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Welcome to Galaxy Central! Jupiter v2.0

Discussion in 'Astrophotography and Imaging' started by Orion25, May 16, 2018.

Welcome to Galaxy Central! Jupiter v2.0

Started by Orion25 on May 16, 2018 at 1:41 PM

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  1. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Here is another short video of Jupiter, this time with my new StarShoot 5MP Solar System Camera a few days after opposition, with the GRS visible! The video includes shots from two separate imaging sessions a couple of days apart with two different scopes (the 180mm and the 127mm Maks). The GRS is in a slightly different position each time. Each session took place shortly after midnight, the air still, transparency and seeing fairly good. I could hear hoot owls in the distance. Otherwise, all was quiet as the world was sleeping. I felt like I had the entire sky to myself. Just me and my toys :) You'll see the live video first followed by the stacked image in Registax 6. Enjoy!



    Here are the stacked images:

    First, the 180mm Mak image

    ASTRONOMY - JUPITER GRS (5MP CAM) REGISTAX 5-11-18 SM.jpg

    And the 127mm Mak image

    ASTRONOMY - JUPITER GRS (5MP CAM) LIL MAK BARLOW TRACKED REGISTAX 5-12-18 SM.jpg

    Reggie:D
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2018
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  2. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    I like the 180mm Mak image the most. I don't know much about stacking but i prefer the result of the work that came out of the 180mm, great images and video @reggie
     
  3. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks, Neb. There's really no contest; the 180mm Mak with about 2 inches more aperture than the 127mm definitely has the advantage. I need to get a tracking mount for it, but I just don't want to spend the money. Maybe someday :)
     
  4. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    Ah bah you can do nice things without tracking too, your videos. I understand you not wanting to spend yout money, I don't want to spend mine most of the time.

    But occasionally we find good deal we can't resist. i guess you don't need the do that with your 180mm's mount.

    But I thought from a past image your 180mm was installed on something similar to a EQ5.. ?
     
  5. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks, Nebula :D The mount for my 180mm is just the standard SkyView Pro EQ without tracking. I bought a tracking device for my 127mm Mak's mount, but I haven't got one yet for the 180mm. It's a bit more expensive, and I think right now I'd rather spend that money on other things. I rather like to see the motion of the objects sometimes :p
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2018
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  6. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    Ahh yeah it's true, the 180mm must be quite heavy too. It's coming back to me from a previous discussion now, the price of the NEQ6 in order to have something very steady for photography.
     
  7. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Oh yes, Nebula. The OTA is about 7 kilos and the mount is 11 kilos. Add the counterweights and you have a total of about 23 kilos! I originally bought it for visual and at the time the go-to mounts were just being introduced as an option. The price of the go-to option was too much for me so I got the regular mount. Because of the weight, I have to assemble and disassemble it in pieces. Definitely not grab-and-go! I bought my 127mm Mak first, again with just the regular, non go-to mount, and it became my grab-and-go scope (it traveled with me when I saw the Great American Eclipse last summer). The good thing about using Registax 6 (and I'm sure other stacking programs) is that it can use video of a moving object and choose the best frames to stack, so the image doesn't have to be tracked. Hooray! That's how I got the big image of Jupiter that I posted recently. The video posted is exactly what I used to stack in Registax. But for DSOs, I use my DSLR and my 127mm Mak using tracking. If I do get a drive for the 180mm, it will be to image DSOs with my DSLR. For now, though, I'm ok and keeping my money in my pocket, haha :D
     
  8. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    The good thing about using Registax 6 (and I'm sure other stacking programs) is that it can use video of a moving object and choose the best frames to stack, so the image doesn't have to be tracked. Hooray! That's how I got the big image of Jupiter that I posted recently.

    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh that's the very best process explanation I have ever read in 3 years about video and image processing. That must be fun even to process the images to build the final result.

    Why can't you use your DSLR for planets?

    I know about non portability, my own setup is heavy to move around, the EQ5 must be close to 20lbs but I leave the head on the tripod all the time, it will fit 1 piece inside the car. The weights I think they are more then 20lbs, 28. The tube is around 24lbs, It's ok if I take my time.

    This is a picture of the setup inside my car. The bag is an Orion and it's capable of wrapping a 10" solid tube, my 8" is shorter then the bag but I added bubbles inside to fill the gap.

    [​IMG]

    I am not ready to carry things more then 25lbs for astronomy unless I have an observatory someday and it's easy to store a 12 inches inside... perhaps this one will be my biggest scope.
     
  9. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    The head of the EQ5 is resting on a pillow so it's pretty comfortable like that.
     
  10. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Nice packing, Neb! Looks like you're ready to go :D I don't often use my DSLR for planets if I want detail because they come out so small on the image, even with barlow, but I'll take shots of Neptune and Uranus to capture their colors like this:
    ASTRONOMY - URANUS (PRIME FOCUS) 10-20-17 SM.jpg
    When Venus is at its big crescent phase, I'll take an image with the DSLR like this one which I took with a Meade Zoom EP attached:
    ASTRONOMY - VENUS (PRIME FOCUS BARLOW ZOOM) 2-26-17 SM.jpg

    I'll take a wide-field shot or even prime focus when two planets are in conjunction, like this one of Jupiter and Mars:

    ASTRONOMY - JUPITER & MARS (PRIME FOCUS) 1-07-18 A SM.jpg But when I want detail, I'll use the space video camera and stack images from the video.
     

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  11. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    I can't see the color of Uranus with my screen unfortunately (but I have seen it visually previously) I like you work of Venus, it's a lovely phase with enough definition.

    When I look at Venus visually, i always get a blue and red color on both opposed sides or the disk. but I am not sure if these are the colors of the planet or an optical aberration. The blue color looks exactly like your picture I wonder if this could be a faint blue hue from the atmosphere.
     
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  12. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks, Nebula. I would like to get some detail on the clouds of Venus, and I read about some filters that can help with that. I found an interesting thread about it on CN: https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/496644-venus-some-filter-views/
    The blue in the picture could quite possibly be a hint of CA from the barlow. I got a chance to look at the waxing crescent moon last night through my barlow at extreme magnification and noticed a little CA. The mag in that photo is pushed to the extreme. I think that may be what you are seeing, especially if it's both blue and red.
     
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  13. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    My situation must be an optical issue too probably.

    Ill go read the CN link now. thanks
     
  14. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    Well I agree, the thread was interesting and not too heavy too. Some people talked about the red filters which I tested during my last Venus observation. The #25 can do some good, I did a sketch of Venus while using it. Some shades were visible and that filter was helping.

    I have caught another interesting point about stacking the 80a with something else which seems like a reasonable idea. I never stacked anything yet...

    I feel it's going to take me a lifetime only to test single filters individually.
     
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  15. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    I know for me filters will be a long-term project, lol. So many possibilities! Ahhhhhh!:eek::eek::eek:
     
  16. Nebula

    Nebula Well-Known Member

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    Once a person can be amused by a 160CAD kit of GSO color filters for many years..,perhaps, that's bigger then being a millionaire. :D
     
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  17. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    I agree, my friend! :D :D
     
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