Jupiter, 19th May 2005

[iceman (Mike)]

Hey guys.

I was keen to test out my optics with some imaging last night, after fixing my pinched secondary. I was also keen to use my new motorised focuser to get sharp focus.

Unfortunately the seeing was completely ordinary so neither test was conclusive.

I'm somewhat surprised that the result turned out ok, after watching jupiter swim about on the screen. The GRS was about to transit but Lost was about to start, so I didn't wait around for the seeing to get better and the GRS to transit.

Details:
Scope: 10" dob without tracking
Seeing: 3.5/10
Transparency: 6.5/10
Capture: ToUcam 10fps, 1/25s, 0 gain, 0 gamma, 95% saturation
FL: ~3100mm, using 2.4x barlow pulled out and ToUcam pulled out
Processing: virtualdub, ppmcentre, registax (~50-80 frames stacked), AstraImage (bottom row).

Feedback and comments welcomed. Hopefully my tracking platform is only 2-3 weeks away!

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

The way your going Mike your not going to need tracking soon. great shots. Man what dedication

[bird (Anthony Wesley)]

Well done Mike - these are major improvements on your early images, amazing work with a dob.

Bird

[iceman (Mike)]

Thanks Paul and Anthony. I got some more Jupiter last night at a slightly longer focal length, with the barlow and ToUcam pulled out even more. The seeing was at least 200% better than the night before, so I'm excited about processing and posting them because I think they'll be the best ones I've done!