First Saturn of the season

[JamesF]

And we're already past opposition already... It's only just got to the point where it's possible to image from my usual location for any length of time at an hour that might be described as reasonable.

I spent a good couple of hours capturing five minute runs from the 127 Mak and ASI120MC with a 2x barlow at 10fps. I couldn't go any faster than that really as gain was very high. The only option for a faster frame rate would probably have been to drop down to 1.4x or lose the barlow altogether. The avi files were cropped down with PIPP and then 50% of the frames stacked with AS!2 before wavelets and post-processing in Registax v6.

Here are the best two images. I'm not sure I can split them. I'm quite pleased overall. I've not checked back through my previous images of Saturn yet, but these two may be the best I've ever done despite the disadvantages we have in the UK this year.

James

[si@nite]

Gud on ya James they came out miles better than mine well done!

[JamesF]

I think I got really lucky, to be honest. The first few runs were really not great, to the point where I couldn't even be sure I had the scope well-focused. Then suddenly the seeing just seemed to improve and stayed that way for a good hour or so.

James

[cfpendock]

Those are very nice images, especially considering the relatively low altitude of Saturn at the moment. It would be easier from somewhere like southern Spain... But you got good detail on the planet.

Chris

[ilove1995]

Best Saturn image I've seen on a mak 127 imaged from the UK. Nice one James.

[SeedyF]

I think I got really lucky, to be honest. The first few runs were really not great, to the point where I couldn't even be sure I had the scope well-focused. Then suddenly the seeing just seemed to improve and stayed that way for a good hour or so.

James

Yep, same here - when I set up the seeing was OK then quickly turned attrocious - so I gave up as I had to be up early this morning

Several times I had to check that someone hadn't lit a gas fire just in front of my scope the distortion of the image was so bad - lol

[theo]

You have captured some very nice detail on these James. Excellent for the aperture.

Pete

[Space Cowboy]

Remarkable images for the 127 James! You would swear they were taken with at least an 8" scope. Have you thought about trying an IR pass filter, even at 5fps could make a difference?

[JamesF]

IR pass filter and a mono camera? Is there a "recommended" IR pass filter to use (the Baader one, perhaps)? I was doing so well at not spending money on astro stuff of late, too

There's a promise of a clear sky tonight. I could at least give RGB a go to start with I guess.

James

[Space Cowboy]

You can use IR pass with your colour cam James but it would I'm guessing halve the frame rate. I've got the Astronomik 742 pass filter which are 34 quid at modern astronomy. You could then combine the IR image with one of your colour shots in winjupos. Just a thought as IR has worked wonders for me on Saturn especially in dodgy seeing.

[SnakeyJ]

Very nice images James and an excellent results for the 127 Mak. Very nice colour and surface detail, especially given the low frame rate.

Isn't it nice when the seeing suddenly improves!

[ilove1995]

You can use IR pass with your colour cam James but it would I'm guessing halve the frame rate. I've got the Astronomik 742 pass filter which are 34 quid at modern astronomy. You could then combine the IR image with one of your colour shots in winjupos. Just a thought as IR has worked wonders for me on Saturn especially in dodgy seeing.

I've got the same filter on my (now broken) mono cam. Would it work using it with a Philips SPC900 to image Saturn? (I'm using a mak 127 like James).

Al

[Space Cowboy]

Yes with the IR/UV filter removed but your shutter speed will need to be greatly reduced and you may need to bring down the focal length to get a decent frame rate. I may get out tonight and try it with my new colour QHY cam (cant use it with DFK because of IR/UV block filter.) and report back on how much it reduces frame rate.

[JamesF]

You can use IR pass with your colour cam James but it would I'm guessing halve the frame rate. I've got the Astronomik 742 pass filter which are 34 quid at modern astronomy. You could then combine the IR image with one of your colour shots in winjupos. Just a thought as IR has worked wonders for me on Saturn especially in dodgy seeing.

Hmmm. Bernd suggests that the IR pass filters may only benefit scopes of more than 5" aperture, so it's perhaps a bit experimental with the 127 Mak. I might give RGB a whirl whilst I ponder on IR pass. I doubt it will go unused in the future if I do buy one

James

[Black Knight]

Great results James, I bet you're pleased. I know I would be - I can't do planets for love nor money!

[Steve Ward]

They're beauties James . . .

Found the same here seeing-wise last night .

[todd8137]

Hi very nice waste of time with a barlow here ,how do you find pipp i keep going to download it but always forget might get a few jupe and saturn tonight and give it ago nice images

pat

[JamesF]

I think it's more force of habit to use PIPP for planetary imaging now I've moved to AS!2 for stacking, but if AS!2 can't do the job it makes life much easier with Registax. Where I use it heavily is for full disc lunar and solar imaging when I always use Registax for stacking.

James

[Michael_E]

Well done James. Really good couple of images. Gives me hope with my Celestron 6SE.

Like you, I cannot split the 2 images either. Both look great.

[todd8137]

Hi james a use AS2 my self its great will give pipp a try will down load it i hope to get the two on show planets tonight

Pat

[JamesF]

You might struggle with Jupiter, to be honest. It's getting quite low in the sky by the time the Sun has set and I think if you include the width of the rings its apparent size is less than that of Saturn now. No reason not to give it a go if you think you can get something useful though

James

[todd8137]

We will try

pat

[Space Cowboy]

Hmmm. Bernd suggests that the IR pass filters may only benefit scopes of more than 5" aperture, so it's perhaps a bit experimental with the 127 Mak. I might give RGB a whirl whilst I ponder on IR pass. I doubt it will go unused in the future if I do buy one

James

Okay no worries James just thought I'd mention it.

[Bizibilder]

Very nice James - I think you can see the "C" ring?

[JamesF]

Very nice James - I think you can see the "C" ring?

I reckon it's there, yes Roger. That was one of the things that pleased me so much about these images. I've never captured that for certain before now.

James