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Astro calculator
CURRENT MOON Jupiter and Moons
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Amateur AstronomerAstronomer since age 7 :D - memories going through library books displaying comets and narrations from oldies, eclipses are some of the early marvels to experience, watching Hale-Bopp been mine first comet. 'Andromeda Galaxy' with naked eye vision looks like a cotton puff, stunning to experience the dark adapted human eye has great sensitivity for low light in averted vision.
The Human visual cortex holds onto one image for about one-fifteenth of a second (say 1/ 15 sec shutter speed ) in general human eye pupil expands to 8 mm (f/2.1) in the dark just imagine what should be the ISO ?????? Hugee.. in averted vision of dark adapted eyes [ :) even color information at high ISO of eye is poor ] Sightings ( 1988 - 2005 )
Sightings + Photography ( 2006 - )
Planets ( 2006 - )
ISS - International Space Station - Real challenge is to guess the proper exposure - fast moving object - changing brightness - Unless backed by a defined background to catch its Silhoutte - best with Good Stable tripod and Fast prime lenses. (One picture in astro-photography gallery) - Equipment 10*50 Olympus Binoculars with TripodNevertheless photographic equipmentCanon S5IS, and Canon 550D with 300mm loaded, for planetary. |
Current PositionsPhases of PlanetsISS pass Magnitude for your location
ISS Lunar Solar transit |
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Total Annular solar Eclipse - Jan 15, 2010, Pamban, Rameshwaram, TN, India.
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Astrophotography
No skill is really essential to master 'Astrophotography'.
Mounting Equipment
If your camera Lens is granted to be your telescope ( 300mm for Andromeda ), for Low Light Object like Galaxies, Open Clusters, you will need Longer shutter times often range to a minute or more, depending on your lens speed. Remember the sky traverses east to west, you need to follow your moving object to avoid recording star trails, the solution is to have camera mounted on German equatorial mount motorized to track at same rate of motion (of object) with correct aligment, Yes alignment of the tracking system to North pole is essential, using a guiding telescope aiming 'Pole star' at North.
Photographic Element
Lens / Telescope as Lens
Telephoto Lens work as Refractor Telescope system, if focal length is demanding and need to be cost effective - Telescope is one to look for. Refractor Telescope with Apochromatic Construction are best suited and are highly expensive. Common and fairly inexpensive options are Newtonian reflector systems, for they have obstruction and cross wires, minor distortions are common.
- Tracking Equipment
- Photographic Element (Camera)
- Lens/ Telescope (optional)
- Basic knowledge in Astronomy
Mounting Equipment
If your camera Lens is granted to be your telescope ( 300mm for Andromeda ), for Low Light Object like Galaxies, Open Clusters, you will need Longer shutter times often range to a minute or more, depending on your lens speed. Remember the sky traverses east to west, you need to follow your moving object to avoid recording star trails, the solution is to have camera mounted on German equatorial mount motorized to track at same rate of motion (of object) with correct aligment, Yes alignment of the tracking system to North pole is essential, using a guiding telescope aiming 'Pole star' at North.
- Equatorial Mount + Tracking Motorized + Extremely stable Tripod
- Astro-Trac + Manfrotto Mount + Tripod
Photographic Element
- This can be SLR / DSLR or simple PS camera, a T-ring will help the photographic system plumb with Telescope, an adapter for PS type.
- Peltier cooler equipment is considered an effective solution to reduce Long exposure noise - to counter the camera system heating.
- If you are behind the Nebulae and wish to capture those astonishing color (they are not visible colors) - get your camera modified to remove your IR mask filter glued with sensor - this modified camera sensor will help recording IR range of H1 radiation.
Lens / Telescope as Lens
Telephoto Lens work as Refractor Telescope system, if focal length is demanding and need to be cost effective - Telescope is one to look for. Refractor Telescope with Apochromatic Construction are best suited and are highly expensive. Common and fairly inexpensive options are Newtonian reflector systems, for they have obstruction and cross wires, minor distortions are common.
- Faint Objects - Large Aperture scopes they are bulky. e.g. Dobsonian models.
- Planets - Long Focal length is desired to view small angular sized objects, but brighter in magnitude e.g. MCT Schmidt Telescopes.
Eclipses Solar Lunar
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Saturn
Saturn at Opposition 2012 with 300mm Lens - 18Mpx Sensor
Conjunction - Jupiter and Venus