Chartram, I don't have a comment about this, but I do want to find out more about you home observatory build. Comments are turned off on it, so I reaching out on this post.
Hey Mike, You have comments turned off on your backyard observatory video so I'll have to ask my question here. Have you considered insulating the insde of the shed to knock down some of that heat? 120° might not sound too bad but it can actually be really horrible for the electronics in your mount. and even the optics over time. I'm just curious if that sheet styrofoam used for garage door panels would help? Heck, with that 4x4" wood frame, you have plenty of room to put rolled high R insulation in there.
Thanks for the valuable info, but please buy a wireless lapel mic and work on improving the audio. There are portions of this video I could not hear at all. Keep up the good work. Clear skies!
thanks. Just bought the 5se. attached the camera but focus is not as sharp as camera lens. I shall get this bahtinov. Don't understand how it works tho.😊.
Good Video. Just as a side note, the correct pronunciation is Bar-Teen-ov after the Russian Astronomer who designed it. But strangely, even though I know that, and can speak Russian, I too still call it a Bat-in--ov mask LOL! Funny how we get used to calling things by a more commonly used name than it's real pronunciation.
so when you move the scope on to another object you have to refocus? I can find stars but cant find anything else . So im guessing that once i get focus on a star then i move the scope around i should be able to pick up images and then i can adjust to focus on them?
Just so Im clear. The "star" needs to only be across the great expanse of a living room for use with the mask. Two, if your gonna do imaging, then you need to focus with the mask and camera, if your doing visual, you need to do it with eye and mask. (meaning, you cant focus it visually and then pop a camera in and expect it to be focused)?
medievalman86 yes because it all depends on where the imaging censor is. Your eye can go close to the EP when viewing but a censor will not be that close to the EP so refocus will be needed.
Thx for the quick easy to follow demo, just getting started myself with Astro Photography and this is something i really need to buy. as i'v already found out that focusing is very hard to do 100% without some sort of aid to help. Thx pb
Hey everybody, sorry I did not get back to everyone. In addition to everything else, shortly after I made this video, I had to move to the middle of the Indian Ocean for work and just returned a few months ago... so I was not able to respond to a lot of these messages. I now live in Georgia, and hope to post more beginner tips as I learn them :-) Mike
How has this manifold ended up being? Ironically, a friend just sent me a link to Twisted Motion's website, where they're selling a Twisted Motion brand manifold which looks to be the from the same place in Taiwan that does the schedule 40 Isis manifold and, I assume, this XS Power manifold as well. Their pictures of their manifold include an installed shot, which appears to actually be your engine bay haha. I bought an Isis sch40 manifold almost exactly a year ago but ended up returning it because my welder/fabricator at the shop I purchased it through said he didn't like what he was seeing, and ended up building me a top mount manifold (and accompanying down pipe with a flex section added in the vertical part to combat cracking) for my GT2871R, with the added bonus/expense of going to external wg as well, but obviously I was originally intending on just staying bottom mount so I was wondering how well these manifolds ended up performing. Thanks man
Hallo! I have an MC MTO-11CA (better known as "the MTO 1000") put on a old Manfrotto 055 and a 410 geared head. It's very difficult to get a sharp photo of the Moon and the stars because if you have not a clear sky even at the best focusing position you get soft pictures, so to reach the best focus possible in these conditions is much more harder. Can the focusing mask solve the problem even in these conditions? Thank you in advance! Regards.
Thanks for this. I just got mine today for Christmas! I tried it out with my Brother-In-Law standing there just wanting to look at stuff so I didn't really understand how to use this while feeling like I should show him other things instead of learning on the fly. I'm using this with a DSLR so I'm wondering if I have to keep snapping pictures or will I be able to focus using the LCD on the camera like you did with the computer LCD?
If you focus on a really bright star to start off with, (Arcturus maybe) and get it centered in DSLR LCD display, put on the Mask and then fine tune your focus. Once you get a nice symmetrical pattern (-X-), lock your focus knob (if you have a lock), and remove the mask. If you did a good cool-down, your focus should be excellent. It might be better if you have a live video mode from your camera to a laptop. Bigger display makes it easier/faster to focus.
Richard Lee I wish I had a focus lock. As for cool-down I'm guessing you mean the scope, camera, and laptop sitting at temperature? I usually let everything sit outside for a half-hour before I even start exploring... I am now also using my laptop and the Canon EOS software for live view. Thanks for all the info and your time!!!
Nice job Chartram, I'll be using a Bahtinov mask to attain focus on Arcturus tonight or tomorrow night then attempt to video the ISS in my 2nd test run. Your video is a great help in understanding how the mask works & it's proper use. See you in Astronomy Forum! Cargeena2
