My primary hobby is ASTRO-PHOTOGRAPHY, i.e. photography of the sun, moon, planets, stars, asteroïds and comets. Also nebulae, within or outside our galaxy. After years of practicing 'wet-photography', I started ccd-photography during fall 1997. The beauty of ccd-photography is that you have instant results. Furthermore the results are digital, so they are ready for computer-imaging. And in light-polluted areas, ccd-cameras can detect weaker lights than would be the case with conventional cameras. However, ccd-cameras are expensive. The larger the ccd-chip, the more expensive. Therefore most people use cameras with a tiny chip. A common camera is the ST-10 type of SBIG, which uses a chip of 10 x 15 mm. It is like photographing the heavens through a key-hole. However, most objects are small and fit within this area when using an amateur telescope.

Left: preparing for the night. ST-8E camera on a 4" f/4 Newton.

The larger Newton is an 8" f/4.5. The mount is carried by a wooden yoke that is hanging at the roof. All home made, except for the camera.

It is in my second observatory, still in use. More on my subsequent observatories here.

Want to download a free eBook on constructing observatories? (in Dutch)

astrophotography fellows

comets & minor planets

wide field

our sun

deep sky

planets

astro holidays

moon