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Cloud Detail on Venus, At Last!

Discussion in 'Astrophotography and Imaging' started by Orion25, Jun 1, 2018.

Cloud Detail on Venus, At Last!

Started by Orion25 on Jun 1, 2018 at 3:10 PM

62 Replies 7743 Views 6 Likes

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  1. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    After over two weeks of rain and cloud, I finally get a clear night, and I take full advantage of it! As some of you know, I've been chasing after details on Venus for quite a while now, but I've been shy about shelling out the big bucks to get the necessary filters. Ca-K and UV filters can get pricey, so I chose to be creative and try imaging Venus with my Meade Series 4000 Variable Polarizing Filter to cut some of the glare. In the past, I've been able to see some evidence of detail visually with the filter, but I was never 100% sure of whether what I was seeing was wishful thinking (or "seeing") or actual cloud features. Last evening answered my questions - the filter DOES allow you to see detail on Venus, through a 127mm Mak, even at mags approaching 170X. I could easily see detail near the central region of the onion planet from my 25mm EP right down to my 9mm. And what's more, I was able to image using the filter, pulling out amazing detail with processing in Registax 6 using video shot on my Orion Deep Space Cam II (the analog version)! Here is the result:
    [​IMG]

    I was floored at the result! [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    Cheers,

    Reggie
     
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  2. Dark Site

    Dark Site Member

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    Very difficult to image. You did an excellent job!
     
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  3. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks, Steve! And all it took was a variable polarizing filter, Barlow, decent space camera, at least a 4-5" scope, and a clear, twilight sky. Registax 6 is your friend!
     
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  4. Gabby76

    Gabby76 Well-Known Member

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    Well done Orion!
     
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  5. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks, Gabby! This is a pretty big accomplishment for me. Detail on Venus had always escaped me in the past. I've previously used the polarizer to cut the glare of the Venus crescent, purely for imaging the phase, not attempting any cloud features at all. Now, I can enjoy seeing and imaging some detail on this mysterious planet :)
     
  6. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    I just saw this Reggie. That's brilliant, I told you polarisers rock lol. That's a great picture.
     
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  7. Gabby76

    Gabby76 Well-Known Member

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    Are you imaging Venus when it is as dark as possible or when it first appears in the sky?
    Sometimes imaging it at dusk helps enhance some cloud details.
     
  8. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    I'm imaging at dusk to reduce contrast; I had read that from several Venus observers. Makes perfect sense. Venus gets so bright being so close to the Sun, like Mercury, making seeing detail a challenge without filters.
     
  9. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    You are soooooooo right, Mak. Now, Venus is on my list of planets to observe cloud/planetary detail. A friend from SGL suggested that from his observations cloud detail on Venus varies every few nights or so due to rotation, and that the clouds rotate much, much faster than the planet itself. Any thoughts on this?
     
  10. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Venus has constant high speed winds up to 360 kph and these drive the clouds around the planet. Drifting patterns should be able to be discerned over a period of hours, let alone days.

    I was observing Venus earlier, I was inspired by your success with the Meade device thingy. These seem to be impossible to obtain here, although I could have one imported via Amazon. It would bang the price up though. Plus, the Royal Mail would probably lose it.

    I used two polarisers, one in the diagonal and one in the eyepiece, so I could adjust the intensity. I could see cloud detail with my ST80 in early twilight. So I'm a happy bunny now lol.
     
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  11. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for your insight. Wow, drifting patterns in a matter of hours. I'm glad the double polarisers are working for you, Mak. Cheers to seeing Venus cloud detail!

    cheers.jpg
     
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  12. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Yes, I was quite enthralled to see fleeting detail with my ST80. I'll have to try the double polariser trick again.

     
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  13. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Bananarama "Venus"! That's my jam!:D
     
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  14. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    I thought you'd appreciate Bananarama. I think they still gig.



    I remember this one as well.



    I thought I'd throw some Siouxsie in as I'm in that kind of mood lol.

    Enjoy!
     
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  15. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Great! They don't make 'em like that anymore. ;)
     
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  16. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    Cool segue*, Mak! That's like what I would do when I was 'ON AIR.' And I bookmarked both.

    I was hurled into a long chat with the 'Granny' of the kid that I'll be teaching and mentoring in astronomy and all that follows. She's a sweetheart. Exhausting - but a sweetheart! My fingers' hurt.....


    * The work 'segue' is a corruption of the word 'sequi.' Or 'sequis' from the Latin. Which means 'perfect.' Linky:

    http://latindictionary.wikidot.com/verb:sequi
     
  17. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    I'm pretty sure 'segue' is from an Indo-European root meaning 'to follow'.

    Word origin of 'segue'
    from Italian: follows, from seguire to follow, from Latin sequī.

    https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/segue

    From Proto-Italic *sekʷōr, from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”). Cognates include Sanskrit सचते (sácate) and Ancient Greek ἕπομαι (hépomai). ~ Wiktionary

     
  18. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    I rather doubt any good would come. The Historical Euro-Linguistics' professors might get into an arguments over these choices of related's - and ask Trump to use his 'Bigger-Button' on Athens!

    But Siouxsie & the Banshees is great stuff!

    Wonder if I can find any 'Swinging Erudites'.....
     
  19. Dave In Vermont

    Dave In Vermont Well-Known Member

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    Yup!


     
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  20. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Sorry, just as you studied chemistry, I studied linguistics (at a couple of universities). I'm not a 'Grammar Nazi' quite yet, but when it comes to root etymology ... well.

     
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