Before going mono and getting a filter wheel, consider an Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector (ADC). At $120 it added easily one to two classes of improvement to my images and can work with both eyepieces and cameras. You will see a lot more detail with one of these, especially when the planets ar at low altitude. Nice video, cheers and clear skies!
amazing video!! I am part of the astrophotography committee at CSULB and want to introduce astrophotography to people just with iphones!! i was down a rabbit hole of videos and found your video to be to the point, informative, while having excellent recommendations. Keep it up!!
I started My Astrophotography With a Smartphone! I have Even Tried Some Deep Sky imaging and It did Work! Now I have Reached The Route of zwo asi 22mc Planetary Web Cam which I use for Planetary imaging and EAA! Fantastic Comparison, Clear Skies!🌌
Thank you Sir; a very informative video for someone (like me) who is interested in dabbling in astrophotography with only his cellphone. And, I used to be a photojournalist and still have some expensive glass and DSLR's kicking around...
With a spare DSLR the world of astro photography is all yours. Start taking short exposures with ~100-200mm and high ISO of bright DSO targets like the whirlpool galaxy on a steady tripod. Then maybe transition to a tracking mount... It's a super rich and rewarding hobby!! Clear skies!
Hi, very nice video thanks. 2 questions: For this video, you record only short raw videos of the objects without tracking? And then you post process it? (Because I have a telescope but not motorised so no tracking possible…) Question 2: What do you think about the same system (iphone adapter) mounted on a GoTo telescope like celestron nexstar 8se. Would I be able to make nice astrophoto of the nebulas for example, thanks to the scope + its tracking system? Because investing in a full astrophoto set up seems to be 3000 + easy.. Thanks for your answer!
Hi @Jolatruite974, thank you for your kind words and your questions! Question 1: Yes, in the video, I used a telescope equipped with tracking to capture the planets. However, it's worth noting that tracking is not strictly necessary for planetary imaging, as the exposure times are very short. Even if the planet moves across the field of view during the recording, you can still capture enough data in a few seconds to produce a good image. So, even without tracking, you can still obtain decent results, especially if you're just starting out. Question 2: Mounting your iPhone on a GoTo telescope like the Celestron NexStar 8SE would indeed be a good setup for both planetary and some deep sky astrophotography. The tracking capability will certainly improve your images. For planetary imaging, it will allow the planet to stay in the field of view longer, enabling you to capture longer videos, which is essential for stacking a high number of frames to improve image quality.For deep sky astrophotography, tracking is even more critical because it allows for the longer exposures needed to capture faint details. While the NexStar 8SE is primarily designed for planetary imaging, you can experiment with it for deep sky objects. The key is to determine the maximum exposure time before stars start to trail. Once you find that limit, you can adjust your exposure times accordingly. In summary, the NexStar 8SE with tracking is a great setup for planetary imaging and could also be used for some deep sky objects with careful experimentation. It’s a versatile and relatively budget-friendly option compared to a full astrophotography setup. I hope this helps, and clear skies!
Thank you very much for your video. Very amazing images of Jupiter and Saturn & Cassini Division indeed. I just bought my first telescope and I am working with a similar rig and the ZWO ASI camera like you do. My images are nowhere near yours. Can't wait for the next clear skies in my area to get out there again and try to produce such amazing images like you did. Good to see what is actually possible with such a rig and that there is still some more room for even better quality.
Ich have one question though. I have only shot Moon, Jupiter and Saturn so far and was encouraged by your video to find a star cluster. At home I am restricted to the South-West range of the sky and was wondering how you find a cluster that is high in the sky and in that range. But at the same time has a low mag so I can actually find it with my Dobsonian. Therefore I have chosen M13 in Hercules and am waiting for clear skies. Is that an object for a start? And how would you go about this and find a star cluster? Thanks
Hi there. I was eventually able to track down the M13 global cluster and was surprised what small region in the sky the ZWO ASI 120 only covers. The more I was surprised that I was able to locate the cluster with my 10 inch Dobsonian and with quite some light pollution in our area. I am using Stellarium to figure out what I might need to expect with the gear I am using. With SharpCap I was able to take a c 1sec exposure that was not so bad for the beginning. Cheers, Michael
Hey Michael! Yep, M13 is a bright one and hence a good first choice. And yep, the ZWO covers quite a small area especially with your focal length. Therefore it's mainly ment to be used for planetary where only this small area matters... Many DSOs will be way (!) too big for this FOV. Easy entrance would be a 15 bucks T2 adapter ring and a used DSLR. The larger sensor will enable for a much larger FOV. Any possibilities to show me your results? I'd be very interested! Clear skies!!
@@catchingphotons Thank you very much for your reply and your useful comments. You can find my videos on my youtube channel. For now I have only uploaded pictures of Jupiter and Saturn. I did not consider it yet worthewile uploading the image of M13. I am currently trying to locate the Pinwheel and Whirpool galaxies since I should be able to directly observe them from our backyard. A lot of other DSOs in the milky-way are unfortunately behind our house. But I was not successful to see the galaxies through my 10mm and 25mm eyepieces (so far) Although when I check in Stellarium I should be able to see them (FoV c 0.2°), light pollution around 5-6 (Stellarium). I believe by star hopping I should be aiming at the right spot. Therefore I was thinking whether I should use your smartphone approach next to increase the exposure time. And if that works I will also think about buying an DSLR. Cheers, Michael
By means of plate solving via directly uploading imagies to astronomy I shot with my smartphone and an NexYZ adapter I believe I am now pointing my 10'' dobsonian (FOV 1°) in the right direction. Unfortunately without tracking I can only do 1-5sec exposures which did not reveal the pinwheel galaxy so far. I believe there is still to much noise to see anything (light pollution, full moon, AZ/H: low height 30-40°). Although when applying a threshold filter in python cv2 I can see that there is something but it could well be a reflection of the glass of the eyepiece. Also my small FOV of 1° does not allow any stacking with SharpCap my ASI ZWO 120 due to not enough reference stars. So I guess I am currently trying to catch the Pinwheel galaxy under the worst possible settings. I see that Andromeda is high in the sky at around 4am currently. Maybe I should start with a less challenging DSO first. If you like I can share some images. Do you have a mail adress? Michael
I’m at this point. New to wanting to take pictures of this kind of stuff with my phone and just got a skyquest xt8 telescope. But I’m not knowledgeable with either night viewing or changing the camera setting to take these type of pictures so I was hoping mainly to get the camera setting from this video, but they weren’t explained. I took some night pictures a few months ago with just my smartphone, ultra 22 and was really excited with what came out. 30 second exposure with a couple of other changes.
Hello, Chris! I've been watching your videos since a long time ago and I love them. Keep up the good work! As for this video, when you recorded the planets with your phone, did you take a regular video or you also adjusted things like shutter speed, ISO, White Balance, etc? Thanks!
Thanks for your encouraging words Bill!! I just pressed "record". No actually I fixed the focus (hold screen long) and focused with binoculars or scope. In that way I had small amount of control over the exposure but that control is very much limited. The more control you have, the better but obviously it works without ;-) Clear skies!!
@@catchingphotons Nice! Thanks for the reply. I will experiment with my phone camera settings tonight, as Saturn is at opposition and I'll try to capture some good shots of it with my telescope. Have a nice day and clear skies!🌌
I'm also attaching my Poco f1 smartphone with 10 inch dobsonian telescope using phone adapter.... I'm really loving it.... Budget astrophotography.....
It's a cool way for beginners to enter the world of Astrophotography. You have instead to share? Post them here or tag me over on Twitter or Instagram. Clear skies my friend!!
Good tutorial Cris! I tried the night mode of my pixel 3a on the milkyway and the Venus/Mars conjunction and was quite surprised with the results. Hope you're doing well.
Thanks Wido! I'm really looking forward to seeing the pixel 6 since the sensor hasn't really changed since the 3'er series. A bit more control over the astro settings would be great but nevertheless great to see that the "big companies" are taking astro stuff into consideration these days! Clear skies to you!! 🍻
I love your video! I plan to try my galaxy a21 with my solarmax 3! I bought the same phone adapter you have. We shall see what happens. Hopefully a lot of fasanaticing detail!
Thank you Chris. Last night I tried using my NexYZ. FAIL! Cause? Loose connection to the eye piece. Reason? I did not understand the fact that I needed to tighten the grip screw. Nothing in the cartoon instructions explained that. I assumed the spring should have been strong enough. LOL my bad! Thank you for mentioning such a basic thing so a rookie can learn. Let's hope for clear skies to try again tonight.
So far Ive been improving with my 90mm refractor but I cant get nowhere near the quality of the images your google pixel was able to produce, but then again I also dont have all of the eyepieces for my telescope yet, just 25mm and 10mm and I am forced to handhold my camera for now (no adapter yet). This is a long but rewarding journey!
Cool! Yes the eyepiece holder is a major (!!) upgrade, I highly encourage you to invest into this first (~60 bucks). Second in line might be a decent Barlow lens (~60-100 bucks). It's a long road but so rewarding! Clear skies!!
This was a great comparison, thank you! I'm wondering if you tried out the ZWO on M2? I know it's a planetary camera, but I had been considering investing in one to do some livestreams for friends through my big dob (14.5") and was hoping I'd be able to show some of the easier DSOs.
Yea it should be possible to get some brighter DSOs. The problem is the exposure length. It's your Dobson tracked (equatorial tracking platform) in any way? Otherwise the max exposure time will be highly limited. Though "SharpCap" (THE software to talk to planetary astro cams) has a live stacking mode that looks interesting for exactly your purpose. It takes endless rounds of short exposures and stack them live for your to see the current state of the image. Wait another 5' and the image quality will increase even more. Maybe I should do a video about it ;-) Clear skies!!
@@catchingphotons thank you so much! Yes I have an equatorial platform that tracks for about an hour between resets. Live stacking sounds like a great idea to try. I wanted to display a "live-ish" view, as though they were looking through an eyepiece with me - I bet that would be a nice compromise that might open up some dimmer objects.
Yes I'd love to. It will probably be this fall - we're moving to a house in a rural area and I'm super excited to move the scopes in and see how dark the skies are!
Hey! Normally (if doing stacking) I copy the files onto my PC and use "autostakkert!3" for further processing (free software). I don't know of any smartphone stacking app that works for me. Cheers!
The smart phone adapter would be a great way of getting the younger crowd into the hobby, there are schools and clubs that have the telescopes that they could use as a group.☕️
Hello Chris. I'm planning to catch Saturn with my 20x80 binoculars. But currently Saturn is only catchable at daylight so I'm not sure how to get it. Any tips? And btw. How did you get those details of Jupiter with the binoculars? Just focus with the smartphone and then focus with the bino? And then lower the exposure? (Smartphone: Samsug A53) Grüße aus Deutschland :)
Hey! Planets are only visible during some parts of the year! Saturn and Jupiter will be back in late fall. But no worries: Practice on the moon instead :-) Your assumption was correct: Pre-Focus with the phone - fix focus - focus with the binoculars - then set appropriate exposure and stuff on your phone. You need to capture a video-file and then run this through software on PC to enhance details. Cheers! Chris
I’m gonna have to try it, though I am using a flex tube telescope with the eye piece at the front on one of the tubes so I do worry about putting too much weight on the tube (incase they are weak)
That can surely be a limit. The smartphone holder is intermediate heavy and adding the phone might bring your setup out of balance. If you manage to add the phone please share some images!! Clear skies!
But, for the smartphone which camera are you using? the middle(normal lens> Or, the macro lens? IT seems logical to use the macro lens on the phone since the image in the eyepeice is VERY tiny.
The normal one :-) The opening of the eyepiece is tiny but this just connects the contracted light rays if you will. See it another way: your pupils are tiny too, but you can cover a whooping 190° Field of view (or something). So the light rays will diverge and fill the sensor, no problem. Cheers!!
Scope: Skywatcher PDS Newtonian 150/750 Mount: EQ6R Pro (but would work with any other) Camera: GooglePixel5 or ZWO ASI 120mc-s Barlow: 3x Omegon APO Software: SharpCap (capturing, free), Autostakkert!3 (free), Registax6 (free), Gimp (free)
Thank you for the video. On my pixel 7 pro there is an infrared sensor that reflects on the lens and ruins any shots I take. I think this is true on most pixel phone. How did you deal with this? I have tried open camera but the infrared auto focus still lights up even when switching to manual.
@@catchingphotons yep if I show the camera to a mirror I get a little people dot. I have tried " open camera" where I can switch to manual focus but that doesn't turn off the infrared
@@catchingphotons I guess I could put tape in it something over it. That was my thought too. I have been looking around for some alternative Canara app that would turn it off with software. Thank you for your reply
Probably but the GoPro is neither intended nor made for astro images. If you are able to boost frame rate though it might be an interesting thought. Cheers and clear skies!
I understand that it is important to make the experience before you go and buy such a astro camera but so many people got a dslr and if you already have a telescope just buy a t2 ring and adapter. What is your opinion? And if you dont have a dslr you can ask your parents to borrow it
Of course! The message goes like: Use what you have. If you own a DSLR, go with that. Still use video-files for capturing planets though. But if you lack the DSLR you might as well use your phone, or a compact camera for that matter. Clear skies!
This method should work with everything that has a working camera 🤳 ... Even though I don't own a galaxy tab. Only problem is the max size of the adapter. You'd need one that can hold the tab fine - don't know the specs though.
I haven't had a lot of luck with smartphone astrophotography. Available smartphone adapters don't seem to well-suited for my telescope and eyepiece setup
@@catchingphotons I use a Meade 7" MCT. Because it is so high powered I do all my viewing through a 56mm or a Baader Hyperion Zoom. Smartphone adapters aren't designed for 2" barrels. I tried the Celestron NeXYZ, but the build quality was so bad I returned it
Thanks! I used video mode of my smartphone (30-60fps) and than the software "PIPP" to convert the MP4 to raw video I can import with autostakkert. It's a free software and relatively easy to use. Clear skies!!
Can anyone help me please?! I used to take pics through my telescope with a Samsung Galaxy A71 and they looked pretty good. But my A71 gave up on me, so I switched to the Xiaomi 13T Pro, which is supposed to have a better camera. When I try to take pics through my telescope, they look great in the view finder, but once I take them, they look like crap. Planets have a weird blur on them with rainbow colours around and most of the detail is lost, the moon is really noisy, especially in the dark areas around etc... Keep in mind, they look good in live view before taking them. I really need help with this. Thanks!
It works with every phone. What number of lenses your manufacturer included into your phone don't need to bother you. For more information: th-cam.com/video/5FF6eWj3VNI/w-d-xo.html Cheers and clear skies!!
Well it certainly depends on your demands :-) some will say: no way! Others (me included) will say: no question, yes! I'm planning to buy a second scope just for planetary :-D But jokes aside: a smartphone is every anyway a great starting point for getting your feet wet in planetary BEFORE investing hundreds of dollars for further equipment. I'm a huge fan! Clear skies!
I Hated That Thing,Tossed It Across The Yard Before The 1st Night Was Done🤣🤣I Like The One Made By Carson..But Rarely Use My Phone,Afraid Of It Dropping,and My Neximage10,Zwo120Mini,Or My Zwo385MC Did Not Cost As Much As That Phone😂😂😂
Hate because of handling? The cost of 120mc is lower than a phone BUT most of us have the phone anyway so there is no additional cost involved. My phone never dropped to this date 😉👍 let's hope it never does (but it feels pretty secured though). Cheers and clear skies!
Камера с ночным видением может иметь схожие возможности сбора света, но всё зависит от фокусного расстояния (и, соответственно, оптики) и способности правильно отслеживать ночное небо.
A really good comparison and amazing what those little sensors in phone can achieve.
Thanks!! Yes, the sensors became really astonishing!! It's nuts what you can resolve with hand-held-electronics these days! Clear skies!
Before going mono and getting a filter wheel, consider an Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector (ADC). At $120 it added easily one to two classes of improvement to my images and can work with both eyepieces and cameras. You will see a lot more detail with one of these, especially when the planets ar at low altitude.
Nice video, cheers and clear skies!
True words! Thanks for your thoughts. Clear skies!!!
What a great video! Thank you so much for taking the time to make this. Super informative and to-the-point.
Thanks Nikhil for your encouraging words! It really means a lot to me. Clear skies!!
amazing video!! I am part of the astrophotography committee at CSULB and want to introduce astrophotography to people just with iphones!! i was down a rabbit hole of videos and found your video to be to the point, informative, while having excellent recommendations. Keep it up!!
Thanks!! Spreading this beautiful hobby is a worthy journey 💖
I started My Astrophotography With a Smartphone! I have Even Tried Some Deep Sky imaging and It did Work! Now I have Reached The Route of zwo asi 22mc Planetary Web Cam which I use for Planetary imaging and EAA! Fantastic Comparison, Clear Skies!🌌
Thanks for the kind words! Feel free to tag me over on twitter or insta - I'd love to see some more smartphone-astro-results. Clear skies!
Thank you Sir; a very informative video for someone (like me) who is interested in dabbling in astrophotography with only his cellphone. And, I used to be a photojournalist and still have some expensive glass and DSLR's kicking around...
With a spare DSLR the world of astro photography is all yours. Start taking short exposures with ~100-200mm and high ISO of bright DSO targets like the whirlpool galaxy on a steady tripod.
Then maybe transition to a tracking mount... It's a super rich and rewarding hobby!!
Clear skies!
Great video for all of us try8ng to get into astronomy. Thanks!
Thanks for that encouraging comment! It's very well appreciated! Clear skies!
Great video! Very informative. Smart phone adapter is soon on its way to me
Superb! Don't forget to tag me over on Twitter 🙂 I want to see some results 😉
@@catchingphotons Cool, man! I will do that✌🏼
Hi, very nice video thanks.
2 questions:
For this video, you record only short raw videos of the objects without tracking? And then you post process it? (Because I have a telescope but not motorised so no tracking possible…)
Question 2:
What do you think about the same system (iphone adapter) mounted on a GoTo telescope like celestron nexstar 8se. Would I be able to make nice astrophoto of the nebulas for example, thanks to the scope + its tracking system?
Because investing in a full astrophoto set up seems to be 3000 + easy..
Thanks for your answer!
Hi @Jolatruite974, thank you for your kind words and your questions!
Question 1:
Yes, in the video, I used a telescope equipped with tracking to capture the planets. However, it's worth noting that tracking is not strictly necessary for planetary imaging, as the exposure times are very short. Even if the planet moves across the field of view during the recording, you can still capture enough data in a few seconds to produce a good image. So, even without tracking, you can still obtain decent results, especially if you're just starting out.
Question 2:
Mounting your iPhone on a GoTo telescope like the Celestron NexStar 8SE would indeed be a good setup for both planetary and some deep sky astrophotography. The tracking capability will certainly improve your images.
For planetary imaging, it will allow the planet to stay in the field of view longer, enabling you to capture longer videos, which is essential for stacking a high number of frames to improve image quality.For deep sky astrophotography, tracking is even more critical because it allows for the longer exposures needed to capture faint details.
While the NexStar 8SE is primarily designed for planetary imaging, you can experiment with it for deep sky objects. The key is to determine the maximum exposure time before stars start to trail. Once you find that limit, you can adjust your exposure times accordingly.
In summary, the NexStar 8SE with tracking is a great setup for planetary imaging and could also be used for some deep sky objects with careful experimentation. It’s a versatile and relatively budget-friendly option compared to a full astrophotography setup.
I hope this helps, and clear skies!
@@catchingphotons thank you very much for your answer which will be very useful for me! Take care and keep up the good work👍
This is the coolest video!
Thank you very much for your video. Very amazing images of Jupiter and Saturn & Cassini Division indeed. I just bought my first telescope and I am working with a similar rig and the ZWO ASI camera like you do. My images are nowhere near yours. Can't wait for the next clear skies in my area to get out there again and try to produce such amazing images like you did. Good to see what is actually possible with such a rig and that there is still some more room for even better quality.
Ich have one question though. I have only shot Moon, Jupiter and Saturn so far and was encouraged by your video to find a star cluster. At home I am restricted to the South-West range of the sky and was wondering how you find a cluster that is high in the sky and in that range. But at the same time has a low mag so I can actually find it with my Dobsonian. Therefore I have chosen M13 in Hercules and am waiting for clear skies. Is that an object for a start? And how would you go about this and find a star cluster? Thanks
Hi there. I was eventually able to track down the M13 global cluster and was surprised what small region in the sky the ZWO ASI 120 only covers. The more I was surprised that I was able to locate the cluster with my 10 inch Dobsonian and with quite some light pollution in our area. I am using Stellarium to figure out what I might need to expect with the gear I am using. With SharpCap I was able to take a c 1sec exposure that was not so bad for the beginning. Cheers, Michael
Hey Michael!
Yep, M13 is a bright one and hence a good first choice.
And yep, the ZWO covers quite a small area especially with your focal length.
Therefore it's mainly ment to be used for planetary where only this small area matters... Many DSOs will be way (!) too big for this FOV.
Easy entrance would be a 15 bucks T2 adapter ring and a used DSLR. The larger sensor will enable for a much larger FOV.
Any possibilities to show me your results? I'd be very interested!
Clear skies!!
@@catchingphotons Thank you very much for your reply and your useful comments. You can find my videos on my youtube channel. For now I have only uploaded pictures of Jupiter and Saturn. I did not consider it yet worthewile uploading the image of M13. I am currently trying to locate the Pinwheel and Whirpool galaxies since I should be able to directly observe them from our backyard. A lot of other DSOs in the milky-way are unfortunately behind our house. But I was not successful to see the galaxies through my 10mm and 25mm eyepieces (so far) Although when I check in Stellarium I should be able to see them (FoV c 0.2°), light pollution around 5-6 (Stellarium). I believe by star hopping I should be aiming at the right spot. Therefore I was thinking whether I should use your smartphone approach next to increase the exposure time. And if that works I will also think about buying an DSLR. Cheers, Michael
By means of plate solving via directly uploading imagies to astronomy I shot with my smartphone and an NexYZ adapter I believe I am now pointing my 10'' dobsonian (FOV 1°) in the right direction. Unfortunately without tracking I can only do 1-5sec exposures which did not reveal the pinwheel galaxy so far. I believe there is still to much noise to see anything (light pollution, full moon, AZ/H: low height 30-40°). Although when applying a threshold filter in python cv2 I can see that there is something but it could well be a reflection of the glass of the eyepiece. Also my small FOV of 1° does not allow any stacking with SharpCap my ASI ZWO 120 due to not enough reference stars. So I guess I am currently trying to catch the Pinwheel galaxy under the worst possible settings. I see that Andromeda is high in the sky at around 4am currently. Maybe I should start with a less challenging DSO first. If you like I can share some images. Do you have a mail adress? Michael
I’m at this point.
New to wanting to take pictures of this kind of stuff with my phone and just got a skyquest xt8 telescope. But I’m not knowledgeable with either night viewing or changing the camera setting to take these type of pictures so I was hoping mainly to get the camera setting from this video, but they weren’t explained.
I took some night pictures a few months ago with just my smartphone, ultra 22 and was really excited with what came out. 30 second exposure with a couple of other changes.
Hello, Chris!
I've been watching your videos since a long time ago and I love them. Keep up the good work!
As for this video, when you recorded the planets with your phone, did you take a regular video or you also adjusted things like shutter speed, ISO, White Balance, etc?
Thanks!
Thanks for your encouraging words Bill!!
I just pressed "record". No actually I fixed the focus (hold screen long) and focused with binoculars or scope. In that way I had small amount of control over the exposure but that control is very much limited. The more control you have, the better but obviously it works without ;-)
Clear skies!!
@@catchingphotons Nice! Thanks for the reply.
I will experiment with my phone camera settings tonight, as Saturn is at opposition and I'll try to capture some good shots of it with my telescope.
Have a nice day and clear skies!🌌
I'm also attaching my Poco f1 smartphone with 10 inch dobsonian telescope using phone adapter.... I'm really loving it.... Budget astrophotography.....
It's a cool way for beginners to enter the world of Astrophotography.
You have instead to share? Post them here or tag me over on Twitter or Instagram. Clear skies my friend!!
Good tutorial Cris! I tried the night mode of my pixel 3a on the milkyway and the Venus/Mars conjunction and was quite surprised with the results. Hope you're doing well.
Thanks Wido! I'm really looking forward to seeing the pixel 6 since the sensor hasn't really changed since the 3'er series. A bit more control over the astro settings would be great but nevertheless great to see that the "big companies" are taking astro stuff into consideration these days!
Clear skies to you!! 🍻
I love your video! I plan to try my galaxy a21 with my solarmax 3! I bought the same phone adapter you have. We shall see what happens. Hopefully a lot of fasanaticing detail!
Thanks FJB, please tag me if you publish any images, I'm looking forward to seeing them! Clear skies!!
Thank you Chris. Last night I tried using my NexYZ. FAIL! Cause? Loose connection to the eye piece. Reason? I did not understand the fact that I needed to tighten the grip screw. Nothing in the cartoon instructions explained that. I assumed the spring should have been strong enough. LOL my bad! Thank you for mentioning such a basic thing so a rookie can learn. Let's hope for clear skies to try again tonight.
You are very welcome!! Good luck next time and clear skies!!
Is working. this was the 1st result for my search.
Cool 😎
To stack astronomical images using your phone you can use Eagle Image Stacker.
Thanks for the heads up!
So far Ive been improving with my 90mm refractor but I cant get nowhere near the quality of the images your google pixel was able to produce, but then again I also dont have all of the eyepieces for my telescope yet, just 25mm and 10mm and I am forced to handhold my camera for now (no adapter yet).
This is a long but rewarding journey!
Cool! Yes the eyepiece holder is a major (!!) upgrade, I highly encourage you to invest into this first (~60 bucks). Second in line might be a decent Barlow lens (~60-100 bucks). It's a long road but so rewarding!
Clear skies!!
This was a great comparison, thank you!
I'm wondering if you tried out the ZWO on M2? I know it's a planetary camera, but I had been considering investing in one to do some livestreams for friends through my big dob (14.5") and was hoping I'd be able to show some of the easier DSOs.
Yea it should be possible to get some brighter DSOs. The problem is the exposure length. It's your Dobson tracked (equatorial tracking platform) in any way? Otherwise the max exposure time will be highly limited. Though "SharpCap" (THE software to talk to planetary astro cams) has a live stacking mode that looks interesting for exactly your purpose. It takes endless rounds of short exposures and stack them live for your to see the current state of the image. Wait another 5' and the image quality will increase even more.
Maybe I should do a video about it ;-)
Clear skies!!
@@catchingphotons thank you so much! Yes I have an equatorial platform that tracks for about an hour between resets. Live stacking sounds like a great idea to try. I wanted to display a "live-ish" view, as though they were looking through an eyepiece with me - I bet that would be a nice compromise that might open up some dimmer objects.
Sounds cool!! Would you consider to share some images you folks take over the course of the night? I'd be highly interested!
Yes I'd love to. It will probably be this fall - we're moving to a house in a rural area and I'm super excited to move the scopes in and see how dark the skies are!
Greay beginner video!
Thanks for your kind words!
Hi mate! Grate job... which application you use for stacking in smartphone?
Hey! Normally (if doing stacking) I copy the files onto my PC and use "autostakkert!3" for further processing (free software). I don't know of any smartphone stacking app that works for me. Cheers!
I photograph with my phone camera
Are 10-20 MP photos good?
MP does not matter so much. It all depends on the optics. Cheers!
I use my smartphone to image the planets. I find it very easy. With the pro mode video you can get unbelievable images using a smartphone.
It's amazing, isn't it? Clear skies my friend!
cheers i think ill try and find on of these
Do it, it's totally worth it!
Great video. Thanks!
You are very welcome!!!
I used a Samsun A8, a cheap phone adapter, and a 76/700 reflector and got a fantastic result of lunar crater Copernicus!
I saw your Insta-Post. Great!!
The smart phone adapter would be a great way of getting the younger crowd into the hobby, there are schools and clubs that have the telescopes that they could use as a group.☕️
True story! I want to establish an astronomy-group in my school and mobile-phones are a great way, as you said! Clear skies!!
Hello Chris. I'm planning to catch Saturn with my 20x80 binoculars. But currently Saturn is only catchable at daylight so I'm not sure how to get it. Any tips?
And btw. How did you get those details of Jupiter with the binoculars? Just focus with the smartphone and then focus with the bino? And then lower the exposure? (Smartphone: Samsug A53)
Grüße aus Deutschland :)
Wait for it to become visible certain planets can only be viewed at certain times of year 😊
@@DarsiDarsi- 👍
Hey!
Planets are only visible during some parts of the year! Saturn and Jupiter will be back in late fall. But no worries: Practice on the moon instead :-)
Your assumption was correct: Pre-Focus with the phone - fix focus - focus with the binoculars - then set appropriate exposure and stuff on your phone. You need to capture a video-file and then run this through software on PC to enhance details.
Cheers!
Chris
@@catchingphotons Thank you! Much appreciated.
Thanks for the video. I'm curious what the results would be if you use a Pixel 7 Pro?.
I would need someone with that specific phone to find out. Cheers and clear skies!
@@catchingphotons I have the phone but I don't think you're in Florida 😅
I’m gonna have to try it, though I am using a flex tube telescope with the eye piece at the front on one of the tubes so I do worry about putting too much weight on the tube (incase they are weak)
That can surely be a limit. The smartphone holder is intermediate heavy and adding the phone might bring your setup out of balance.
If you manage to add the phone please share some images!!
Clear skies!
But, for the smartphone which camera are you using? the middle(normal lens> Or, the macro lens? IT seems logical to use the macro lens on the phone since the image in the eyepeice is VERY tiny.
The normal one :-)
The opening of the eyepiece is tiny but this just connects the contracted light rays if you will. See it another way: your pupils are tiny too, but you can cover a whooping 190° Field of view (or something).
So the light rays will diverge and fill the sensor, no problem.
Cheers!!
Could you please share the specifications of the binoculars and telescope shown in this video for taking pictures of Saturn and Jupiter?
Scope: Skywatcher PDS Newtonian 150/750
Mount: EQ6R Pro (but would work with any other)
Camera: GooglePixel5 or ZWO ASI 120mc-s
Barlow: 3x Omegon APO
Software: SharpCap (capturing, free), Autostakkert!3 (free), Registax6 (free), Gimp (free)
I use samsung s6 and telescope 114mm/900 Towa.
I am satisfied for jupiter and moon .
Cool! Can you share some images?
@@catchingphotons i have others video in my account
! New sub
Hey there!! Welcome aboard :-)
Thank you for the video. On my pixel 7 pro there is an infrared sensor that reflects on the lens and ruins any shots I take. I think this is true on most pixel phone. How did you deal with this? I have tried open camera but the infrared auto focus still lights up even when switching to manual.
I own the Google pixel 5 but have never had this problem so far ... Can you tape the IR emitter?
@@catchingphotons yep if I show the camera to a mirror I get a little people dot. I have
tried " open camera" where I can switch to manual focus but that doesn't turn off the infrared
@@catchingphotons I guess I could put tape in it something over it. That was my thought too. I have been looking around for some alternative Canara app that would turn it off with software. Thank you for your reply
2:55 how can I find Jupiter simulation at a date and time to compare
Software called "Stellarium". Cheers!
Can a GoPro can be used for mounting to telescope
Probably but the GoPro is neither intended nor made for astro images. If you are able to boost frame rate though it might be an interesting thought.
Cheers and clear skies!
I understand that it is important to make the experience before you go and buy such a astro camera but so many people got a dslr and if you already have a telescope just buy a t2 ring and adapter. What is your opinion? And if you dont have a dslr you can ask your parents to borrow it
Of course! The message goes like: Use what you have. If you own a DSLR, go with that. Still use video-files for capturing planets though. But if you lack the DSLR you might as well use your phone, or a compact camera for that matter.
Clear skies!
@cathingphotons does it work for galaxy tab a please reply
This method should work with everything that has a working camera 🤳 ... Even though I don't own a galaxy tab. Only problem is the max size of the adapter. You'd need one that can hold the tab fine - don't know the specs though.
I haven't had a lot of luck with smartphone astrophotography. Available smartphone adapters don't seem to well-suited for my telescope and eyepiece setup
Hey! What are the specs of your equpi/setup you use? Clear skies!!
@@catchingphotons I use a Meade 7" MCT. Because it is so high powered I do all my viewing through a 56mm or a Baader Hyperion Zoom. Smartphone adapters aren't designed for 2" barrels. I tried the Celestron NeXYZ, but the build quality was so bad I returned it
How do you do better with a pair of Bi Noc ulars (< sorry it is a snatch referance) than i can do with a telescope?
:-) Sometimes skills, sometimes equipment and preparing but most of the time: Luck with seeing!
Thus it's called: Lucky imaging.
Clear skies!!
Woah never realized that jupiter was hexagon shaped.
Jk great video i thank you
Haha, you are very welcome!
Whats your telescope inches btw?
It's a 6" telescope, so it's rather small when it comes to planetary imaging.
Cheers
What is the software used to sharpen the images?
I use that free software Registax6.
Clear skies!
Great video, thanks! Did you stack the jupiter picture from taking a video with the phone and then stacking the frames from that video?
Thanks!
I used video mode of my smartphone (30-60fps) and than the software "PIPP" to convert the MP4 to raw video I can import with autostakkert. It's a free software and relatively easy to use.
Clear skies!!
Can anyone help me please?! I used to take pics through my telescope with a Samsung Galaxy A71 and they looked pretty good. But my A71 gave up on me, so I switched to the Xiaomi 13T Pro, which is supposed to have a better camera. When I try to take pics through my telescope, they look great in the view finder, but once I take them, they look like crap. Planets have a weird blur on them with rainbow colours around and most of the detail is lost, the moon is really noisy, especially in the dark areas around etc... Keep in mind, they look good in live view before taking them. I really need help with this. Thanks!
I can only guess but maybe there is some post-processing in your phone happening which would explain why it is not visible in the live feed.
What phone mount do you use?
Celestron NexYZ smartphone adapter
@@catchingphotons thanks.. so what do u recommend a phone mount or a astro camera I like to make also deep space images with my etx 90
Does this work with smartphones with multiple lenses or do I have to have a smartphone with just one lens to make it work.
It works with every phone. What number of lenses your manufacturer included into your phone don't need to bother you.
For more information:
th-cam.com/video/5FF6eWj3VNI/w-d-xo.html
Cheers and clear skies!!
@@catchingphotons thank you
i really want to see this on the 13 pro max
Unfortunately I can't provide this jet ;-)
Okay
Okay
I have a bunch of cell phone movies on my site.
but is that little bit more detail worth 200 bucks?
Well it certainly depends on your demands :-) some will say: no way! Others (me included) will say: no question, yes!
I'm planning to buy a second scope just for planetary :-D
But jokes aside: a smartphone is every anyway a great starting point for getting your feet wet in planetary BEFORE investing hundreds of dollars for further equipment. I'm a huge fan!
Clear skies!
Screech doing TH-cam astrophotography now?
You like to? Do so!!
What is name of Camera? Bramd name?
Zwo ASI 120mc
The planetary is ZWO ASI 120, the compact camera is a dinosaur, I can't know the brand :-)
I Hated That Thing,Tossed It Across The Yard Before The 1st Night Was Done🤣🤣I Like The One Made By Carson..But Rarely Use My Phone,Afraid Of It Dropping,and My Neximage10,Zwo120Mini,Or My Zwo385MC Did Not Cost As Much As That Phone😂😂😂
Hate because of handling?
The cost of 120mc is lower than a phone BUT most of us have the phone anyway so there is no additional cost involved.
My phone never dropped to this date 😉👍 let's hope it never does (but it feels pretty secured though).
Cheers and clear skies!
Если использовать камеру наблюдения которая видит в темноте без подсветки, насколько лучше будет результат?
Камера с ночным видением может иметь схожие возможности сбора света, но всё зависит от фокусного расстояния (и, соответственно, оптики) и способности правильно отслеживать ночное небо.
Your mount costs more than my whole set up 🤣🤣🤣
Probably true BUT the EQ6R Pro is just awesome and worth every cent. I love the accuracy and the smooth and quiet slewing.
Cheers and clear skies!
Hope to get one some day 👍 great work