Maja checks out MERLIN

Merlin is Skywatcher's new GOTO mount that fits on a table top. Its about 30 cm high and solidly made.


The magic comes in when a camera is attached and MERLIN can goto any object in the night sky. Best of all, it can be controlled by PC.

I configured Stellarium to talk to MERLIN and was surprised how well it works together. Here's a picture of Maja getting a close look at the Moon with the help from MERLIN.

 Of course, the moon is normally pretty easy to find. Here's a view of the Andromeda Galaxy in the constellation of Andromeda.

Maja was surprised that despite it being a huge Galaxy, my picture of it looks very small and faint. Well, its very far away, some 2,500,000 light years away!

So, what else can we see?

 

Jupiter is only 142,800 Kms away, not exactly close but perhaps easier to see.

Getting Jupiter in focus is difficult when using a zoom lens that isn't auto focus. Here's a trick to getting the picture sharp. Its called a Bahtinov mask. I downloaded a template from the internet and cutout the veins to get its special Y pattern. Maja helped of course!

It fits over the front of the camera like this.

The image of Jupiter now looks more like a star!

 

Now all you have to do is focus the camera until the spikes look more centered

So, to finish off, here's a picture of the moon taken 25 Sept 2010 at 23:45. There was a lot of cloud covering the moon but I think its a good shot taken from camera with a zoom lens.

Wishing you all clear skies and happy days!

Ivan + Maja