Venus project update

[Dave Smith]

Today I have taken (probably) the last image of Venus on this side of the Sun as it is now less than 9 deg from the Sun and getting dangerous. I now have to wait until end of September for it to be a safe distance on the East of the Sun in order to complete the project.

The Venus images are all taken in daylight using my Vixen FL102S refractor with a 2x barlow and DMK21 camera. My technique for getting Venus onto the chip is firstly with a wide angle eyepiece get the Sun in the centre of the FOV (with a suitable filter over the objective) and then GOTO Venus, remove the filter and it has always, cloud permitting, been visible. Replace the eyepiece with a higher power eyepiece and recentre. I then replace the eyepiece with the camera (with a red filter) and adjust the focus. The histogram usually gives an indication that Venus is about to appear in focus before I see it on the screen.

Once I have the image on the chip I then add the barlow and refocus.

The images are all placed on an ellipse (not shown) at their correct distance from the Sun as measured using SkyMap Pro.

The first image (back left) was taken last July and the last (back right) today.

Dave

[Space Cowboy]

That really is a masterpiece Dave! Still not been able to capture the elusive Venus myself.

[oldfruit]

Great results and shows a good level of dedication on your part.

[MikeD]

That's awesome, congrats.

Mike.

[FranckiM06]

Waoo, it is really good result and so beautiful.

Congratulations.

Franck

[Dave Smith]

Many thanks for the comments, Stuart, Oldfruit, Mike & Frank. This wasn't planned to go on so long, my original intention was just to capture a range of phases.

Dave

[King]

Excellent that you've kept this up so long. I was wondering how this was coming along of late...

I was out after Venus today now I have GOTO but going from the solution you mentioned here and previously I stumbled into one obstacle (which I'm hoping is just down to needing to get more familiar with GOTO); is there some option I need to activate that enables Sun targetting? Because from Brightest Star and Two Star alignment, the Sun does not appear as an option for me.

[brantuk]

An absolutely superb representation of the phases Dave and very very interesting to hear your technique doing this against the sun in broad daylight. You ought to be giving master classes mate

[Dave Smith]

I was out after Venus today now I have GOTO but going from the solution you mentioned here and previously I stumbled into one obstacle (which I'm hoping is just down to needing to get more familiar with GOTO); is there some option I need to activate that enables Sun targetting? Because from Brightest Star and Two Star alignment, the Sun does not appear as an option for me.

I use EQmod which with StarMap Pro can GOTO anything - very useful. My mount being permanently set up and polar aligned also helps enormously. Today for example it went directly to the Sun and onto Venus without any need for correction. Only minor adjustment was needed to get the image on the chip.

Dave

[Dave Smith]

You ought to be giving master classes mate

ROFL

:D

Dave

[tyler_jrb]

Wow, that is one hell of a masterpiece!. Waiting to see venus myself as my new 150p dob just arrived this morning.

[Steven van Roode]

Really great composite image! I posted the picture on the Transit of Venus Project's blog:

I hope you will be able to capture the last quarter of Venus' orbit from October to March.

[Mark at Beaufort]

Dave this is an excellent piece of work and it is interesting how you produced it with your Vixen frac.

I am glad that Steven has placed it on the Venus transit website. So next year Dave you will need a final photo to show Venus on the Sun's disc.

Mark

[Dave Smith]

Thank you for the kind comments and thank you Steven for posting it on the Transit of Venus Project's blog. Mark, I already have photos of Venus on the Sun's disc from the last transit. I would love to get it again next year but the British weather may not be so favourable.

Dave

[Ant]

Stunning mate!

Looks the absolute nuts Cracking presentation with the Sun in the centre as well!!!!

Ant

[Dave Smith]

Thanks Ant. You know it is all your fault following on from your Venus composite

Dave

[Psychobilly]

Bloomin' 'eck...

Nice work Sir

[Dave Smith]

Thanks Peter. It's not finished yet.

Dave

[Psychobilly]

I'm not normally in this Neck of the woods but having seen it TJ's review had to pop over ...

[Dave Smith]

Peter kindly pointed out to me that the blacks in my image above were not uniform. (If it is not obvious to you just put it into photoshop or similar and give it a stretch) I think I have now sorted that by setting the surrounding "black" area round each image as the black point in levels. I hope that is better. I should point out that I am very happy to receive contructive criticism or any pointers to improving any image. I am assuming that a true black is fine for this type of image unlike the background sky in a deep sky image.

Dave

[Psychobilly]

Nice No its more than Nice - its Superb

[Stinky_Pete]

stunning!

[MorningMajor]

Wow - very impressive, Dave, well done

[NGC 1502]

There's someone at my club with an identical image......................

Oh it's you Dave

Very nice indeed, Ed.

[Neilius]

Wonderful compilation!