Contains:  Extremely wide field
The Milky Way - Tests with the D800, mads0100

The Milky Way - Tests with the D800

Equipment

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Acquisition details

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Description

Well, I bought/received a few new toys. The first, a Vixen Polarie Sky Tracker. The second, a full frame DSLR, Nikon D800. We happened to have some clear skies last night and I got to test out both of them. The Polarie is surprisingly easy to setup with the optional Polar Alignment Scope. I was pleasantly surprised as I ramped up from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. My alignment wasn't 'great' and I went back down to 3 minutes for most of the photos. Each one is 5 x 3 minutes, no darks/bias/flats, processed exclusively in Pixinsight.

So, this camera and the lens are... HEAVY. I think that was the most impressive part of the night. The other part was how light pollution affects the images at 'just' 3 minutes. We're just outside the light dome of Madison and it was significant. The other part was how darn cold it is! I haven't imaged outside, at night in over 3 years since I built my shed! Next time I'll bring a sweater .

Thanks for 'loaning' me your D800 and some full frame lenses, Mom.

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The Milky Way - Tests with the D800, mads0100