NASA Moon crash

sharathk · 10-08-2009, 01:05 PM

is anyone planning to take pics of NASA moon crash with telescopic zooms?
NASA says

Quote:

We expect the debris plumes to be visible through midsized backyard telescopes -- 10 inches and larger

can this be seen thru telescopic zooms?

guidoanselmi · 10-08-2009, 01:12 PM

I work at NASA JPL and will be at the crash party for LCROSS next morning (impact is est 4:30 AM PDT, Friday)

NASA TV will, I think, be streaming visual from LCROSS itself.

wildlifephotog · 10-08-2009, 01:31 PM

It will take a 10 inch or larger scope to have a chance to see the plumes. Unfortunately it will 7:30am here, and way too bright.

Peter Zack · 10-08-2009, 01:35 PM

Same here. I have the lens but 2 problems. It will be too bright and it will be too cloudy.
It seems every time something like this pops up we get rain.....

Blue · 10-08-2009, 01:40 PM

I have similar problems Peter. On top of that, we have been having 98% humidity at times.

code4code5 · 10-08-2009, 02:25 PM

I don't have a telescope... do you think a 300mm might be able to see something?

sharathk · 10-08-2009, 02:34 PM

Originally posted by code4code5

I don't have a telescope... do you think a 300mm might be able to see something?

i don't think so. on the website LCROSS: Amateur Observations , it shows 10 inch telescope has optical focal length of 2032mm.

wildlifephotog · 10-08-2009, 02:43 PM

Actually a 10 inch, F5 scope has a focal length of 1270mm. There are a few guys who have built some 10 inch F6 to F8 range. But they are tough to handle well.

Quicksand · 10-08-2009, 04:33 PM

Heh. I'm not encouraged. From sharathk's link, most of the way down the page:

Q: Can I get pics of this event using my digital camera 'piggybacked' on a telescope with tracking?

A: Generally, no. The event would be about the size of a pin head on a kitchen table. You'd need a very large (huge) focal length lens (a lens combination with 3000mm on a 35mm film camera only gets you about 60x magnification. Digital cameras with the smaller chips get you an effective boost of about 1.5 times this for a given lens, but you're still barely getting to 100x mag) to get the needed magnification. Advantage though is you can blow up a good resolution/high pixel digital photo & maybe get a good result with some software manipulation. If you do try, make sure the tracking is good and your scope is used to carrying the camera and large lens weight so the tracking stays on track. Eye-piece or direct projection would be the preferred method when using a normal digital camera. Short focal length 'reflector' lenses, while small and light, are not recommended. Better yet are the digital astro-cameras with a huge lens -- a different web site.

I think I'll sleep in and watch it later on the tee-vee.

wildlifephotog · 10-08-2009, 04:37 PM

Correct, piggy back would not work. The camera would have to be connected to the focuser. And if possible a 2X barlow also.

**jhaji** · 10-14-2009, 10:28 PM

Hardly noticable even in this NASA image -

The Associated Press: Moon crash: Public yawns, scientists celebrate

I was wondering whether I could capture it on my 500mm until I realized that the impact would be in broad daylight

10-08-2009, 01:05 PM	#1
sharathk Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 146	NASA Moon crash is anyone planning to take pics of NASA moon crash with telescopic zooms? NASA says Quote: We expect the debris plumes to be visible through midsized backyard telescopes -- 10 inches and larger can this be seen thru telescopic zooms?

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10-08-2009, 01:12 PM	#2
guidoanselmi Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: LA, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 131	I work at NASA JPL and will be at the crash party for LCROSS next morning (impact is est 4:30 AM PDT, Friday) NASA TV will, I think, be streaming visual from LCROSS itself.

10-08-2009, 01:31 PM	#3
wildlifephotog Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 924	It will take a 10 inch or larger scope to have a chance to see the plumes. Unfortunately it will 7:30am here, and way too bright.

10-08-2009, 01:35 PM	#4
Peter Zack Pentaxian Moderator Emeritus Join Date: May 2007 Location: Edmonton Alberta, Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 10,643	Same here. I have the lens but 2 problems. It will be too bright and it will be too cloudy. It seems every time something like this pops up we get rain.....

10-08-2009, 01:40 PM	#5
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	I have similar problems Peter. On top of that, we have been having 98% humidity at times.

10-08-2009, 02:25 PM	#6
code4code5 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 438	I don't have a telescope... do you think a 300mm might be able to see something?

10-08-2009, 02:34 PM	#7
sharathk Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 146 Original Poster	Originally posted by code4code5 I don't have a telescope... do you think a 300mm might be able to see something? i don't think so. on the website LCROSS: Amateur Observations , it shows 10 inch telescope has optical focal length of 2032mm.

10-08-2009, 02:43 PM	#8
wildlifephotog Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 924	Actually a 10 inch, F5 scope has a focal length of 1270mm. There are a few guys who have built some 10 inch F6 to F8 range. But they are tough to handle well.

10-08-2009, 04:33 PM	#9
Quicksand Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Ohio (formerly SF Bay Area) Posts: 1,519	Heh. I'm not encouraged. From sharathk's link, most of the way down the page: Q: Can I get pics of this event using my digital camera 'piggybacked' on a telescope with tracking? A: Generally, no. The event would be about the size of a pin head on a kitchen table. You'd need a very large (huge) focal length lens (a lens combination with 3000mm on a 35mm film camera only gets you about 60x magnification. Digital cameras with the smaller chips get you an effective boost of about 1.5 times this for a given lens, but you're still barely getting to 100x mag) to get the needed magnification. Advantage though is you can blow up a good resolution/high pixel digital photo & maybe get a good result with some software manipulation. If you do try, make sure the tracking is good and your scope is used to carrying the camera and large lens weight so the tracking stays on track. Eye-piece or direct projection would be the preferred method when using a normal digital camera. Short focal length 'reflector' lenses, while small and light, are not recommended. Better yet are the digital astro-cameras with a huge lens -- a different web site. I think I'll sleep in and watch it later on the tee-vee.

10-08-2009, 04:37 PM	#10
wildlifephotog Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 924	Correct, piggy back would not work. The camera would have to be connected to the focuser. And if possible a 2X barlow also.

10-14-2009, 10:28 PM	#11
jhaji Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,141	Hardly noticable even in this NASA image - The Associated Press: Moon crash: Public yawns, scientists celebrate I was wondering whether I could capture it on my 500mm until I realized that the impact would be in broad daylight

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