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Posts Made By: Joplin Motisher-Chittenden

February 29, 2004 09:52 PM Forum: Birding Optics and Photos

More fun with Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers

Posted By Joplin Motisher-Chittenden
I kept wondering why this bird seemed to always be drinking sap out of the maple tree in our front yard. I finally realized that there is a pair of them after looking at the latest images that saved on the computer. I'm guessing that the Male is the one with red on his neck and more of a yellow belly pictured here. I used a Nikon Coolpix 995, adapted Meade 26mm plossl, and Vixen FL80S apo refractor w/ .7x reducer. The reason for the reducer is that it allows for closer focusing without the diagonal and extra extension tubes. I set up about 20 feet from the base of the tree with the scope mounted on a tripod and fluid head. These birds are pretty fearless - you can stand about 8 feet from the tree and walk around it. They'll peek out at you and just creep along the trunk periodically.

Joplin

March 15, 2004 03:29 AM Forum: CCD Imaging and Processing/Solar System

Jupiter from 3/12

Posted By Joplin Motisher-Chittenden
Got my first chance to do some webcam imaging with the C9.25 I purchased on Astromart a while back. This image is from about 6:20 UT on the 12th of March. Got some great views through the C9.25 and C14 and a friend's house last night but the clouds rolled in before we could set up to capture images.

Joplin

April 26, 2004 01:02 AM Forum: Bad to the Bone Autos

How about this ?

Posted By Joplin Motisher-Chittenden
http://www.steelwheels4x4.com/

I know I wouldn't want that thing following me down the highway :-) Seems like a good candidate for conversion into a monster mobile observatory.

Joplin

July 13, 2004 02:12 AM Forum: Eyepieces

Re: UO 12mm HD ortho

Posted By Joplin Motisher-Chittenden
I've owed the TV 11mm plossl, I traded it for a 15mm TV plossl for the same reason you're tired of yours, short eye relief. I use a UO 12.5mm (not HD) and it is much more comfortable to view through than the TV 11mm plossl. The HD probably has a bit less clearance since it lacks the volcano top design, I would think it would still beat the 11mm for comfort by a fair margin. Of course you do have to give up some performance at the edge of the field of view compared to the TV Plossls.

Joplin

August 29, 2004 05:13 PM Forum: Equipment Talk

Camera adapter for Pentax XW eyepieces

Posted By Joplin Motisher-Chittenden
I thought I'd share my experience adapting my Pentax XW 10mm eyepiece to my digtal camera (a Nikon Coolpix 995). All of the Pentax XW eyepieces except the 30 and 40mm have a removeable upper eyecup. When you remove it, a 43mm (.75mm pitch) male filter thread is exposed. This makes it fairly simple to attach a digital camera. In my case I used a 28mm to 52mm step up ring then a 52mm to 43mm step down ring since I couldn't find a 28 to 43mm. It works very well since the eyepiece grip can be snugged against the rings to ensure they don't come loose accidentally. With the Coolpix 995 and this arrangement vignetting is minimal even at the widest lens setting.

Joplin

January 11, 2005 04:31 AM Forum: Film Astrophotography - Imaging and Processing

Machholz and the Pleiades from Saturday night.

Posted By Joplin Motisher-Chittenden
I took this image on the 8th using a Minolta XE-7 with a 135mm F2.8 lens set to F 3.5 It was a ten minute exposure on Fuji Sensia 100 slide film. The camera and lens were mounted on a ball head attached to a vintage Vixen Polaris mount (no guide scope was used).

Joplin

September 21, 2005 01:48 PM Forum: Coronado-Lunt-DayStar Solar Filters

First images with PST

Posted By Joplin Motisher-Chittenden
I was lucky enough to receive my new PST at work yesterday. I'm also lucky enough to work at a photography store so I grabbed a Canon digital rebel and took a few afocal images through the 20mm eyepiece. This image is a crude composite of an exposure for surface detail and the limb. I've got to say that this little scope is really cool !

January 1, 2006 10:16 PM Forum: Birding Optics and Photos

Yellow Bellied Sapsucker

Posted By Joplin Motisher-Chittenden
I don't know if they are the same ones but every year I get Sapsuckers that frequent the Maple trees in the front yard and the Loquat tree in the back yard. I got a few good shots this morning. Canon 20D w/ 70-200 F4L adjustments in Canon DPP and cropped in Photoshop.

Joplin

May 11, 2006 07:46 PM Forum: Coronado-Lunt-DayStar Solar Filters

Active Sun - 5/11

Posted By Joplin Motisher-Chittenden
Very interesting prominence activity today. Definitely a welcome change from the dreary, cloudy weather I've had lately. Used my PST with a 20D mounted afocally, 3 frames combined and processed in Photoshop.

Joplin

November 21, 2006 11:38 PM Forum: Digital SLR AstroPhotography

Re: Nikon Coolpix 995 + Pentax XWs?

Posted By Joplin Motisher-Chittenden
Greg, what you need is a 28mm to 43mm step up ring. That will connect to the filter threads on the camera and to the 43mm thread on the top of the Pentax XW's (I think all the sizes up 20mm have this thread size, you will need to unscrew the upper part of the eyecup). Here is a link to one:

http://www.camerafilters.com/detail.aspx?ID=2405

Joplin

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