Lagoon Nebula | 1200 mm

Lagoon Nebula M8 imaged with a Meade AR-6 AT (152 mm f/8) achromatic refractor at 1200 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC astronomy camera, and an ASI 174 mm off-axis guider. I used a ZWO duo nebula filter to enhance the contrast by blocking out all light except the light coming from emission nebula. M8 … Continue reading Lagoon Nebula | 1200 mm

Lagoon Nebula 565 mm

Lagoon Nebula M8 imaged with a 4 in refractor at 565 mm focal length, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, with an ASI 174MM guide camera. This is the brightest deep-sky object in the Milky Way region, in the part of the sky where you can also find the … Continue reading Lagoon Nebula 565 mm

Lagoon and Trifid Nebula

Lagoon M8 and Trifid Nebula M20 imaged with an 80-210 mm Tamron telephoto lens set at 210 mm f/5.6, an ASI 533MC cooled astronomy camera, dual band H-alpha and O-III filter, with an ASI 174MM guide camera on a 30 mm f/4 guide scope. This photo was imaged and tracked using a DIY go-to telescope … Continue reading Lagoon and Trifid Nebula

Modified Celestron Travel Scope 70

The Celestron Travel Scope 70 has a front lens diameter of 70 mm and a focal length of 400 mm. A telescope with these specifications works well for terrestrials observations, both for daytime and nighttime. Due to its size, however, it has a very limited use for astronomical observation. Note that the telescope showed signs of … Continue reading Modified Celestron Travel Scope 70

DIY Focal Reducer

I have built a DIY focal length reducer (focal reducer) by inserting a converging lens from an old telescope along the optical system of a Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED . The telescope’s native focal length is 900 mm at f/9. With the DIY reducer, the focal length is reduced to 628 mm at f/6.28 using the … Continue reading DIY Focal Reducer

DIY Microfocuser

I’ve built an electronic automatic focuser (EAF) for my Tamron 80 to 210 mm telephoto (zoom) lens for automated and precise focusing. The focuser was built with a stepper motor, an A4988 stepper motor driver, an Arduino Uno, and a repurposed azimuth adjustment mechanism of an old Vixen mount. Vixen’s alt-az mount azimuth lock mechanism … Continue reading DIY Microfocuser

DIY Tamron to Astrocam Adapter

I have a 1980 Tamron 80 mm to 210 mm telephoto (zoom) lens that I intend to use for astrophotography. I could not find a dedicated astro camera adapter for this particular lens so I just improvised one. I used epoxy to connect a Tamron to Canon EOS adapter and an M42 connector for my … Continue reading DIY Tamron to Astrocam Adapter