This is a new (2003) section to display my astrophotographs. Having seen many superb photographs obtained by others using a simple 35mm camera I thought I would try myself. The first results are shown below, and new photos will be added as I aquire them.

Equipment.

3 Camera Astrophoto Setup. My current default setup: The G11 uses a Tandem bar to support the Genisis SDF + OM1n Camera, a second OM1n with a medium Telephoto, and a third OM1n with either short tele or wide-field lens. The AZ guidescope mount carries the ETX plus ST4 autoguider. The Vixen 90mm refractor (lower right) is used as a guidescope with the 12" Newt.

NGC7000 (North America Nebula). 5th Oct 2003: Genesis SDF. Supra400, 3x30 min exposures stacked with Registar. Losmandy G11 + Gemini, ETX90 guidescope, ST4 autoguider. This was my first film, used to check the guiding performance of the mount. Most frames on this roll suffered from the effects of dew on the SDFs objective - I since added a dew-heater to my kit!

M31 (Andromeda Galaxy). 5th Oct 2003: Genesis SDF. Supra400, 1x40 min exposure. Losmandy G11 + Gemini, ETX90 guidescope, ST4 autoguider. Again, this image was used to check the tracking performance - the magnified sections to the right are taken from center and edge of the frame and suggest tracking is OK (but focus could be better).

M31 (Andromeda Galaxy). 25th Oct 2003: Genesis SDF. Supra400, Composite 2x40min 3x30min 1x90min exposure. Losmandy G11 + Gemini, ETX90 guidescope, ST4 autoguider. This is a composite image of 6 photographs, stacked using Registar, colour and brightness adjusted in PaintShop Pro, and finally cropped to about a half-size frame.

NGC 1499 (California Neb). 25th Oct 2003: Orion Optics (UK) 12" f/4 Newtonian. Supra400, Composite 2x45min exposure. Losmandy G11 + Gemini, Vixen 90mm f/11 guidescope, ST4 autoguider. Composite image of 2 photographs, stacked using Registar, colour and brightness adjusted in PaintShop Pro. This nebula is too large to fit in the 35mm photo frame at prime focus. The f/4 newt clearly shows coma at edge of field.

9th Nov 2003 1:48am: Genesis SDF. TV 8-24mm zoom eyepiece. Canon S10 (afocal). The clouds didn't clear until just after totality, this shot shows the maximum extent of the eclipse I managed to see.

9th Nov 2003 1:53am: Genesis SDF. TV 8-24mm zoom eyepiece. Canon S10 (afocal). Taken a few minutes later, exposed for the umbral quadrant and processed to show surrounding stars.

9th Nov 2003 1:53am: Genesis SDF. TV 8-24mm zoom eyepiece. Canon S10 (afocal). Composite of 4 pics at two timepoints, exposure adjusted to show both the Umbral and Penumbral lit quadrants.

9th Nov 2003 1:58am and 2:17am: Genesis SDF. TV 8-24mm zoom eyepiece. Canon S10 (afocal). Two photos of the Penumbral lit quadrant taken at 1:58am and 2:17am.

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