Hi! I'm Sarah Mathews and I’m an astrophotographer :)
This RU-vid channel is for all things astrophotography and astronomy. I love helping others learn about the night sky and how to image it. Videos on this channel generally include overviews and tutorials of astrophotography-related hardware and software, as well as reviews for astro gear.
I've always had a love for space, astrophysics, art, engineering, and philosophy, and sharing the cosmic perspective is very important to me and a huge reason why I love teaching and doing astrophotography!
I also offer 1-on-1 consulting! If you're interested in in-depth support in areas such as building and putting together an astro setup, data acquisition, image processing, etc., please feel free to contact me via email: info@sarahmaths.com
Hi Sara, i tried to use my device last night i failed to get connection i managed to upgrade to new fire way but could not get connected don't know if this sign of device malfunction or something else any advice?
Hi there, you could try turning off your smart device's cellular data (if it has it - so a phone for example) and just keep the Wi-Fi connection on. You may also want to stand as close as possible to the device with your smart device (tablet or smartphone) while connecting to the DWARF II, too. Lastly, be sure that you are running the latest software for the app on your smart device (phone or tablet). Those would be my initial recommendations. Otherwise, I would reach out to Dwarflab directly and see what they have to say. They're usually responsive! hello@dwarflab.com is their email address. I hope one of these helps!
@@SarahMathsAstro Thanks Sara you are always great supportive i will follow the steps if not will write to dwarf while connecting it asking me to upgrade i do & when trying to connect it says device not found.
It just depends on what you’re wanting to image in terms of night photography. the Canon EOS Ra is modified to be able to pick up more light from the Hydrogen Alpha portion of the visible spectrum, which is what large emission nebulae like the Orion Nebula, the Horsehead Nebula, the Heart and Soul Nebulae (the nebulae from this video) are mostly composed of. I think the Sony is still great for night time photography in general because of its low noise. So if you’re wanting to do nightscapes, that would be one to consider.
Recently (couple of days) stumbled upon your channel and I am really enjoying. I’m now starting to go through a lot of your videos (binging through them), and they are actually very enjoyable to listen to (and learn from) even if listening in the background as I work. I’ve been wanting to get into astrophotography and this video really helped make it so much more understandable. I can’t properly/ sufficiently express how well this was done (informative, easy to follow, enjoyable to watch) and how thankful I am for this video. I sincerely appreciate you making and sharing these videos! Please continue more videos. As I read through the comments I can see that the community really enjoys and appreciates the content you are making. All the best! Clear skies! 🌠🌃 🌌
Hello fellow wanna be astrophotographers and astrophotographers! If you happen to have a channel, or thinking of starting one, please let me know so I can subscribe and join you on your adventures! Best of luck out there and clear skies everyone! (Thank you for the video Sarah!!!)
Thank you Patrons!! If you would like support this channel further and receive fun exclusive benefits, please consider becoming a Patron over on Patreon: www.patreon.com/SarahMathsAstro
Q: I'm looking to get a lens for my DSLR. I am considering (a used) Canon EF 135mm f/2L - but figured I'd ask if I should consider a different lens since you are using a Rokinon 135mm F2.0 ED UMC. I mention 'used' only because I think people shy away from Canon because of the cost of new lenses, so figured I'd mention in case that is something you consider in your recommendation) - and I often find good deals on used Canon 135. Would you recommend this lens (or a different magnification or brand/model)? Any thoughts and or recommendations on the lenses are appreciated. I'm looking to get a similar setup as yours. Thanks in advance for your help and for taking the time to make and share your videos! Clear skies! 🔭🌌🌠
Thanks for the great question! If you're looking for a nice and somewhat wide-field lens for an APS-C sized sensor or even full-frame, a Rokinon 135mm is a great choice and gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of composition and targets. Not too long where you have to constantly worry about star trailing very much, and fast enough for dim objects. Plus, it has a decent price point. I don't have direct experience with the Canon equivalent model so I can't really speak to it. Maybe some folks over on the CloudyNights forum can help with that end of things in the context of deep space astrophotography. You could also look into a Zoom lens of some kind like 50 to 100mm or a little less or a little more so you can get wider field shots of the Milky Way in addition to some reach for more detail for larger emission nebulae like the Orion Nebula, etc. I know Canon has some great zoom lenses. Just keep in mind what sensor size you have. You'll have to consider the 1.6x crop factor for a Canon APS-C sized sensor and how that impacts your field of view with whatever lens you buy and its focal length. Hope this helps! Clear skies!!
Hi Sarah, 9 year old daughter loves your channel and everything Space. Looking to get her a first Telescope set (budget $5,,000) just wondering what you would recommended and for that price could she also include photography to capture images onto her laptop. Equipment needs to be easy to use and achieve the results needed to keep her interested. Scalability would also be good, so that we can invest more as she gets older.
Hi there! That's amazing that she loves everything space!! I'm also incredibly honored that she watches the channel! I'd be happy to help point you both in the right direction for a setup around that price range. What types of targets is she interested in photographing? Deep space (large emission nebulae like the Orion Nebula, large galaxies like the Andromeda Galaxy, etc) versus close-ups of the lunar surface/the planets? Thanks so much!
@@SarahMathsAstro Thanks for your reply, really appreciated. Even though she loves reading and talking about deep space I would say objects within our solar system, if she could find, view and photograph Saturn by herself that would be a monumental moment for her.
Of course! Thanks for your response as well. Since she's wanting to do planetary, I'd look into something like the Celestron C9.25 for the scope (something with a wide aperture and a long focal length - well over 1000mm). Schmidt-Cassegrain (SCT) design telescopes are great for this and easier to use for imaging versus using a Dobsonian for imaging (typically made for visual). You'll also need a good sturdy mount like the Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro or an AVX mount. A German equatorial motorized GOTO mount will be your best bet overall. For cameras, it might be best to start with a DSLR with a cropped sensor to get some added "zoom". Preferably one with decent high-frame rate video capabilities. 60 frames per second or more (FPS). You could also get a field laptop and put FireCapture on it or another acquisition software on there to control the camera and imaging (videos). With planetary as well as lunar and solar, you want to image when the sky isn't turbulent but that varies moment to moment even. So your best bet is to use an acquisition strategy called "lucky imaging" (take several frames very quickly and then choose the frames that are the best from those to stack together to get a final image). By best I mean where the frames show that the planet appears most in focus and less wobbly from the atmosphere. Another note, eventually you could upgrade to a dedicated astronomy camera but a DSLR will be easier for now since it has a screen on the back and is a little more intuitive. You should also look into a spotting scope to mount to the top of the telescope to get the planet in frame perfectly in the center after performing a GOTO to the planet. I hope this gets you started in the right direction. There are several routes you could take of course but this is what I would start with.
@@SarahMathsAstro Thank you for taking the time to post such a detailed response. My daughter knows more about this kind of kit than I do and she seems extremely excited after reading your post.
Great question and apologies for not touching on what it is. Pinched optics basically refers to the optics of the scope (glass or mirror) being distorted in some way. It can be caused by thermal expansion or contraction in a short amount of time for the optics (e.g. a quick temperature shift like going from warm to very cold). Sometimes retainer rings can be the culprit as well as other things that cause stress to the mirrors or glass lenses. The former reason is a little easier to test for but requires patience in terms of temperature changes and seeing how that changes anything. The latter can be challenging at times to diagnose and sometimes you end up taking a lot apart. I haven't had the issue with the 103 since that video and even in my earlier tests with it so it appears to have been resolved for now at least.
Since solar imaging is inherently risky for equipment and since I'm not an advanced solar imager, I would recommend checking out the CloudyNights forum to see what others have done in terms of camera connection configurations. In particular, your specific camera and the Coronado PST. I would only be able to provide my best educated guess at the moment and that's too risky to share for solar imaging. Hopefully the folks over there will be helpful!
@@SarahMathsAstro I've got a 10" Meade SCT and a good DSLR and I've always wanted to try astrophotography. I think now, with your help, I will be able to. Thank you!!
@garyb6219 that’s a really great combo to image the moon. Do you have a T-adapter to connect your DSLR to your scope? Eventually, you could even try doing video with your DSLR to help with the atmospheric turbulence effect. So you could collect more frames even more quickly with video. That would be a more intermediate level but something to consider in the future. Cheers!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm for astrophotography. I appreciate how much work goes into producing these gems. Personally, I was first captivated by the hobby fifty years ago when I ground my own lens for a six inch reflector, built a darkroom (I had tolerant parents) and constructed an enlarger from lenses scavenged from cast off projectors. My target at that time was black & white lunar and planetary photography not requiring tracking (a clock drive was beyond my middle school budget). I began to dip my toe back into astrophotography as a retirement hobby by purchasing a Seestar 50s.. The hobby has changed in the last half century and your content increases the slope on my learning curve. I find your “short courses” in topics like this accessories video, lunar imaging, using a star tracker and connecting a camera helpful for me at this point in my journey. I would also like to hear more on how you are using your Seestar, as well as reviews or tips for other smart telescopes. (I know some will argue smart technology is cheating, but in my past not grinding your own lenses was slacking - what was an art form becomes off the shelf essential.) Keep your playful spark glowing. Clear skies!
Hi Joe, Thank you for your thoughtful response and kind words. That’s incredible that you were making a telescope on your own in middle school. To have the vision and ability to do so is amazing. And then on top of it all, want to image the moon? Wow! I think it’s really cool that you’ve been so open to the evolution of this field and that you have so much perspective over the years to glean insight from and share. I think the Seestar S50 and other smart telescopes are the perfect way to get started or to re-jump into something like this. In terms of the Seestar specifically, I did a video recently on how to do different types of sun photography (sunspots, ISS Transit, and more with it). Along with the Dwarf II. Here is the video: Sun Photography with Smart Telescopes | Astrophotography for Beginners ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XwSR2a8rBxs.html I so appreciate your viewpoint on smart scopes and your openness. Your positivity is wonderful. Thank you again for taking the time to share such a thoughtful response and for taking the time to watch this video as well as others. Your encouragement means so much! Please feel free to reach out anytime! Sarah
@@SarahMathsAstro yeah, it was extremely precise. I was forming metal into shapes with tolerances of 0.05 of an inch. Plus the calipers were 12 inches long.
@@SarahMathsAstro Quick question: Even though i only have a star tracker and a DSLR that was Ha modified, is it worth it to try to use software like NINA or APT, or should i hold off on that until I get my HEQ5 and an astrospecific camera like the ASI533MC and have something like the ASIAir? And second, given the ASIAir is specific to ZWO products, if I dont want to be attached to a specific brand, should I use a different but similar miniPC - and if so, which one would be best to get?
Great question. It may be worth getting a mini PC or ASIAir for your star tracker and DSLR if you want to 1.) Guide (using a guide scope and guide camera) so that you can get longer subs and also dither automatically (benefits of dithering: telescope.live/blog/improve-image-quality-dithering#:~:text=There%20is%20still%20an%20advantage,Astrometric%20accuracy%20is%20preserved.). 2.) Another reason why you may want to get a mini PC, particularly the ASIAir, is that it's very easy to create mosaics with it. Which is useful for all sorts of setups. Many people create mosaics with wide-field setups like the one you would be using with a star tracker. While your star tracker likely doesn't have GoTo, using the ASIAir, it makes plate solving very easy while creating a mosaic and just overall very easy to know where you're looking in the night sky when you don't have a GoTo mount. With the ASIAir, it is also compatible with a wide range of DSLRs and Mirrorless cameras (you could reach out to ZWO for an updated list of compatible DSRLs/ mirrorless cameras). However, you would need to use a ZWO guide camera to guide (and as you know, if/ when you did decide to get a dedicated astronomy camera as your main imaging camera, you would need a ZWO camera). 3) if you wanted to automate your image acquisition workflow in terms of your imaging plan (lights, darks, bias, flats), the mini PCs are great for that. N.I.N.A. in particular has a wonderful built-in feature for taking very accurate flats. So those are the three main reasons for getting a mini PC for a non-GoTo star tracker that I can think of. Otherwise, you could wait to get a mini PC/ ASIAir until you get a GoTo motorized mount like the HEQ5. The ASIAir makes polar alignment extremely easy compared to having to polar align through a reticle or get a polar scope for the mount. I think N.I.N.A is great for more permanent setups since there are a lot of different types of features you can use, but again, it is a bit more involved so it just make not be as beginner-friendly. But if you're fairly tech-savvy/ persistent, and want the flexibility of what cameras you want to use in the future, then N.I.N.A is the way to go. The Mele Quieter 2 is a popular miniPC choice as is the PrimaLuceLab mini PC (but more expensive).There are others out there too worth researching. I hope this helps though!
I can’t believe that you forgot, er, um, well, I think you got them all! I especially liked 1 1/4. I never used those, but a really good idea. When I lived in NE Ohio, I learned to wear latex gloves (now they have them for touch screen) so the moisture doesn’t get zapped out of your skin when touching something below zero. Nice video and enjoy your humor!
@SarahMathsAstro I had an American teacher for elementary school then on higher grades was taught using SI units. Learned both but never got into imperial units except for carpentry where it sort of made sense
I live in Florida, so right now my biggest thing is that it rained every night for the past two weeks. And if it didn’t then the sky was at least cloudy
I feel your pain, lol. I'm on the gulf coast. It's annoying when it's clear in the morning, but then by 1 or 2pm, when I can see the sun and setup my telescope, the clouds and rain move in.
One example where it’s helpful is for when you’re not using a GoTo mount like such as a star tracker and have to locate your target in the night sky or even if you do and you’re trying to get things centered up. Just in my experience it helps.
Great list. Hex wrenches first 😂 Absolutely true. I was just setting up my scope… and I have the exact same list… I used to use the chemical hand warmers. Rechargeable is better. I was waiting for the rubber strap wrenches. Real life savers! Thank you.
I have the Apertura power supply and it is great and the capacity is very good. My wife and my grandson are my astronomy buddies and we each have a pair of hand warmers. Indispensable. When I bought a 2" visual back for my SCT I couldn't get the original back off. I asked Celestron and they suggested a strap wrench. It worked very well. And I have a metric and SAE set of hex wrenches, with the ball end. Very handy. I also have digital calipers. And I'm going to buy those clips for cable management and that portable SSD. Thank you for the great ideas!
Glad to hear that you’re enjoying the Apertura power supply. That’s really sweet that your wife and grandson are your astronomy buddies, too! Always best to keep loved ones’ hands warm. Strap wrenches and the hair clips have been live changing as have external SSDs! There are many other accessories I wish I could have included here. Thanks for stopping by and sharing. Cheers!
For the DSLR dummy battery they also make them with USB 2 connectors which (1) use less power than the AC adapter and can be used with a Li-Ion battery pack.
Great list, Sarah... I'm thinking about keeping my optical train intact rather than assembling after arriving at a darksite. I guess some kind of plastic storage box with a secure lid and foam insert would be handy for transport. Or, maybe rapping one's rig in a large towel could work. Any thoughts or experience around other AP folks? Cheers, Michael
