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Mars & Neptune Conjunction, Jupiter and the Moon

Discussion in 'Astrophotography and Imaging' started by Orion25, May 18, 2022.

Mars & Neptune Conjunction, Jupiter and the Moon

Started by Orion25 on May 18, 2022 at 6:16 PM

28 Replies 2933 Views 2 Likes

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  1. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Orion25, May 18, 2022
    #1
    I've been spending much time outside at dawn with all the planetary action going on. I snapped these shots of the Mars/Neptune conjunction, Jupiter and the waning gibbous moon, all at prime focus using my Nikon D3200 and my 127mm Mak:

    ASTRONOMY - MARS & NEPTUNE CONJUNCTION 5-18-22 SM.jpg
    ASTRONOMY - MARS & NEPTUNE CONJUNCTION (CAPTIONS) 5-18-22 SM.jpg
    ASTRONOMY - JUPITER (PRIME FOCUS) 5-17-22 B SM.jpg
    ASTRONOMY - MOON - WANING GIBBOUS MOON 5-18-22 SM.jpg

    I think I'll sleep in the next few mornings...at least until the Jupiter/Mars conjunction on May 29!
     
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  2. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, May 18, 2022
    #2
    That's some planetary action Reggie!
     
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  3. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Orion25, May 18, 2022
    #3
    I know, right? Can't sleep in with all the stuff going on in the pre-dawn sky, lol!
     
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  4. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, May 19, 2022
    #4
    jupitermars.jpg

    Looks like a close Jupiter/Mars conjunction on the 29th. It's certainly a busy big sky.

     
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  5. Ed D

    Ed D Well-Known Member

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    Ed D, May 20, 2022
    #5
    Reggie, if I'm not mistaken, you don't do any imaging using multiple exposures/stacking or guiding. If that's a single frame it's impressive that you captured Neptune. Nice!

    Ed
     
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  6. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Orion25, May 20, 2022
    #6
    Thanks, Ed. You are correct; I don't usually stack. For these shots, I used the prime focus technique with tracking. I also use the planetary imaging method of capturing short video exposures and processing them in Registax (especially when the planets are at perigee). When Mars gets close enough to show features, it's getting the planetary imaging treatment, lol. I've imaged Neptune and Uranus before at prime focus, though they only show up as colorful points of light; I like it when a brighter planet is nearby to provide contrast (it also makes Neptune and Uranus easier to find, lol).
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2022
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  7. Ed D

    Ed D Well-Known Member

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    Ed D, May 21, 2022
    #7
    Reggie, have you tried AutoStakkert 2 or 3? I find it easier to use compared to RegiStax plus you can output an image already sharpened, which in RegiStax you have to use the Wavelets. With AS!2 or AS!3 the only touchups I usually do is to tweak the image brightness and crop/size in programs like GIMP or my old Photo Studio.

    Here in So Flo we are into the rainy season. It's really getting in the way of my imaging opportunities.

    Ed
     
    Last edited: May 21, 2022
  8. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Orion25, May 21, 2022
    #8
    I haven't tried AutoStakkert yet. I've heard good things about it; I just hadn't gotten around to trying it. That will be probably be my next mission with Mars. Thanks for the suggestion!
     
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  9. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, May 26, 2022
    #9
    I saw Mars!

    thursdaydawn.jpg

    I caught Saturn first at around 03:45 British Summer Time.

    tichy60.jpg

    The newly configured 'Titchy Sixty' was nice and light on the AZ5 mount so I could reposition it more easily on my lawn. I started off at 60x with a 6mm TMB clone. Then changed to the TV 5x Powermate and an 18mm AH orthoscopic for 100x. I used Baader Yellow and Lumicon Wratten #11 filters. After some time I went for 120x with an Antares 15mm Masuyama clone. I thought I got a hint of the Cassini Division. Jupiter was next but it wasn't until nearly 04:15 that I could see any real detail. I could make out the equatorial belts. The biggest surprise was getting a brief view of Mars. I went with an 11mm TV Plossl for 164x and a Baader Neodymium filter. It was a bit 'Mr Blobby' but the red colour was unmistakable. There was no real detail but I could see a bright white albedo feature in the north. This confused me at first but it was very probably the northern polar hood feature. So I'm double happy!



    Or dinosaur big happy ...



    MARS FEVER! :eek:
     
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  10. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Orion25, May 26, 2022
    #10
    It's contagious! I'm waiting until it moves into the evening sky before I get serious with Mars, but I will be up for the Jupiter/Mars conjunction this weekend!
     
  11. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, May 26, 2022
    #11
    Yeah, I didn't expect much, but possibly seeing the NPH was definitely unexpected. I thought I'd only really see Saturn. Even Jupiter was a bonus. This time last year I saw a moon transit on Jupiter with the Titchy Sixty. Good luck with the weekend conjunction. I'll be expecting pictures lol.
     
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  12. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Orion25, May 27, 2022
    #12
    That's great, Dave. I'm expecting a nice, dust-free view of Mars like in 2020; it'll be nearly as close, too. I can't wait for the Jupiter/Mars conjunction. It's looks like it will be all clear :)

    Oh yeh, did you read the article on here about Voyager 1? It seems like the old probe has finally gotten dementia:

    https://astronomyconnect.com/forums...nerating-random-looking-telemetry-data.13646/

    So sad...but it's still functional, though. I doubt Kim would care :(
     
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  13. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, May 27, 2022
    #13
    Mars was really good for me in 2020. So I'm also looking forward to it this year, especially if it's nearly as close. I'm pretty sure I witnessed a couple of small localised storms last opposition. This year the oppo' will be on the 8th of December, so I'm not sure what the weather will be like here. Cold no doubt lol. I might just see the Jupiter/Mars conjunction on Sunday morning.

    sunday.jpg

    I reckon Voyager 1 is lonely fourteen and a half billion miles away from everything.



    Unless it's been sabotaged by those pesky Zeta Reticulans. :mad:

    zeta.jpg

    I hear they want Kim's phone number ... and they have a big probe ... :eek:
     
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  14. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Orion25, May 27, 2022
    #14
    :eek::eek: LOL!
     
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  15. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Jun 2, 2022
    #15
    I had another dawn session Thursday morning with the Titchy Sixty. The seeing was quite good.

    2nd.jpg

    I could see the Cassini Division and there was some detail. I witnessed a Ganymede occultation at 04:04 BST. Then turned my attention to Mars for a slightly longer session than last time. I could still see the white albedo feature in the north, although it wasn't so bright.

    terra.jpg

    The phase was more defined. I got a hint of darker surface features, probably the Terra Cimmeria region. I also thought I could see a tiny point of white in the south which may have been the polar cap.
     
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  16. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Orion25, Jun 2, 2022
    #16
    Great report, Dave. I'm glad you had a nice observing session. The detail you're already seeing on Mars is very encouraging. I'm waiting until it's in the night sky though - I need to get some sleeeeeep, lol.
     
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  17. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Jun 2, 2022
    #17
    Thanks Reggie. I think the seeing was well above average. Saturn was sharp and I didn't even use the 'Saturn filter' (#11 yellow-green) lol. I caught Saturn at around 03:30 and as it's the highest at the moment I got to spend more time on it. I saw Titan. The detail on Jupiter was sharp even at 144x (12.5mm KK ortho'/5x Powermate). You really need around 200x on Mars but I could manage 164x which is an 0.36mm exit pupil on the Titchy! I was fairly comfortably seated so I could relax well. I even had a decent cup of Lapsang tea with me. The phase was definitely clearer than last time. After a while I could perceive darker blobby bits among the blobby red bits and the blobby white bits. So yeah, it does kind of bode well for later in the year.



    What ever happened to Mr Blobby anyway?
     
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  18. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Orion25, Jun 3, 2022
    #18
    LOL! Never heard of Mr. Blobby over here. He's a bit of a klutz but he sure does get around!
     
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  19. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Jun 3, 2022
    #19
    Definitely a candidate for the Dufus Klutz award. He just seemed to disappear. I have a theory ...

    blobby.jpg

    ... that these blokes have something to do with it. :eek:

    blokes.jpg
     
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  20. Orion25

    Orion25 Well-Known Member

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    Orion25, Jun 4, 2022
    #20
    :eek::eek::eek::p
     
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