CraigT82

Very nice attempt, both belts clearly visible

It's best to observe planets as often as possible! You never know when you'll catch good seeing and can get surprisingly nice views even when they're low down sometimes

Well the frac will be designed to be used with a diagonal so that's where your lack of out-focus is coming from. Could either use camera in the diagonal or use an extension tube?

Thanks all. Very kind comments and much appreciated.

Yes same on mine too. Have backed the hand bolt off just a touch and now the az adjusters work without any wobblyness in the mount/pier connection. Rather clever really. How long that bearing lasts will remain to be seen. Also chopped 1ft off the pier so now the scope is at a more sensible height. The whole set up rolls ok over my asphalt driveway so no more heavy lifting for me yippee!

Hi Tony, Im not really a DSO imager but I'll chip in some points to consider: NEVER BUY A CAMERA BASED SOLELY ON HOW MANY MEGAPIXELS IT HAS!!! 1) DSLRs are designed for daytime photography, whereas astro CCDs/CMOS cameras are design for astro imaging. Use the right tool for the job. Not to say that you cant get good astro images from a DSLR. It's just not the optimum tool. 2) Astro cameras have cooling (mostly) to keep the noise low in long exposures. DSLRs dont usually have this. 3) DSLRs have big sensors, if the image circle formed by your scope cant cover this big sensor then it's a waste of space, not to mention the severe vignetting you'd get. Most astro imagers start off with a DSLR (as they already have one) then move over to mono CCD/CMOS cameras at some point. This forum is full of posts from people who wished they made that move earlier.

That's a great first attempt, nice and sharp and with nice colour too. Well done

Thanks Ade 👍

No it doesnt look anything like that through mine either... it's the miracle that is fast cameras and stacking!

Coincidentally I've also just taken delivery of one of these 'portapillars'. Bought to save my back carryimg mount outside, now I can just roll it out the garage. Nice piece of kit but the little black bolts at the top were softer than butter that's been out the fridge for an hour. Now replaced with decent cap heads. Ade have you figured out a way to fine align (polar) in the az direction using the mount adjusters? Without loosening the central mount bolt (which I cant seem to get at!).

That's a great first effort... even a great tenth effort! Sharp, nicely processed and I like the framing too. Onwards and upwards!

I'm shooting in blue skies from about 6.30 - 8.00pm ish when it disappears behind a tree. Altitude about 50 degrees down to 40 degrees.

The website is great Wouter, once the L100 section is complete it will be a valuable resource. I remember when I did the L100 I struggled on some of them as there were no images in the guide of the actual thing I was supposed to be observing.

Thank you that's very kind of you to say that.

Thank's for the kind words everyone. Have been experimenting by adding the UV data from the 9th onto the colour data I captured on the 10th with a GPCAM3 224c. More of a true colour view I think with the normally cloud detail coming from the UV.

Yes I've been getting more impressed with it everytime I use it lately. The great seeing on the 9th really allowed it to show it's mettle. I had it up for sale a while ago but now very glad I had no takers.

Made this false colour venus image using a UV data from 9th April and IR data from the 10th April (as I didn't capture any IR on the 9th). As the IR channel is generally featureless I didnt see any issue doing this, just needed to align and resize the IR slightly to match. 90k frames of UV and same IR. 20% stacked for each and synthetic green made from a 50/50 mix. Fullerscope 8.75" newt with APM 2.7x barlow. Altair GPCAM 290m with Baader UV and ZWO 850nm filters. Image resized 200%. North up.

Should be fine for visual use. You will get some wobbles when focusing but that can be minimised with the peanut butter lid mod, and even eliminated altogether with the cheap skywatcher motor focuser fitted

Very nice! I think the reversed colour scheme makes the cloud detail more visible. Good idea!

I've taken last nights UV venus image and another from the night before and boosted the contrast to the max in order to clearly show the difference in the cloud cover detail over a 24hr period. Had better conditions on the 9th.

Can you still use the spreader plate are ar the legs too far apart to fit that?

That's great, looking forward to seeing the first UV results! I know what you mean about focusing and the double cusps you see. I think it is just atmospheric as opposed to something wrong with the focus. It doesn't seem to cause a problem for me as the soft limb/cusps can be tightened up in post process

Yes the cloud tops circumnavigate the globe every 4 days or so. As far as UV filters go I've been using the Baader U venus filter and am very happy with it, but I've seen good results with a wratten 47 (paired with an IR block as there is IR leak with this filter).

It's pretty much all in UV. There is detail to be had in near IR (700nm to 900nm ish) which relates to base of the upper clouds, as opposed to the very cloud tops which are shown in UV, but this requires larger apertures: most detailed IR images I've seen have been done with C14s and the like. I've tried a few times with a ZWO 850nm but havent seen anything yet. Edit: After some googling I've found a few images showing cloud detail using 742nm and a 10" newt, and a couple more done with a C9.25. I'm going to keep trying!

Great image scale there.. shows some real promise. Buy a UV filter you wont regret it!