suggestions-tracking

[redzuan]

Nak dengar pendapat sifu2 kat sini tentang tracking atau mount yang murah but very very reliable untuk digunakan dalam astrofotografi menggunakan SLR.

Satu yang saya jumpa, astrotrac. link kat sini. http://www.astrotrac.com/

Dalam magazine niternational, marketing diorang mcm best. tp tk tahu mcm mana kualiti dia sebenarnyer.

apa pendapat anda? mungkin ada suggestion yang lagi cost friendly and much much more portable?

[universe24]

Ada satu magazine...tak ingat Sky&Telescope atau Astronomy ada test report untuk Astrotrac ini. Macam reliable. Tapi kalau guna di Malaysia, normal camera tripod tidak dapat digunakan dengan senang. Benda ni agak panjang, kecuali "leher" tripod itu pun panjang, kalau tidak, pasti kenal kaki tripod semasa tracking.

I dapat cari satu lagi tracking mount yang kecil. Sila kunjung http://www.tan14.com/gears.htm ini untuk cari CD-1.

Satu lagi mount kecil adalah Takahashi punya TG-SPII. Pun boleh guna.

[redzuan]

Lupa pula perkataan 'affordable'. Hahaha~. Sura ramai pun tahu point ni juga. Portable tp kalau berpuluh ribu, mmg tak mampu juga.

Tp betul juga tu Mr Universe, kita duduk kt equator, sure tracker tu terlanggar dengan kaki tripod tu. Tak pernah pula terfikir pasal perkara tu. Very insightful thought! Mmg sifu...

[redzuan]

Dah tgk CD-1 tu. Mmg compact la. Tp takde harga pula nampaknya. Tp terbukti tak solution ni? Ada saper2 nak beli in bulk?

Takahashi mmg btul2 nampak mcm mount biasa la tp mmg lagi compact. Nice! Harga pun lg murah banding dengan AstroTrac.

[mymoon]

Why buy Astrotrac. when you can make your own Barn Door Tracker 

If Saudara Shah or ANGKASA is interested to DIY project click here


Take care when comparing prices eg for AstroTrac besides the unit and  Polar Finder Scope you also require Heavy Tripod Legs, Pan&Tilt Head and Ball Head. All got to be pro quality; China made maybe but not the  chap ayam brand.

I need the Sifu's advise on the Takahashi punya TG-SPII. What are the extras to make a fully functional unit. Base on this article more parts are required.

Another possible candidate is the Kenko Skymemo reviewed here. saw in one of the shops South of Johore. Can't remember which one though. Any observations.

Please chime in, anybody?

Kena Hati2 beli amateur astronomy equipment. Bila nak guna taada tu taada ni. 

cheers

[universe24]

Ha, hampir rupa Skymemo. This make me remember last time when I was looking for a portable mount. Skymemo is on my list at that time. But finally I chosen Takahashi SpaceBoy...unfortunely, this little boy already discontinued. Anyway, Takahashi stuff is not cheap.

The TG-SPII need a strong camera tripod pan-head to hold it weight...as well as camera, lenses and ball head weight. The best match pan-head is the Manfrotto 410. This head has slow motion adjustment control.

Talking about China made, I saw one which is quite good. It sell as MaxVision JE120 mount. ~RM1,200 can get one I think.

The CD-1 is ~RM1,200 also. But the Japan Yen goes high...it might a little bit expensive than last time.

I would like to say that, there got no cheap and reliable, portable tracking system in the market. A tracking system depend on the precision of the manufacture of worm gear, worm gear shaft and motor drive...

[redzuan]

Wah, baru sket post tp nampaknya it is gong a long way already.

Skymemo ni cute la. Pastu bleh mounting 2 camera plak tu (satu sebagai pemberat). Harga pun mcm best juga. Setup pun siap dgn tripod. Tp nak alignment tu susah ke senang? Sbb tgk review dia mcm susah sket sbb tak nampak sangat bintang kedua? Kurang arif pula tu.

Maybe sifu2 ada pendapat? Since kita kat khatulistiwa, equator, susah tak nak buat alignment guna teknik ni?

Lastly, how accurate are GPS systems today in terms of setting for tracking? Ada pendapat? sbb sometimes kitorang yang buat pencerapan kat planetarium pun nampak drifting after a few long minutes of manual observation.

[redzuan]

Why buy Astrotrac. when you can make your own Barn Door Tracker 

If Saudara Shah or ANGKASA is interested to DIY project click here


Take care when comparing prices eg for AstroTrac besides the unit and  Polar Finder Scope you also require Heavy Tripod Legs, Pan&Tilt Head and Ball Head. All got to be pro quality; China made maybe but not the  chap ayam brand.

I need the Sifu's advise on the Takahashi punya TG-SPII. What are the extras to make a fully functional unit. Base on this article more parts are required.

Another possible candidate is the Kenko Skymemo reviewed here. saw in one of the shops South of Johore. Can't remember which one though. Any observations.

Please chime in, anybody?

Kena Hati2 beli amateur astronomy equipment. Bila nak guna taada tu taada ni. 

cheers

Ada DIY project lagi tu... Nak buat bengkel bersiri?

[universe24]

teknik apa yang you maksudkan? Tak berapa faham.

Di khatulistiwa, teknik yang biasa guna adalah star drift method. Cari dua bintang di langit, satu di kawasan zenith dan satu lagi di kawasan 45 darjah dari ufuk ke arah timur atau barat. Teknik ini susah nak difaham, tapi sekiranya tahu teorinya, sangat senang dikendalikan. Tapi perlu masa untuk buat adjustment. Paling cepat habis alignment guna teknik ni adalah 15mins, paling lambat....2 jam.

GPS hanya boleh bagi tau masa dan lokasi cerapan dengan kejituan yang tinggi. GPS tidak boleh bagi tahu tracking system betapa bagus alignment telescope. Tetapi dalam kes GPS GOTO macam Meade & Celestron, lepas GPS reading, kita perlu tuju 2 bintang untuk improve accuracy pointing telescope.

Kesimpulannya, kita perlu belajar teknik drift method kalau buat astrophotography di Malaysia.

[redzuan]

Tu yang nak kene belajar tu. teknik manual ni slalunyer kat mana2 pun boleh pakai dalam hampir semua keadaan.

Kitorang ada GPS GOTO Meade. Tp ada baca review kata most probably akan berlaku rotation dalam image yang diambil tu (altazimuth) tak mcm equatorial mount.

[mymoon]

Kesimpulannya, kita perlu belajar teknik drift method kalau buat astrophotography di Malaysia.

Eh sifu bila nak buat kelas amali di Planetarium negara. Saudara Redzuan boleh atur tempat ke. 

Masalah nya kalau sifu ambil masa 2 jam anak murid ambil masa lebih lagi lah.

Kalau each student take 3 hours so in one night only 2 students per mount  lah for hands on experience.

Assume 8 students per class, each class need 4 mounts.

Not normal mounts but Equatorial mounts either GEM or Fork Equatorial.

Now where to get 4 Equatorial mounts 

Ha, hampir rupa Skymemo. This make me remember last time when I was looking for a portable mount. Skymemo is on my list at that time. But finally I chosen Takahashi SpaceBoy...unfortunely, this little boy already discontinued. Anyway, Takahashi stuff is not cheap.

The TG-SPII need a strong camera tripod pan-head to hold it weight...as well as camera, lenses and ball head weight. The best match pan-head is the Manfrotto 410. This head has slow motion adjustment control.

Talking about China made, I saw one which is quite good. It sell as MaxVision JE120 mount. ~RM1,200 can get one I think.

The CD-1 is ~RM1,200 also. But the Japan Yen goes high...it might a little bit expensive than last time.

I would like to say that, there got no cheap and reliable, portable tracking system in the market. A tracking system depend on the precision of the manufacture of worm gear, worm gear shaft and motor drive...

Maybe a MO for a portable GEM or ANGKASA purchase and use for public teaching astrophotography and then sifu will organise a hands on teaching session dengan 8 students per session.

Small budget only less than RM5k.

cheers

[redzuan]

hahahahhaha~.

Menarik... menarik juga tu. Kita tgk bajet tahun depan mcm mana. Kalau ada, ada la nanti tu.

Kalau stakat nak pakai facility kat sini utk buat apa2 kursus, bisa diatur. takde masalah as long as tak clash dgn apa2 event lain.

RM5k untuk 4? betul ke murah mcm tu? Kalau bayar pakai Local Order (LO)? Diorang (orang kedai) terima pembayaran LO drpd gov ke? Ni mcm jualan jimat akhir tahun la pula.

[mymoon]

hahahahhaha~.

Menarik... menarik juga tu. Kita tgk bajet tahun depan mcm mana. Kalau ada, ada la nanti tu.

Kalau stakat nak pakai facility kat sini utk buat apa2 kursus, bisa diatur. takde masalah as long as tak clash dgn apa2 event lain.

Jangan setakat hahahahhaha~ saje. Setahu saya Kalau gomen, desk officer Kena lah buat kertas kerja dan serah kepada pengarah untuk diluluskan. Kalau tidak 100% tak ada lah. 

Tak tahu lah sekarang banyak sangat NATO 

hahahahhaha~.

RM5k untuk 4? betul ke murah mcm tu? Kalau bayar pakai Local Order (LO)? Diorang (orang kedai) terima pembayaran LO drpd gov ke? Ni mcm jualan jimat akhir tahun la pula.

Ini mungkin harga CBD (cash before delivery) FOB(Freight On Board) tak termasuk juga tambang dan Cukai.

Kena tanya pembekal lah. Mungkin ada Sifu boleh tolong. Interested ke. Kalau nak buat kertas kerja sentiasa ready..

peace

[redzuan]

Kertas kerja juga yang pernah buat tp susah nak lepas (rejected). Tu yang ada sket pessemis-stik tu. Apa pun mmg kene buat juga la. Tgh planning utk masukkan kos pembelian peralatan ni under training pula - so that boleh dpt next year (2009). Kalo tak kene tunggu 2010 atau 2011.

Skrang nak cari alasan kenapa nak buat training kat Gem Island yang Mr Universe pernah cerita dia pergi, and recommended. And reasons yang juga tak boleh dpt kat langkawi.

1. Darker skies (necessary)
2. Recommended by expert (Mr Universe)
3. .....

[mymoon]

Astrophotography is a night activity. Cuaca permitting dari dusk ke dawn.
Yang saya dah lalui:

hari pertama
pagi perjalanan dan registration dan berkenalan
makan tgh hari
ptg lecture tentang persiapan untuk aktiviti malam dan adab2 serta etiket semasa astrophotography.
malam dari maghrib sehingga subuh aktiviti ambil gambar set up telescope drift alignment, choosing guide star dll dengan  tunjuk ajar dari sifu.

hari kedua
Pagi tidur
Petang process gambar dan komen sifu tentang improvement untuk acquisiton dan processing.
malam ambil gambar lagi dengan sifu kalau ada apa2 pertanyaan/kemuskhilan

hari ketiga
pagi tidur
petang negara ku bersurai dan pulang.

hari keempat
dirumah nak recover


Masing2 kena bawa peralatan sendiri. mount, tripod, telescope/lense, bateri, cables, laptop, groundsheet. personal belongings  dll. Logistik hair raising. Satu kereta dua orang saje.


Baik lah buat di tempat yang terdekat.

Tapi kalau ANGKASA bekal semua kecuali kamera and adapter dan personal belongings OK kot.


Jadi bila mahir baik cadangang Post training buat kat Gem Island boleh santai sambil bengkel astrophotography.

cheers