Shooting with a telescope

[corona]

Anyone hooked up a camera to a telescope? Got an adapter and put a Nikon D5100 on a Meade 8" Schmidt-Cassegrain.

The problem: can't seem to get a crisp shot no matter what I try. It is very humid right now so is it because of the humidity/heat that's causing distortion?

Example: the bird is in the sweet spot for focus, but still looks awful. This is at a distance of 95 feet. Everything always has that look of being shot through a grimy window.



Anyone have any insight? Hoping once it's a clear night and pointed at the sky I won't have that problem.

 

[Balto]

Telescopes are never sharp, they are not designed to the same optical standards as photographic lenses. Not to familiar with different telescope models, but on google it looks like yours is built with a mirror lens design similar to super tele mirror SLR lenses, which all suck.

 

[corona]

Maybe cheap telescopes, but all the best quality telescopes are mirrors with really great optics. Meade is a reputable brand and I've seen amazing pictures taken with the exact same telescope. I guess I'll chock it up to humidity and heat till I try it when it's clear and dry.

 

[Balto]

From my research that one is a pretty cheap one(relativly speaking) which leads me right back to my first post. The guy I know who does astro stuff (friend of my dad) has some $15k setup that produces nice enough images, but still not as nice as a true tele lens would. Mirrors ≠ good IQ

 

[corona]

From my research that one is a pretty cheap one(relativly speaking) which leads me right back to my first post. The guy I know who does astro stuff (friend of my dad) has some $15k setup that produces nice enough images, but still not as nice as a true tele lens would. Mirrors ≠ good IQ

Not a cheap telescope. As far as 8" Schmidt-Cassegrains go it's pretty much right up there at the top.

Soon as you go 12-14" then yea it's easy to spend 10 grand + on a telescope. Not better quality, just price goes up massively with size with mirror telescopes.

I know about the telescope part of this, just not the photography part which is new to me. Why I want to know if people have tips if they've done this sort of thing before.

I mean this is what the exact same telescope is capable of: