On Thursday, 28 October 2021, I did some test imaging of the Sun using the Spectrum Telescope 8X lens with solar filter. This smartphone adapter mounted to the iPhone 13 Pro Max and positioned the 8X telephoto lens nicely over the iPhone 1X camera lens. (The telephoto would not reach the 3X lens.) This image, full size and cropped (inset), shows the Sun with two small sunspot regions. It was taken using the NightCap Camera (ISO 34, 1/125sec, 1X/8X).

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Open: Thursday, 28 October 2021, 2045 MST Temperature: 66°F

Session: 1683 Conditions: Clear

Equipment:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece
1.25" 15mm eyepiece
iPhone 8X telephoto lens

Camera:
iPhone 13 Pro Max

2049 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed Saturn, then Jupiter, 102X.

Mounted the iPhone 13 Pro Max on a camera tripod using the Spectrum Telescope 8X telephoto lens adapter.

Imaged M45 (Pleiades) at 8X.

NightCap Camera (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 32000, 1sec, 10 seconds exposure, 1X lens + 8X telephoto)


Camera (Night Mode, 5 seconds exposure, 1X lens + 8X telephoto)

Back at the 12" telescope, I viewed M56 (globular cluster), 102X and 163X.

I mounted the iPhone 13 Pro Max on the 15mm eyepiece using the Levenhuk adapter. I used the clip-on LiDAR sensor blocking cover that I mentioned on the previous report.

2120 MST: StarLock ON.

I took this afocal 163X photo of M56 using NightCap Camera (Long Exposure, Light Boost, ISO 32000, 1sec, 1 minute, 1X lens). Some LiDAR light leakage appears at the bottom of the frame.

With the red light reflection cropped out, this is the final image.

2124 MST: StarLock OFF.

I will see if I can develop a better LiDAR sensor cover before the next session.

2129 MST: LX600 OFF.

2138 MST: took a Sky Quality reading and reported it to Globe at Night.

Close: Thursday, 28 October 2021, 2141 MST Temperature: 63°F

Session Length: 0h 56m Conditions: Clear, SQM 21.08

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