Jupiter...from 2018 (yeah, I know)

Stonius (Markus) · #1 19-08-2021, 01:34 PM

I know buying new gear can bring on cloudy weather, but can buying a 16" Goto Dob bring on a lockdown? Seems that way.

The last few years have been tough in terms of astronomy. I live in an apartment, so getting out in the world with my telescope is the only way I get to experience the stars. Sometimes my GF is co-operative, but TBH, using her place as an observatory feels a bit wrong on the few nights a week i get to see her. Priorities and all.

Between family commitments or lockdowns, it can be hard.

So I figured since I don't really enjoy star-hopping all that much and I can't get to a dark sky site that often, AND I have 3 Telescopes that aren't really set up for planetary, I decided to get at Hubble Optics 16" Goto. It's replacing my current 16" which doesn't track and isn't an ultralight.

It arrived a month ago. Or most of it did. They forgot the motor controller which will be arriving imminently, and now we have not only a lockdown, but a curfew as well! I imagine it's to stop people having parties, rather than standing in a big empty field at night by themselves, but rules are rules and fines are fines.

So, long story short, I reworked some old data taken on my old Push-to 16" from 2018, taken with my Canon 5D MkIV. Essentially, I'd set the camera running, let the planet drift through the field, reset, repeat. It leaves a lot to be desired. The planet distorted as it got to the edges, then there was the jiggling as the scope settled. I can't even remember if I used EP projection or powermate.

The result was a few videos of various lengths, never more than about 300 usable frames. I spent a lot of time in PIPP limiting the frames to just the good ones, which made a big difference to the resulting quality. Strangely, PIPP seemed to have a better algorithm for judging the quality. Autostakkert would introduce some weird ones in it's ordering. Playing with Autostakkert settings made the ugly square lines on the limbs disappear - mainly noise Detection and AP size being the main variables. Then I decided to experiment with WinJuPos, just to get the hang of it. Then a little more tweaking in Photoshop and here you go.

Probably the best image I've ever taken of Jupiter under less than ideal conditions. Hopefully not the best I'll ever do - this lockdown has to end sometime, right?...right? ugh. I'm aware it's not the sharpest, but considering the circumstances I think I pulled everything I could out of that equipment and data.

Looking forward to getting this new scope out so I can spend more time just looking, really looking. And hopefully getting some brag-worthy pictures of Jupiter sometime.

Markus

PKay (Peter) · #2 19-08-2021, 02:48 PM

Hang in there mate, it will end one day.

Maybe (if you 've got the cash) try itelescopes.
Turns out they have an offer where you can try for free.

I had a laugh yesterday.
The surf was on and there was 20 cars parked out front at 6AM.
All rules broken, standing around, no masks, no distancing, cops in bed?

Me: 'Hi boys, hope you have waterproof masks' laughter...

To your image:

I know that planetary is a lot harder than it looks.

Good for you Markus and well done

Stonius (Markus) · #3 19-08-2021, 08:41 PM

Thanks Peter :-). I think the thing about this whole thing for me is doing it myself. I haven't managed to get planetary astrophotography properly happening as yet, but I'll get there. For some reason the iTelescopes thing, though doubtless useful to some, feels a bit like cheating to me. I kinda like having problems to solve and tinkering. And planetary has quite a different set of challenges, but it's interesting.

But yeah Covid, At some point everyone will be vaxxed and it will just be a bit of a flu, and everyone can go back to licking doorhandles and rolling in the gutter or whatever it was we did in the before-times. :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by PKay

Hang in there mate, it will end one day.

Maybe (if you 've got the cash) try itelescopes.
Turns out they have an offer where you can try for free.

I had a laugh yesterday.
The surf was on and there was 20 cars parked out front at 6AM.
All rules broken, standing around, no masks, no distancing, cops in bed?

Me: 'Hi boys, hope you have waterproof masks' laughter...

To your image:

I know that planetary is a lot harder than it looks.

Good for you Markus and well done