MadMan's Astronomy and Astrophotography Pages - Photos of the Week
since I bought my first
telescope and took my
first picture (below)....

Mike
Update on results of the SXVR-H694 mono camera testing:

Just plain sweet. It does, however, need to be checked for collimation and will get out of sorts if it is threaded on and off the optical train. But I am very pleased with its dithering
routines and a good registration and calibration program like the free Deep Sky Stacker get rid of what few hot pixels this super clean Sony chip puts out.  Most all of my subs
are 20 minutes.   

You would think I was getting free stuff given the tone of this assessment.  I am very happy with this chip and camera (more the former than the latter), but it is pricey.  
Anyway, I will likely find some equipment to get angry about in my upcoming orders if this is boring anyone.

Below are some of the images I have captured in the last month or so with this camera.  The images are shown framed, without frame and in one or more iteration of processing.
M22 globular cluster.  23 minutes of 30 s and 1 m
exposures.  M25C camera.  Poor guiding that night.
The Trifid and Bubble were imaged with my daughter Kristen, who for her first time observing the
process, understood all of it right off.  It will be fun to have some company on occassion!
Celestron Focal Reducer for the C11" Edge HD SCT Telescope:

night for weather yet, so I did some quick globular clusters with the M25 at f7.  
The field is definitively flat but 1950 or so mm is still a loooong focal length.  
Excuse the processing as I am still learning how to process globulars them properly.
Photos of The Week - June, 2012
Testing the SXVR-H694 and Celestron Focal Reducer for the C11" Edge HD.  Venus Transit and ISS
imaging attempts.  Not a great weather month here in GA.

Imaging and Processing:  Michael DeMita
M13 globular cluster. 11 minutes of 30 s
and 1 m exposures.  M25C camera.
Trying for the Venus transit and to finally get the ISS in the Flea3:

My wife and I went to North Georgia and rented a cabin we were told had an excellent, clear view of the sunset.  While the cabin and property was outstanding, if by 'excellent' and 'clear' one meant
through 100' tall trees, then yes, it was phenomenal.  The obstructions meant that, absent dragging my stuff to some parking lot, I was only going to get a few minutes of the initial transit before the
view was blocked.  No big deal anyway as all I have is my home made Baader filter setup.  It was fun anyway.  I used my ED80 refractor and an Orion teletrack mount as well as the Flea 3 Firewire
800 camera from Point Grey for the attempt and at least got some pictures.

I have also been trying to get the ISS using SatTrack on and off for a year using the C11" and the Flea 3 camera.  I finally got my first 10 whopping frames manually and then succeeded in getting
some overexposed frames using SatTrack!  Figured out (sort of) the delay buttons and how to try and thread the needle that is the Flea 3's 1/4" chip with a fast moving ISS.  Will get better.
Venus Transit - Practice shots and actual results above.
Misc. Flea3 Images - moon, Saturn and moons.
First ever ISS images.
the M25C and H694 using my Canon EOS 24-105mm Zoom lens.  I will also be trying the AstroTrac portable
mount and doing a review for anyone that is interested.
I also received this from Gerd Neuman.  It is a made to my specs, sturdy and fine
something for my Canon EOS 24-105mm lens for use with my SXVR-M25C and H694
cameras.  The total avilable back focus for the project was only 26.5mm and yet the
unit can be collimated in a very easy manner from the side (rather than front) and has a
2" filter holder thread built in.

I will provide more details next month.   I only ran one set of tests side-by-side while
imaging the Tulip Nebula.  Below are 3 hours worth of stacked 5 and 10 minute
exposures with an IDAS-LP filter on the M25C - along with this adapter at focal length
- 105mm, f5.6.