Posts Made By: Jim Reynolds

Here is a highly portable and strudy observatory for either back yard or out to a site away from home, this can be assembled and dis-assembled in about 15 minutes and can be rotated to any desired direction. If questions e-mail me for more info. Encluded a couple of photo's for ideas you may wish to use.

Sorry the photos di not post... If interested I'll send them via e-mail [email protected]

Hi everyone, I am basically new to astrophotography and I have been looking at this site to see what is being done with standard camera and film without doing a lot of processing via digital means and I really don't see very much. I would like to see some photos of some of the planets especialy Jupiter and saturn which I believe have the most to offer in the way of "un-doctored" photos. Anyone out there that can show me the way and means as to how they were obtained? I really don't have very "deep pockets" to go digital. Thanks.

Hi folks, being pretty new to astrophotography, I have a couple of questions, I hope everyone will bear with me and help me with this: First, in didital work I see that most good photos are many frames "stacked", now my question is, can the same be done with film? Also so if so, why do you need many exposures? Can't you just copy it to a file on disk, then just copy the same frame over as many times as you feel needed to make a decent photo? Also being a "newbe" I have just taken several rolls of film, two of both Jupiter and Saturn and one roll of the Moon. The film of Jupiter and Saturn have been processed to slides and I must say they are not anything to write home about, the roll of the Moon I have not processed yet, but as everyone says, it is an easy target, so I will look forward to seeing these. If they look anyways near decent I will post the "best" one for comments from more experienced folks.
Clear skies to all,
Jim

Here is my first attempt at Jupiter, using regular film, I know that there is no comparison to the folks using digital modes but maybe with more experience I will do better. This shot is two exposures, one over exposed to show the moons and a better exposure to show the bands on the planet. then put together for the final result. The seeing not great but hopefully net time will have better skies... The film was Kodak elite chrome ASA100 exposures were 3 seconds and 8 seconds. Your comments will be appreciated as how to improve my pictures. Also next entry will be of Saturn.

Here is also my first try at Saturn. This shot is just as I took it with Kodak elite chrome ASA 100 at four seconds. I used the "hat trick" for both the Jupiter and Saturn photos.
The seeing this night was a bit better, I would say about a six the pix of Saturn was on Dec 31 and the shots of Jupiter was on New Years eve. My location is Tucson, Az
Again comments welcome and appreciated.

Hi everyone, I see all the different types of backyard obsevatories and I just had to put in my 2cents worth.. I have a pretty neat set up in my back yard and taking into Tom Monroe's really true coment on 8 JAn 03 about not everyone has a really complete 360 degree sky, I think this might be an answer for a lot of folks. This is an idea from an old Sky & Tel (May 1977) for a neat vertical roll off. It is simple to build and most of all for us that do not have "deep pockets" it is fairly cheap! I believe I have in mine about a total of $600.00 (not including my labor) My son and I put this up in a weekend. In my case I do not have a West sky due to my garage and trees, but for me that is not too much to be concerned over. My view to the North, East and South are very good. I am sure all can see by the photos of the building it is quite adequate for most purposes. My observatory (shed) is about 7 X 7 ft square and a top height of 7 ft sloping down to 4 ft. The roof merely slides down on tracks on each side of the shed to a single track at the low end of the shed (this case East) which does not cause me any problem, and the roof is really stable on the single track as the roof is still on the side tracks so it is supported on three points as well as a pair of feet at the low end of the roof. I hope this idea is of some help to those wishing to have a simple shelter for their 'scopes plus keeping light and wind off of them while observing. I think the photos are pretty self explanatory.
Good luck, and Clear skies,
Jim

Acouple more photos, If any questions about this setup, I'll be glad to try and help...
Jim

I know this is the most photographed object, but wanted to post one of mine on Kodak elite chrome 200 of an eight day moon I took on 8 August 2003....I think it is a little "soft" due to being on color film. I will try for a little better shot with some B&W Tec pan... next month.
comments please as how to improve.
Thanks for looking, clear skies,
Jim