Cool, tell us how you go. I have had fun trying this myself with a plain old happy-snap digital camera. Here is a slideshow of my efforts at astrophotography, it includes some pictures of the recent comet.<br> <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/plakboek/tags/astrophotography/show/">
http://flickr.com/photos/plakboek/tags/astrophotography/show/</a><br><br>Somebody once described to me a home made device for mounting a digital
camera to track stars, from memory two hinged blocks of wood with a
wingnut that you turn at the same rate as the second hand on your
watch. Trick was to get the measurements right. I have never had the patience but seem to do well enough with shots lasting a few seconds.<br><br>Regards Roland<br><br><div><span class="gmail_quote">On 10/03/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">
Cameron Bell</b> <<a href="mailto:bell.cameron.p@edumail.vic.gov.au">bell.cameron.p@edumail.vic.gov.au</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Very cool Roland - ta for the link.<br>My Yr 11 Physics class are currently trying star trail photos. We will<br>use Gimp as best we can to enhance anything we can get.<br>I'll get them to do this activity as an adjunct.
<br>(Reminds me to go outside and give it a go tonight myself. Looks clear.)<br>Cheers<br>Cameron<br><br><br>Roland Gesthuizen wrote:<br>> How many stars can you see? It depends on whether you are living in<br>> the bush, the suburbs of the heart of town. Light pollution is so bad
<br>> in some places, you can only see the brightest stars. Want to be<br>> involved in some participatory amateur science? Then get involved in<br>> this sky survey that my year 9 Research Science and Technology
<br>> students are running as part of the GLOBE project this month.<br>><br>> Learn, Observe, Report and Map! Globe at Night<br>> <<a href="http://www.globe.gov/GaN/">http://www.globe.gov/GaN/</a>> has more details including a cool activity
<br>> pack that can be downloaded.<br>><br>> There is a world wide survey of star visibility going at the moment.<br>> Between now and March 21, go outside at around an hour and a half<br>> after sunset, possibly a bit later. Stand in a spot where street
<br>> lights or neighbours outdoor lights won't get in your eyes and let<br>> your eyes adjust for a few minutes (or more, after looking at the<br>> computer screen it can take up to 5 minutes for my eyes to adjust).
<br>><br>> Compare what you see of the constellation Orion to their starcharts<br>> <<a href="http://www.globe.gov/GaN/observe_magnitude.html">http://www.globe.gov/GaN/observe_magnitude.html</a>>, (see map at
<br>> Southern Sky watch<br>> <<a href="http://home.mira.net/%7Ereynella/skywatch/ssky.htm#Stars">http://home.mira.net/%7Ereynella/skywatch/ssky.htm#Stars</a>>) or print<br>> out the maps in the attached Family Activity pack) and submit your
<br>> observations to this link:<br>> <a href="http://www.globe.gov/GaN/report.html">http://www.globe.gov/GaN/report.html</a><br>><br>> If you are using a torch to read the Family Activity Pack maps,<br>> remember to put some red cellophane over the end so as to not destroy
<br>> your night vision. Simple as that, and you are contributing to our<br>> understanding of light pollution as well a doing a bit of amateur science.<br>><br>> (share me your location and finding, I hope to use it with my year 9
<br>> Research Science class to compare results, data quality and validation<br>> etc..)<br>><br>> --<br>> Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College<br>> <a href="http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au">
http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au</a><br>><br>> "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can<br>> change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has."<br>> --Margaret Mead
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</a><br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College<br><a href="http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au">http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au</a><br><br>"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead