I need Help with astrophotography!!

I just bought my first DSLR camera. A Cannon T3i. I have an 8" SCT. I've hooked up the new camera to the rear cell via the correct adapters and T-ring. I live in West Seattle. Either I'm doing something very wrong, or the pictures I'm getting are as good as it gets. They're all very blurry, and with no definition. I'd love to see the red cloud stripes and big red eye on Jupiter. Also Saturn is very fuzzy, I can make out the rings, or should I say...(it looks like one big ring)

Any help from anyone would be GREAT!

...Rob

It is not very easy but takes practice. First would be to get a cable release so that there are no vibrations. If you camera
has the ability to lock up the mirror, use that. Even the vibrations of the shutter moving can blur the image. Use different
exposures to find the best. Using the video mode works best and use the free software called registax and stack hundreds of
images. Also image processing software like photoshop helps also. It ain't easy but with practice it will be rewarding.

Rob…

I suggest starting with the Moon. It's bigger and brighter and easier to get focused properly with a DSLR.

There are some books on the subject, though I don't own any of them. You may want to check out "Digital SLR Astrophotography" by Michael A. Covington. I have his older "Astrophotography for the Amateur" (it's mostly film-based) and it's quite good.

Good luck.

Hi Rob,
Congrats on your new camera. May I ask-
(a) were you using an equatorial mount
(b) can you post an example photo?

Thanks!
Ivan