Saturn May 16th

[Space Cowboy]

Good seeing again last night very similar to the 12th. Here is a quick process from 10.23pm.

[Lenny147]

Great pic that, awesome

[neil phillips]

Very nice Stuart. Might as well try as much as we can, as this will be it basically untill we are old codgers. Getting the cassini at the front im finding damm hard. its interesting with similar sized optics. your getting a similar level of resolution at the front of saturn as me. Even 280 mm optics seems to help a bit more ( C11 )

[Space Cowboy]

Thanks Lenny!

Cheers Neil.

Even the C14 boys struggle to get much going at the front at this elevation. Less noise I'm sure would help but with such a weak signal its gotta be J-Lo seeing to have any chance.

My laser battery died on me when tweaking the primary so collimation was not spot on whether that's noticeable I'm not sure....maybe rings a tad pointy?

[si@nite]

Lovely shot Stuart, thanks for sharing. SIMON.

[gary1968]

Very nice, was that with the DFK or the SPC? If it was the SPC then I aint getting a DFK, lol......

Gary

[Space Cowboy]

Thanks Simon. This was with the DFK Gary...I would have done a comparison shot but did not have the webcam with me.

[astroman001]

Hi Stuart

Good image considering the seeing conditions lately. Getting a clean Cassini right around the rings is proving difficult this year at low altitude. The bad news is that it's going to get worse over the next few years.....

regards

Peter

[Space Cowboy]

Too right Peter this is as good as Saturn will be for a looong time.

Here is a longer focal length shot possibly f28-30.

1.5x drizzle then 85% scale.

[chownsie]

Very nice! Good work.

[Space Cowboy]

Thanks!

Just realized the latest version v1.34 of image analyser has a far better local contrast tool than the old version. I'd been wondering why I could not get the same result on my netbook as my pc, its because I was using the old version so here is the same image as above but using newer image analyser. Shows clearer cassini with fuller rings and better disk contrast.

[tony4563]

Great image Stuart, well done.

I was looking at saturn myself through a nicely cooled 180 mak, but seeing was only so so here.

Cassini drifting more out than in

[neil phillips]

Hi Stuart wonder if ive got the newer version or not ? the thing i dont like is trying to raise the levels creats so much noise. It can be reduced with noise control but then the cassini softens. On the other hand i dont like my dimmer processes either, like my recent higher FL shot. i prefer the higher levels with the whiter rings like this here. But with noisy captures, sometimes its either one approach or the other difficult to have both i found. Smaller focal length shots with lower gain are much easier. which is why my smaller FL shots look far bettter balanced. Just pushing the equipment i guess into areas it doesnt really want to go. so for once i opted for cassini, but with dim levels and colour casts. im sure you know what im going on about

[Space Cowboy]

Worth checking your version Neil there is a big difference.

I didn't realise how noisy this image was on my netbook. Did the same fl at 15fps but forgot to change the shutter speed from 1/30 so that was just as noisy.

Cheers Tony!

[Space Cowboy]

Extra frames makes such a difference. Same image but with 5000 stacked, toned down the brightness too.

[paul schofield]

Wow very impressive shot. Great detail again wow.

[Kokatha man]

......I like the first image best Stuart - but I have to admit that I have this natural aversion to viewing Saturn when the planet's rings are aligned with the width of the viewing frame.....something about a tilted Saturn that gives it an element of dynamism and vitality in my books - but they're all very nice regardless!

[barkis]

Great postings of Saturn from two fine planetary imagers.

Stuart, I might be suffering from the same eye complaint as Percival Lowell, when he thought he saw Martian Canals. A mistake that cost him dear as far as reputation, which was a great shame, as he did some great work.

My reason being, I'm sure my eyes see The Cassini joined at the front in your last Image. Probably Illusionary though.

Ron.

[Space Cowboy]

Thanks Paul!

Cheers Darryl! Actually it was captured perfectly level but I know what you mean, though I always think the rings look rounder when level. Castrated to within a inch of it's life so my little netbook could process the avi faster. These are only in progress shots I shall properly mount a tilted image when satisfied with the final product.

Thanks Ron you could be right! Very good eyesight you have! Thats pleasing to get cassini at the front must be the extra fl.

[neil phillips]

Thanks Paul!

Cheers Darryl! Actually it was captured perfectly level but I know what you mean, though I always think the rings look rounder when level. Castrated to within a inch of it's life so my little netbook could process the avi faster. These are only in progress shots I shall properly mount a tilted image when satisfied with the final product.

Thanks Ron you could be right! Very good eyesight you have! Thats pleasing to get cassini at the front must be the extra fl.

Maybe he can correct me Stuart but i thought he meant vertically joined ? which most certainy is a illusion. if thats what he means. A noise illusion

[morimarty]

Yep I have to agree with Ron, I can see a full cassini JUST. I am looking at your last image on a large widescreen HD monitor this must help somewhat.

[Space Cowboy]

Here is a heavily sharpened version showing the cassini more clearly. Not the kind of processing I prefer but does show more detail.

[todd8137]

Looks great to me

Pat

[beamish]

These are exceptional results Stuart-very impressive indeed ! You've your kit really putting the squeeze on and your processing is great. I just people realise quite how difficult it is to get something like this from north England, let alone Northern Hemisphere. You must have a magic spell to break those damned clouds

Keep 'em coming cos it's all over for me here till August

[neil phillips]

Here is a heavily sharpened version showing the cassini more clearly. Not the kind of processing I prefer but does show more detail.

Its good to experiment, the mark of a good processer