Full Moon Photo shoot - Sat March 26th

[JamesB]

March 26, 6:10 PM
Ok I checked the weatherand looks like the chance of thunderstorms is going down.

I guess we are stil on for tonight. Now I just need to go get my telescope and hope for no clouds or thin clouds.

Only I may change the time a little bit as I went out last night and when the moon comes up we really cant see it from Tinsely park untill its fully above the horizion.

meet at 7:15 ish or 7:30 PM.

You can allwas call me, I sent everyone on the list my Cell # in a PM the other day

James



-------------------------------------------
March 22, 2005, 9:45 am .
I have been checking the weather for this weekends moon shoot and so far it is calling for thunderstorms for this Saturday. I will keep posting updates and will make the go, no-go call friday morning.

There is a full moon starting about the 24th of his month and it will be rising just about sunset between the 23rd and the 28th, it just so happns this is a weekend also, so NO excuses about it being a school/work night. (ok ok ok, so there are some acceptable excuses)

Anyone up for a get together to shoot the moon with Downtown Houston in the frame or maybe another cool location.

Also I can bring my telescope and let you look at and shoot a few shots through the scope (focal lenth is 1100mm @ f9.3) . If you have a canon EOS camera I have the correct adapter, but if you have a different camera brand (SLR or DSLR) you would need a Tring for your camera mount.

got a Point N shoot digi cam??? I might have the correct adapter for you to shoot through my scope IF you can tread 58mm rings on your camera. or you can hand hold it up to the eyepiece


Location: Tinsley Park near downtown, between Alan Parkway and Memorial

Date: Saturday March 26th

Time: 6:45PM?? (moon rise @ 7:34PM, by 7:47PM we should see the moon, by 9:15 should be able to start looking throught he telescope)

JamesB
Wendy
Steelsun (maybe)
Adcastillo
Nathan Simmons (ndsimm)
Sarah Graybeal (saroy) - Not coming, its Her B-DAY Cool
Mbroussard
Abel
Ck713 (maybe)
Gpgyo (greg)
Exillinimj (mike) maybe?
Stycer
JKH
LoungeLizard


here is a link for some helpful tips on photographing the moon
http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/howtophoto/

also one of the things we will see when the full moon rises is the moon optical illusion, where it appears much larger. Its not actually larger, but the atmosphere distorts our view of the moon so it just "looks" bigger.

Now you can take an image of the full moon at the horizon, then one about an hour or 2 later, then stack them in your image editing program and see that its the same size.

[Wendy]

ME! ME! ME!!! That would be a fantastic opportunity James! I've taken a few shots of the moon before and they turned out relatively decent considering the lens I was using. I would love the opportunity to shoot through your telescope. You'll have to walk me through it, though. I don't know the first thing about astro-photography. Thanks for the offer!

[Steelsun]

Wow, sounds cool!

[JamesB]

Wendy, this is one reason I am offering it up. Most people only have 300 or 400mm of lens.
Once I take the time to focus the scope for the Canon's (EOS mounts) all other EOS cameras can just hook up snap away and move on to the next camera with out having to refocus.

this is what the full moon looks like through my scope with the D60, image size set to Medium (2048 x 1360) JPG fine.

http://www.james-benton.com/photos/a...oon/index.html

the first image is full size (not cropped) the other 2 on the page are cropped, resized and processed a little.

this is how the camera attaches
http://www.james-benton.com/photos/a.../DSC00986.html

now this is a BIG white lens
http://www.james-benton.com/photos/a.../DSC00988.html

actual focal length is 1143mm; f/9, throw in the 1.6 crop faxtor and its like using a 1,828mm focal length lens. :shock:

James

[adcastillo]

I am defintely interested! Let us know when and where, and I'll be there.

[ndsimm]

tell me where to get a Tring for my D70 and I'm there

[JamesB]

Originally Posted by ndsimm

tell me where to get a Tring for my D70 and I'm there

http://www.wolfcamera.com/webapp/wcs...1022%3Bc915144

James

[JamesB]

Im actually liking Saturday March 26th.

Location?? Im still flexable on this. I would like some place central to all who want to come out. Preferablly some place with parking for everyone and a clear view of the eastern sky

James

[saroy]

Oh wow, I'm definitely interested.

[Wendy]

James, since it's your idea and your equipment, why don't you choose a spot and time. Either Friday or Saturday evening would work for me. I like the idea of finding a spot where we can get downtown in the frame. I just don't know where that would be.

[Wendy]

March 26 sounds good. My husband and son are running a 5K Sat morning, so that evening would be better than the Fri night. Have to get them to bed early on Friday! :lol:

[mbroussard]

I would also be interested in this outing.

Thanks,
mbroussard

[ndsimm]

If we're talking Dowtown skyline, then it's either Tinsley Park (someone bring protection :lol: ), Sabine Street Bridge or the Police Memorial, but I am still open to other suggestions

[Steelsun]

I'm in, would love to get some shots like that!

[Abel]

wow... im interested as well... that sounds like a great opportunity..

i have a question for ya james... have you tried including a 1.4x converter onto the camera body before the t-ring?

just a thought... im not sure how it would workd but it looks like it would be possible. focusing my be and issue though..