Full disk and AR11109

Paul Haese · #1 26-09-2010, 09:49 PM

Tested out the new DMK41 today. I can now do full disk captures. Don't put off by size, this one is reduced due to the seeing conditions.

I then tested the camera with a barlow to see what sort of scale I would get and that gave a nice pleasing look.

Click here for full disk

Click here for quadrant.

Feel free to comment.

sheeny (Al) · #2 26-09-2010, 10:48 PM

Very nice Paul. I love the detail in the quadrant shot with the barlow.

The image scale in the full disc shot seems a lot smaller than I get with the ED80 (600mm FL). What the FL of your SolarMax 60?

Al.

Paul Haese · #3 26-09-2010, 10:53 PM

Al it is a lot bigger but the seeing was so bad at the time I just had to reduce the scale. No doubt some of my settings were a little off too while I am learning this particualr camera. I am so accustomed to using the skynyx now that I had forgotten how to use the DMKs. Next time I hope to have a much better image set.

THEO-007 · #4 26-09-2010, 10:57 PM

good shots. Especially the second.

iceman (Mike) · #5 27-09-2010, 05:06 AM

Nice. Did you have any probs getting 15fps?

sheeny (Al) · #6 27-09-2010, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

Al it is a lot bigger but the seeing was so bad at the time I just had to reduce the scale. No doubt some of my settings were a little off too while I am learning this particualr camera. I am so accustomed to using the skynyx now that I had forgotten how to use the DMKs. Next time I hope to have a much better image set.

If it helps at all I use 15 fps, brightness = 0, Gain = 380, exposure 1/60s to 1/77s to get the levels right. I have also done some practice/experimenting with more gain and shorter exposure, but you do get more noise obviously, though if you stack enough frames it makes little difference I think. My main reason for that is to be ready the next time the ISS crosses the sun - it would be nice to get an exposure fast enough to stop the ISS

- and then overlay them onto a quality sun image

.

Al.

Paul Haese · #7 27-09-2010, 10:14 AM

Mike I am getting just under 15 frames per second. Not quite enough light for the camera with the 60mm.

Al, that is interesting. My setting were quite different. I work on the assumption that I have only around a minute before things change on the solar surface. This is mainly from doing high res really and a wider field of view is not likely to change much. How long do you record for? Are you recording the whole surface at once? The brightness and lack of shading seems to indicate that.

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #8 27-09-2010, 11:07 AM

Hoooo Whaaaa!
What I wouldn't give to be be able to nick these clouds off so I can see it for myself.
Thanks for posting Paul.

Paddy (Patrick) · #9 27-09-2010, 11:21 AM

Nice shots Paul.

Quark (Trevor) · #10 27-09-2010, 11:22 AM

They look good to me Paul, love the 3D effect and the depth of detail.

Cheers
Trevor

beren · #11 27-09-2010, 12:15 PM

Top work Paul, heaps of detail striking image

sheeny (Al) · #12 27-09-2010, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

Mike I am getting just under 15 frames per second. Not quite enough light for the camera with the 60mm.

Al, that is interesting. My setting were quite different. I work on the assumption that I have only around a minute before things change on the solar surface. This is mainly from doing high res really and a wider field of view is not likely to change much. How long do you record for? Are you recording the whole surface at once? The brightness and lack of shading seems to indicate that.

I don't think its as critical as say imaging Jupiter. There may be some features that will change rapidly, but they might be less than 1 or 2% of the surface, and they'll go that quick that you'll see the change from frame to frame in your AVI when you capture them.

If seeing is good, I'll do about 600 frames (40s) but if its not so good I'll push it to 800 or 1000 frames. Usually I'll stack the best 130 to 150 frames, but it really depends on the shape of the frame quality curve. Better to stack 30 good quality, low difference frames than 150 average ones.

My full disc shots are actually mosaics of 2 halves if you like. The sun fills the width of the FOV of DMK 41, so it exceeds the height. Sometimes there might be a couple of minutes between capturing each AVI, but I feel confident that I could capture them several minutes apart and there would be no detectable join between them, so compared to Jupiter, the Sun is really slow changing.

What's Jupiter's rotation speed... 11 hours... and the sun is measured in days...

Al.

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #13 27-09-2010, 06:02 PM

awesome

Matt Wastell (Matt) · #14 27-09-2010, 08:08 PM

G'day Paul
Very impressive images - I am envious as I have had no opportunity lately to view or image anything - I hope I do not miss the current AR and filament show!

Paul Haese · #15 27-09-2010, 08:23 PM

Al, definitely not like imaging Jupiter. This is to be honest so much easier on the seeing that is required.

I am considering doing a 4 panel mosaic but might see if I can get a 1.4x barlow as the 2x produces far too big an image scale. That way I can do what you are doing with a 2 panel mosaic. I am not sure though that I will get it like yours as there is high and low spots in the solarmax 60. More testing for sure.

Yep 25 days for solar rotation and 11 hours for Jupiter. However, solar spicules can change over minutes or so.

Matt I am sure that you will get some sun soon.

sheeny (Al) · #16 27-09-2010, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

Al, definitely not like imaging Jupiter. This is to be honest so much easier on the seeing that is required.

Yes, well the sun is a much more social size too!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

I am considering doing a 4 panel mosaic but might see if I can get a 1.4x barlow as the 2x produces far too big an image scale. That way I can do what you are doing with a 2 panel mosaic. I am not sure though that I will get it like yours as there is high and low spots in the solarmax 60. More testing for sure.

That's a shame, if that turns out to be the case. You're not the first person to tell me the 60 isn't flat (hmmm not sure if its the same scope though...) Ever since I started using the SM40 on the ED80 I've been keen to upgrade to a larger aperture to capture sharper detail at higher magnifications, but I'd be disappointed if the results weren't as seamless as I can get from the SM40.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Haese

Yep 25 days for solar rotation and 11 hours for Jupiter. However, solar spicules can change over minutes or so.

Yep.

Al.

Paul Haese · #17 28-09-2010, 01:01 AM

Al I reckon the SM90 or the lunt versions would be better. I can get the SM60 working well at high res but am still working on getting the setting correct for the full disk. Leave it with me and I will see if I can iron out the high and low spots.

rat156 · #18 29-09-2010, 09:08 AM

Hi Paul,

Did you use Registax or AviStack for the quadrant image?

One of the problems I get with registax is that it stacks the area of interest well, but due to the usually average seeing and low power of the SM40 then edges of the frame don't stack well. I think I can see this in your image as well, there seems to be some ghosting of features away from the centre of interest (which I'm assuming you stacked on). If you haven't tried it yet, give AviStack a go, it works very well on this type of image.

Cheers
Stuart

Paul Haese · #19 29-09-2010, 11:18 AM

Stuart, I draw your attention to the type below the image. Yes I do use Avistack for my solar shots. I ahve found the same thing that Registax just does not cut it when processing these type of images.

rat156 · #20 29-09-2010, 12:03 PM

Perhaps I should read, rather than just look!!

Is there an emoticon for smacking yourself in the head?

Cheers
Stuart