ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY WITH MEADE DEEP SKY IMAGER Last updated: 31 May 2006

This page documents the Meade Deep Sky Imager and DSI Pro comments, tips, and photos. Contributions welcome. In order to showcase the DSI you may occasionally see images taken with other telescopes on this page.

Subject:	More ETX125 DSI pics
Sent:	Monday, May 29, 2006 20:18:25
From:	spunkyk98 (spunkyk98@wi.rr.com)
Finally some clear, better than average seeing conditions. I was able to
get a couple more pics with my ETX-125 and the DSI color with the
ScopeTronix Field Doubler attached.  I'm beginning to get the hang of
using the Meade #1247 electric focuser and using the Autostar Suite
starmap software. I've been comparing some of the pictures I've been
taking with my ETX-125 UHTC and other ETX scopes and even with some 8
and 10 inch scopes. The 125's contrast is amazing. If you can get enough
stacked pics, and good focus, above average clear sky, and above all,
patients, you will be amazed at it's deep sky capability.

I am however starting to get a little frustrated with the tracking
capability of my ETX-125. I can capture 8 second exposures on a good
night fairly well, but even then, the stars move out of the DSI field of
view too quickly. So, it takes hours just to get a couple dozen
relatively decent combined images of just one object. I can't really get
enough combined pics to fill in patchiness in the dark sky.

But anyways, here are the pics. Each pic was taken using the "Deep Sky"
image process in the Envisage software and the default minumum quality
of 30 and 10 evaluation count...

M49 - 37 combined 8 second exposures:



M90 - 16 combined 8 second exposures:



M104 - 8 combined 8 second exposures, stacked with 21 combined 4 second
exposures:
 

 
Hope you like the pics.
Kevin

Subject:	M82 M51 DSI
Sent:	Monday, May 15, 2006 15:14:31
From:	Gregory Kaiser
Here are some more DSIc images you can post on your DSI site if you wish
One is M82 the irregular shape Galaxy (Taken form the Backyard in
Gilbert,Az. surrounded by street lights etc.

and the other is M51 Whirlpool Galaxy (taken in a darker area about 15
miles south of the backyard..

M42 was taken by my 70mm shorty  10 x 30seconds exposures.

Images are stacks of 10 to15, 42 seconds exposures. Scope is a LX50
mounted On a CG5 Polar aligned but not drift aligned working on that
one. Awaiting my illuminated eyepiece.

Looking forward to your review of the LXD-75. I talked to the guys at
optcorp.com today Again and they keep encouraging me to keep my CG5 and
Roboscope it for GOTO but that means going from a Gear drive to belt
drive and the cost of doing it is just as much as the cost of purchasing
A new Celestron GOTO after selling my current CG5.

Regards

Greg Kaiser 

Subject:	etx125 DSI comet 73p
Sent:	Monday, May 8, 2006 19:49:14
From:	spunkyk98 (spunkyk98@wi.rr.com)
I finally had some time and clear weather to pull out the etx125 for
some picture taking. Using a ScopeTronix Field Doubler and a DSI I was
able to get some good pics of the comet 73P/Schwassmann Wachmann 3
fragmet C passing by M57 on May 7th...



A B/W picture just of the comet itself passing thru Lyra...



A good picture of M57 itself...



And closed out the night with a moon washed B/W picture of M64 using
drizzle to increase the resolution...



Each picture was 20 combined pics of 8 sec. exposures with DSI's
Envisage software and then unsharp masked in Photoshop.  I've had the
etx125 for about 6 months now that I bought used. I performed a
ScopeTronix tune-up on it and significantly helped with the tracking.
All in all, I am very satisfied with the etx125's performance. Although,
as Spring continues on, and the tree's begin to bloom, my view of
Polaris will be blocked, so I won't be able to polar align anymore. So,
I will be testing out the ext125's alt/az performance during the summer
months.
 
Hope you enjoy the photos.
Thanks for the great ETX web site!
Kevin

Subject:	Deep Sky M65
Sent:	Sunday, April 30, 2006 02:39:00
From:	Stephan Krah (stephan.krah@T-Online.de)
attached you find M65 taken 2 nights ago with ETX125.
104 Frames taken from Meade DSI with IR-Filter and
0.5 focal reducer. 33 Frames hand selected and 30% 
stacked with Giotto. Moderate enhancement in contrast
and color.
Exposure time 20 sec. each.

I hope its worth to be posted.
Thanks for your great site,
best regards from Germany.

Stephan

-- 
Stephan Krah
Rmerstrasse 10
85110 Kipfenberg

attached you find M66 taken last night with ETX125.
Same setup as M65.
104 Frames taken from Meade DSI with IR-Filter and
0.5 focal reducer. 36 Frames hand selected and 30% 
stacked with Giotto. Moderate enhancement in contrast
and color.
Rework is rather difficult due to the faint galaxy arms.
Exposure time 20 sec. each.

I hope its worth to be posted too.

Subject:	M13 Shot from Reid McCall
Sent:	Saturday, April 29, 2006 18:22:15
From:	Reid McCall (reidmccallsc@yahoo.com)
Took this shot of M13 on April 28th.
It was very windy so it was hard to get it centered and focused.
 
ETX 125EC
DSI II Pro
Bluffton, South Carolina
 
Thanks!
 
Reid McCall

And:

Took this shot of Jupiter and Friends on April 13th.
 
Left to Right
Ganymede, Europa, Jupiter, Io, Callisto
 
ETX 125EC
DSI Pro II

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