After a long time processing, I present some images of Jupiter.
These were taken on the morning of the 18th February, in seeing that fluctuated from average (6/10) to great (8/10).
I was lucky enough to get a Europa transit and a rising GRS, and I also made a point of directly imaging Ganymede and Io. They can be seen separately in another thread I started this morning, but they are here as well in context - in a composite image with the shot of Jupiter. The scale and size are as captured and observed.
I played with a few different settings, mainly gamma. The image with 0 gamma (the one with Ganymede and Io) looked best while capturing and after registax-only processing, but I believe the others (captured at 50%) capture more data at the edge. However the gamma needs to be reduced during post-processing, else it leaves it with a white-washed look.
They were all captured @ 5fps, with the 5x powermate and the Toucam (pulled a little way out). Processing was the usual routine.. and it took ages (I had 13 avi's in total).
In the montage of 4 images, the top 2 were in 6-7/10 seeing, while the lower 2 were in 8/10 seeing.
I'm really happy with these images, I believe they're my best of Jupiter thanks to the best seeing I've had this year. I tried chasing him into daylight to get more of the GRS (as Robert said, just one more avi!), but the seeing deteriorated again after the 5:42am image.
What a remarkable set of images. So much to look at; you've got it all. GRS, Galilean moons, a transit, some blue festoons, heaps of white ovals and all with natural colours! Not to mention huge image scale.
I not sure of last years captures, but as your 5x powermate is still rather new, i would have to agree it is your best.
5:42 on my lcd laptop is the stand out for me. A couple of comments, on the lcd screen, the white section right in the middle looks on the reflective / shiny side, but the grs and and white nodules in the top bands are first class. Gee if only you could have had 1 extra hour, you would have nailed a superb grs transit. I prefer the brown bottom band of 5:42 to the coppery top two.
A silly question perhaps, but it is one that is starting to seep into my brain. I love what you and I are doing with the 10" newts and i believe we have a few more years of cutting out teeth, but in a few years time, we have to have a crack at sct's, auto filter wheels and fast cameras! Oh yes, plan a road trip with bird to rockhampton one year!!!
Its ok, you can be honest with me, there is no possible way for your lovely wife to find out you want to spend $20,000 on a new outfit, it will be our little secret!!!
Im continually being amazed at the standard of images being taken by IIS forum members.There's been some quantum leaps in the picture quality & processing.
Mike, these are stunning, beautiful colour and detail
These lead up into the shots I started taking from 3:57am (4:57am your time) and ended at 5.07am (6.07 am your time). You've got Europa before it emerges from transit whearas I picked it up shortly after. Maybe we should tack them all together for an even longer sequence
Im continually being amazed at the standard of images being taken by IIS forum members.There's been some quantum leaps in the picture quality & processing.
i really hope for good skies at sv on that saturday night and give your scope a rip with the powermates, toucams and enough registax wizards to grab a beauty out of yours!
Thanks all for the nice comments. I'm happy to have finally had "one of those nights" where everything comes together.
DP, I think i'll be on the ToUcam for a while - just can't afford the $2k cameras, filter wheels and filters. And when you've got 90 seconds for Jupiter, you have to have everything right (and automated!) or you'll miss your opportunity while you fumble around with manually changing filters or re-focusing etc.
Plus I don't think i'll ever go the SCT route - my next scope will likely be a 16" or 18" dob driven by servocat and argonavis.
My best Jupiter - 18/02/2006
