First moon shots

First moon shots · 11:09 AM

I've never really been able to get a good moon shot, although my Pentax has improved things dramatically. Here's what I got with K200D/Tamron 70-300. Cropped only.

Is 300mm just not long enough, or does 10 MP just not give me enough cropping ability? Suggestions?

HowLowCanYaGo · 08-08-2008, 11:17 AM

IMO, 300mm is just to short.

500mm at least.

Peter Zack · 08-08-2008, 11:23 AM

Yup, What HLCYG said. I've used 300mm, 500mm and now 1000mm. You need at least 500mm to get a decent clear shot of the moon if you want to see much detail.

For reference, here's a shot that isn't cropped with 1000mm.

It was taken with a modified (for K mount) Meade telescope.

DennisH · 08-08-2008, 11:27 AM

I thought as much. That shot is really great, Peter.

Nowhere Matt · 08-08-2008, 11:46 AM

If it makes you feel better, it looks just as good as ones I shot with my 200mm and K10 set at 6 mp.
It is, for me anyway, a lot easier getting good exposures of the moon with digital than with film. But I have not tried any prolonged exposures of stars with digital.

Peter Zack · 08-08-2008, 11:58 AM

The telescope option isn't all that expensive these days. A new scope of decent quality can be around $400 and up. Used ones even less. A few adapters and you can attach them to the camera. A bit challenging to use but still an interesting tool to shoot with. Thanks for the comment.

wa5am · 08-08-2008, 01:09 PM

I took this using a 16" f/4.5 Newtonian about 6 or 7 years ago using a cheap(er) digital camera. I used a special adapter to project the image from a 26mm eyepiece into the camera lens, since the camera lens was not removable. The crater here is named "Clavius".

Pretty simple to do lunar photography if you have the proper stuff.

Syb · 08-08-2008, 01:19 PM

Now that is what I call a real closeup. May be a little bit too close for my taste.

I like to see the entire moon in a frame.

A lot should depend on when you are photograping the moon, and from where. Isn't it true that the moon sometimes appears a lot bigger than at other times?

But how do you know when to be prepared?

wa5am · 08-08-2008, 01:27 PM

Originally posted by Syb

Now that is what I call a real closeup. May be a little bit too close for my taste.

We were in the process of creating an atlas of the moon taking images of the major craters. I had some images of the entire moon taken with that scope, but of course I can't find them...

Peter Zack · 08-08-2008, 04:04 PM

Originally posted by Syb

Now that is what I call a real closeup. May be a little bit too close for my taste.

I like to see the entire moon in a frame.

A lot should depend on when you are photograping the moon, and from where. Isn't it true that the moon sometimes appears a lot bigger than at other times?

But how do you know when to be prepared?

It appear closer but is not. It remains the same distance from the earth at all times. The appearance of a larger size is an optical illusion because when the moon is close to the horizon and trees, buildings and so on, the other objects gives you a reference and creates the illision. I read a few better explanations than mine a while ago but even though it looks bigger on the horizon it actually measures the same size as when in the middle of the night sky.

Peter Zack · 08-08-2008, 04:05 PM

Great close up wa5am. I've read about this mating a camera to one of these larger telescopes. I'd love to give something like that a try some day.

pasipasi · 08-08-2008, 04:18 PM

Originally posted by Peter Zack

It remains the same distance from the earth at all times.

Not actually, see here APOD: 2007 October 25 - Apogee Moon, Perigee Moon

Peter Zack · 08-08-2008, 04:51 PM

Sorry you are right in the sense of over a year. I only meant that on a given night. The moon on the horizon is the same size ans 3-4 hours later in the middle of the sky. Even though it appears bigger when near the horizon.

Waiting great lengths of time for the variance of the orbit isn't really convenient. Specially if you've waited a year and that night the clouds roll in.
from what I have been able to find out the Moon is only in that large state one day per year and of course there's no guarantee it's going to be even visible. It seems that the full moon and perigee cycle only coincide every 8.86 years. I think these are right but the info is confusing and not easy to navigate.

CJSpangler · 08-08-2008, 06:41 PM

nice photo peter... man them scientists must have tons of free time - they even name the craters lol

yeh u gotta wait for the huge moon... shooting the small one is tough to shoot because any movmeent blurrs the light .

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08-08-2008, 04:51 PM	#13
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	Sorry you are right in the sense of over a year. I only meant that on a given night. The moon on the horizon is the same size ans 3-4 hours later in the middle of the sky. Even though it appears bigger when near the horizon. Waiting great lengths of time for the variance of the orbit isn't really convenient. Specially if you've waited a year and that night the clouds roll in. from what I have been able to find out the Moon is only in that large state one day per year and of course there's no guarantee it's going to be even visible. It seems that the full moon and perigee cycle only coincide every 8.86 years. I think these are right but the info is confusing and not easy to navigate. Last edited by Peter Zack; 08-08-2008 at 04:58 PM.

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08-08-2008, 11:17 AM	#2
HowLowCanYaGo Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 243	IMO, 300mm is just to short. 500mm at least.

08-08-2008, 11:23 AM	#3
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	Yup, What HLCYG said. I've used 300mm, 500mm and now 1000mm. You need at least 500mm to get a decent clear shot of the moon if you want to see much detail. For reference, here's a shot that isn't cropped with 1000mm. It was taken with a modified (for K mount) Meade telescope.

08-08-2008, 11:27 AM	#4
DennisH Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Stratford, CT Photos: Gallery Posts: 730 Original Poster	I thought as much. That shot is really great, Peter.

08-08-2008, 11:46 AM	#5
Nowhere Matt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Nowhere Land Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,362	If it makes you feel better, it looks just as good as ones I shot with my 200mm and K10 set at 6 mp. It is, for me anyway, a lot easier getting good exposures of the moon with digital than with film. But I have not tried any prolonged exposures of stars with digital.

08-08-2008, 11:58 AM	#6
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	The telescope option isn't all that expensive these days. A new scope of decent quality can be around $400 and up. Used ones even less. A few adapters and you can attach them to the camera. A bit challenging to use but still an interesting tool to shoot with. Thanks for the comment.

08-08-2008, 01:09 PM	#7
wa5am Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 244	I took this using a 16" f/4.5 Newtonian about 6 or 7 years ago using a cheap(er) digital camera. I used a special adapter to project the image from a 26mm eyepiece into the camera lens, since the camera lens was not removable. The crater here is named "Clavius". Pretty simple to do lunar photography if you have the proper stuff.

08-08-2008, 01:19 PM	#8
Syb Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Near Utrecht, Netherlands Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,221	Now that is what I call a real closeup. May be a little bit too close for my taste. I like to see the entire moon in a frame. A lot should depend on when you are photograping the moon, and from where. Isn't it true that the moon sometimes appears a lot bigger than at other times? But how do you know when to be prepared?

08-08-2008, 01:27 PM	#9
wa5am Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 244	Originally posted by Syb Now that is what I call a real closeup. May be a little bit too close for my taste. We were in the process of creating an atlas of the moon taking images of the major craters. I had some images of the entire moon taken with that scope, but of course I can't find them...

08-08-2008, 04:04 PM	#10
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	Originally posted by Syb Now that is what I call a real closeup. May be a little bit too close for my taste. I like to see the entire moon in a frame. A lot should depend on when you are photograping the moon, and from where. Isn't it true that the moon sometimes appears a lot bigger than at other times? But how do you know when to be prepared? It appear closer but is not. It remains the same distance from the earth at all times. The appearance of a larger size is an optical illusion because when the moon is close to the horizon and trees, buildings and so on, the other objects gives you a reference and creates the illision. I read a few better explanations than mine a while ago but even though it looks bigger on the horizon it actually measures the same size as when in the middle of the night sky.

08-08-2008, 04:05 PM	#11
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	Great close up wa5am. I've read about this mating a camera to one of these larger telescopes. I'd love to give something like that a try some day.

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08-08-2008, 04:18 PM	#12
pasipasi Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Oulu Photos: Gallery Posts: 532	Originally posted by Peter Zack It remains the same distance from the earth at all times. Not actually, see here APOD: 2007 October 25 - Apogee Moon, Perigee Moon

08-08-2008, 06:41 PM	#14
CJSpangler Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Jersey, US Posts: 154	nice photo peter... man them scientists must have tons of free time - they even name the craters lol yeh u gotta wait for the huge moon... shooting the small one is tough to shoot because any movmeent blurrs the light .