A 2nd toy, Alt Azi Mount

I was sourcing around for a good quality grab and go mount that I can deploy with minimum effort.
Don't be mistaken, I still love my G11 GEM, perhaps for high poer viewing. However, you know at times if you just wanna take a quick peek and the moon or the planets, you rather have something that doesn't invloves the complexity of setting up a goto GEM mount.

So my hunt started, I looked at a few options and even considered my previous mount that I sold off.

A Bintel Azi mount that I bought from Mc Gill locally.

And so since I had it before, didnt really like it but the slow mo slew was helpful.

My search leads to this mount head from Astroslew. It is strange because I can't seem to find their official website selling this product. Only through a friend, he told me this product came in a few series,
Astro Slew 1 to 3 and finally the newer models are named Astroslew Inox and Astroslew AIM.
It is actually made by an enginneer based in China, and his work is remarkable.
And the best thing is I manage to find it in one of the forums based in China, a member is selling his complete with Tripod that looks like from Skywatcher, a mid extension pier and a vixen saddle.
All in for a good price. And the good thing is, I am travelling to HK next week so he is willing to ship it to HK to my hotel.

This is the image of the mount. Looking forward to using it! :P

Intes MN 61

Yesterday I collected this Maksutov Newtonian from a friend and hopefully I can find enough information to modify and turn this into an astrograph.
That means I will be shooting this at 900mm.

Just a preview of the specs of this scope:

Aperture:	152mm (6")
f Ratio:	f/6
Focal Length:	900mm

Weight (lbs):	21 lbs lbs.
Dimensions (w/h/d):	44 "x7 "

Blue Horsehead in Scorpio Region

This was taken in Mersing last weekend.
First time taking this object and frankly, its abit tough to process as no matter what I do it doesn't seems to bring the inner details out,
This is the best that I can do to my limit skills lol
Enjoy

Back from Mersing

This trip is a sleep eat trip for me. I aimed for 2 targets...
Running chicken and blue horsehead in Scorpio region.
Have a feeling the data is insufficient....
Nevertheless, I will try to process and post ba.

My Current Set up

Just realized that I haven't been talking much about my current set up for Widefield astrophotography.
A couple of months ago I sold my HD Tripod to a nice guy in Singastro.
The Losmandy HD Tripod is a fantastic heavy duty tripod that doesn't even shakes even when heavy wind is blowing. The only catch is, its heavy. lol
And its also very difficult for transportation due to its design.
3 fat legs with a center tri pier.
I am always very amazed at Remus's Astro Physics Pier because of how easy it is to set up and also to transport.
So, I managed to buy it over from him. hahaha
This is how the Losmandy HD tripod looks like

And this is how the AstroPhysics Pier looks like

Together with my G11 and dual Borgs
I am very satisfied with my current set up.

A buddy of mine have a fantastic scope.
Intes MN 61.
Will be eager to try out and see what results it will yield.

Take 2 Orion (-level)

New from Mersing, Jan 2013

Cloudy nights...

The sky has been cloudy for a few months already... Luckily while waiting for the the sky to clear, I am preparing for my widefield APO set up.
A Borg 45EDii!
This is perhaps the smallest APO and it is freaking expensive! Almost 2k for that tiny fellow. Of course I added in reducers, rings and adapters for CCD and dslr bla bla.
Oh! I traded my CN212 with Remus for his SBIG St8300M! Really eager to embark on the CCD journey. Sam was asking if i am selling my hypermod 450D haha....
That DSLR is a masterpiece by my friend Kelvin, and he invested alot of efforts into making that for me. Basically its a non for sale item! haha.
I love my DSLR and I love my Sbig. lol

Mersing Sept 2012

It was rather a relaxing trip for me Kelvin and Royce.
Rain poured as soon as we reached, but we were rewarded with the best sunset I have ever seen.

Here's some nice data I got for the trip.

Attempt at Jupiter in Mersing

Other than doing astro widefield in the recent Mersing Trip,
I did some planetary imaging as well. This time the results was a little better. If not for the "bubble effect" surrounding, I think it will be prettier. :P

Here it is, Jupiter on CN212, G11

Mersing August 2012

This trip we were greeted with clear skies again. Although not the full 3 night but overall we still had plenty of fun and captured some nice photons! lol
Here is my fruits of the previous trip.

Ok heres a bigger version of Saturn and Jupiter during the last trip in Mersing.

Capturing Saturn coming Mersing

This coming Mersing Trip, I am going to try capturing saturn for the 1st time. Actually this was the 2nd time i am attempting to capture the Ring giant. I wasn't using a tracking mount then, and all i did was let it drift across my alt azi mount which is kind of tedious as i have to re center over and over again.
You can call that my first astrophotography attempt lol well we all do stupid things when we start out in something new but once you get the hang of it it is going to get easy.

This was what i got the other time, about 1 1/2 years back doing silly things :P
Tiny little fellow haha. Going to improve and look out for my blog after my return from Mersing. I will post my new saturn pics. :P

Mersing on 20th July 2012

In a couple of weeks, we will be heading up to Mersing! Again! lol
Everytime we look forward to going there mainly because we can relax ourselves there, enjoy the dark skies and not forgetting the food sessions and juicy durians that awaits us! :)
We'll usually bring a chill box with beers and stuff to enable us "see more stars" hahaha.
This time round I will not be imaging as well mainly I hadn't got a laptop because of the fact that i spent all my money on the Losmandy G11 Gemini 2.
We shall see how useful this new GEM when we are there.

New set up coming in

Took the plunge and ordered a Losmandy G11 Gemini 2 from Optcorp.
I have bought numerous stuff from OPT and very satisfied with the service they provides.
Sadly things in Singapore are always marked up a few times so after shipping, it is still more economy to get it myself. Only thing is, there are more coordinating stuff to do thats all.

Losmandy G11 Gemini 2 is a German Equatorial mount that has a GOTO feature.
It is a time tested brand and my previous mount, GM8 with Digital drive was easy to use, tank quality with superb craftsmanship.

Together, I order a Imaging source DMK21 Mono ccd that I will be using for planetary. My main focus of objects will the Jupiter and Saturn who are the biggest 2 planets in our Solar system now.

It will reach me in a couple of weeks and I'm eagerly waiting for its arrival.

Losmandy G11

The interest in astronomy

The universe is a big mystery for most of us. Through physics humans found out more about the universe. The installation of the space telescopes allow us to find out more about what is surrounding us and the more we find out, the smaller we felt.
Everything we are experiencing now are all part of a creation. By who we don't really know. Scientist called this miracle the Big Bang. Where universe is created from nothing. You, me are all miracles. And yet, our lifespan is a mere 100 years if you live healthy for the most of your life. We all will return to nothing as we age and the cycle for life continues even if we are gone from this world, this dimension.
Astronomy has been really exciting for me. I love to look at pictures showing planets that are few hundred times bigger than earth, planets that consist of gas rather than solid ground we are feeling now on earth. Stars that explodes and leave a remnant of gas clouds behind for millions of years. Looking up in the starry sky is the fastest way of travelling back in time. Humans are so short lived and our history makes us a young race, a young human race.
My next year's plan is to capture images of our solar system, mostly Jupiter and Saturn. And have a proper website to document my visits, images that I took through the years...

CN212 for Planetary Astrophotography

This will be coming in soon

Takahashi CN212

Got this from a good friend, Remus and will be focusing mainly on planetary next year when I have my gears prep.
Now what I need is to save enough for a G11 Gemini 2. Then an Imaging Source CCD cam and Im good to go lol

Its been so long!!!

Its been a while since I've taken any images of the cosmos. Due to some unforeseen issues i had to sell away my gears.
I am looking to buy a telescope for planetary soon> keep a look out for jupiter! lol

One Fullerton Lunar Eclipse

Have you experienced a full Lunar Eclipse before?
In this short video, you will learn more about this event and how it happens.