FZ38 and stargazing (1 Viewer)

Are there are connectors /convertors available that would enable the camera to be attached to a telescope.

Just got the idea after watching the prog on BBC.

cheers
ubdai

ubdai said:

Are there are connectors /convertors available that would enable the camera to be attached to a telescope.

Just got the idea after watching the prog on BBC.

cheers
ubdai

Click to expand...

Stargazing live was amazing!! Watch it on the iplayer.

CB

If you want something quick and easy, then the Orion SteadyPix is a good option. I have one and have used it for comets that pass by, etc.

Now for the unsolicited response :-D

You are dealing with the same challenges as digiscoping. Digiscoping ranges from homebrew using plumbing from the hardware store to computer designed gear specific to the manufacturer. If you happen to have something available from your telescope manufacturer, that might be more stable. One weakness with the SteadyPix is that the optical connection should be shielded from light. Lots of astro guys will use the "black hat" trick and other things to get a decently shielded view. [edit - the "black hat trick" is usually for the telescope objective side rather than for shielding light - disregard that - but some black felt or a black tube would be good to shield light between the camera and the eyepiece.]

[Disregard paragraph ]I have digiscoped with a range of cameras [strike] including the venerable FZ28 so the FZ38 should be very usable with objects of reasonable magnitude (brighter clusters and nebulae, comets, planets, etc). [/strike] [I was a bit excited with this one but actually I have not used the FZ28 for digiscoping and only with an extender - a long zoom camera may not be best for digiscoping - test handheld first - sorry for that]

Since you can have an exposure as long as 30 seconds, the ideal situation for you would be an equatorial mount with tracking. Barring that, a number of 5 to 10 second exposures or video, using an image stacking program will help create images.

All that being said, I like to observe. There will always be people doing astrophotography that puts anything the FZ can do to shame - so observation plus maybe a souvenir photo is fun but consider it a gateway drug to a CCD setup and having to rent out the local planetarium to get the results you really want :-D

Woops - I realized I was a bit zealous here. Edited above. How does one use strikeout font on here ?!