Galaxy Season With A 700mm Telescope | Askar 103 Triplet APO (50+ hours & 7 Targets)

In this video, I explore galaxy season with my new Askar 103 Triplet APO telescope. I spent over 50 hours in four weeks shooting as many targets as I possibly could to put this scope to the test. Not a review but more of a first impressions and thoughts on my new setup. Hope you enjoy!
IG: @midnight.films

[@XPlutoo]

My goodness man! After watching this video, I looked at your channel and noticed you only had 80 subscribers and two videos! Yet when I was watching the video, everything was so professional, the music was well placed. The cinematography of your set up was incredible. Well done man.

[@mdnt_astro]

Thank you! I do have some experience in the KZbin world, as my day job is filming/editing for a relatively large automotive channel. I've been doing that for almost 6 years now and beyond that, I've been working as a professional photographer/videographer in other industries for over ten years. Glad to hear that all the hard work is paying off though, and I really appreciate the kind words! Lots more coming very soon. :)

[@stevensiwinski8049]

Dude. How TF do you only have 18 subscribers?!? Your videography is fantastic. Hope you keep making videos!

[@mdnt_astro]

Thanks a ton dude! I’m gonna be making a lot more stuff in the near future. Hopefully I’ll be posting regularly every 1-2 weeks depending on the weather. Shooting some dark nebulae tonight once the Milky Way rises!

[@stevensiwinski8049]

@@mdnt_astro Looking forward to it! Clear Skies!

[@tomzukouski6041]

Isn't it cool that you're capturing the light they left those galaxies 50 million to 100 million years ago !

[@mdnt_astro]

Mind blowing to think about how long those photons have traveled without hitting something or being blocked, all so they could hit that camera sensor. So cool!

[@Techbypaco]

Looking forward to your future videos. I also have a similar SkyWatcher USA EQ6-Ri, 8" vintage Meade SCT, and use Canon unmodified DSLRs.

[@mdnt_astro]

Sounds like a nice setup! I’d like to get into an SCT or something with a big focal length next. In the next month or so I’m planning on making a video about DSLR imaging, and I might even attempt deep sky astrophotography with an unmodified cinema camera just for fun!

[@microreniassance2929]

Saw your video on the Askar 103. It was exactly what I needed. Great video quality and content.

[@Astro_Shed]

Excellent video, and look forward to seeing more of your content….👍🏻

[@alandyer910]

Beautiful images and a well shot and edited video. I look forward to seeing more from you. Thanks! 🙏

[@anglodutch8321]

Stunning images ! Thank you for sharing these.

[@raypace6981]

Great video and awesome images! Well done and thanks for sharing.

[@leoncorns1450]

Wow. I just loved your video. Great images and especially great passion and sentiment in your words. I make a few videos myself and your video has shown me a new direction.

[@Sebreem]

This vid answered the predicament I found myself in.

[@mdnt_astro]

Glad to have helped!

[@JAROME74]

Your videos are on a professional level . Your channel is a hidden gem .

[@mdnt_astro]

Thank you, that means a lot to me! Lots more coming soon!

[@JAROME74]

@@mdnt_astro You welcome, looking forward to it.

[@jpastroguy]

Welcome to the KZbin community! Great video!

[@mdnt_astro]

Thanks so much! Excited to continue documenting my night sky adventures!

[@Sebreem]

I hit the thumbs up just for the intro. Nice job!

[@3VAudioVideo]

Beautiful photos!

[@Huskers2100]

Love the video! The ending has me all inspired! I'm excited for more episodes.🤘🏼

[@mdnt_astro]

I appreciate you more than I can say dude, and definitely have more coming soon!

[@stefanschneider3681]

BEAUTIFUL 🤩! Thx for posting

[@woody5109]

Well done young man.

[@OldGirlPhotography]

Fantastic video. Just put together this exact same combination (scope, EAF, camera, controller) and so glad to see that it can produce these kind of results. Just picked it up this week and really inspired to get out with the scope now. Also appreciate the production value of this video - really well done.

[@mdnt_astro]

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it! You’ll love this scope, it’s truly an awesome setup for the money.

[@briankotak403]

Wonderful video and beautiful images. Now a subscriber! Those Askar telescopes are also a thing of beauty. Dr B from Manitoba, Canada 🇨🇦

[@mdnt_astro]

I don’t have much experience with high end telescopes, but I’ll say that the Askar stuff feels ultra premium. Working on a few more projects right now with it in the 420mm f/4 configuration and holy smokes am I blown away. Hoping that will be the subject of the next video! Thanks so much for the kind words and for subscribing!

[@viewintospace]

Very well done video - and congrats to your new scope - I'm also just setting it up and looking forward shooting with it!

[@mdnt_astro]

Thanks so much! Can't wait to see what you do with it!

[@gr0uch02a]

Excellent video and superb images!! Looks like the new scope is performing well, indeed. Is that a SkyWatcher mount?

[@wattswheelhouse]

Dang! Great video!

[@LogansAstro]

Loved the video. Looks like the Askar 103 was a great choice with the images you are producing. Askar are making some excellent scopes (I love my 65PHQ). Looking forward to seeing more videos (subbed).

[@mdnt_astro]

I’m super impressed with it so far considering the price point. I’m definitely not a professional but it’s everything I wanted it to be. There’s a bit of chromatic aberration with both the 1.0x and 0.6x reducers but it’s easily fixable so I can’t complain. I’ve also had some weird vignetting that I could probably handle with flats but I’m sort of lazy about it so GradientXterminator or a quick ABE does enough for me. I’m most impressed with the 0.6x reducer, which should be the subject of the next video. It reminds me of a budget FSQ106, great image quality and really sucks in light like I can’t believe. Really has me curious about some of the Askar astrograph scopes, but I’m thinking monochrome is my next move before another scope. Thanks for the kind words and for subscribing, I really appreciate it!

[@axelp1972]

KZbin just recommended an masterpiece channel to me

[@stoogeuk8088]

awesome video loved every bit - u defo deserve more subs and look forward to seeing your channel grow and see u in next one

[@mdnt_astro]

Thank you! Should have a new video coming by the end of this week or early next week! All depends on how the weather wants to treat me but I'm squeezing in shot between clouds with the Askar 103 in the f/4 configuration on some dark nebulae!

[@DubbleD69]

Love your attitude and approach to this hobby. I’m a newb l who just observed this past winter. Looking to extend the season of this hobby through summer but the mosquitoes and black flies up here in Canada find me to be the target of choice so taking a break ATM . I would like to be able to set up everything on the deck, then image from inside. Your rig seems capable of that. Looking forward to more! Subscribed!

[@mdnt_astro]

Thanks a lot! It's definitely not always easy to stay positive about this hobby. It can be really overwhelming sometimes to say the least. I'm struggling with mosquitoes and bugs myself as I types this while aligning my rig but hopefully it'll be worth it! And yes, this sort of setup is great for 'remote' shooting, even if you're only a few feet away inside haha. That being said I also commonly run this setup when I have plans for the night via an app called AnyDesk. The ASIair software can be run on my MacBook pro when both devices are connected to my homie wifi. I simply align the rig, open up the AnyDesk app on my MacBook, and head out for whatever I have going on for the evening. Then I can check the progress remotely using the same AnyDesk app on my phone and even change targets or do anything I'd normally be able to being right next to the scope. Not as elaborate as some remote setups, but I'm an Apple user so I don't have access to PC software of equivalent abilities so this works great for me.

[@DubbleD69]

@@mdnt_astro Apple user here as well. Will be keeping an eye out for your content. Cheers.

[@marvinwhisman3333]

One of the best and most professional videos I have seen (and I have watched more than a few). Having worked for some major film studios in post production I was really impressed with what you put together. I hope you will continue to make more. I am just getting ready to buy the 103 APO and am trying to figure out what flattener/reducers to buy. Again, great work.

[@mdnt_astro]

Wow, thank you! That really means a lot. I put a ton of effort into these videos and I’m glad people like yourself have taken notice of those things. I’d like to think I’m a storyteller/filmmaker first and an astrophotographer second, which I was hoping could help separate me from others in this community. There are lots of awesome videos out there in the astro world and I hope I can find a place to fit in among all the talented creators out there. Thank you again, and I definitely will be making more. Already working on a new one! P.S. you’ll love the Askar 103. I’d highly recommend the 1.0 flattener and the 0.6x reducer. I skipped the 0.8x but might pick it up someday. I chose these two first because it seemed like they’d give me the most use. I was worried I wouldn’t use the 0.6x very much but it’s quickly become my favorite.

[@marvinwhisman3333]

@@mdnt_astro thanks. That matches my thoughts on it

[@alexviberg196]

so awsome video! I'm subscribing to this channel!

[@AmatureAstronomer]

Mighty nice!!

[@eddiecarrascojr]

Nice combo. Been thinking about getting another telescope. This Askar 103 apo seems like a great option!

[@mdnt_astro]

It’s an awesome choice, especially for the price! I’m currently shooting some stuff with the 0.6x reducer at f/4 right now and it’s mind blowing. Kind of like a budget FSQ106. Can’t recommend it enough!

[@Tony-Elliott]

Hi new subscriber here , really nice images and excellent storytelling looking forward to your next video

[@robertarmstrong9406]

Well done. Would be interest in your processing routine.

[@James-yd8tg]

I've been in the same boat as well. One scope not enough focal length. I ordered an Askar 185 and looking forward to next galaxy season. I missed this one.

[@mdnt_astro]

That’s awesome. I love the 103 but I sure would’ve loved to go bigger. Next move for me will either be RASA 11 or an Edge 11. Before that I’m thinking of a 2600MM Pro next.

[@Agathin]

JEEZ. You really blew my mind bro, keep progressing. I'll subscribe.

[@mdnt_astro]

Thank you! Got a lot more coming soon! For this video everything was shot with the Askar 103. With both the flattener and reducer, and other accessories I needed, it was about $2,400 USD.

[@Spitzer23]

Hey. New subscriber here, also an amateur astrophotographer. Nice videos man 👌 Keep on the good work

[@alomgirmiah]

You got some really great shots! Mine just arrived yesterday, I cannot wait to get it out in the field. With EAF attached how do you put it in the case?

[@mdnt_astro]

Thank you! I really haven’t used the case since it arrived other than traveling for the solar eclipse. I took the EAF off and packed it separately since it’s only a few bolts. I’ve been thinking of getting a Pelican style case and doing some custom cut foam inserts so I can travel with the scope, reducer and flattener, and leave some of the accessories (EAF, ASIair Plus, Pegasus dew heater) attached so it’s easy/quick to pack up but I haven’t really needed it yet. When it’s not outside shooting something I keep it inside on a shelf or on a mount with the caps on.

[@JRBintothenight94]

Love you videos I wish I could do this like that

[@mdnt_astro]

Thank you! It’s a lot of work but I really love getting to share the stories behind my photos!

[@garbageman9145]

how do you make the moving stars into your final image looks great

[@mdnt_astro]

Thanks! Those were sort of hard to get right. When I edit my astro photos, I use StarXterminator so I can edit the stars and galaxy/nebula independently of each other. I handle that in PixInsight, along with all pre-processing and some stretching before exporting the stars and background separately to Photoshop. That's where I combine the stars as a separate layer for final editing. With that being said, I took those final layers and exported them separately again once I finished the photo to use in After Effects. I set up a 3D project and added a particle system with a 3D camera moving through the scene. Then I placed the star layer and galaxy layer at different points and scales (stars closer to the camera and smaller, galaxy further back and bigger) to add a perspective shift while the camera moves into the photo. When scaling the stars and background, I matched them visually for the beginning of the clip so it would appear more natural. The particle system just adds an extra layer of depth that I think helps sell the full effect of it being 3D. I did this years ago by removing stars and only using a particle system to 'replace' the stars I removed, but it looks obviously fake. Adding the real stars as a new layer to get that parallax effect is key. Maybe I'll make a short tutorial in the future included in one of my videos. Glad you liked it!

[@garbageman9145]

@@mdnt_astro thanks man I would love that

[@mdnt_astro]

@@garbageman9145 no problem! I’m working on my next video now about shooting some dark nebulae and some targets near Sadr with the Askar in the f/4 configuration and I can probably include a short section on how I make those. I definitely plan to use that technique for all my videos so should be fun to teach others how to make it happen too.

[@AndersRoss]

Dude, i dont know why, but you are f...... awseome. I want you to be my neighbour and do astro stuff, while having a beer with you :D Keep it up.

[@mdnt_astro]

Much appreciated! Sure wish I had some astro neighbors!

[@user-si5oe3rn7e]

My worst fear ….when I depart this earth ‘ that my wife sells my Astro gear for less money than I told her I paid for it all ! Who’s with me ? !

[@mdnt_astro]

100% agreed! All my hobbies are super expensive. Cars, telescopes, guitars. It never ends!