First attempts at imaging: Saturn with 127mm Mak and SPC 880

[Jove]

A couple of months ago I bought an SPC 880C webcam with telescope adapter with the aim of doing some planetary imaging. I've not managed many decent sessions since then but have made a couple of images of Saturn. I'm using a Skymax 127 (f11.8) on the standard Skywatcher syntrek mount that the scope came with. I have been using the controller to keep the target in the field of view of the camera while capturing an AVI using wxAstroCapture. I've had mixed results

f11.8:

I'm quite pleased with the results at f11.8 and tried to use my 2x barlow to get f23.6.:

Oh dear I found f23.6 difficult - keeping the planet in the FOV was much harder and, worse, I found it very hard to get a crisp focus. The 'in focus' range is very narrow and because the focusser requires quite definite movements the image would bounce in and out of the camera FOV . Is there anything that can help with getting a decent focus? Would a more robust mount help or is this a problem arising from the way the focusser works on these maks?

Thanks for any tips Looking forward to Jupiter being up at a reasonable hour now

[JamesF]

That's not a bad start. You can at least tell what it is, and make out the rings as they pass in front of the planet. Right now is hardly a good time to be attempting images of Saturn, either.

Anyhow, as regards focusing, there are, I believe, some postings you should be able to find regarding a peanut butter lid fine focus adapter which gives you a bit better control. I'm even more low-tech and use a spring clothes peg on the focus knob. It helps enormously although I do get complaints from my wife about me nicking her decent clothes pegs.

You may also find it useful to buy or make a Bahtinov or "Lord Y" focusing mask. You can then get the scope focused as sharply as possible on a bright star and without moving the focus, turn the scope to focus on the planet. That last bit may well be harder than it sounds. I was using a red dot finder with my Mak for ages, but found it's far easier to get something into the field of view with a guide scope when you can't change the focus postiion.

The last thing you need is a stupendous supply of patience. The initial learning curve is steep and you can spend a lot of time out with the scope getting to grips with what you're doing, getting images with different all sorts of different settings and experimenting to find what works for you, but still end up with an image that is far from stunning.

Looking at the FLO website, I'm not sure which mount you have. I've been using mine on an old EQ3-2 and the real problem is the after-market drive motors not being as smooth as they could be. If the clouds ever clear I'll put it on my shiny new NEQ6, which may very well be bigger than the scope is.

James

[bm1980]

Good captures not bad, keep at it and you will see improved results, i will say though that saturn is past its best now. i am waiting for jupiter as i havent had a serious go at it yet, i think you will see better results with jupiter later this year.

regards

Ben

[bigal1]

Great first attempt well done , as Ben said saturn is well past its best now but Jupiter is on its way back and looking good with both north and south bands showing which your scope will pick up quite nicley