Saturn 16.5.13 ASI120MC

[dawson]

Here is one image I've managed to extract from the mass of data I collected last night with my new ASI120MC camera on the 180mm Mak; I think it's ok seeing as it's about 1.3 billion kilometers away.

 

Captured in Firecapture (thanks Ibbo for suggesting that to me, much better than Sharpcap on is my impression after only one nights use), and 400 frames (the best 25% of those captures on this run) stacked in Registax 6 (which now seems to work fine on my laptop and can handle files up to about 5GB I've learnt).

 

I think I can see the so called Encke Division in the rings as well as the more obvious Cassini Division, but that might just be wishful thinking and me wanting to be as good as Damian Peach [my hero].

 

This imaging lark is by no means plug and play for anyone wanting to have a go. I find it a constant battle, sorting out numerous issues, like fighting several different fires at once; the mount, the OTA, the camera, focus, gain, computer wanting to be rebooted, the cold, needing to eat tea at 11pm, hedgehogs, light pollution filters (or not), Felix texting me, wanting to go to bed but wanting to stay up (and knowing it will take 20 minutes to pack up), tripping over numerous wires in the dark, conscious of making too much noise at 3am in the garden.... It's quite exhausting! I keep wondering if an observatory in the garden would counter many of these, but the best place for one seems to be smack bang in the middle of the lawn! Not sure the neighbours would be keen on that, or it wouldn't help when it came to selling if I move.

 

As usual, posting an astro image on Facebook is always rewarding as non-astro people are much more easy to please than you grumpy lot

 

http://www.facebook.com/nas.org.uk?hc_location=timeline

 

James

 

 

[dawson]

JPG version.

 

James

 

[Brantuk]

I told you you'd want an obsy lol. Nice little pod for about two grand and forget the neighbours hahaha!

 

Very nice shot of Saturn - loads of detail and well worth the hastle.

[red dwalf]

looks good James

[catman161]

I told you you'd want an obsy lol. Nice little pod for about two grand and forget the neighbours hahaha!

Very nice shot of Jupiter - loads of detail and well worth the hastle.

Jupiter??!!

[catman161]

That's absolutely brilliant James. Well done, masses of detail. That camera was definitely worth it

[Doc]

Jupiter??!!

 

I told you Kim's never used his kit 

[dawson]

Thanks, yes quite please. I suspect Kim is taking the Mick out of the fact the file is called Mars (it was a setting on the Firecapture program and I didn't change the nomenclature).

 

Just noticed that on my phone and desktop, the image is very red; I processed it all on my laptop. Going to just re-work that file on the desktop and see is anything odd happens in reverse.

 

James

[+Graham]

Super shot there James.

You must be well pleased, I would be.

[dawson]

The less red variation!

 

Not sure why the image looked good on the laptop but dark and red everywhere else!

[tbird]

The less red variation!

 

Not sure why the image looked good on the laptop but dark and red everywhere else!

 

Very nice, James. I have a similar issue with my laptop, images look bright on it but are dark when viewed on the desktop

[Guest CodnorPaul]

Excellent James - think you also put me off imaging for life!

[Brantuk]

Lol @ Felix and Mick - it's my fingers not doing what my brain tells it to do.

[Sheila]

nice image there

[T A WOW]

Very nice chief.

[Guest Eddy]

Nice shot James, I wish I could afford that kinda kit, the big Mak's are lovely

[dawson]

Thanks all.

 

Yes, I do like the Mak. Mine was second hand, and I believe him when he said it had been used three times. It was £400, and I paid another £100 for the dual speed focuser, Bahtinov, an eye piece and something else, so I was happy with my purchase.

 

So far, I'm chuffed with the camera too, though I was chatting with my new best buddy Dion today, and he said I should have gone for the QHY IMGOH.

 

Thanks anyway.

 

James

[Perkil8r]

Very impressive

[Teslar]

Nice images James. Can't get decent weather for my Mak it's been cloudy and dull since I got back. Typically there were three clear nights when I was away

[dawson]

Thanks. I'd emailed Damian Peach and he's told me to capture many more frames, 4000+ over 5-6 minutes for Saturn. I always thought that would be too long for Saturn, but I'll give it a go. I also want to try increasing the focal length with the Powermate, but it's still tricky to find Saturn again as the focus changes and the gain needs to go up etc. I also want to try taking DSLR video of Saturn through one of these new Baader eye pieces, and see how that works out.

 

Talking to Ron today, I might just do a one star alignment on Spica and then that may eliminate the cone error I get which impacts on my GOTO and I'll just stay in that area, and do another alignment if I want to slew elsewhere. I'm still hoping to get these rings.

 

James