Saturn 12/05

[rawhead]

Quickie from last night. Hopefully i'll bring out a little more after a few days processing...

Not sure I will get many more cracks at Saturn this time round

Tal 200k - Tal X3 - DMK (F30)

2500 from 3400 in R6

Cheers

[hayju01]

Nice image Jon!!!

You've caught cassini well there, something I am struggling to achieve :-)

[rawhead]

Thanks Justin

Another one at 150%

[Mr Bond]

Very envious. Nice image!

[KEJ]

Jon

Nice image, can I please ask you a question.

I see you say 2500 images out of 3400 in Registax 6(I assume) is that with the program limiting the images or do you go through and initially(for want of a better word) hand pick your 2500 to be processed and further limiited at 70-80% etc going forward?

Hopefully thanks

[beamish]

Great effort ! 'fraid it's over for me:(.............................................................just have to wait for Mars & Joop

[rawhead]

Thanks again chaps

Jon

Nice image, can I please ask you a question.

I see you say 2500 images out of 3400 in Registax 6(I assume) is that with the program limiting the images or do you go through and initially(for want of a better word) hand pick your 2500 to be processed and further limiited at 70-80% etc going forward?

Hopefully thanks

Hi KEJ,

I use the program to limit the frames. I have it set to automatically select the best 80%. I then judge the quality of the seeing along with the shutter speed I was using to manually play with the slider. I usually just leave it at 80% to start with. I do then look at the stackgraph after optimisation. This will further limit the frames selected. Hope that helps Any questions fire away.

I found this link for R6. I follow the wavelets recommendations exactly.

http://www.sunspot51.com/Registax6/Registax6.htm

Cheers

[AndyH]

Another nice one, Jon !

Andy.

[rawhead]

Cheers Andy

[resonator77]

very nice

what is your location currently Jon?

[rawhead]

very nice

what is your location currently Jon?

Cheers pal

Still in Norfolk. 5 miles NW of Fakenham.

[KEJ]

Jon

Thanks for the link and comments, I will have a read now. I wasn't sure as being new and you hear about some people literally hand picking each frame and I am thinking is that how some of these images are achieved and ok I have been using the sliders, but up to the last few weeks my images have been rubbish to be honest.

I popped outside late on the 13th/early 14th and managed this now, even though the moon was really bright as I had initially intended to try for some DSO’s, then realised with the moon this bright forget about it(won't be doing that again).

This now is my best to date.

Cheers

[rawhead]

That's perfectly respectable. Nice and big, Cassini clearly on view

Was it with a webcam? Which barlow? How many frames? How do you find focusing?

Getting the capture settings right on the software you are using is also critical.

Mine was at 15fps, the higher frame rate is definite plus using the DMK. They cost a bloomin fortune though.

Filter wheel + filters next on my hit-list. Bored of mono........

Cheers

[willcastle]

how do u make the images of the planets so large? (sorry im a total novice)

what magnification are those images?

[Clayton]

Nice result Jon.

[rawhead]

how do u make the images of the planets so large? (sorry im a total novice)

what magnification are those images?

(I stand to be corrected on this)

It's primarily down to the focal length of your scope. The higher the number the bigger the image. My scope is F10. Using a X3 barlow this goes to F30.

If you are using an ST80 with a focal length of F5 a X3 barlow would produce and F15 image that is half the size. (I think ! )

I think I have read the average webcam gives you the mag of a 6mm EP. A 6mm EP in my scope is X333 using the X3 barlow will take this to (a mind boggling) X1000 !

Makes you realise why the seeing is so critical...

Cheers

[KEJ]

Jon thanks.

So my scope is a Meade 8" SCT LX10 F10 and a Philips webcam from the Morgans website, I also used a X2 Meade Barlow (made in china).

I made or captured about 10 or 15 clips of 2500 frames at a time.

However, I think I still had the images too bright and the gain up too high.

I did also try a few different settings, usually around the 15-25fps.

Focusing I bought a bahtinov mask from Keith engraving and to be honest I find it makes it a lot easier, I pointed at a bright star first focused on that with the mask, then swung over to Saturn job done.

I will include a snap shot from my starting avi file, I think if I would tweak my settings a little to get to the point some of the other guys that post on here I would be well pleased.

[KEJ]

This is a screen shot from my avi file being played in widows media player..........any observation or comments to help from anyone welcome

It does make me laugh when I think how 2500 of these(ok filtered and a bit of paint shop magic) can produce this

[rawhead]

I did also try a few different settings, usually around the 15-25fps.

When using the philips webcam stick to a max of 10fps. 5 only if the seeing is excellent...

[KEJ]

When using the philips webcam stick to a max of 10fps. 5 only if the seeing is excellent...

Jon ok, on my next outting I will, lots of cloud down my way at the moment.

[Clayton]

(I stand to be corrected on this)

It's primarily down to the focal length of your scope. The higher the number the bigger the image. My scope is F10. Using a X3 barlow this goes to F30.

If you are using an ST80 with a focal length of F5 a X3 barlow would produce and F15 image that is half the size. (I think ! )

Hi Jon

The Magnification is (almost) entirely dependent on the effective focal length of the system. Not to be confused with the focal ratio (f15, f30 etc) which is to do with how bright the image appears, ie. with the same sensor at the same focal ratio the image will appear the same brightness no matter what the focal length is. Just to make it confusing, different sensors can have different pixel sizes which can change the size of the target in the image even though the focal length is the same:icon_scratch: And some camera's perform better in low light than others, and so can operate better at large f ratios.

I can manage about f25 with my setup, but notice some others with great results operating at f30 and much higher. The average seems to be about f27 for Saturn this season. Upping the magnification has many benefits if the seeing permits (which many times it does not) for eg. focusing is easier, details are better resolved. But the frustration level can escalate unless you have a tracking mount and a motor focus. And if the seeing is ordinary (or worse) is best left alone in favour of lower magnification and a faster shutter speed.

I think:icon_scratch:

[rawhead]

Hi Jon

The Magnification is (almost) entirely dependent on the effective focal length of the system. Not to be confused with the focal ratio (f15, f30 etc) which is to do with how bright the image appears, ie. with the same sensor at the same focal ratio the image will appear the same brightness no matter what the focal length is. Just to make it confusing, different sensors can have different pixel sizes which can change the size of the target in the image even though the focal length is the same:icon_scratch: And some camera's perform better in low light than others, and so can operate better at large f ratios.

I can manage about f25 with my setup, but notice some others with great results operating at f30 and much higher. The average seems to be about f27 for Saturn this season. Upping the magnification has many benefits if the seeing permits (which many times it does not) for eg. focusing is easier, details are better resolved. But the frustration level can escalate unless you have a tracking mount and a motor focus. And if the seeing is ordinary (or worse) is best left alone in favour of lower magnification and a faster shutter speed.

I think:icon_scratch:

Thanks for that Clayton