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Forum: Photographic Technique
09-23-2010, 07:47 AM
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I am only a newbie to these forums, but I do have a fair bit of experience with Astronomy. So I will answer part of your question as best I can. Without Googling it!
To get the best out of Astronomical Photography, you definately need a tripod with an Equitorial Mount. There is absolutely no other way around it. A motorised one is best, as that will allow you to track the object that you are attempting to capture. And give you much longer exposure times. The equitorial mount will need to be aligned north/south as well. Otherwise it will not track the stars correctly. I am assuming that you will be conducting your affairs outdoors. That will mean that you may be in a field or other environment where wind may be a deciding factor in the images that you obtain. To avoid this, weigh down the tripod with something heavy. But do this from the centre of the tripod, and not on the tripods feet. A bag of sand, or a bottle of water with a handle works best. Tied from the centre of the tripod, and hanging down to as close to the ground you can go, with out touching the ground. Gravity will then pull the whole of the tripod into the center of the globe. Making it much more stable. Avoid light polution like the plague. Especially nosey neighbours that want to see what you are doing outside with a camera, late at night. Download some astronomy freeware which will allow you to set your location, date, and time. There is also sattelite tracking freeware out there as well. If you get into it, or maybe even are, you can do what I have seen some people do. And that is to buy, or make, a mounting system that allows you to attach you camera directly to the telescope eyepiece. Or even a webcam for video captures. Buy a small penlight torch, and coat the lens with red tape. The red is so your "Seeing" is not ruined by white light. And it also allows you to continue working whilst you are taking a shot. Use insect repellant. And what ever you do, don't put your tripod right next to a present that your dog has just left for you in the middle of the night. You "Will" step in it! trust me on that!!!
Hope I have been of some help. TP. :cool:
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