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Astroman
03-07-2010, 12:46pm
Hi all,

This is a test images of the Milky Way. Total time exposed is 10 minutes, but I broke it down to 5 x 2min exposures. Taken with a Canon 400D, 17-40mm Lens @ 24mm (17 on lens :confused013)

Taken on new tracking system I made. Insert shows a 100% crop.

http://i363.photobucket.com/albums/oo73/AstromanSID/Astronomy/startest2.jpg

Kym
03-07-2010, 12:49pm
:kewl: The clear nights must help!

ameerat42
03-07-2010, 12:52pm
Gee, Astroman! I'm confused. You have the post in the NFC section and yet you show C+C always appreciated. Anyway, I'd like to know about the tracking system you made, and was wondering about the exposure settings for each shot. Am.

Borg2000
03-07-2010, 1:25pm
17-40mm Lens @ 24mm (17 on lens :confused013)


Nothing to worry about thar on the camera you should see a symbol (white on most modern cameras) a circle with a line through it.

That would be where the film would be in a SLR so its a distance to film/sensor + the lens

Or so i understand i could be wrong :cool:

Nice photo by the way very interesting.

Dylan & Marianne
03-07-2010, 2:09pm
very interesting - I didn't know you could make your own tracking system? I always thought it would be frightfully technical and expensive too

Astroman
03-07-2010, 2:15pm
Gee, Astroman! I'm confused. You have the post in the NFC section and yet you show C+C always appreciated. Anyway, I'd like to know about the tracking system you made, and was wondering about the exposure settings for each shot. Am.

Umm yeah, oops, it's on my signature. I out it here because it was a simple test shot which wasn't a final image, so thats why I put it here, maybe the wrong section for it, but if the mods are happy for it to be here, then okay by me, maybe better off somewhere else :confused013

Anyway, the tracking device I used is a modified Automatic Gate opener and Stepper motor controller. I have been running it for some time adjusting it slightly here and there to get the speed right. Here is a pic of it while I was working out a way to mount it, havent got a final pic yet. Been too busy cleaning up an old Metal Lathe I got.

Astroman
03-07-2010, 2:23pm
I actually had to travel 30 minutes out of Adelaide to shoot this image, you can still see some light pollution on the right hand side of the image.

soulman
03-07-2010, 2:45pm
Anyway, the tracking device I used is a modified Automatic Gate opener and Stepper motor controller...Heath Robinson would be proud. Trés cool!

feral1
13-07-2010, 2:30am
very interesting Astro, I am going to be going on an outing one of these days with a bunch of Astro nuts.
The stuff they use is mind boggling, but your little invention is just the ticket, as it does the job very well mate.

I am going to have to get off my but and work out when I can get out with them, might if I remember give you a yell as well.

Peter

Jeanette
13-07-2010, 8:21am
hey Andrew .. great photos and wow . .you are clever.. you could make and sell those devices ?

peterking
13-07-2010, 11:30pm
I'm always amazed at what you present.
I think what makes it spectacular for me is that I know it's out there but you bring it in here.
Brilliant.

SRR33
14-07-2010, 11:48am
Incredible image!! A great start and i love your mount you made :)

ving
14-07-2010, 12:03pm
no dark frames andrew? alot of detail there and your tracking looks spot on! :D

joele
14-07-2010, 12:41pm
great image and even better once you explained how you actually got it.. :eek:

Lincolnbl
14-07-2010, 1:18pm
great image and always love seeing peoples astro setups. Ingenious!

Rattus79
12-08-2010, 9:58am
Reckon that setup would double for a pan head for time lapse stuff perfectly too!

dche5390
12-08-2010, 10:01am
Impressive work and effort.

Fantasyphoto
12-08-2010, 10:50am
Fantastic shot Andrew, I bumped into David Malin a couple of times last year both in Sydney and at the Parkes radio telescope and I reckon you guys are crazy staying up all night.

Judd
12-08-2010, 8:18pm
Really Cool, I hear Mars is at its closest orbit, so might be another subject

AMD72
13-08-2010, 12:14am
Nice work Andrew - tracking is spot on.



Really Cool, I hear Mars is at its closest orbit, so might be another subject

This is a re-occurring hoax that pops up every August, especially the bit claiming Mars as big as the moon. It spawned out of the closest approach of Mars to earth in 2004. At present Mars is quite small through a scope and getting smaller in the near future

kmaisch
15-08-2010, 7:42pm
Awesome tracking system you've made there! Do you need to re-calibrate the speed of the motor, etc. for each shot you take? (depending on what direction you are shooting in or something?)
Kim

AdamR
21-08-2010, 7:29am
In photo is pretty cool, but the ingenuity astounds me. I cant even fix my door handle and Ive been shown how to do it twice.

Kerro
21-08-2010, 7:43am
awesome pic, and thanks for telling us how we can do it too

ricktas
21-08-2010, 7:59am
great result there Andrew, good to see you willing to share how you did it, with the AP members.

Astroman
21-08-2010, 8:45am
Thanks everyone for the replies... I cannot sell this unit as it is already copyrighted by the company, I could make a modified version, but need to find a micro step stepper motor controller. I have used this for panning in timelapses also, but unfortunately conditions at the time were not perfect, I hope to get out again with it, if the weather/moon cooperates.

Here is a sample of the panning from the device with a timelapse...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7MHWDJP_C4

Rattus79
29-10-2010, 12:08pm
That's pretty cool, I've been meaning to have some fun with my old technic leggo and see if I can't dodgy up a panning head for this kinda stuff.

Clubmanmc
29-10-2010, 1:33pm
That is really really cool!!

And yes i am shouting cos it is that good

m

azagil
29-09-2011, 5:39pm
Love the pic and great job on the do it yourself tracker.......way to advance for me......might just stick with the working out of the camera first. lol:D

reaction
02-10-2011, 6:28pm
great pic
how does the tracker know how/where to move?

JM Tran
02-10-2011, 7:14pm
great job and ingenuity there Andrew very nice!