Peter_D

I don't use a Newt for planetary imaging so putting the question out wrt to the OP's first post: would a coma corrector be needed when the planet is on axis? An F4 scope will need a Barlow so if a coma corrector is also used, is that just adding another layer of glass to the image train?

I bought an older Skywatcher 120/1000 achromat last year and had it out yesterday observing the Moon - no cool down, no collimation, no cameras, no complications 🙂 Yes, there was a little bit of CA but nothing too off-putting. I was able to push magnification up to x250 using a 4mm eyepiece and the image wasn't losing sharpness. I have it mounted on a Vixen GP that has the Skywatcher Goto upgrade fitted.

Your image is literally a mugshot! 😀

Petavius and Humboldt (near limb, to the left) this evening. Orion OMC 140 Maksutov Zwo asi224mc Baader UV-IR Cut filter

One of my favourite parts of the Moon: the rimae Ariadaeus, Hyginus and Triesnecker. Orion Optics OMC 140 Zwo asi224mc SvBony 685nm IR Pass Filter

Janssen's hexagonal shape visible mid right this evening. This ancient walled plain is 195km in diameter. Orion Optics OMC 140 Zwo asi224mc Baader UV/IR Cut filter.

Seeing was really poor here. I had captured with a Barlow trying to get Io on the GRS but nothing useable. The final run was un-Barlowed and by this time, Io had transited. I live in a built up area so I'm not sure if it was warm air from chimneys or if it was higher up in the atmosphere. Meade 10 inch SCT, Zwo asi224mc, Baader UV/IR Cut filter.

Lovely view of Venus and the Moon (very low on the horizon, centre) this morning.

I have the Teleskop-Service version of the 15x70s. I would caution against bringing them on a hike as I've read it really doesn't take a whole lot to knock them out of collimation.

There's a transit of Jupiter by Io taking place at the moment. I was trying to observe it visually (Orion OMC 140 Mak), couldn't make it out. I started to image it (was clearly visible) and going back to the visual, I could now see the transit using a 7mm part of a 21-7mm zoom.

Hi, I had very good seeing this morning as well as a re-collimated scope and it really was clear to me that conditions were very good, even as I was watching the live view. Hopefully I have not pushed the processing too much! I have 30 minutes of data so I will try to use Winjupos as well as make an animation. Meade 10 inch SCT, Zwo asi 224mc, Baader UV-IR Cut Filter, 2x Barlow. 16,000 images, best 50% used. Final image reduced to 80%. Clear skies Peter

Thanks..I got feedback and the flaring on Io was not due to not having an ADC but actually due to the scope being ever so slightly out of collimation (I confirmed this and re-collimated last night, shutting the stable door when the horse has bolted 😏). I'll start doing a star test before imaging, when possible, in future.

Hi, Here's my first Jupiter of 2023. It was such a novelty to have it at 52 degrees elevation. I didn't use an ADC but in retrospect, maybe I should have because of the colour fringing on Io. Conditions were good, it was cool and still in the early morning. Equipment: Meade 10 inch SCT, Zwo asi224mc, 2x Barlow, Baader UV-IR Cut Filter. PIPP, Autostekkert!3, Registax6 22k images captured, best 25% used. Final image resized to 60%. Thanks for looking and clear skies! Peter

Thanks! Seeing deteriorated as I was imaging - I did capture with a x1.5 and then a X2 but the results were getting progressively worse -probably should have started with the x2 Barlow..

Hi, Here's Saturn this morning at 26 degrees elevation. I thought the seeing was going to be better but there was quite a bit of shimmer unfortunately. 10 inch Meade SCT, Zwo asi224mc, Baader UV/IR cut filter, Zwo ADC. Unbarlowed. 60K images captured, best 10% used. PIPP, AutoStekkert!3, Registax6. Original image resized to 80%. Clear skies, Peter

Venus 03 July 2023 Orion Optics (UK) OMC 140 Maksutov, Zwo asi224mc, 1.5x Barlow, Baader UV/IR Cut Filter.

Hi, The Moon was at a high elevation for me yesterday but it was still daylight so I used an IR Pass filter. I centred on Theophilus but when I inspected the image later, I saw I had captured the Apollo 16 landing site and catena Abulfeda. Equipment: Orion Optics (UK) OMC 140 Mak, ZWO asi224mc, SvBony 685nm IR Pass Filter. Clear skies Peter

Hi, Here's my first Saturn of the year using a Meade 10 inch SCT. Saturn was at 24 degrees elevation. Initially I tried a 2x Barlow but seeing was not supporting it so I dropped down to 1.5x. Meade 10 inch SCT, Zwo asi 224mc, Zwo ADC, 1.5x Barlow, Baader UV-IR cut filter. Final image resized to 80% of original. Clear skies Peter

Ceri was the real star of the show, couldn't believe how calm he stayed

Hi, loved the video - visuals and audio - Under the Milky Way by The Church is one of the best songs of the 1980s

Hi Not sure if I got any cloud detail this evening but there is a slight variation in colour hue 🙂 15000 frames. I had exposure set very high (25ms iirc) so was getting around 38 fps. Orion (UK) OMC 140, Zwo asi 224mc, 2x Barlow,TS Optics #47 Colour Filter. Clear skies Peter

I'm not sure about this 60mm red Tasco refractor. The only 60mm red Tasco refractor that I have experience with is the 9VR that has excellent Vixen made optics.

Yes, I agree that he should have differentiated between new 60mm refractors and vintage 60mm refractors. I've had several 60/700 or 60/900 refractors from the 1970s and they've been good performers on the Moon, double stars and brighter DSOs.

Vallis Schröteri - lunar domes Rümker and Gruithusisen Gamma are also visible. Orion (UK) OMC 140, Zwo asi 224mc, SvBony 685nm Pass Filter

Hi, I had a go at capturing Venus yesterday as seeing was very good. Does it look like I captured cloud detail with my asi224mc? Time of capture: 21:17 CET; 19:17 UTC I captured 100,000 frames, used 40 percent. Orion (UK) OMC 140, Zwo asi224mc, 2xBarlow, UV-IR Cut filter. Thanks for looking, Peter