Barn Door Tracker

I spent the afternoon constructing a "barn door tracker" for astro-photography. It's a contraption meant to keep the camera pointed at the star you're aiming at, compensating for the earth's rotation, and preventing star trails. I'm hoping to try it out tonight if the sky remains clear, and IF I can haul my sleepy bones out of bed after moonset, which happens at 3:01 a.m.

Moonlight

We're in a phase of waxing moon, my dark skies and stars are going to have to wait for a while. I was hoping to get the camera adapter to set up the scope, but forgot to take the camera with me to the photo store, so that will have to wait for another week.

So...if you don't get dark skies, enjoy what you have. Some clouds came in over the moon, reflected on the still waters of the lake this makes a pretty sight. First shot was taken with the lens that I had, the kit lens 18-55mm, only opens up to f 5.6. I was wanting a more light-sensitve lens, bought me a 50mm f 1.8, the second shot was taken with that one. Picks up starlight very nicely, only drawback is that it doesn't cover much sky. The wide angle lens that I've been drooling over is way out of my price range at the moment. Next project is to build a "barn door tracker", see if I can get some shots of the milky way.

Perseid Meteor Shower 2010

After suffering through forecasts of cloudy, clear, cloudy, clear, the sky finally cleared up nicely in time for the annual Perseid meteor shower. I set up the camera around 11:00 p.m., and stayed out taking long exposures until 3:30 a.m. when a bank of clouds rolled in and spoiled the fun. I would have stayed til dawn, it was a good show. Unfortunately the only "small" lens I have only stops down to 5.6, I need a wide angle lens that stops down (or is it up on the wider open?) to 2.8 or even 1.4 . Something that is faster and more light-sensitive at any rate. I see the ol' "toys budget" being blown on a new lens in the near future. I'm in withdrawal this weekend, cloudy skies. The Kappa Cygnids, a minor meteor shower, is coming on the 18th, if it's clear, I'll be out there.

Something else I'll have to save for is a decent telescope if this obsession continues. The Chapters Bookstore gift certificate was burning a hole through my wallet, I finally got Terrence Dickinson's book Night Watch, good all-around astronomy book. There are nebulas and galaxies waiting for my peering eyes to scope them out. I found the Andromeda galaxy last week through binoculars. Now I'm wanting bigger and brighter. Some women settle for shoes or jewelry. I want the very stars!