Venus (RGB+UV) 2013-08-25

[lepton3 (Ivan)]

Another Venus imaging session this evening at around 1800, just on sunset.

My equipment is C11 + TV 2.5x Powermate + Custom Scientific Photometric U filter + DMK21AU04.AS camera.

I continue to experiment with the palette. This time, I took an RGB image and colour balanced for white, then used the UV data to modulate the B channel by about 30%. Then, to enhance contrast I also used the UV data as a value layer. It is a little less colourful, but possibly more scientific.

Anyhow, as a comparison here is also the image from the 15th, to the same scale and palette. Only 10 days on, but you can see the phase has decreased, the size increased, and the cloud bands have changed a little.

-Ivan

[Curt]

They are some great shots mate. The change in cloud bands is amazing.

[lepton3 (Ivan)]

Thanks Curt.

It will be nice if the weather and seeing allows me to get reasonably frequent images to track the cloud changes over a period. I tried this last year, but the gaps between sessions were too long.

-Ivan

[Shiraz (Ray)]

really nice images Ivan. It's hard to get frequent images on a target that is only available in a short widow each night - good luck. Regards ray

[Quark (Trevor)]

Nice work Ivan, have never imaged Venus, maybe time to lash out on a Astrodon UV filter and give it a go.

Well done.
Regards
Trevor

[lepton3 (Ivan)]

Originally Posted by Shiraz

really nice images Ivan. It's hard to get frequent images on a target that is only available in a short widow each night - good luck. Regards ray

Thanks Ray, yes it is really only around a 1 hour window each evening. Fortunately I have a reasonably good western horizon.

Originally Posted by Quark

Nice work Ivan, have never imaged Venus, maybe time to lash out on a Astrodon UV filter and give it a go.

Well done.
Regards
Trevor

Thanks Trevor, would certainly recommend you give it a go. The UV filter makes things pretty dim in my 11" with the DMK21AU04 camera, meaning slow capture rate. A 16" scope and sensitive camera would have the potential for some good results.

-Ivan

[el_draco (Rom)]

Excellent images, Love to see an animation!

[Matt Wastell (Matt)]

Hi Ivan - these are great - I do like the subtle and natural look - yep I looked on the net!

[lepton3 (Ivan)]

Originally Posted by el_draco

Excellent images, Love to see an animation!

Thanks Rom. Even though it would be a lot of work to put together, I'd love to get enough data to make an animation. Here's hoping.

Originally Posted by Matt Wastell

Hi Ivan - these are great - I do like the subtle and natural look - yep I looked on the net!

Thanks Matt. It was promising that the first two data sets could be processed the same way to give similar results. I'll be trying to keep the camera and software settings as constant as possible to get a consistent look.

-Ivan

[John Hothersall]

Nice catch with a little cloud showing, getting Venus cloud can be difficult as Venus is very fickle.

John.

[U.K.Cowboy (Stuart)]

Very nice Venus captures!

[Larryp (Laurie)]

Nice work!

[BlackWidow (Mardy)]

I have Venus envy... Well done. Love the detail

[lepton3 (Ivan)]

Originally Posted by John Hothersall

Nice catch with a little cloud showing, getting Venus cloud can be difficult as Venus is very fickle.

John.

Thanks John, yes Venus can be fickle, a combination of the low elevation and the seeing usually hasn't settled down at sunset.

Originally Posted by U.K.Cowboy

Very nice Venus captures!

Thanks Stuart.

Originally Posted by Larryp

Nice work!

Thanks Laurie.

Originally Posted by BlackWidow

I have Venus envy... Well done. Love the detail

Thanks Martin. Was pretty fortunate to get cloud detail visible for two sessions in a row.

-Ivan

[Solar (Ralph Smith)]

Lovely result Ivan. If you do that with Venus I cant' wait for your Mars shots.

[lepton3 (Ivan)]

Originally Posted by Solar

Lovely result Ivan. If you do that with Venus I cant' wait for your Mars shots.

Thanks Ralph, yes I am looking forward to Mars in April. It will be about the same angular size, but considerably better elevation!

[multiweb (Marc)]

That's quite amazing the details you've got in there. so that's 7m FL right? F/25?

[gregbradley]

Remarkable images. The best I have seen of Venus.

Greg.

[lepton3 (Ivan)]

Originally Posted by multiweb

That's quite amazing the details you've got in there. so that's 7m FL right? F/25?

Hello Marc,

Yes, that is 279mm f/10 with 2.5 powermate = 6975mm f.l.

On stacking I did a 1.5x drizzle, and then a 1.3x scale in gimp.

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Remarkable images. The best I have seen of Venus.

Greg.

Thank you very much Greg.