Could i have done better? Lacking equipement i think!!

Hi there,

I have a large interest just as a hobby to get into astro-photography seriously. Till i have some cash and can afford a nice telescope i have to use what i have.

So the picture below was taken by a 40d with sigma 17-70mm lens.

Im happy with the picture, but can it be improved? Perhaps different settings or manipulations in PP? So far no editing other than cropping. EXIF data are intact.

I can see some dust clouds in the picture, but nothing substantial like the images in the other thread:
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=633063
Would like to produce some shots like post 8 or 10 perhaps???

So with my image just ignore the house and tree (i know its not properly exposed etc). Just wanting to know about the stars etc.

To get the colours in the photos you refer to usually requires a lengthy exposure, and the problem with that is you need a motorised mount to follow the stars to prevent trailing during the exposure.

I am sure Nighthound will be along soon to give you some more 'positive' advice as to what you can do with the kit you already have.

I thought so.. Well at least i captured the southern cross in that picture :P
heheh will wait for nighthounds reply then :P
Thanks sorarse..

It took me a second for it to register that I was looking at, oh ya, the Southern Hemisphere.

I think you did excellent. You may stretched it a hair past the exposure time limit at 17mm. The bright star at the bottom left(just above roof line) looks just barely elongated. It's hard to tell at this scale so I'm just going on what I see here, may look different at actual size. You're starting to pick up some nice dust and detail in that region. Photographing the bright ones like M42 is well within reach for you but you will be limited to the same short exposures due to lack of a tracking mount. You could play with 15-18 second exposures in Deep Sky stacker but with such short exposures you will be limited on just how deep your images will go. Stacking raises the signal and lowers the noise, but it can't create signal. In other words, your sub exposures will need to be deeper(longer) to help the stacking process work at optimal level. But it's definitely worth playing with(free software download) if for nothing else to become more familiar with the stacking process. Might come in mighty handy down the road when or if you advance to a telescope and mount.

For now you could up your ISO to 800 and reduce your exposure time a few seconds and see how your noise level looks, should be fine the 40D. Some minor noise reduction will take the edge off if you feel it needs it. Try to avoid shooting when it's breezy (for obvious reasons), use a sturdy tripod, shutter release and mirror lock.

Australia has some seriously dark skies on the continent's interior, shame there's so much dangerous wildlife lurking out there. Must be SO dark.

Nighthound wrote in post #7217190
mirror lock

Do you notice any difference with these long exposures if you don't use the lock up?
I can understand why to use mirror lock up a normal exposure with a macro lens to get the razor sharp image.
I did that on my auror images but skipped it and haven't noticed any difference at all?

Hi Nightbound, thank you so much for the reply!! I will download that software and have a good play with it. At least i can learn from it till i can get my telescope and mounting gears etc.. I will try bumping up the iso a tad and just experiment. But yes i do have a tripod and shutter release cable. I dont do the mirror lock tho. Might give it a try and see if there is any difference. ta

I think you did pretty good!
Looks like you caught the SMC and LMC as well They are faint

Thank you..

Would love to capture those clouds properly one day.. Cant really see the SMC.. Can see a faint capture of the LMC tho..If im looking at the right spot as you?? left hand side of the pic (top right)?

siddr20 wrote in post #7222791
Thank you..

Would love to capture those clouds properly one day.. Cant really see the SMC.. Can see a faint capture of the LMC tho..If im looking at the right spot as you?? left hand side of the pic (top right)?

SMC is at about 2 oclock to the right of the short tree