DARK NEBULA With A Fast Refractor Telescope + NORTHERN LIGHTS Timelapses From Southern USA

It still feels like a dream that I got to see the aurora borealis all the way down here in southeast Georgia about a month after my first total solar eclipse--two absolute bucket like astronomical events for me. I''m super thankful I got to experience these awe-inspiring events in our solar system so close together. I probably could've waited another month or two to work on LDN673 so I'd have more than a few hours to shoot each night, but I couldn't resist putting the Askar 103 APO to the test with the 0.6x reducer. What an awesome scope this has turned out to be and I can't wait to get a little deeper into milky way season and capture more! I hope you enjoy the video and thanks for stopping by!
IG: @midnight.films

[@ConstanceMoore-os4ve]

It seems like yesterday I took you to a night-time Parks and Recreation program. The entire group of parents and children (including this grandmother and her only grandchild) spent two hours watching the night sky and identifying constellations. I can't help but believe that particular night lit a spark of wonder in you! Your love of astrophotography and professionally made videos have proven that childhood 'wonder' has developed into a life-changing path that will only improve as your passion and talent grow.

[@mdnt_astro]

It was moments like those that shaped me into who I am today. I remember watching countless shows and documentaries about space related things with grandpap when I was little that had me dreaming of working for NASA or somehow being involved in something similar long before I ever knew how to use a camera. You were the person I was most excited to show my very first shot of the Andromeda Galaxy five years ago before I had a clue what I was doing and you’re still the one I’m most excited to share all my shots with. One of my favorite memories was getting to see Comet NEOWISE with you a few years ago, and how excited we were when we finally saw it. You are largely responsible for me being who I am today and I’ll be forever grateful for that. Love you always, Grammie. 💜

[@ekalbkr]

Nicely done, and quite inspiring! As a 71 year old who started astrophotography four years ago, I was amazed with my first fuzzy images. As I moved along, slowly upgrading my skills and equipment, I started thinking I would never get where I wanted to be, but I kept at it. Recently, I finally got an image of Markarian's Chain that knocked my socks off! I may not be "there" yet, but I'm getting much closer. Your video gave me solace for my struggles and inspiration that I will eventually cross the galactic Rubicon. Keep up the good work!

[@mdnt_astro]

I really appreciate that a lot. It’s been tough to feel like I’m making any progress sometimes and most of the time i feel like I’ll never get to that spot where i want to be. But, when I shifted my expectations to focus more on proving to myself that I can do it instead of constantly making myself feel inferior to others out there, things started to feel a lot more fun and rewarding again. Sure, I’d love to get an APOD someday, but right now I’m perfectly happy with documenting my experiences for no other reason than pure enjoyment. With a full time job, it’s hard to fit everything in. I’d love to spend more time shooting and processing, but sometimes I have to sacrifice those things in order to get things done. But I guess that’s life in general, right? Anyways, thanks so much for the kind words and for taking the time to watch. Glad to hear you’re making progress as well, keep at it!

[@chrisruthford4492]

Your intro alone made me hit that subscribe button. You got what it takes for KZbin.

[@mdnt_astro]

I appreciate that beyond words. These are the types of comments that keep me going. Thank you so much!

[@thisissparta3965]

Absolutely love this astro channel. Watched this latest vid as soon as I got the notification. Keep it going Nick. There is something very endearing about you and you present and edit very well. ❤ from 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 UK.

[@mdnt_astro]

I appreciate that more than you know. Thank you so much. I have a lot more videos planned and coming soon!

[@pepik144]

OMG I love the vibe of your videos! Such a fantastic feeling to watch them. Keep it up ❤

[@mdnt_astro]

Thank you! Lots more coming!

[@jpastroguy]

Well done. Professionally done. You are giving me and my channel an inferiority complex! Love your work! Keep `em coming!

[@mdnt_astro]

@@jpastroguy thanks a lot! Definitely got a lot more coming and I appreciate the support!

[@OldGirlPhotography]

You are a wonderful story-teller. Thank you.

[@mdnt_astro]

Thanks so much, I appreciate that more than I know how to say.

[@lostmypicks]

Bro keep the videos going. Its awesome and youre great at them

[@romeodf]

hell yea dude, killing it with these vids!

[@mdnt_astro]

Thanks brotha, I appreciate you!

[@LogansAstro]

Great video - very inspiring. As you say, those very first images taken at the start of the astro journey may not look impressive by today's standards but are still worth being proud of given how little knowledge we have when starting out and I definitely do remember seeing, for the first time, those fuzzy images of a nebula or galaxy and saying "WOW!".

[@mdnt_astro]

Back in my beginning stages I was so excited to see a faint smudge with trailed stars that imperfections didn’t matter. I’m guilty of being a little overly analytical of my shots these days so keeping those feelings in mind helps shift my perspective back in a more positive direction. Thanks for the kind words and for taking the time to watch!

[@franksittinger4639]

Really nice video, great images, there is so many entry points in the this hobby. So many different motivations, like the way you let us all participating in yours. Greetings from Germany - btw, have been in Georgia some 3 weeks ago, great part of the country. All the best, Frank

[@mdnt_astro]

Thanks, Frank! As long as you're having fun and learning new things then I think you're a successful astrophotographer. It's great to create a powerful photograph, but I think enjoying the journey getting there is much more important. Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for watching!

[@franksittinger4639]

@@mdnt_astro Thanks, there is a saying in Germany - Der Weg ist das Ziel - which translates into "THE JOURNEY IS THE TARGET" Guess thats what our hobby is all about

[@rupenshah9923]

Beautifully put together, love the way you take us on the journey with you! Keep it up! I’ve just subscribed!

[@mdnt_astro]

Thanks so much, I really appreciate that! I'm working a my next video now and hoping to finish it up by early next week so stay tuned!

[@marvinwhisman3333]

An amazing video. I stumbled on your vids and watched the second one first. You definitely have an eye for video production. I know how much work it can take to make this sort of production. And finally great job of the music. Very nice dud.

[@mdnt_astro]

Thank you! Music is one of my favorite aspects of making videos and sometimes I get hung up for hours trying to find the right fit, but I think it’s worth it in order to properly communicate the feeling I’m trying to convey. I really appreciate the kind words and I’m glad you enjoyed my work so far! Thanks again!

[@KJRitch]

I’m really new at this and sometimes want to throw in the towel. I can’t remember how many times I told myself I was going to sell everything the next day. But I look back over the last few months and I realize I’ve learned a lot but also there is more to learn. If it was easy and cheap everyone would be able to do it then it would be boring. I guess we’d all buy a ZWO SeeStar S50. Good work on the final image.

[@mdnt_astro]

Thank you! I’d definitely say that astrophotography has been one of the biggest and most challenging undertakings of my entire life. Lots of sleepless nights and frustration, but the reward is always worth it when you finally get things working. Before I started making these videos, I hadn’t touched my gear in about a year because I felt like I sucked so bad that it wasn’t worth trying anymore. It took me a long time to realize that it isn’t about comparing your work to anyone else’s, but about enjoying it and learning new things. But like you said, if it was easy then everyone would do it!

[@Planetreefastro]

Amazing Video! It felt like watching a documentary. A well made one. I’ve been doing Astrophotography for many years but just started with KZbin and I hope to be able to put together videos like yours. Great work! Best regards Luis from NY

[@mdnt_astro]

Thanks a ton, Luis! That’s pretty much exactly the feeling I want people to have as far as seeing it as a mini documentary. I try hard to balance entertainment and information so people can enjoy but also learn a thing or two. Already working on my next video! I’m still pretty new too, but if there’s any advice I could give I’d say make content that makes you happy and do it for no other reason than because you’re passionate about it. I hope it goes well for you and thank you again!

[@AmatureAstronomer]

Nice.

[@lostmypicks]

You work for trc!? Hell yeah dude. I have an evo and cars and astronomy are my fave. So cool youre branching into this

[@mdnt_astro]

@@lostmypicks yes I do! I’m much more comfortable behind the camera rather than in front, but theres a good bit of videos I’ve hosted (FL2K, WCF, a few street features) and/or made cameos in (AWD RSX build, F150 build, lots of others). Super rad to know there are other car/astro nerds out there haha. I love my GT350, but I’m a big time import guy and I’ll hopefully have an Evo in the collection someday. Keep an eye on TRC this week, we may or may not have some very cool Evo related things happening. But you didn’t hear that from me! 😉🤷🏼‍♂️

[@lostmypicks]

@mdnt_astro that evo was certainly amazing. Well hell yeah dude. Glad to see you doing this channel as well. I've always loved astronomy. I'm looking at getting a very similar set up as you have

[@Tony-Elliott]

hi another excellent video keep them coming

[@mdnt_astro]

Thank you! Already working on the next one!

[@thomassorensen4334]

I just found your channel, awesome work! I just bought an Askar 103 APO with the .6x reducer as my first refractor. Right now I'm still using my Sony A6000 (astro modified) mirrorless camera. But I'd like to get a dedicated astronomy camera soon. I'm using the ASIAIR so I'm only really looking at ZWO products. So it was really interesting to me to hear about the difference in camera performance on your telescope. How do I narrow down my camera selection from the ASI2600, ASI533, ASI294, ASI183, and now the new ASI585? Should I just look for a camera + telescope combo that gives me a resolution as close to 1 arcsecond per pixel as possible? Or do I need to go down the rabbit hole of understanding Dawes limit and how seeing will affect my resolution?

[@mdnt_astro]

@@thomassorensen4334 Hi Thomas, thanks so much for the kind words! To be completely honest, I would keep things on the simple side. I’ve never looked into Dawes Limit or anything like that. Prior to all this testing, I was under the impression that anything between 1-2 arc seconds per pixel was the most ideal, but now I feel that’s a bit on the conservative side of things both in going above and below that threshold. I’ve been shooting at around 0.7 (check out my latest video about the black hole) and I’ve had awesome results. That being said, I’m also not the most knowledgeable on the subject and I’m just basing my opinions off my own results. I’m often shooting in poor seeing conditions and I really don’t notice a ton of difference compared to nights with above average seeing. I’d personally look for a combination that would put you somewhere between 0.7 and 1.3. Keeping it around 1.0 would probably be your best bet as I don’t want to give you advice that could lead to frustrating or poor results. I’ve also gotten awesome results in shooting upwards of 3-4 arc seconds per pixel with some of my full frame mirrorless/DSLR cameras. I think finding a camera that’s easiest to use would be more valuable than being slightly over or under sampled. If I were in your shoes, I would compare the 294 and 533 to see what ratio those give you. I’d also consider running the numbers with any of the other Askar reducers (1.0x, 0.8x) in case you’re interested in having those in the future. That way you could figure out which of those cameras would be best suited for everything you want to do. I don’t know a lot about the 585 as I haven’t used it but it sounds like it’ll be in the same category as the 183, small pixels with lower full well depth (more info in my most recent video about the 183). I personally prefer the 294 over the 533 just because I’m not a fan of the 1x1 aspect ratio of the 533. But if you can afford it and the numbers look good on the 533, I wouldn’t hesitate to go for the 2600 since they’re essentially the same exact sensor but in different sizes. The 2600 is next on my list for a monochrome setup whenever I can afford it.

[@thomassorensen4334]

@@mdnt_astro Thank you so much for your help! It looks like the 533 is sitting right at 1.1 arcseconds/pixel with the 1x flattener and goes up to 1.8 with the .6x reducer. But you're right, the aspect ratio of the 2600 and 294 are more aesthetically pleasing than a square sensor for most.

[@axelp1972]

Hello man, I've been looking to change my 80ED for a while, and your video on the Askar 103 APO particularly interests me. But I'm still on a HEQ-5 Pro, do you think the 103APO with all the gear on it can fit on the HEQ-5 Pro? I calculated the total weight and it will be less than 9 kg in total.

[@mdnt_astro]

@@axelp1972 it looks like the HEQ5 has a weight limit of 13kg so you should be safely under the limit with your setup at 9kg. I can’t say enough good things about the 103 so I’d highly recommend it.

[@ma-fi1nu]

My 183 gets more use than my asi 294.. actually I never use my asi294mcpro.. I havec2 asi 2600mc pro I use but the asi183 is my planetary monster camera

[@mdnt_astro]

That’s really interesting to hear. I wish I could get the hang of the 183 but it’s been a struggle and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong other than potentially overexposing. I’m always shooting at unity gain and haven’t experimented with any other gain levels. I’ve been debating picking up a monochrome 2600 or a RASA 11 in the near future. Shooting at f/4 has shown me massive benefits so the RASA seems intriguing, especially because I love OSC. But mono seems like an equally tempting option to take things to the next level, considering i recently got a DayStar Quark and need something mono to take advantage of its potential. Likely will keep both the 294 and 183 if I do decide to upgrade my camera. Tough decisions.

[@MrMa1981]

Hello, how you get the dark nebulas? I never shot with any filter, I dont even own a real scope but it works well, never shoot in monochrome and H-alpha (lie in reality I have a pretty good solar scope wich I push at 90% potential I think at least) So, what's the secret? Filters? Norrowband? Editing skills?

[@mdnt_astro]

I wish I had a more exact answer for you, but I think it’s mostly a combination of acquisition skills and processing skills. This was all shot in broadband with only a UV/IR cut filter on a color camera during a new moon in a Bortle 3 zone. Moonless nights and many hours of exposures in dark skies will set you up for success, and I think most of the magic happens in editing. It took me about a week of constant revisions to get a final edit I was happy with-and even after all that I still think it could be better if someone more skilled than myself processed my data. Dark nebulae are definitely challenging, but they can also be captured with a simple camera and lens instead of a scope. Your solar imaging skills are impressive! I could learn a thing or two from you. I recently got a solar h-alpha filter but I’m struggling to pull out any detail with my color cameras. What camera are you shooting with on your Coronado?

[@MrMa1981]

@@mdnt_astro Ouh, that's some mutual respect right here folks!! Thank you for the nice words!! That's push me to continue even tho all the struggles, you know and becouse they came frome a guy who's well ahead than me in this journey. So thank you again. Extract signal from dark nebulaes is one of my "life-achievement" but I don't know how or when I'll be ready for that. What solar scope do you have? Anyway monochrome camera is mandatory in solar imaging. I use the ZWO ASI 462 MM (the 178 MONO that anybody has is not available anymore) wich have a good range of use (sampling speaking) for a small scope like mine (400mm focal lenght at f/5.7 so 60mm aperture). So I shoot at 400mm and 800mm with a 2x barlow each time like this mornig. The second scenario suffers of the notorius newton rings problem that I proceed to correct with flat frames. The more focal ratio increases the more rings are visible and contrasted. If you are a pixinsighter (if you arent my head could possibly blows out) I raccomend you 150% the tool "solartoolbox" wich is free and is a game changer in solar imaging. Stay away from, or forgot Registax, and use ImPGG for a propah pre-processing workflow (deconvolution, sharpening and first curve orientation based on your personal taste). I have a grass to cut damn it.

[@mdnt_astro]

@@MrMa1981 thanks for the tips! I’m hoping to pick up a monochrome camera like the 2600MC Pro for astrophotography and I want to use it for solar imaging as well. I would also like to pick up a smaller sensor monochrome camera (462 or 178) specifically for solar work too, but the 2600 is first on my list of upgrades. The only mono camera I currently have is a 120MM Mini. I tried it once and it was even worse than my color cameras for some reason. I have a DayStar Quark and I’ve used it with my William Optics Z61 and my Askar 103. Looking back, I should’ve gone with something like a Coronado because the Quark has broke on me once already and just recently come back from being repaired. I got it right before the solar eclipse and it was one of the only things in stock so now I’m sort of stuck with it. I’ve gotten some cool shots with color cameras, but it’s been a lot harder of a process than I thought it would be. I’ve only been able to capture single frames rather than stacking from video files because I’m using a MacBook and can’t find software that will work for me. I recently downloaded Siril but haven’t had the chance to try it yet for solar. I’ll check out solartoolbox though on the future. I’m planning to make a video in the near future about my solar imaging journey so far, including all the terrible attempts I’ve made. But I really want to get better at it so I can show some progress. Solar imaging has been super overwhelming and I hope someday I can get shots as good as yours!

[@MrMa1981]

@@mdnt_astro Thank you again!! With a color camera try to split the image in three channel files with PIPP... r g b... than proceed to choose the better one. Often the best is the R channel sometimes is the G channel. Salute from Italy.

[@mdnt_astro]

@@MrMa1981 that idea never crossed my mind, I’ll give it a try. Thank you!