Finally got on to some really good seeing. It has been a long time between drinks. This image was taken earlier in the evening and I am sure there is better data further along.
Pretty happy with the level of detail too given that Saturn was only 45 degrees up at the time.
If you thought that was good, then take a gander at this image. Man I am really happy now. Seeing must have been right up there to get this sort of data.
That second one is just amazing with the dust details separating out and fine banding. A larger looking Saturn than on the 28th is working well with this seeing you have.
Didn't I tell you the seeing was good
That is absolutely stunning Paul. Wow...
My boy and I were up at 10pm using the 12" and 8" visually on
Saturn and I think the views were some of my all time best
in 30 years, even many years under Broken Hill skies.
I have wanted to show my son how good it can get and last
night was no exception.
I only wish I had the webcam set up to get something.
Seeliger effect (sp?) was very obvious visually.
Thanks guys, just awoke and I am still too excited from the night to sleep.
Processing is one thing but the ultimate decider is seeing, such is the fickle nature of things.
Steve, I reckon the seeing last night was infinitely better than the night before. This was something else at 1230pm. It could have still been better as the blue channel was very still but it had lots of going in an out of focus. Visually though this would have looked amazing at around 430x. I never got to see it through the eyepiece at its best, but I am sure glad I got to capture it at the peak.
Doesn't it lift the spirit when data such as this is streaming in, the Flea is working well for you.
Yeah its does. When the drought was happening I was getting seeing like this on a regular basis and thought nothing of it whatsoever (it had been nearly 10 years of drought and I have only been imaging at Hi resolution since 2004-5. From the time of the drought breaking (18 months or so) the seeing had dried up with few nights of stability. It was becoming a little depressing.
Last night I was very excited watching the live feed, muttering under my breath for fear of waking my neighbours and my wife. It had been so long since observing exceptional seeing I could hardly believe my eyes. I had become desensitised to observing average seeing and thinking it was good when in fact it was simply average. Being a seasoned campaigner of this caper I knew that the seeing would return but I had in recent times begun to wonder when.
This was like seeing my first lot of good seeing all over again. A wonderful feeling as you well know. It is times like this that make planetary imaging fascinating and a real joy.
Here is one from halfway inbetween the two images. I did a super resample just for effect. I will have to work on the data a little get it just right for future display.
