and trying to catch the first rising of the galactic core in the Milky Way for me.
Wow. There's some light pollution down at Portland and Weymouth!
The two images below are the same data - 12 x 20" at ISO 1600 using Canon 800D (astro-modded) and Samyang 14 mm F/2.8 all stacked in Sequator and then processed in Affinity photo. The starless image was processed in SIRIL using Starnet++ but when I put the stars back in - it looked horrendous. No idea why, so I kept it starless which is a tad unrealistic isn't it.
The bright light out to sea is, I think, the Portland lighthouse
The astro-modded camera certainly picks out the H-alpha
The starless image - broody and moody - I just cannot get SIRIL to reduce the number of stars.
You can see the image below when I did star recomposition. Infuriating and in reality, processing in affinity photo was much easier than in SIRIL and this was using the same image from Sequator!
This post editing malarkey is hard work. Have I said that before? 😕 Sorry! 😂
The people at First Light Optics really are good. Whenever I have ordered something from them, it has been sorted and dispatched promptly; all packaged safely and arriving absolutely on time.
One of the the things I really appreciate about them is the fact that they actually answer email queries with consideration and thought. I have found that not all companies do this.
For example, I contacted FLO to ask advice about upgrading my kit (see my previous posts on my kit dilemma). Within a day I had a well crafted and thoughtful response, the basics of which were as follows:
that I would not be able to insert a filter wheel between my DSLR and Zenithstar 61ii flattener due to the strict spacing requirements of the flattener. I would have the same problem trying to do it on my samyang 135mm lens as well. However, if I went for a dedicated cooled astrocam instead then I could use a filter wheel
confirmation that I would see a huge improvement in my imaging quality of emission nebulae if I used a dual narrow band filter such as the L-eNHance clip in version for EOS canon cameras
agreement that a next step might be to look at getting a GOTO mount as it makes it far easier to locate faint smaller objects especially if also using autoguiding such as the ASIair mini. Whilst the SWSA GTi is a very good mount, the FLO team agreed that to future proof myself for the potential to use a larger refractor later, a mount to consider might be the HEQ5 Pro, which has a long and decent track record for deep sky imaging
If I looked to upgrade my refractor and team a new one with the above mount, they gave me two recommendations to look at: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/askar-telescopes/askar-103-apo-triplet-refractor.html and https://www.firstlightoptics.com/starfield-telescopes/starfield-102mm-f7-ed-doublet-refractor.html Both are refractors in the focal length range 700 - 900mm; giving me far more imaging range than I get on the zenithstar 61ii. FLO did note that my zenithstar is a decent scope for widefield imaging, although there are better widefield options with faster optics etc available. They didnt see any need to change now unless I particularly wanted a scope with more aperture and a longer focal length for imaging the smaller targets.
So, this helpful response has given me much to think about. Given I am still learning how to properly process the image data I catch now, I could just upgrade the clip in filters, stick with my SWSA 2 i Pro and do my five minute length images.
I could stick with what I have, do the filter upgrade and buy the SWSA GTi and not change the gear I have - it is highly portable and easy to cart about in the motorhome. My SWSA 2i would be my milky way landscape photography tracker. The Gti version - the one I use at campsites or directly out the back of the car boot.
I could stretch the budget a little and go for the better mount with the higher payload and future proof myself now. I am leaning towards this option but I need to see one to see how heavy it is. Can it go in the motorhome with the SWSA 2i Pro?
At the moment, within my budget (leaving a little bit for a new power station and perhaps a dual narrowband clip in filter) I am looking at mount upgrades in the form of the skywatcher EQ-AL55i; the EQM 35 Pro and the SWSA Gti. One of the things which immediately struck me, watching YouTube videos, is how noisy they are! Using one of these outside of the motorhome is going to require some diplomacy with my neighbouring motorhomers!
Conundrums eh? A nice one to have - but I am conscious that once I have done this upgrade - it will be several years down the rod before I can afford another - so I have to spend wisely now!
No pressure then!
Thank you FLO for all your help - much appreciated.
I am thinking about the evolution of my astrophotography and astronomy equipment! It is hard trying to work out what you may need or a direction you may wish to go in the future. Especially if you are new to a hobby/passion!
I have been on a journey over the last two years. I started with just a Canon 800D and kit lenses along with an Ioptron Skytracker pro. From no understanding of basic photography whatsoever (I was just a 'spray and pray' merchant) - I did two DSLR courses for newcomers at my local arts college. You know the thing - 'how to get off 'auto' and onto 'manual''.
Then I started researching basic astrophotography and followed some YouTube tutorials. I did some free on-line courses about basic milky way photography. I learned to use deep sky stacker and sequator. I brought Affinity photo and started to learn the basics of post process editing, at a simple beginner's level. From there, I started to learn about SIRIL and GraXpert. I joined various Facebook forums to do with astrophotography and carefully chose my Youtube channels!
My learning journey has been immense; sky rocketing. The proverbial 'steep learning curve'.
And so, now, I'm here: a portable wide-field rig and some basic understanding about astrophotography.
My current astrophotography kit:
Canon 800D astro-modded camera
Zenithstar 61ii refractor
Samyang 14mm and 135mm f/2 lenses
Canon 22 and 50mm prime lenses
Skywatcher star adventurer 2i star tracker
William optics wedge for above tracker
ASIair mini
ASIair 120mm mini guide camera
RVO 32mm guide scope
Skywatcher power tank
various accessories including four small power banks, bahtinov masks, flats tablet, intervalometer, red dot finder, MSM Z shape ball head, ball heads, benbo CF tripod, right angled polar viewfinder, assorted dovetail plates, ring system for Samyang 135mm lens, optolong L-Pro clip in filter, dew bands
My astronomy kit includes:
Skywatcher Star Discovery 150 i wifi GOTO newtonian reflector with tripod
various barlows and eyepieces (25mm, 12mm and 8mm)
red dot finder
My passion definitely centres on the astrophotography elements!
And here, as I have said in previous posts, I have certain requirements. Portability, simplicity, compactness, multi-purposefulness (is there such a word?) and some potential growth room for future. The most important ones are portability and simplicity. I have a motorhome and I take my astrophotography kit with me on every tour. I like to do milky way landscape photography along the coastlines of Devon and Cornwall as well as deep space imaging, just about from anywhere.
So, where do I go in terms of upgrading the kit? Most of it is really aimed at a portable wide-field set up, isn't it?
On my list of possible stuff is the following:
optolong L-enHance clip in filter?
astronomik OWB clip in filter?
Skywatcher star adventurer tracker gti or perhaps HEQ5 or equivalent?
a pixinsight subscription?
electronic autofocusser - ZWO EAF?
a cooled astrocam?
selling my zenithstar and getting a better quality refractor?
(a new rucksack for those walks to cliff top destinations - the Osprey Rook II 65lt)
(jackery 300 plus power station)
I have absolutely no idea. Are any of these a useful evolution/extension of my existing kit?
I know that if I go down the road of investing in more filters, then it is probable that I would need to upgrade my mount. At the moment I can achieve 3 - 5 minute exposures relatively straight-forwardly. If I have understood what I have read about filters, then I would need to be able to take exposures of 10"+ and even with an ASIair mini and autoguiding system, I think this would be a push on my rig!
So, at the moment I want to keep portability at the heart of what I do but I want some 'evolution' wiggle room to grow into as my skills and needs advance in the future.
What would you do?
What would you advise me to think about or purchase? All help and thoughts gratefully received in the comment box below. And thank you for your help.
As always, clear skies, stay safe and happy observing!
Newly arrived to my blog? Want to know more about me before you dive into my posts? Why not visit the home page first and start your exploration from there:
And welcome. Welcome to 'UnderSouthWest Skies'. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you find the experience worthwhile. This blog post has been written from my own 'beginner perspective' after doing lots of reading on the topic below. In getting my head around it all, I may have got odd bits slightly wrong; but, like you, I am on a leaning journey, so please forgive any unintentional errors. Meanwhile, clear skies to you. Take care and thanks for visiting Steve aka PlymouthAstroBoy
Orion skies from Weymouth
The Witch Head nebula
This post is just a summary page of where you can find my various 'beginners guides to.....' type posts. I wrote all these for those people who are coming new to astronomy and astrophotography. I remember being completely overwhelmed when I first started doing my research and learning journey. So these posts have been written by me - an absolute beginner - for you - another beginner. Hope they help! I will update the page regularly. You can also use the menu on the right hand side of the home page as well.
Newly arrived to my blog? Want to know more about me before you dive into my posts? Why not visit the home page first and start your exploration from there:
And welcome. Welcome to 'UnderSouthWest Skies'. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you find the experience worthwhile. This blog post has been written from my own 'beginner perspective' after doing lots of reading on the topic below. In getting my head around it all, I may have got odd bits slightly wrong; but, like you, I am on a leaning journey, so please forgive any unintentional errors. Meanwhile, clear skies to you. Take care and thanks for visiting Steve aka PlymouthAstroBoy
What do you do for your hot drinks on those cold winter nights when all your equipment is covered in dew or worse still, frost? When you are chilled despite all the proper layering of good clothes you have done?
I started my astronomy/astrophotography sessions with taking flasks of tea. But I found these cooled really quickly. Even worse, the milk started curling on the long journeys down country lanes. Yep, that really did occasionally happen. Ugh!
Then I switched recently to a different system - taking flasks of hot water in an insulated food bag, along with a small metal bottle of milk. I'd make a cuppa using tea bags and the hot water and milk.
Advantages? The flasks seemed to keep the water far hotter for far longer in the insulated bag. The task of making a cuppa was fun; something to do whilst waiting for your light frames shooting sequence to finish. Great if I was operating out the back of the car where weight of equipment carried wasn't going to be an issue.
But what about when I am doing milky way astrophotography, away from the car?
Trekking along stretches of coastline or across moorland to a secret destination for a night shoot! Weight of equipment carried becomes an issue then! As does keeping warm in exposed locations.
So I am switching back to my favourite system of making a cuppa - using a stove! Or cooking noodles! Or heating a camping 'meal in a bag'. It doesn't have to be just a 'cuppa' any more.
Coming from an outdoor pursuits background, firstly as a mountain climber and trekker, then as a dinghy cruising sailor doing overnight expedition raids along the south Devon coastline, I love the hiss from a good camping stove. The heat generated, the bubbling of boiling water, the instant gratification from a hot, warming drink and/or meal.
I have always used a Trangia stove. Always! Mine is nearly forty years old and is still going strong, but, as Trangia users know, whilst it is a brilliant little stove, it is heavy if you add in the meths that has to be carried as well.
So, I have sinned. Transgressed. Traitorised myself! I got a Primus Lite+ stove for my birthday present!
Shock, horror, the world is ending! He has succumbed to the lure of the 'all in one' stove!
So why have I done this?
Firstly, I wanted a lightweight stove system specifically for when I go off and do my milky way shooting sessions. Something integrated but light weight; giving fast boiling of water. Easy and quick to set up or put away. I often walk a fair way to get to a good location that I have scouted previously. After shooting, I may move location slightly and do it all again in the same session. I want to be able to pack and unpack equipment quickly. Mobility, time efficiency and safety are the key things here.
The Primus Lite+ meets these requirements.
The stove is an integrated 'all in one gas' design; small pack size and a lightweight 400gs. The pot is 0.5l capacity and its a one-person stove set up. On my initial tests out in a windy garden, my stove boiled water in 2' 30"s.
Fuel efficient and a smart design, it is built of high quality materials. Typical Primus quality!
The anodised pot has an integrated pouring spout and built in heat exchanger at the base. The lid is plastic and has a strainer inbuilt. This also allows steam to escape as water boils. Stepped, the lid is easy to remove to check the water (or noodles!) Its actual function is, a small mug or bowl!
Insulated by a cork lined fabric sleeve which closes with velcro, the pot is easy to handle when removing it from the burner assembly. The handle is a sturdy, secure, strap affair which can be folded over the top of the lid to store everything safely inside the pot (or used to hang it using the supplied cord loop, from a convenient branch). Attached to the handle are three little screw pins, more about these later.
The 0.5lt anodised pot with integrated heat exchanger and the clever triangular attachment system
The burner unit screws into a gas canister. Triangular in shape, with piezo ignition, its a laminar flow burner giving a 1500w flame. The piezo ignition works well, and the large wire handle to turn the gas on and off gives good simmer control as well. The triangular joint connection to the pot is ingenious and so simple to use. The pot attaches and detaches with ease. Frankly, the whole set up is low profile, with a low centre of gravity. Stable, safe; helped by the included fold out triangular base leg system that attaches to the gas canister. Cool down time, by the way, was around ten minutes but that will depend on the conditions on the night won't it?
What about those three pins? Well, they screw into the three holes on the burner unit. You can then use a bigger pot on the stove. Ideal, if like me, you might be tempted on a longer night out to do a 'boil in the bag' camping meal. I can use one of my very lightweight trangia pots for this. Something I couldn't do on the 'Jetboil Flash, which was the other stove system I looked at.
The burner head unit and those three pins that can be screwed in to support larger pans if needed
So what don't I like about it after testing it a few times in the garden?
Not much actually. And that's a rare thing as I'm not that easily pleased when it comes to outdoor gear.
Those pins on the attached handle make it difficult to fold the handle over the pot for secure storage. They scratch the mug lid as well. When separating the burner unit from the pot, there isn't much to grab hold of which isn't hot - so you have to hold the gas cylinder and twist. As I said, it separates very easily so that doesn't seem to be a problem in reality.
In conclusion, I like the portability and lightweightness of the stove. Everything including a 100g gas cylinder packs down into the pot. Materials are sturdy; the design is robust, thoughtful and modern. Its certainly efficient in boiling water even in windy conditions. Primus have an outstanding reputation - a proven track record in good outdoor gear design, reliability and quality.
Some of you may say it is overkill. A flask of tea is fine. But I say to you, imagine this - sat on a cliff, watching the milky way pass overhead, hearing your DSLR clicking away and in the background, the quite reassuring, comforting roar of a primus lite+; the bubbling of hot water and then a really HOT cuppa or stomach warming noodles! Early morning porridge with cinnamon and sultanas thrown in!! Nectar of the Gods.
Perfection!
Notes:
Copyright on photos above - Peak Mountaineering
I found two review sites useful when researching what stove to buy:
I hit the YouTube rabbit hole the other day. The weather was lousy and I was going through my portable hard drive trying to tidy up folders and delete duplicates. I found these that I had forgotten to process properly.
An opportunity then to practise doing sky replacement in affinity photo.
This is my latest effort - Wembury Mill on the south Devon coast, just to the east of Plymouth Sound.
I took the foreground image just after nightfall. I cant remember the settings - sorry! I forgot to write them down in my little notebook. I did briefly paint the mill with my head torch beam though. I then returned to capture the milky way galactic core just after it started appearing around 0330 ish. That I tracked. ISO 800, 35" x 20 or so. No calibration frames.
Not my best shot but not bad - I rushed things on the night.
However, it was good practice for trying to get to grips with Affinity Photo
The sky shots were stacked in Sequator first.
The Milky Way above Wembury beach, south Devon
My last photos that I did of the area were these:
Somehow I managed to get a funny red line between sky and far cliff line - absolutely no idea why - but it was a post processing mistake. I suspect I applied a mask and then did some painting selection brush work which didn't quite work out properly
Milky Way above the Great Mewstone, off Wembury Point, south Devon
Taken from a slightly different position on the beach from the one above.
Below are the videos I used to help me work out how to do sky replacement.
On Friday night, I had a discussion with another
astrophotographer during a break in our Astronomy society monthly meeting.
Topic? “Why use a DSLR
when CMOS cameras are easier?”
I was admiring his rig – Redcat 51, EAF focuser, ASIair
plus, some CMOS camera I can’t remember the designation of, a 32mm guide scope
with ASIair 120mm mini camera; all on some HeQ mount that again I’ve forgotten.
His suggestion? Improve my rig by getting a CMOS camera to attach to my zenith
star or Samyang 135mm.
Where is the co-incidence bit?
This morning on my Facebook feed up pops a discussion topic
in one of the astrophotography forum groups I subscribe to….. wait for it……… ”Why do people continue to use DSLR’s when CMOS cameras
are better and easier to use?”
Co-incidence – powerful stuff!
I’d already been thinking about my answer to this question
before the Facebook feed emerged. So, here is my personal perspective. I use a
DSLR because:
1.I already had it and am familiar with its
settings, capabilities, and limitations
2.I had and have subsequently purchased a variety
of lenses to use with it
3.I can use it for milky way landscape
astrophotography
4.And use it for daytime photography as well
5.I could spend what limited funds I had on other
bits of equipment needed for my rig
6.My DSLR already has a CMOS sensor
7.Dedicated CMOS cameras are expensive and I get
easily confused as to what one I should get for my rig (not really a valid
reason as all I need to do is some basic sensible research)
8.I think, but don’t really know this to be true –
that my DSLR is better for wide field astrophotography, aurora pictures, star
trails and comets?
9.I get an instant image on the back of my LED
screen – very gratifying as a beginner to astrophotography
10.I don’t need to link it to a tablet or computer
when out in the field
11.I am learning the how’s and why’s of
astronomy/astrophotography with it – walking the walk, learning the craft,
doing the basic skills development
12.It has minimal additional software requirements
13.I got it astro-modded!
That
seems plenty to be going on with. I am sure there is a longer list of why I
SHOULD switch over to a dedicated camera but, hey, I’m welded for now, to my
trusty, faithful Canon DSLR. I love it.
Oh yes! The astronomy society meeting was excellent. The second one I have attended in Plymouth. members arrived with various pieces of equipment. Good to see and hear peoples experiences with the Seestar 50 and the dwarf Seestar 30. Impressive pieces of kit but, for me, taking away the 'learning' that comes with using traditional telescopes and astrophotography rigs.
So much knowledge, kindness, willingness to share and learn with each other. Fantastic society. I have decided to pay the full subscription at the next meeting.
Newly arrived to my blog? Want to know more about me before you dive into my posts? Why not visit the home page first and start your exploration from there:
And welcome. Welcome to 'UnderSouthWest Skies'. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you find the experience worthwhile. This blog post has been written from my own 'beginner perspective' after doing lots of reading on the topic below. In getting my head around it all, I may have got odd bits slightly wrong; but, like you, I am on a leaning journey, so please forgive any unintentional errors. Meanwhile, clear skies to you. Take care and thanks for visiting Steve aka PlymouthAstroBoy
Now here is the thing.
I can capture astrophotography data on the night. I'm getting better at working out the exposure triangle settings and checking my histogram on the night. Likewise with using my tracker and gaining sets of lights, flats, darks and bias frames.
Beginning to understand taking landscape shots in blue and twilight hours. Lousy on landscape composition of foreground however. Loads to sort out there.
My real difficulties though, and please don't ask me "why?" because I don't know, is understanding how to merge two images into one in affinity photo. You know - putting a foreground with a sky shot. It seems so easy on the YouTube tutorials and yet whenever I try - a disaster.
Anyway, here is my first efforts. And yes, I know the sky is completely wrong proportion etc - but its just a practice image - trying to learn how to replace a sky in a shot; how to select an object from another image and place it into another.
I really find selections, masking and layers control really difficult to assimilate and I just don't understand why!
Which of the two images is the least worse? got any tips on how I can improve them? Drop me a comment below - all help appreciated - especially if you are an affinity photo user.
As I get older, I get more absent minded and forgetful. I've lost the car a few times in various car parks. I've left the phone on the car roof and lost it! I once left my GoPro camera recording a night session and had to drive back and get it. Fortunately it was still dark, deserted and the GoPro was attached to a fence post and not immediately noticeable.
My real pet hates are when I forget to pack something I need. Last time I left the powertank behind and had to drive twenty minutes home to get it - having assembled the rig earlier only to discover that...... you get the picture.
I've done something similar with the tripod as well!
So, I use check lists. There are a few posts here showing my various checklists. It is a system which seems to have helped me enormously when I was dinghy cruising and expeditioning.
So, without further ado, here is my milky way night session check list. Hope you find it useful. If I have missed off anything, drop me a comment below and I will add it in for all.
Clear skies, take care, stay safe and have fun out there
Steve
And just in case you cant get the picture printed off - here it is in text below
