Another budding planetary photographer...

[rjc404]

Here are my first two recent attempts at Jupiter from my back garden.

First one was taken with my DSLR in late October and a 2x barlow using EOS Record to get the AVIs - but the seeing wasn't good.

Second image from morning of 9 November is taken with a second hand Philips Toucam and my 2x barlow - the seeing was much better but it was very breezy!

Scope is a 150PL on an EQ3/2 pro which is great apart from when it is breezy... then images jump all over the place!

Anyway, looking at some of our more experienced members efforts in the gallery, how do they get Jupiter images to appear so large??? If I zoom in on my images or use drizzling in Registax the quality just disappears.

Is there a secret to this or do you just need very expensive kit?

So far my process is to get the images in either EOS Record with my DSLR or Sharpcap with my Toucam then run them through PIPP and then process in Registax and adjust the black point in Photoshop if I've used a lot of gain.

Any help or advice appreciated.

I think I've solved my focus issue by focusing on a nearby star first (e.g. Pollux) and then slewing back to Jupiter.

Thanks

Rob

[WaveSoarer]

Those are very nice images for a first attempt.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice start. I think the only problem is focus, as colour and exposure are OK. Focus is always difficult.

[rjc404]

Thanks for the quick and kind comments.

I've found focusing on Jupiter really difficult so far as when I'm watching the planet the clearness of the seeing moves in and out by the second and I'm never sure if I've got the best focus.  I think I'll try and lock focus on Capella, Alderbaran or Betelgeuse next time as I'll probably get better diffraction spikes on those when they are in focus than Pollux on my camera or laptop screen and then try slewing back to Jupiter.

I'll have to get the warm clothes out in about in an hour and head out again for another go as its clear here.

[rjc404]

Here's my latest couple of efforts. Progressing a bit I think (seeing was better but far from perfect). I think I managed to get slightly better focus than before but I must admit with Jupiter it is really hard when a Barlow is attached to the Toucam as the field of view decreases and each slight nudge of the focuser sends the planet wobbling all over my laptop screen. I suspect this is probably more caused by my EQ3-2 mount not being as rock solid as more expensive mounts than the focuser being too jumpy - but I might need a motorized focuser to sort this out (cheaper than a new mount!).

Anyway here they are from 23.11.2013. Jupiter and one of its moons and a GIF animation taken over about two hours (interrupted by cloud cover for a bit which makes it a bit jumpy).

Does anyone know if there are there any other good Jupiter pics out there in the gallery from similar set ups e.g. 150PL on an EQ3-2 that will give me something to aim for?

This is also done through a standard 2x Skywatcher Barlow that came with my scope. Any suggestions for a better alternative with Christmas coming up?

Thanks for looking or any feedback,

Rob

[rjc404]

Had another go at Jupiter last night with my Toucam as it's still closish to opposition. Great sight through the eyepiece before the camera went in but seeing was a bit wobbly.

Since my last go I've discovered Autostakkert and also half-figured out the wavelets in Registax. Still using the same Skywatcher barlow that came with my scope though which probably isn't helpful. If anyone has any ideas about what power of barlow or powermate would be useful for planetary photography for a 150PL (6" mirror 1.2m focal length - f8) let me know.

Still struggling with getting good focus with the barlow in. Think I might have to get an auto-focus as the image wobbles everywhere when I try to focus manually when barlowed.

Took numerous streams of video (about 4,500 frames a run at the highest frame rate my laptop could manage) and below is the best one I came out with. Most weren't that good.

Also reprocessed my 23 November effort in Autostakkert before using wavelets in Registax and think it's made an improvement on the original effort above in this thread.