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Last night (12/01/2008) a triple conjunction of Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon occurred right at dusk. I was able to get a quick shot on the way out the door.
Shooting Conditions
Camera model: Canon EOS 40D
Lens: Canon EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
Focal length: 100 mm
Exposure: 1/8 at f/4.6
Exposure mode: Manual
ISO speed: ISO 200
Metering mode: Spot
On a tripod.
A few years ago I designed and built a Dobsonian mount for my Meade DS-114 telescope. The original equatorial mount – even though it had the Startracker feature – was really difficult to use and prone to vibration. Dobsonian mounts are known for their simplicity and stability. I had considered building a Dobsonian mount in the past and finally decided to one after a frustrating night of stargazing at my son’s school Star Night.
When I built this mount in 2005, I allowed several astronomy Web sites to post a … Continue Reading