Space: The Slightly Blurred Frontier

As I mentioned in a previous blog, one of my favourite new gadgets is the Canon Digital Rebel SLR. Finally getting back to an SLR after years of "ordinary" digital cameras has been a wonderful feeling: not least because of the ease at which I can connect the Rebel to my NexStar 5 telescope.

For a few days in the past few weeks, the skies cleared over Seattle, and I was able to rush outside, set up my telescope and take some pictures. I have to say that I was a little disappointed with the results - they certainly didn't seem as sharp as I'd hoped. I was wondering if the mirror flipping up in the camera itself was causing some vibration.

The C# connection is that I've been working on some image processing utilities in C#, but of course, no amount of filtering can fix blurred starting images.

Anyway, if you have any suggestions for improving the photographs or technique, please leave a comment!

Comments

• Anonymous
  February 17, 2004
  Well what about this:
  "and I was able to rush outside, set up my telescope and take some pictures."
  
  thermal effects perhaps?? try keeping the gear outside for at least 30 minutes BEFORE taking any photos....
  
  the classic problem is the mirror or lens cooling down which makes the focus unstable.
  
  could this be it?
• Anonymous
  February 17, 2004
  I've had the Canon 10D for awhile and D60 before that. They've changed the way I approach photography.
  
  The focus system in that camera (allegedly the same as the 10D) is notorious for being a little soft focus on longer lenses in terms of auto focus, but with you using a telescope I'm not sure what to tell you. What shutter speed are you using? Are you using a remote release (or at least the timer)?
• Anonymous
  February 17, 2004
  Hmm. I'm using a remote release, but I think the camera is still moving itself when I take the picture.
  
  Good point about the thermal instability...
  
  Next clear night - April? - I'll try again. Thanks all!