Lemonade from Lemons

[KenMiller]

So last night I drive the hour out to my dark site and start setting up.

I get my E-180 OTA to put on the mount and that's when I realize I'd left the rings at home

Being as that's the only OTA I have with me, and not willing to spend two more hours to drive home and back, I realize that with an F/2.8 scope the shutter speed will be high enough that I can pretend it's just a big telephoto lens for my Canon 400D that I can hand-hold!

Luckily, I had an LP filter with me because without it, even at 1/4000 of a second, it was too bright.

Anyway, here's a sample image. Nothing to crow about except that the night wasn't a total waste.

E-180, Canon 400D at 1/1000 sec, using a "cradle" mount (that's cradled in the left arm while the shutter release is operated with the right hand).

[BT Technologies]

Ken, can you post the full sized image?

[KenMiller]

I suppose, but it probably looks a lot better at this scale

Focus was... problematic.

I had the OTA cradled in my left arm, the rear of the OTA supported by right knee - the foot of the right leg on a chair - while the right elbow "captured" the OTA against my body, affording a reach by the right hand that only extended to the camera controls.

Focus was facilitated by extending the left hand from under the OTA, up and around to the focuser.

I'll post the full-size image when I get back home this evening.

[KenMiller]

OK, it's posted in the Gallery as "Lemonade Moon."

[BT Technologies]

It looks damn good for hand holding a E-180!!

[Frank Boyle]

Now that is impressive, to hold a takahashi Epsilon by hand and to snap a picture of the moon with that quality. I like!

Frank

[neilfleming]

That is quite a story! You'll remember that for a while.

It gets better with time <g>.

There are not too many nights when I don't do something wrong, or something in the wrong order. It is just the magnitude of your errors that will go down with time!

...Neil