Neptune 21/8/2006

[mick pinner]

this is my first attempt at Neptune or any of the deeper planets for that matter. criticism greatly accepted.
LX200 @ F/10
Canon 350D with 25mm EP Projection
1 x 30 sec exposure @ iso 400.

[mickoking]

Neptune, great effort for such a remote planet and for a first go BTW I love the colour.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Nice start Mick


Have you thought about using the Mintron? What is it's longest exposure? I can pick Neptune up with my ToUcam, but it looks pretty bad because I don't have a long enough exposure. It might be worthwhile trying Neptune with your Mintron, it certainly has better sensitivity.

[Dennis]

Hi Mick

Wow - 30 secs is a long time and you have excellent tracking to sustain that. Can you provide the exact date / time so I can check with SkyTools against the 2 stars in the background?

Thanks

Dennis

[RB (Andrew)]

Wow Mick that's excellent !!!

[iceman (Mike)]

Excellent work Mick, I wonder if that detail is real or an artifact?? Have you got any other images from the session?

Is that a full crop or just resized?

[mick pinner]

hi Dennis, 21/8/2006 8:37.09 PM.

[Dennis]

Hi Mick

I think I have found a matching pattern of stars in The Sky 6 Pro based on your date/time details.

You may have “drowned” Triton with the 30 sec exposure? If you capture Neptune at prime focus on your 12” at f10 for say 2 to 5 seconds, you should easily see Triton as a small pimple just off to one side of the disc.

Well done

Dennis

[mick pinner]

Mike, l have some other shots and they all look pretty much the same, some without the ep projection. lt's a slight crop.
Dennis, l did get some shots with Triton but it was very windy last night so poor outcome, l'll try again tonight weather gods willing.
Paul, l will try the Mintron very soon, it should work ok.

[Robert_T]

Nice Work Mick, incredible to get a recognisable disk and colour for something so distant