More Moon Astrophotography

Here are some more images of the moon.  I switched from a 3x barlow to a 2x shorty barlow.  Otherwise, all the other equipment was the same.

Equipment Summary:

1. Orion StarSeeker 80mm Goto Refractor
2. Dielectric Diagonal - prevents loss of light common in standard diagonals
3. 2x Shorty Barlow
4. Orion StarShoot Planetary Imager
5. PHD Planetary Software - used to control camera and takes pics 
6. RegiStax 5.1 - used to process images

Date/Time:  6/24/10  11:30pm

Location:  Backyard - Pittsburgh, PA

Seeing:  Clear

Weather:  Warm, Humid

Exposure:  64 ms x 1 image

Experience:  Very good.  I got a pretty late start, but at least there were no mosquitoes.  Still, I wore a long-sleeved shirt and sweats.

Notes:

1. The moon is an easy subject to capture and offers a unique imaging opportunity every night.
2. Patience is key.  Even though setup is a snap, it does take a little bit of time to move the equipment outside and connect everything together.
3. I'm still learning about the GoTo features of my telescope.  Next time, I'm going to try the lunar tracking feature which may remove some of the blur in my pics.  I may also try my 5x barlow.

Lessons Learned:

1. Take the shot!  Don't worry about getting the perfect image.

Next Time:

1. The Sun (with a solar filter) ... guaranteed.  How can I guarantee that?  Easy, I already took the pics.

Clear skies!!!