Total Lunar Eclipse as observed from Quezon City, Philippines on October 8, 2014, imaged with a Sky-Watcher Equinox 100 ED and a DSLR camera.
For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.
Night Sky in Focus © Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
Milky Way galaxy imaged with a Canon 450D DSLR camera, 18-55 mm lens set at 18 mm, f/3.5, 30 sec exposure, ISO 1600, August 23, 2014, Camarines Norte, Philippines.
For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.
Related link: How to Image the Milky Way
Night Sky in Focus © Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
Jupiter (top left), Venus (lower left), and the moon form a celestial triangle on August 24, 2014 at 5 am local time, imaged with a Canon 450D and a 50 mm f/1.8 lens on a tripod
For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.
Night Sky in Focus © Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
Dew heaters or heater pads are telescopes accessories used to prevent dew from forming on the telescope’s lens. During long imaging sessions, it is not uncommon for the main lens of refractors to form dew. A heater is used to keep the objective lens at a temperature a few degrees C above the dew point to prevent the formation of dew.
I used nichrome wires from a local electronics store to build several DIY heater pads for my telescope, which I find useful in keeping the lenses free from dew especially when imaging in remote observing sites. I prefer to use place the heater inside the optical tube assembly, making sure that it does not obstruct the light path.
To view posts on DIY projects and astronomical equipment, click here.
Night Sky in Focus © Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
I had an interview with GMA 7 on imaging planets, galaxies, and nebula using a telescope, as part of a feature on various types of photography. The segment was aired last March 2, 2014, at AHA
Night Sky in Focus © Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
Milky Way imaged from the dark skies of Caliraya, Quezon. Taken with a Canon S3IS digital camera on a DIY tracker. This photo is a stack of 3 frames at 15 seconds sub-exposure, for a total of 45 seconds, ISO 800, processed in IRIS.
For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.
Related link: How to Image the Milky Way
Night Sky in Focus © Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
During an exposure, the imaging sensor of a DSLR warms up, resulting to noisy images. By cooling down the sensor, it is possible to eliminate or somehow minimize this thermal noise.
I have made a number of attempts to accomplish this with a Canon 450D and a Peltier module, however, it appears it is very difficult to implement without running into problems such as condensation and frosting.
I have also performed filter modifications on a number of DSLR cameras (Canon 450D, 700D, 1200D, 500D, 1000D, 1100D, Nikon D3100, and Fuji X-A1) for me and my colleagues. It involves the removal of the stock UV-IR filter, making the camera more sensitive to H-alpha wavelengths. This modification is helpful only when shooting targets with H-alpha emissions, as most DSLR camera’s standard (stock) filter blocks this part of the spectrum.
Take note of the shift in white balance (reddish hue), which is to be expected in this type of modification. Focus will be affected, your camera may no longer focus with compatible lenses unless you add a filter between the lens and the sensor, to address the shift in focus and to filter out UV-IR. If used with telescopes, you need a DSLR-to-telescope adapter and achieve focus using the telescope’s focuser.
Related link: View all home-brewed DIY astronomy equipment
Night Sky in Focus © Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
The moon is also known to eclipse planets, and one such event involving Jupiter happened in August 2012. This event is called the lunar occultation of Jupiter, and is a relatively rare astronomical event. The event was visible throughout the country. I was able to observe and photograph it from Quezon City, Philippines, using a Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED and a DSLR camera.
For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.
Night Sky in Focus © Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
A rare astronomical event called the Venus Transit of the Sun occurred in June 2012, visible in the Philippines. The planet Venus, appearing as a small dot, is observed to transit or move across the disk of the Sun, imaged with a Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED, a DSLR camera, and a Baader ND 5.0 solar filter. Venus and a number of sunspots are visible in the photo.
For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.
Night Sky in Focus © Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
This photo was taken in December 2011, in Antipolo, Philippines, during a total lunar eclipse. The moon appears red during totality and as it dims (in contrast to a bright full moon), the faint stars surrounding the moon becomes visible!
For a complete list of astrophoto images, click here.
Night Sky in Focus © Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
The 2011 Sky-Watcher Equinox 100 ED 4 in f/9 refractor is my first telescope and used both for visual observation and astrophotography. The Optical Tube Assembly (OTA) features a 4-in f/9 extra-low dispersion (ED) apochromatic (APO) lens design.
It has a 2-inch dual-speed Crayford focuser with a thumbscrew underneath for locking the draw tube. The telescope comes with aluminum-lined wooden carrying case. It is supplied with two eyepieces: 25 mm and 5 mm. Supplied also is a 90-degree 2-inch diagonal mirror and an 8 by 50 finder scope.
In 2021, the telescope has been modified and fitted with a DIY reducer, making the telescope shorter and faster (from f/9 to currently at f/6.08) and also reducing the tube length by 20 cm. The effective focal length is now 608 mm (from native 900 mm).
Related link: View all images taken with the Sky-Watcher Equinox 100ED
Night Sky in Focus © Anthony Urbano | Bacoor, Philippines
Night Sky in Focus 