Zeta 1 Aqr, Gamma PsA, Eta PsA & 53 Aqr

[Dennis]

Hello,

I saved the closest doubles for last as they required the most post capture processing to show the components cleanly.

Ron Wodaski’s “CCD Calculator” tells me that the Mewlon 180 F12 with an x2 Barlow and DBK 21AF04.AS CCD camera gives me an image scale of 0.27 arcsec/pixel and SkyTools tells me the Dawes limit for the Mewlon 180 F12 is 0.6 arcsec.

Eta Pisces Austrinus is cleanly split at a separation of 1.82 arcsecs with the image made up of 8 frames from 1200 stacked in Registax.

For a night of 3 to 4/10 seeing, it does show that a webcam capturing frames at 15 fps can still record the occasional moment of steady seeing when it occurs.

Cheers

Dennis

[Ric]

Nice work Dennis, the splits are very distinct despite the seeing conditions you experienced.

[Dennis]

Thanks Ric – I’ve got Ving to thank for stirring my new found enthusiasm for multiple stars. Not to mention the refractor-like performance of the Mewlon 180!

Cheers

Dennis

[Ric]

I must admit that Ving re-sparked my interest in them as well though at the moment it's purely visual. I must say that your results have sparked my interest in the imaging side of it.

Cheers

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Nice one Dennis

[ving (David)]

very nice work dennis those splits are quite good
the mewlon sounds like quite a good scope for this.
are the colours natural do you think? they look pretty

[Dennis]

Hi Ving

In terms of accurate colour, I haven’t seen these doubles visually - yet, so cannot comment on their accuracy. However, here are the steps in the processing process:

• Run the AVI’s through Registax – nothing applied, just the Align & Stack.
• Save as BMPs.
• Open BMPs in Photoshop.
• Use Noel Carboni’s actions to increase the star colour.
• Use masking to bring out the fainter component where the brightness (magnitude) difference is too large.

So, in terms of colour, I don’t think that I have added “extra” colour or skewed the relationships between the existing colours.

Cheers

Dennis

[Dr Nick (Nick)]

Good job!

[Dennis]

Hi Nick

Thanks! I took the opportunity to visit, paying you a trip around your very nice website - great site, nice educational processing techniques and great images - well done!

Cheers

Dennis

[h0ughy (David)]

first rate effort Dennis and the presentation is nice too!