Finally DSLR meets Telescope

After prolonged resistance for buying a DSLR, I finally got a Canon EOS 600D it. The main reason was not probably photography. I have done enough photography using my point and shoot camera Sony CyberShot HX9V. It not only had a decent zoom of 16x but also very portable enough to carry in a jeans pocket. The reason why avoided was that it itself is a luggage when you travel. Secondly I was afraid of tuning into yet another IT employee claiming/wannabe professional photographer for whom a Photoshopped stray dog picture from DSLR becomes "Wile Life Photography".

Anyway I had to buy an DSLR someday to connect my telescopes to it and get some long exposure. I have done afocal photography earlier by keeping the point and shoot camera in front of the eyepiece but one can not get a long exposure in the method unless you use another tripod and OK with trails.

The preparation began when I went to USA last time where I got a telescope motor which can keep my alt-azimuth mount moving and cancelling effect of earth's rotation. I also bought a T-ring and adapter , one end of which can screw into a DSLR body and other end can go into the eyepiece holder of the telescope. All these things are not easily available in India.

Finally since it was winter I went for a DSLR and there was a couple of reason for looking into only Canon. Firstly the T-ring adapter thread was canon EOS comparable. Secondly most of my friends had Canon EOS , so I could exchange gears with them. Otherwise Nikon D5200 seemed to be a good deal in that price. Even the mirror less cameras like EOS M are really handy.

Here are the picture I shot last week after hooking up the DLSR body on to my telescope. Looks like I have to focus more precisely using the telescope knob after digitally zooming in the live view.




Notice the sound of the motor stops somewhere in the midway and the moon slowly starts to get out of the field of view.

In the coming days as I get more clear skies, I will try to capture the constellations and  brighter deep sky objects.