Blog Feed: Astrophotography

Welcome to Astrophotography

Published on 2012-12-31 19:35:00

If you are an amateur astronomer you will find here a lot of information and advice to initiate yourself in amateur astrophotography, especially digital deep space astrophotography using CCD cameras.There is advice for the beginner astrophotographer, recommended software, webcam modifications, astrophotography basic techniques and a lot more.I apologize in advance for my English (my mother tong is Spanish), if you find some word misspelt or wrong grammer I would appreciate it, if you send your c [..] > read more

The Elegant Universe: Welcome to the 11th Dimension

Published on 2012-02-23 19:17:00

Part 3 of "The Elegant Universe" with host Brian Greene shows how Edward Witten of Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study, aided by others, revolutionized string theory by successfully uniting the five different versions into a single theory that is cryptically named "M-theory," a development that requires a total of eleven dimensions.Ten...eleven...who's counting? But the new 11th dimension implies that strings can come in shapes called membranes, or "branes" for short. These have truly scien [..] > read more

The Elegant Universe: String's The Thing

Published on 2012-02-23 19:11:00

In the second hour of "The Elegant Universe," a three-hour miniseries with physicist Brian Greene, delve into the nuts, bolts, and outright nuttiness of string theory.Part 2, "String's the Thing," opens with a whimsical scene in a movie theater in which the history of the universe runs backwards to the Big Bang, the moment at which general relativity and quantum mechanics both came into play, and therefore the point at which our conventional model of reality breaks down. > read more

The Elegant Universe: Einstein's Dream

Published on 2012-02-23 19:04:00

Eleven dimensions, parallel universes, and a world made out of strings? It's not science fiction, it's string theory.Bestselling author and physicist Brian Greene offers a tour of this seemingly strange world in "The Elegant Universe," a three-hour Peabody Award-winning miniseries.Part 1, "Einstein's Dream," introduces string theory and shows how modern physics—composed of two theories that are ferociously incompatible—reached its schizophrenic impasse: One theory, general relativity, succes [..] > read more

Astrobiology and space exploration

Published on 2012-01-21 07:52:00

Lynn RothschildStanfordAstrobiology is a new meta-discipline which combines astronomy, biology, chemistry, philosophy, and physics in an effort to study the current state of life in the universe.In the Stanford Astrobiology Course, lectures follow a, more or less, linear path from the Big Bang all the way to the development of complex life and, finally, space exploration.The course explains how evolutionary principles have operated at the macro, and micro, level ever since the birth of the unive [..] > read more

Introduction to astrophysics

Published on 2012-01-21 07:44:00

Charles BaylinYaleThis course focuses on three particularly interesting areas of astronomy that are advancing very rapidly:Extra-Solar Planets, Black Holes, and Dark Energy.Particular attention is paid to current projects that promise to improve our understanding significantly over the next few years.The course explores not just what is known, but what is currently not known, and how astronomers are going about trying to find out.Click on image to go to the course. > read more

PhotoTechEDU Day 9: Amateur Astrophotography

Published on 2012-01-19 20:24:00

Photographic Technology Day 9: This session covers amateur astrophotography, particularly automation, gear (cameras, telescopes) and some of the technical challenges of photographing dim objects across the universe from your backyard or remote observatory.Don't forget to stop music in the gadget at the right side panel. > read more

PhotoTechEDU Day 8: Diffraction and Interference in Imaging

Published on 2012-01-19 20:14:00

Photographic Technology Day 8: This session addresses effects of the wave nature of light.This approach will allow us to talk about the phenomena of interference as well as diffraction.The understanding of the notion of diffraction will be used to determine the Rayleigh criteria and finally the resolving power of an optical system.In the second part of the lecture, we will study gratings using the wave approach. An example of an amateur spectroscope for astronomy using a reflective grating will [..] > read more

My new equipment

Published on 2011-11-29 17:47:00

This picture shows most of my new equipment.TelescopeNewtonian design, aperture 150mm parabolic mirror, focal relation f/5. 1.25" rack and pinion focuser.MountCelestron CG-5 AS with GoTo.FinderOrion 8x50mm with dovetail quick coupling. Apparent field 5ºGuider scopeMeade RB-60: Refractor, 60mm aperture , focal 700mm.PointerMeade red dot reflex sight.Electric focuserOrion AccufocusCamerasMeade DSI I, Phillips SPC900NC/00 modified SC1.0, Meade DSI pro IIIFilter wheelManual Orion 5 filter wheel.Sh [..] > read more

400 Years of the Telescope - A journey of science, technology and thought

Published on 2011-11-08 20:14:00

Panoramic visuals, cutting-edge technologies and introspective contemplations position 400 Years of the Telescope as the must-see cinematic feature for the International Year of Astronomy in 2009.Don't forget to stop music in the gadget at the right side panel. > read more