Jupiter from Brisbane 12/05/2008 4:57am

[edwardsdj]

Hi all,

Very excited to have another Jupiter image. Tried imaging from about 1am onwards but Jupiter was swimming even at 4:30am. Around 5:00am, the conditions suddenly improved and I got a couple of reasonable AVIs :)

Colour not as good as the last one but very happy with the detail.

Details:

First image time: 11/05/2008 19:57 UT
Second image time: 11/05/2008 20:03 UT
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Scope: C8 with Ultima 2x and extension
Camera: SPC900NC
Focal length: 7m
Focal ratio: f/35
Processing:
Stacked best 2000 of 3000 frames in registax.
Wavelets in registax.
Separate processing of RGB channels.

Sorry about the JPG but even with the most aggressive crops cannot fit an uncompressed BMP into the 200k limit.

All comments/advice most welcome. Thanks for looking.

I don't know if this is of any use to the Hubble Jupiter campaign on the weekend?

Have fun,
Doug

[matt]

Hi Doug.

Another fine image.

Yes, the colour is a little orange/yellowish. Are you able to adjust in Photoshop or some other image editing software?

Also, what exp and frame rate settings are you using?

Still....a top effort for the conditions. I've not even bothered for a few days after having a look at various jetstream maps and other weather resources.

So...kudos for your tenacity:)

[edwardsdj]

Thanks heaps Matt.



Thanks for the comments. I'm using GIMP. I'm getting better with it all the time. I've just posted a second image taken a few minutes later where I've got the colour heaps better. Still could use work though.



I know you used to push me to use 5fps when I was starting with Saturn, but I always get much better results at 15fps on Jupiter. It lets me capture more frames before the planet rotates too much which allows me to compensate for the compression with stacking.

I then set the longest exposure time available at 15fps and adjust the gain until the histogram is at about 220. Much like you told me when I started.

I use custom white balance (as auto makes the colour balance fluctuate wildly).



As I said, I found the conditions shocking until 5am. I also got into using a blowdryer to clear the dew. The scope was absolutely dripping by 2am.

I wonder if the secret to good seeing in Brisbane is to get up early and start imaging around 5am rather than staying up late.

Have fun,
Doug

[iceman]

Nicely done Doug, some good detail in the first one.

Stacking 2000 frames is far too many - stack about 500-700 (of the best ones) and see if that sharpens it up a bit.

Also, there's no need to post it as a bitmap - 100% jpeg is fine for that size image. You're not losing any detail. Everyone posts jpegs.

[matt]

Hey Doug.

My advice with the ToUCam/SPC900NC would have been 10fps for almost all occasions....5fps only in very good seeing. There's not been anything resembling very good seeing in Brisbane for quite a while. So 10fps it is.

I never shoot at 15fps with a ToUcam. Too much compression:)

Also...dont worry about rotation with Saturn. Unless you know there's going to be a storm visible...you can go to town (within reason) on capture time.

I capture for between 2 and 3 minutes (for a total of between 1200 and 1800 frames respectively)...and as Mike says, 2000 is far too many frames to stack. I generally stack around the 400-500 mark...if the seeing's OK. But I also set the % quality in Registax around the 85-90% mark...to kill off the crap frames in variable seeing.

Cheers.

[edwardsdj]

Thanks heaps for the advice Mike.

Here is a reprocessed one of the first image (4:47am) with much better colour and only stacking the 500 best frames.

It does look more detailed to my eye.

Thanks also for boosting my confidence in the jpegs.

Take care,
Doug

[edwardsdj]

Thanks heaps for this advice Matt.

I must say, I gave up on Saturn due to terrible seeing to my North-West. Jupiter is another matter, I have been shooting no longer than 3 minutes in order to minimise rotation effects.

I will try for 10fps next time. I think what I need to do is focus at a higher frame rate and then drop the frame rate for the imaging. Focus is a huge problem for me as I'm using the standard focus knob on my 10 year old Celestron SCT.

I just posted a reprocessed image where I stacked only 500 frames. It does look sharper and more detailed to my eye. I think I'm getting the colour better too.

Can't wait for another crack at Joop. I've yet to image a shadow transit or the GRS.

Have fun,
Doug

[matt]

Hi Doug.

Yeah...do whatever you have to do to get your focus right, before dropping that frame rate back.

For Jupiter, I set the capture time to 90 seconds.

Hope you don't mind. I just had a quick play with your Jupiter image to try and reduce some of the burnout in the EQ region and try and eek a little more detail out.

Cheers.

[Matty P]

Nice images Doug especially the reprocessed image.

Your images are coming along nicely.

Keep up the great work. :thumbsup:

[davidpretorius]

coming along leaps and bounds, i can only concur what matt and mike have said

[Robert_T]

Hi Doug, looking good, especially your re-process image. Matt's tweaks are excellent too reducing the over-exposed bit in the centre and bringing out the contrast more. Well done:)

cheers,

Rob

[edwardsdj]

Wow!

Thanks heaps Matt. What did you do to get this?

I have much to learn about processing and only have GIMP to work with.

Take care,
Doug

[matt]

No probs, Doug.

Just took the jpeg into Photoshop and added a Saturation adjustment layer, worked on the brightness and contrast, adjusted the levels slightly and worked a little unsharp mask.

The data is actually quite good. Some nice detail in the major belts and a few nice white spots in the southern polar region.

Good capture:thumbsup:

[edwardsdj]

Thanks heaps for this information Matt. I can do unsharp mask in GIMP and will have to work more on the colour/saturation/brightness and contrast.

[edwardsdj]

Thanks heaps for the encouragement Matty.



Thanks David. Your advice on previous occasions has been invaluable.



Thanks Rob.



Thanks again Matt. I'm thrilled with the amount of detail your reprocessing has brought out. The detail in the belts has me even more excited about Jupiter.

I've yet to experience really good seeing. I know what it looks like visually and have yet to get that with the cam. Haven't even had conditions good enough to collimate to my satisfaction yet.

I really hope the seeing improves for all of us in Brisbane :)

Have fun,
Doug

[iceman]

Nice repro, Matt. Doug - You can tell the data is there, just needs more practise with processing :)

[Lester]

You are well on the way Doug. Nice detail in your images.

Well done.

[edwardsdj]

I've just got into the unsharp mask suggested by Matt. Mine isn't as natural as Matt's but I'm sure I can get there using GIMP. There are even some noise reduction features I'll be keen to try on the blue channel next time.

Thanks everyone for the invaluable advice and encouragement :)

[Luke]

beautiful. Wish i could shoot stuff like that
Well done