Mars 29th Feb (few more)

[Space Cowboy]

4 more from that night all very much the same. I'm pretty certain the secondary was dewed for all these as the seeing was so stable but sharpness hard to come by. Colours are not great something I need to work on. Top left was 10-41pm, bottom left 10-49, top right 11-04 and bottom right 11-11. All done in as!2.

[hayju01]

Very very nice! Great images

[astroman001]

Great set of images, I prefer the top left colour balance. Nice clouds.

regards

Peter

[neil phillips]

Well done Stuart think its amazing what your doing with that Dob, a inspiration to all motor dob users in the uk. Im finding colour tricky too, sad histos not helping, but also not really found my feel on Mars yet either, Regardless to get that level using dob tracking, in the uk is something, your really blazing a trail for other dob users to follow in the uk. I cant make up my mind if i prefer the greener or redder takes, the greener takes are more correct, but something about mars just looks good red

[Space Cowboy]

Thanks fellas. Top left is my pick too, just like the cloud and haze detail that stands out that bit more.

Cheers Neil I guess we are both trail blazers what with your crazy focal lengths . I've decided I need a auto focuser if I'm gonna ramp up the fl to over f40. Mars was jumping around pretty bad at over f30 when I adjusted focus wheel making it that bit tougher to nail the last 5% of focus.

Having a truss OTA makes dewing that much worse despite my diy camping mat shroud. I'd only had the scope out for 30 mins and it was soaking wet.

If conditions allow I may try my 2x barlow with the powermate that would in theory make over f50. Alternatively I could stack 2 extension tubes with the powermate but can't see that getting above f35.

I honestly can't see any difference in image quality when stacked using Registax or AS!2 but the latter is soooo much faster. BTW all the above images were from 4000 frame stacks.

[Cloengaa]

How on earth can you get such a sharp and big detailed image ?

I try everything with my SPC900 and it will never come to that.

[Clayton]

Nice work Stuart:hello2:

Come to Australia, no dewing problem here;)

I'm with Neil re the colour:)

I know exactly what you mean re the focuser, I had the same problem last night. It's especially bad if the seeing is not very good and going in and out, you move it a bit and it looks worse, but is it worse or just the seeing?? I have electric focusing on the 8" and it's a joy to use (can't afford another one ATM so it might be coming off soon:D )

Keep up the good work:headbang:

[Space Cowboy]

How on earth can you get such a sharp and big detailed image ?

I try everything with my SPC900 and it will never come to that.

All depends on the size of your scope, the seeing and camera. This is why I got a DFK

[Space Cowboy]

Nice work Stuart:hello2:

Come to Australia, no dewing problem here;)

I'm with Neil re the colour:)

I know exactly what you mean re the focuser, I had the same problem last night. It's especially bad if the seeing is not very good and going in and out, you move it a bit and it looks worse, but is it worse or just the seeing?? I have electric focusing on the 8" and it's a joy to use (can't afford another one ATM so it might be coming off soon:D )

Keep up the good work:headbang:

I would love to come to Aus but not sure how I'd get the Dob on a plane without security issues I've always been reluctant to clutter the scope up with yet more leads but now the imaging bar is getting higher I feel the time has come.

[Luis Campos]

Stuart,

Smashing images!

very good detail on surface features and clouds, check out the thin line on the pole...lovely.

Keep on it, before it goes away

Cheers,

Luís

[Space Cowboy]

Thanks Luis! Here is yet another version using 1.5x drizzle in as2 which seems to work the best for getting sharp but natural detail. This was taken 10.57pm.