I just got my first telescope, a 125mm cassegrain, and want a low-priced method to take some pictures. It's pretty amazing seeing Jupiter's cloud bands and I'd like to share some pics with family. I tried pointing my phone camera into the telescope lens, but the results were mediocre and things were very hard to line up. I've found several low priced laptop USB attachments online. What is a good value method for taking a some pics? It doesn't have to be high megapixel, I just want something that can get some color and I could email to people.
Astronomy / Space What are some low-priced methods for astrophotography?
- Thread starter Branithar
- Start date
At the very basic level there are adaptors that you clip your phone onto to take through-the-lens pictures. (e.g. https://www.arcturuslabs.com/ )
Depending upon your scope and whether you have access to a SLR (with mechanical mirror movement) you can get a t-mount adaptor to take focal-plane pictures.
Some decent CCD cameras are available for similar mounting, prices very variable.
Bear in mind that for longer exposures you need to be on an equatorial mount or have a wedge fitted. The stepping of computer-controlled alt-az mounts produces fuzzy pictures.
Depending upon your scope and whether you have access to a SLR (with mechanical mirror movement) you can get a t-mount adaptor to take focal-plane pictures.
Some decent CCD cameras are available for similar mounting, prices very variable.
Bear in mind that for longer exposures you need to be on an equatorial mount or have a wedge fitted. The stepping of computer-controlled alt-az mounts produces fuzzy pictures.
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All that has been said above. The first most important thing even for cheap astrophotography is not the eyes, but the legs. A computerized mount helps a lot, and is fundamental for long-exposure astrophotography but is not really required for planetary imaging, where you work mostly by taking videos and "stacking" the resulting frames to get a final image as defined as possible. The more frame you have the better, but a rough alignment and following capability are more than enough to keep a planet in sight. The bigger limit of alt-az mounts it that not being aligned to the equatorial plane of Earth, the planet in the eyepiece will slowly rotates on the center of the eyepiece while following it in its course, so images taken over long period of times will need to be "de-rotated" before being aligned for processing. Equatorial mounts get rid of this problem, but are more expensive and take a while to be set up and get used to them (it become trivial after a couple times though).
As for "the eyes", if you happen to have a SLR camera already, you are mostly good to go as MalcYorks said (you'll just need said t-adaptor to attach it to the scope); if you are starting from scratch, you can find dedicated planetary cameras for price starting from 100-150 € up. More professional models may easily cost you an eye and a kidney, but they really aren't required if you're not seriously into the hobby. Also taking a look in the used market may be a good idea.
Main problem is, forget to take a single photo of a planet like Jupiter or Saturn, you'll only get a little smeared brown/yellow patch. The only way to have a decent image of such small objects is by video capture and processing (a technique called "stacking). The only objects you'll be able to capture well in a single shot are the Moon and the Sun. (only when properly filtered. Never point a telescope at the Sun if you aren't completely sure of what you are doing!)
As for "the eyes", if you happen to have a SLR camera already, you are mostly good to go as MalcYorks said (you'll just need said t-adaptor to attach it to the scope); if you are starting from scratch, you can find dedicated planetary cameras for price starting from 100-150 € up. More professional models may easily cost you an eye and a kidney, but they really aren't required if you're not seriously into the hobby. Also taking a look in the used market may be a good idea.
Main problem is, forget to take a single photo of a planet like Jupiter or Saturn, you'll only get a little smeared brown/yellow patch. The only way to have a decent image of such small objects is by video capture and processing (a technique called "stacking). The only objects you'll be able to capture well in a single shot are the Moon and the Sun. (only when properly filtered. Never point a telescope at the Sun if you aren't completely sure of what you are doing!)
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