500 Patrons Exclusive Video VOTE!
Added 2021-12-14 16:59:50 +0000 UTCI've combed through your suggestions and whittled it down to the four ideas that had the most +1s on the previous post. Whichever idea gets the most votes here will be made into an exclusive Patreon-only video! Please vote by Wednesday, December 22nd.
Cheers, Nico
Comments
Thanks
A.Linhares
2022-04-12 04:21:17 +0000 UTCFor the purposes of framing my recommendations are using a Sony APS-C camera which has a 1.6 crop factor. Meaning if you want to know the exact framing for a full frame sensor multiply the recommendation by that 1.6. Or just don't worry about it and crop the image in post.
Steven Barnes
2022-04-11 19:22:36 +0000 UTCOn the table, what is the meaning of "Focal Length (at APS-C)"? Is it the lens focal length times the crop factor of the camera (1 for FF, 1.6 for Canon, etc)?
A.Linhares
2022-04-11 19:01:14 +0000 UTCHave you seen my first 'patreon exclusive video + handout'? https://www.patreon.com/posts/48506949 It covers this in broad terms. As far the mounts, my opinion is the sub-$1000 star trackers are best for 300mm f.l. and under, the $1000-$2500 equatorial mounts are good for 300-1000mm, and the heavy duty EQ mounts (usually $2500+) are needed for 1000mm+ f.l. Let me know what else I should cover in future videos on this topic! Thanks, Nico
Nico Carver
2022-04-11 18:34:44 +0000 UTCI have particular interest in the topic "target selection by focal length". Example: what focal length per tracking (star tracking, and entry level & heavy-duty) mounts and which target are available for each "segment". For someone that is starting, it is important to know the limitation (focal length vs targets vs mount) of his/her choice.
A.Linhares
2022-04-11 18:14:30 +0000 UTCcan you do 2!!! really would find the mosaics handy soon
Stu Parker
2021-12-21 07:57:09 +0000 UTCI think the problem is the logarithmic scale of brightness. I really don't want to bring trig into this. But by using arbitrary maximums (length max = 5000 and bright max = 25) I can say that brightness needs a 200 multiplier just to equate changes. Now that they are equal I have to figure out how to make brightness more important.
Steven Barnes
2021-12-17 16:39:45 +0000 UTCUtimate X-mas wish - All the Above.
Robert Bertrand
2021-12-17 15:37:37 +0000 UTCYes it was multiply = iferror(round(1000000/(H3*F3)),0) H being bright and F being Length columns The intention is to rate by easy for unguided tracker. I'm open to suggestions for improvement. More weight on brightness? Although I don't think Andromeda should move up due to focal length. But Orion should be top 5.
Steven Barnes
2021-12-15 20:52:15 +0000 UTCInteresting! I think you meant a multiplication of surface brightness and focal length rather than a division. I wonder if it could be refined a bit further. It seems to me that the large objects are getting a very good rat rating even if their surface brightness is very low (Barnard's Loop , Spaghetti Nebula). I would think Orion Nebula or Andromeda Galaxy should get a better rating photographically, but I guess that's assuming we are talking about how 'easy' they are to image using a tracker, but maybe that's not the intention.
Nico Carver
2021-12-15 20:09:00 +0000 UTCStill a noob, need all the focus info and assistance I can get.
David Beecher
2021-12-15 20:00:23 +0000 UTCi vote for #2.
Jagannath Rao
2021-12-15 19:45:21 +0000 UTCI didnt know what back focus for noobs meant so i didn't vote for for it, perhaps i should have!
Paul Jeffery
2021-12-15 07:29:44 +0000 UTCEven though I have voted for "Stacking data from multiple nights", I still believe that "Back focus for noobs" is something which is extremely important for newbies. I know my struggles with a vernier caliper in trying to get the BF correct across my equipment
Shiva S
2021-12-15 02:57:38 +0000 UTCI'm voting for the noobs which is sadly at the bottom.
Tracey Sipes
2021-12-15 01:18:07 +0000 UTCI originally was going for mosaics, but I can see that multiple nights on a target is going to be a thing, so I'm voting for that.
Gerald Goldman
2021-12-14 22:36:10 +0000 UTCHi Nico multi-panel mosaics is my top one we have the vela supernova remnant in the morning sky now and if the clouds ever clear some thoughts on mosaics would really help Cheers Stu
Stu Parker
2021-12-14 22:05:41 +0000 UTC1000000 / (Surface Brightness / Focal Length) The rating was designed to help tracker users get started.
Steven Barnes
2021-12-14 19:13:14 +0000 UTCReally like topic on selecting a focal length by target! I think the multi-panel mosaics is a great topic as well, but I put this second because I think it's a great topic for the spring/summer when milky way/panorama season is back. Thanks for coming up with a promising list, Nico!
Greg Erianne
2021-12-14 18:28:53 +0000 UTCExcellent! How do you calculate the 'rat rating'? :)
Nico Carver
2021-12-14 17:36:37 +0000 UTCConcerning target selection; have you seen this: https://www.mrrat.com/astrophotography/astrophotography-targets
Steven Barnes
2021-12-14 17:32:25 +0000 UTCI vote for #2. I address #1 by concentrating on target's angular width in comparison to telescope+camera's FOV.
Patrick Thompson
2021-12-14 17:11:00 +0000 UTC
