Another bust for DSO Photography

Monday was forecast for clear cool skies all into the night and into Tuesday.
I decided to set everything up and perhaps do a little DSO astrophotography. It's been so long since I've been able to that I've almost forgot what to do.
Well, low and behold as soon as I got everything set up I noticed clouds moving in from the Northeast off the ocean. So I came inside and took another look at the weather satellite images and could see a bunch of mid level thin clouds headed my way.
Change of Plans!
I grabbed my camera tripod and set up for a night of time lapse photography instead, which turns out was a good call. Just goes to show how difficult it is to attempt any DSO photography around here in the summer months even when we have had cooler than normal weather.
As the evening progressed you could see the clouds start to thin out a little but the transparency was still poor. Later around the time Jupiter and then the moon rose to the east you could see the clouds thicken up again.

Here is a time lapse animation of the sky last night looking up and toward the southeast.
876 x 20 seconds, ISO 1250, With EF 28-135mm IS Lens @ 28mm f/3.5.
This is a little more than 6 Hours of the sky in motion played back in 29 seconds.

http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=ZQZra9n5dRU&h​d=1

I have a 28mm lens, and must try this. What did you use to trigger the shots with. I take it that sitting there for six hours and doing a manual 20 sec interval shoot is not on the cards. The YouTube sequence looks great.

David Ransley wrote in post #10499115
I have a 28mm lens, and must try this. What did you use to trigger the shots with. I take it that sitting there for six hours and doing a manual 20 sec interval shoot is not on the cards. The YouTube sequence looks great.

I interface the camera with a Laptop and use the EOS utility camera control software that came on a CD with the camera.

Note: If you have a Canon EOS XT/350D, XTi/400D, or older, you will need an additional piece of hardware. A USB Shutter Control Adapter, and then you will also need another shutter control program to work along with the EOS utilities Camera control software.

Or, You can just use a Timer Remote Control that they make for all Canon EOS DSLR's.

tkerr wrote in post #10499396
I interface the camera with a Laptop and use the EOS utility camera control software that came on a CD with the camera.

Note: If you have a Canon EOS XT/350D, XTi/400D, or older, you will need an additional piece of hardware. A USB Shutter Control Adapter, and then you will also need another shutter control program to work along with the EOS utilities Camera control software.

Or, You can just use a Timer Remote Control that they make for all Canon EOS DSLR's.

If your camera isnt compatible with the canon remote there are other options as well, like the http://pclix.com/, which will work with a range of cameras.

Very nice video. Nice tight stars and a nice wide view.

As for DSO's, setting up your equipment just to break it down when unexpected clouds move in is part of the game. Happens about 25% of the time for me.

I have a 40D and use the EOS utility to do all my wide field astro photography. Obviously 6 hours will take some planning with where the laptop is and the camera. Don't you find that the lens build some dew and become wet?

Footbag wrote in post #10505095
Very nice video. Nice tight stars and a nice wide view.

As for DSO's, setting up your equipment just to break it down when unexpected clouds move in is part of the game. Happens about 25% of the time for me.

Around here that happens to me about 70% of the time. Especially this time of year.

David Ransley wrote in post #10505823
I have a 40D and use the EOS utility to do all my wide field astro photography. Obviously 6 hours will take some planning with where the laptop is and the camera. Don't you find that the lens build some dew and become wet?

I have a table that I place my laptop on inside a large plastic storage container turned on it's side. Then I use a small plastic tarp draped over the front opening to block any light from the laptop and to protect it as well. I also have a cooling mat under the laptop to prevent it from overheating.

As for the lens fogging, I have a small fan I set up beside the camera that I clamp onto another cheap tripod that keeps air blowing moving across the lens to keep it clear. Nevertheless, there have been nights it has been so thick even a fan won't help.

Thanks, for the setup description. It will save me some "trial and error" time. Never thought of a fan, I had some sort of heating device in mind, but couldn't settle on one. A fan sounds much easier.

David Ransley wrote in post #10507474
Thanks, for the setup description. It will save me some "trial and error" time. Never thought of a fan, I had some sort of heating device in mind, but couldn't settle on one. A fan sounds much easier.

It's just a small clip-on fan something like this one.
http://www.drugstore.c​om …51-458d-b1fb-80294262c00c

Cool, I like. Now I know what I am looking for

David..I use two old hair dryers. One is 120volt for use at the house and the other is a 12 volt travel hair dryer. Either one can be quickly attached to a spare old camera tripod and direct the airflow toward your lens. I usually don't have the heat on, just airflow.

Greg

I will give the hair dryer a bash as well. All you need is some decent airflow over the lans and camera then.

Thanks

NovaTJ wrote in post #10554729
David..I use two old hair dryers. One is 120volt for use at the house and the other is a 12 volt travel hair dryer. Either one can be quickly attached to a spare old camera tripod and direct the airflow toward your lens. I usually don't have the heat on, just airflow.

Greg

I've used hair driers in the past just as you described, mounted onto an old camera tripod. The problem with that is, the hair drier doesn't last long when used for extended periods over and over again. Even when using no heat I have burned a couple out. The small fan I use now, is less expensive than a blow drier, and has lasted much much longer and still working great.

A small blow drier is nice to have on hand for those moments when you need to de-fog and dry dew from the lens real quick.

I agree Tim, and I may step up to the small fan you mentioned. With the humidity here in Virginia lately, I actually had a floor fan on the patio cooling not just the scope, but me too!

Greg