It is interesting to explore the possibilities of some common devices such as digicams and binoculars. I have been reprocessing some old stuff from March. I took 474 single exposures of M42 in Orion through the binoculars with my Exilim digicam. Using a stacking software, all these subframes may become aligned and added accurately, resulting into a 4 minutes long exposure single shot with a perfect star-tracking. I reckon I didn’t use any kind of equatorial mount or motorized tracking. Just an steady tripod. Orion belt passed accros the field of view of the binoculars 3 times. In every gap, I corrected manually the FOV to get M42 inside it as longest as possible.
Archive for Casio Exilim EX-Z80
M42 with point & shoot digicam
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Astronomy, Binocular, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, digicam, M42, no tracking, Orion, point & shoot, shift-and-add, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/08/26 by computerphysicslabBullialdus area
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Bullialdus, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Meade Lightbridge 16", Moon, no tracking, Pitatus, Promontorium Taenarium, Rükl plate 53 & 54, Registax, Rupes Recta on 2009/07/18 by computerphysicslabA lot of features are located in this area of the Moon. Some of them are: Rupes Recta, Pitatus, Promontorium Taenarium, Bullialdus. It corresponds to the area covered by the Rükl plates 53 & 54.
Bullialdus is the big crater at upper left side, in the shadows. Pitatus is centered in the lower side. Inside several details are visible: a peak and an inner rim. Rupus Recta is the large straight wall on the right side.
This picture was obtained after stacking (with Registax 5) 20 single frames taken with Casio Exilim pocket digital camera in afocal projection through an eyepiece using a Meade Lightbridge 16-inch dobsonian telescope.
Mare Crisium
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, crater, Eimmart, Mare Anguis, Mare Crisium, Meade Lightbridge 16", Moon, Peirce, Picard, Registax, the serpent sea on 2009/07/03 by computerphysicslabMare Crisium is a big and round dark spot in the face of the Moon. It is easily visible through the naked eye on the right side (East) of the Moon. Inside Mare Crisium there are some interesting features, like small craters as Picard or Peirce. Proclus is the bright crater on the left (West) beyond the Crisium border. Some bright rays emerge from it crossing part of Mare Crisium. At north-east of Crisium (above right) there is a small and dark surface called Mare Anguis (the “serpent sea”). A big crater is visible at its left (West) known as crater Eimmart.
This picture was taken as the integration of 30 subframes stacked in Registax 5, from a video made with Casio Exilim EX-Z80 afocal on Meade Lightbridge 16-inches big Dobsonian, with no tracking.
Proclus and surroundings
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Mare Crisium, Mare Tranquillitatis, Meade Lightbridge 16", no tracking, Proclus, Registax, shift-and-add on 2009/05/02 by computerphysicslabStacked from a video under Registax 5 and stitched with Autostitch, I got yesterday this Moon mosaic. Equipment: Meade Lightbridge 16″ and Casio Exilim EX-FS10.
Waxing Gibbous Moon
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Binocular, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Gibbous, Moon, Nebulosity 2, no tracking, Paint Shop Pro, phase, Registax, shift-and-add, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/04/08 by computerphysicslabYesterday’s Moon in phase waxing gibbous as seen through the Vixen 12×80 binocular, here it is. Registax 5 stacked 55 individual frames of 8 Mpx each. Nebulosity 2 was used to compensate the sideral movement and perform the de-rotation. Sharpening with Paint Shop Pro.
Copernicus Crater
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, AutoStitch, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, lunation, Meade Lightbridge 16", Moon, no tracking, Registax, terminator on 2009/04/04 by computerphysicslabCopernicus is the name of a big Lunar crater. A video taken with the compact digital camera and the Meade Dobsonian was processed using Registax, and the resulting three frames were stitched with AutoStitch. We see here a zone in the terminator for a 9 lunation days Moon around Copernicus:
Tycho and the South Pole
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Clavius, Dob, Meade Lightbridge 16", Moon, non-motorized, Paint Shop Pro, Registax, shift-and-add, South Pole, Telescope, terminator, Tycho on 2009/04/04 by computerphysicslabA sequence of shots to the Moon taken with the Dob Meade Lightbridge 16″ telescope has been integrated into one final image, thanks again to Registax and Paint Shop Pro. This mosaic of Tycho crater and the South Pole region is composed of 30 individual frames. The biggest crater in the terminator is Clavius. Inside it there a lot of small craters.
Silberschlag casts two shadows
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Astronomy, Binocular, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Mare Tranquillitatis, Moon, shift-and-add, terminator, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/04/03 by computerphysicslabSilberschlag is a small Moon crater near Mare Tranquillitatis. What is my surprise when I observe that this crater shadow is proper of two peaks instead of a crater rim. Watch the picture and think about it. Is that normal?
55 frames stacked in Registax
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Binocular, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Moon, Registax, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/04/02 by computerphysicslabAfter stacking 55 frames of yesterday’s Crescent Moon, forcing a bit the saturation, and sharpening using the finest wavelet available, I am proud to introduce this Moon picture:
Foggy Crescent Moon
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Binocular, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Crescent, Moon, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/03/31 by computerphysicslabYesterday’s moon was a bit foggy in my location. Nevertheless I got an image that I am very proud of, because it is the first time I obtain a nearly perfect focus thanks to the binocular focus tip. When doing afocal exposures, you may get a sharp focus using another binocular over the lens. This way you guarantee an infinite precise focus for the camera.
This image was taken as usual, through Vixen 12×80 binoculars and with the Casio Exilim EX-Z80 pocket digital camera. I used only green channel data, because it was the sharpest.
Looking for Sirius B
Posted in Astrophotography with tags Bright star, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Meade Lightbridge 16", shift-and-add, Sirius on 2009/03/31 by computerphysicslabSirius is a difficult binary system, hard to resolve. I am trying it, and I have got one image that shows a dim star very near to Sirius A, but I think it isn’t Sirius B. I have been trying to find out which is the name of the star. I still don’t know it. Searching in Internet (and star atlas) other images of the area I see the star exists, but with no name so far. Here are the sources found:
Mizar & Alcor
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Alcor, Big Dipper, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, dobsonian reflector, double star, Meade Lightbridge 16", Mizar, no tracking, shift-and-add, Sidus Ludoviciana, Ursa Major on 2009/03/24 by computerphysicslabMizar and Alcor are probably the most well known double star in the sky. Located in Ursa Major,it is very easy to separate Mizar from Alcor, even with the unaided eye.
Sidus Ludoviciana is the faint star between Mizar and Alcor. Mizar is the brightest one, which in fact is a binary system: Mizar A & B, with an angular separation of 14 arcseconds.
Photo taken with the dobsonian reflector Meade Lightbridge 16″, using afocal eyepiece proyection. Here we see 222 shots of 0.5 seconds of exposure stacked. No tracking, shift-and-add method.
Where is Sirius B?
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Canis Major, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Meade Lightbridge 16", shift-and-add, Sirius, Telescope on 2009/03/23 by computerphysicslabAfter resolving the binary system of Castor I tried unsuccessfully to spot Sirius B. Theoretically it is possible using the Meade Lightbridge 16″, but maybe another luckier night … Integrating 200 half second exposure frames I got this result:
Chertan in Leo Major
Posted in Astrophotography with tags Binocular, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Chertan, galaxies, Leo Major, M65, M66, shift-and-add, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/03/23 by computerphysicslabChertan is an important star as a reference to locate several galaxies in the area, for example M65 and M66. Tonight I have stacked 550 shots into one image. The night has been clear, but I am located in a light polluted urban area. It has been necessary to substract the pollution from the background twice. The map shows stars up to 10th magnitude and the photo shows up to 12th magnitude.
Meteor in Canis Minor
Posted in Astrophotography with tags 3200 Phaethon, Binocular, Canis Minor, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Geminids, Meteor, Procyon, shift-and-add, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/03/22 by computerphysicslabSerendipitously, I got captured this meteor while exposing Procyon in a shift-and-add series. The field of view measures around 3 degrees. The meteor track becomes cut, but it seems to be not much longer. This meteor could achieved magnitud 1 or 0, similar in bright to Procyon. Taking into account its directionality it may belong to Geminids meteor shower caused by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon.
M42 last night
Posted in Astrophotography with tags Binocular, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Great Nebula of Orion, M42, Manaluna Observatory, Messier Marathon, no tracking, Orion, shift-and-add, Trapezium, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/03/21 by computerphysicslabLast night I could enjoy a really clear night sky at Manaluna Observatory. Meanwhile some of my partners were working hard to complete the Messier Marathon, I took 3 series of no-tracking shots through Vixen 12×80 binocular to M42 in Orion.
The truth is that what I could see through binoculars was much more brilliant and detailed than the next image by far. I think my Casio Exilim digital pocket camera is a bit insensible to dim light …
Trapezium is visible as a spot. The 20″ separation among its components is too close for my binoculars to resolve it. Remember that 20″ is the apparent diameter of Saturn.
Humboldt crater
Posted in Astrophotography with tags Binocular, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, crater, edge-on, Full Moon, Humboldt, libration, limb, Moon, terminator, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/03/12 by computerphysicslabHumboldt crater as seen with the Vixen 12×80 binoculars. This is a big crater but very near to the Moon limb. One day after full moon, Humboldt delivers high contrast images due to its shadow. The day this shot was made, the Moon libration wasn’t the better one to view Humboldt in its extension, but edge-on. The inner central peaks are visible.
Praesepe Open Cluster
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Beehive cluster, Binocular, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, M44, Open Cluster, Praesepe, shift-and-add, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/03/12 by computerphysicslabPraesepe, also known as M44 or the Beehive cluster is one of the brightest open clusters in northern sky. Visible with unaided eye, even in urban areas. I have applied some filters to enhance the picture, including an artificial diffraction mask to get spikes. Using the shift-and-add technique for 1 minute I got this result.
Almost Full Moon
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Binocular, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Full Moon, Moon, Registax, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/03/10 by computerphysicslabHere we see a 13 days lunation Moon, almost full. Registax 5 did the work of stacking and wavelets. Focus was not perfect but wavelets fixed it. I multiplied the red channel to the green channel in order to enhance the image contrast.
Aristillus close-up
Posted in Astrophotography with tags Archimedes, Aristillus, Binocular, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Cassini, craters, Mare Imbrium, Mons Piton, Montes Alpes, Montes Caucasus, Moon, Plato, Rükl, Vallis Alpes, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/03/04 by computerphysicslabAristillus, Cassini, Mons Piton, Montes Alpes and Vallis Alpes are visible in this close-up shot through the Vixen 12×80 binoculars. The area may be compared to that exposed in Rükl plate #12.
Archimedes and Plato are the biggest craters shown in this area, called Mare Imbrium. The biggest mountains below are Montes Caucasus. Some of its peaks (heights of 6 km) project big shadows.
Digital camera & Binoculars
Posted in Astrophotography with tags afocal, Astrophotography, Binocular, British Standard Whitworth, BSW, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, screw, Vixen 12x80 on 2009/02/27 by computerphysicslabHere is my way to attach the pocket digital camera Casio Exilim EX-Z80 to my binoculars Vixen 12×80. It is necessary to cut a piece of aluminum respecting the format of the binoculars, calculating the correct distance between the hole that grabs the camera and the hole to fix with the tripod and the binoculars. Remember to always use British Standard Whitworth (BSW) screw threads, 1/4 inch, and to drill the holes for this width.
This way it is easy to do afocal astrophotography, and get sharp focus, because the camera remains pointed correctly through one eyepiece of the binoculars.
28 minutes of exposure for Lulin
Posted in Astrophotography with tags Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Comet, long exposures, Lulin, shift-and-add on 2009/02/17 by computerphysicslabVery dim Lulin needs long exposures to get captured. With no tracking, using the shift-and-add method and the pocket camera Casio Exilim EX-Z80 under light polluted skies I got this picture:
Attaching Exilim to Telescope
Posted in Astrophotography with tags 114/1000, afocal, British Standard Whitworth, BSW, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, screw, Tanzutsu, Telescope, thread on 2008/12/14 by computerphysicslabDigital pocket cameras like Casio Exilim EX-Z80 are not prepared to be attached to the focuser of a telescope. But it is simple to make a hand-crafted device with a piece of wood and a British Standard Whitworth (BSW) screw 1/4″ thread. The attachment is not rock solid, but enough to take photos and videos through the telescope using the afocal technique. Here we see the Casio attached to the Tanzutsu 114/1000 telescope.
The Moon highly saturated
Posted in Astrophotography with tags 114/1000, afocal, Astronomy, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, Catadioptric, color, Full Moon, Mare Tranquillitatis, Moon, Tanzutsu, Telescope, titanium on 2008/12/13 by computerphysicslabUsually we see the Moon as in a gray scale picture, with no color details. Nevertheless the Moon has different hues depending on the chemical composition of the terrain. For example, Mare Tranquillitatis has a blue tone due to its titanium high density. Processing a Moon picture computationally, we may exaggerate its colors, giving high saturation to RGB colors. In the resulting image, Mare Tranquillitatis is the most blueish dark area. Equipment: Telescope Tanzutsu Catadioptric 114/1000.
Moon & Exilim
Posted in Astrophotography with tags Astronomy, Casio Exilim EX-Z80, mare, Mare Crisium, Mare Tranquillitatis, Moon, shift-and-add, zoom on 2008/12/12 by computerphysicslabCasio Exilim EX-Z80 is a pocket digital camera, very useful to make photos during holidays or a trip. But it may also be used to do some kind of astrophotography. Its maximum zoom is 3x magnification. Here we see a comparison of a Moon shot with 1x and 3x zoom. With 1x zoom some big maria are visible, like Tranquillitatis, and at 3x even mare Crisium is captured.