SATURN 23rd Jan - wit da Mewlon 180

[Robert_T]

Seeing settle a little later in the evening, maybe touch above average, but not great by any means - say 6/10. Tried a few things including the 4x powermate and a couple with 2.5x powermate.

The shots with the 2.5 powermate worked reasonably well. The first I ran two 180 sec 1800 frame avis together and pulled out best 1527 at normal exposure (~180 on the light meter) and for the second, just one avi but with gain pushing exposure up around 250 on the light meter. Amazingly this still produced OK (eg didn't seem to be overexposed) results and even revealed the inner Crepe ring (on my lappy - you'd have to squint and use your imagination otherwise):P .

With the 4x and the Mewlon this is nearly F50 and I had to wind Gain up to 80% to get an image - this might have worked better on the C9.25 which delivers more light and a more moderate F40. I include the image here at far right just to show the image scale - not worth much else.

Comments welcome.

[rumples riot]

Ahh nice images Robert, the first is a little over processed for my eyes, but still very nice.

[matt]

Well done Rob!

Although I'd like to see more images with the 9.25, funny enough!:P

I agree with Rumples. That first one looks a little harsh on the wavelets.

I'm struggling a bit with that too. I push it to bring the detail out but then the contrast goes all over the shop. Just too edgy in places. It's a fine line ain't it:lol:

[rumples riot]

Would love to get some imaging done so we all could compare, but weather gods hate me at the moment. Going to try again tonight, got up last night for Jupiter but found clouds to defeat my intentions. So it is good that Robert is taking care of the 9.25 end. I do think the Mewlon gives a better image though.

[matt]

Hold on RR!!!!:scared:

We've not even started to give the Big 10 minus 3/4 room to flex its muscles...

Let's see what happens once we really start pushing each other to go that extra yard:lol:

But that Mewlon certainly is a capable beasty!

[rumples riot]

Well it is a Tak afterall. Seeing will make a huge difference though, so it will be interesting. I think that it will be a cold day in hell before I get good seeing again or a cloudless night. Must have really upset the weather gods. So till then I will watch all of you image.

[matt]

Nah....

Those weather Gods are just conspiring to get you to get those artifical star collimation skills down to a precise art, to practice your processing and fine tune eveything until BAM!!!!!!!!! The clearest, best seeing you've ever seen with a clear hole clean through the atmosphere that's over your scope and your scope alone. For a week:lol: :lol:

Mate. Surely your day has to come?

[acropolite]

Nice detail Robert, given up on Mars at last???

[Robert_T]

Thanks Guys... my next Saturn will be definitely with the C9.25. I want to really start seeing what it can do... weather permitting.

Had one of those GRRR mornings this morning. Setup the scope all night to cool with alarm set to 3.30am so I could have ago at Saturn and Jupiter. Dragged myself from bed, almost cursing the "apparently" clear skies, only to find Saturn slipping behind the tress just as I was getting it up on the screen. Flicked across to jupiter and the clouds rolled in, spent a frustrating hour waiting as Jupiter shined in and out through the cloud. Finally gave up about 4.45 as the sky was starting to brighten and as soon as I had the scope off the clouds disappeared like a parting of the red sea, not enough dark left to get re setup so packed it away in disgust! Lost sleep - zero result!

cheers,

[rumples riot]

I totally understand Robert. This is just par for the course here in SA. Very frustrating indeed.

[asimov]

I like all 3 Rob. Nice shooting!