Planetary imaging with a 5-inch refractor

[MLParkinson]

Here is a summary of the best images I managed to produce using video recordings made throughout the recent winter season of planetary oppositions. Mars mosaic: from top left to bottom right, the images are based on recordings centred on 18:34, 18:41, 19:33 and 21:47 UT on 28 August 2018. Jupiter Mosaic: from top left to bottom right, the images are based on recordings centred on 18:29, 19:29, 19:47 and 20:38 UT on 14 July 2018.
I used my Televue 5 inch refractor and a 3x Barlow for all of these images. I need a larger telescope to lift my game with this kind of imaging; even so, the project was lots of fun.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mlparkinson/45002239705/in/dateposted-public/

[spiezzy]

hi Murray these are top images very nicely done you should be proud of them
keep em coming
cheers Pete

[foc]

I enjoy seeing your images from a 5 inch Au based frac. Interesting range of images. Good to see someone enjoying a good year. I had a lot of light-hearted fun too this year with my little Mak. Which camera have you been using?

[MLParkinson]

Thanks Pete, I am proud of them, even though I know they show a fraction of the detail others are recording.

[MLParkinson]

Thanks Ross, Earlier in the year our local astronomy shop was selling the last of its stock of ZWO ASI120 colour cameras for a highly discounted price, so I grabbed one. I haven’t had much experience at planetary imaging, and I thought this basic model was a good starting point.

[TareqPhoto]

Nice images!


I really don't know what's wrong with me, i only started doing planetary imaging this year with my new scope, it is for the first time in my life, i got nice results as so many told me even better than those of you above, and i still feel not happy or not satisfied with those i did, and i keep compare my images to something from 14"-16" scope or even to 11"-12" scopes when mine is only 7", i do use a very nice camera and i am trying my best using those planetary imaging software and followed most YT tutorials i found, so what i should do, shut my planetary imaging because i will never be satisfied no matter what or i just wait until i can really afford a big really big scope then try again?

[Saturn488]

Great shots!

[MLParkinson]

Thank you very much Chrys. I don't think they are great shots compared to other images posted here. Nevertheless, I am proud of them considering I recorded the unprocessed videos with a 5 inch refractor. Like most of us, one day I would like to own a gigantic telescope.

[MLParkinson]

Tareq, the feelings that you are experiencing are the same that all artists and photographers feel, forever yearning to achieve perfection. That feeling will and should never go away, otherwise you are out of the game. Astronomy magazines sometimes publish articles stating that astrophotography is easy. Personally, I disagree. I have never found it comes easy. I think that it is a technically challenging art-form that benefits from perpetual learning and persistence. If you continue imaging Jupiter with your current scope for the next 10 years, I bet the quality of your results will improve year on year. For the little my opinion is worth, I think that you should persist with your current scope for at least another year or two.

[Atmos]

Having done a lot of visual with a 4" and been very happy and attempted planetary imaging with a 5" and been disappointed, yours are great!! You are limited by aperture but you should be happy with what you've achieved.

My only suggestion would be to use SCNR (PixInsight) to remove the green bias. Looks a lot better when the green has been zapped :)

[MLParkinson]

Colin, I think you are right, I just did a quick test on one of my Jupiter images. When I set the slider to 100% green removal the processed image looked silly, but with the slider set at 50%, the image was subtly more pleasing to the eye. Hopefully I will remember to keep this tool in my work flow when Jupiter and Saturn grace our skies next autumn.

Thanks for the tip.