Category: Astronomy

My first telescope

About a year ago I started to think about getting a telescope, and I have finally acquired one. After considering alternatives and consulting with the dealer, I ended up with a SkyWatcher Explorer 150PDS. It is a 150 mm aperture and 750 mm focal length Newtonian reflector instead of an achromatic refractor that I had…

Read More

The Moon with Binoculars and a Camera

To get a more detailed picture of the Moon, I tried taking a photo with my system camera through the binoculars. While this was indeed possible, it was difficult to align the camera correctly, and even then the resulting image was blurry. I had to use 3×3 binning in PIPP to get a sharp image. …

Read More

Scorpius Constellation

The constellation of Scorpius on 30. June 2018 60 x 1 s, 45 mm, f/2.8, ISO 6400 Stacked with Sequator and processed in Affinity Photo. A big issue with this photograph was the net, which is installed on our balcony to keep the birds from soiling it. With binoculars, it  poses no problem, but with…

Read More

Jupiter Moons with a Smartphone and Binoculars

Jupiter and three of the moons (Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto) captured with a smartphone and binoculars. Io is too close to Jupiter to be visible. Also, the double star Alpha Librae (also known as Zubenelgenubi) is visible on the bottom right.

The Moon with a Smartphone and Binoculars

Waxing gibbous moon on 25.05.2018 Since I was not able to get a better quality shot of the moon with my current camera and objective, I tried using binoculars and a smartphone instead. Finding the right settings and focusing were much easier since the moon appeared larger on the screen, but working with the phone…

Read More

Hyades

The Hyades is a V-shaped open cluster in the constellation of Taurus.

Half Moon II

Unfortunately, the weather seems to favour half moons. There have not been many clear nights, and when I was finally able to get out to do some photography, the moon was in the same phase as last time. I missed a crescent moon in between because it was on a work day and I had…

Read More

Orion’s Sword

Orion’s Sword is an asterism in the constellation of Orion.

Triangulum

Triangulum is a small constellation in the northern sky. The brightest starts form a triangle.