Planetary camera choice

[chouet]

Hi

I've been fumbling around with a Neximage, 2x Celestron Barlow and a CPC925 (F10) for the last year and am struggling to get any reasonable results for Saturn or Jupiter.

My feeling is that the sensitivity of the Neximage is too low and I've followed every guide/tutorial I can lay my hands on.

What I want to do is upgrade the camera and possibly the barlow to something known to give good results. I'm using a netbook at the moment, but would be willing to put a desktop or full laptop in the obsy if necessary to drive a more capable camera.

What are the current recommendations for a high-end planetary camera and barlow(s)?

Should I go mono with filters? I'd be happy to get good mono images as a starting point.

Should I go for a camera with built in IR cut filter?

Thanks in advance.

[cgarry]

Can you give an example of the images you have been getting? The chip in the Neximage camera is not that bad and I would think you could get some good pictures with your setup as it is.

Cheers,

Chris

[riklaunim]

Currently mono cameras with ICX618 sensor rock the planetary market:

- DMK21 with ICX618 (the latest version)

- PGR Flea 3

- iNova PLA-Mx

- QHY IMG0H (lousy default software)

- Basler Ace (not recommended now)

For mono you need the LRGB filter set +/- some handy filters like IR passing filter (ProPlanet 742). Also for even more extreeme imaging of low alt planets (like Saturn) atmospheric dispersion corrector (ADC) could be added.

[chouet]

A few examples attached below. Usually around 2000 frames captured.

[riklaunim]

Better camera will help, some extra processing too... unless you have very bad seeing.

[beamish]

TBH they look like the result of low altitude /poor seeing in the 1st instance and settings/processing in the second.

A neximage and 9.25 ought to prove quite a tasty combo . Look at the images that AztecastroMcJ is producing with a 5" Mak and an SPC900 (same chip)

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-planetary/147258-jupiter-28-6-11-127mm-mak.html

Your image scale looks fine. For Joop ATM wait until it reaches at least 25* alt before shooting , preferably later/higher as the muck in the atmos has a huge effect at lower alts.

[cgarry]

I am not sure when your images were taken, but it I think you can get much more from your setup without buying a new camera. Here is a Saturn image I took with my C9.25, x2.5 powermate and a SPC900NC webcam (same chip as your Neximage).

Saturn 23/04/2011 00:04

This was taken a while back when Saturn was better placed than now, but does give an idea of what you should be able to get with your current gear.

Cheers,

Chris