Mars Venus Saturn First Go

[Peter_A]

Hi All,

I have not owned a proper telescope before so this is my first go at planets and the first trip to the observing site with my new 200P/EQ5 setup.

Did anyone else take some good images of these last night (21APR12)? I'd like to know what my images could look like if they were better.

Thanks,

Pete.

[Rihard]

Hi Peter_A,

very nice pictures. I've recently bought the same telescope and the results are similar to the ones I had a few weeks ago. What camera did you use to take the pictures and what program did you use to stack them (if they are stacked)? Your pictures look sharper then mine. I have used 2 barlow lenses and a SLR camera. Stacked with Lynkeos.

[Peter_A]

Hi TziuRiky,

I used the x2 Barlow that came with the 'scope and my SPC880. I shot a 1000 frame video for each planet using Sharpcap and then stacked using Registax 6.

Best wishes,

Pete.

[Cozzy]

Very nice they are to.

I took a few of Saturn (still to stack most of them) and one of Mars on Friday 20th, they are in my album.

[Peter_A]

How do I look at your album Cozzy?

[Cozzy]

Peter, just click on the name Cozzy and then public profile then scroll down to album.

[JamesF]

My Mars and Saturn from Saturday night. Mars is clearly gibbous now, and noticeably smaller than it was a month ago. Saturn should not be that yellow, but I was mucking about with settings.

Your focus looks pretty good. Mars looks nice and sharp and there's clear surface detail. Unfortunately image scale is always going to be awkward starting with an f/5 scope. I like Venus, too, even though it's comparatively featureless. Saturn is a tough one. This year I think you have to take what you can get. You've still got the Cassini division and detail on the planet, so it's not at all bad.

James

[Peter_A]

Thanks James, your post has addressed two of my concerns both concerning Mars. I hadn't realised how clearly visible the phase would be and your image also shows the slightly peculiar looking shape of the limb in the polar region.

Pete.

[JamesF]

If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, there's a much-discussed artefact around at least one limb in many images of Mars. It turns up in far too many of mine, but is investigated in some detail here:

http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-planetary/181277-mars-edge-rind-artefact-investigations.html

James

[Peter_A]

James, in these images it looks to me like the polar icecap at the top is a mountain but maybe that is because the adjacent areas look low. I'll read the link you sent.

Pete.

[pajr777]

Mars is clearly gibbous now

I thought only the planets orbiting inside Earth had phases when observed from Earth?

[Peter_A]

Hi pajr777,

The planets outside the Earth will have phases but the further away they are from the Sun and Earth the less the effect will be. Of course none of them will become a crescent like the Moon, Mercury or Venus, just a slight reduction from a perfectly circular disk. At opposition they should be as near to circular as makes no difference.

Pete.

[pajr777]

Hi pajr777,

The planets outside the Earth will have phases but the further away they are from the Sun and Earth the less the effect will be. Of course none of them will become a crescent like the Moon, Mercury or Venus, just a slight reduction from a perfectly circular disk. At opposition they should be as near to circular as makes no difference.

Pete.

Thanks for that, it makes perfect sense.