GRRRR! Frustrating Jupiter 5th Dec

[Jupiterholic]

  Damn it! The seeing was supposed to be good last night according to Unisys weather. Well, it wasn't. It was rubbish. I decided to watch the GRS across the whole disk in the hope I'd get at least one good capture. This was it, at about 1.50am. You should see the other guys!    Still, at least I've started my 2013/14 run on Jupiter. I expect better things to come... I'm looking at you January!! 

[Space Cowboy]

Despite the poor seeing thats a decent start to your Jupiter season Steve!

[Jupiterholic]

Despite the poor seeing thats a decent start to your Jupiter season Steve!

You know, I'd have been super chuffed to get anywhere near this back in 2010 when I started chasing Jupiter. But you know what things get like after a few years of it.  Guess that fussiness over images is what makes us better. At least, thats what I tell myself as I sit there cursing the sky at 2am like a complete loon.

[theo]

Like Stuart says, very decent for tricky conditions. Bodes well

for your potential results in much better seeing. Well done Steve.

Pete

[Jupiterholic]

Cheers Pete. More and more I'm feeling restricted by aperture these days. When I see the stuff you and Stuart produce with your larger scopes and wealth of experience its really inspiring, and I know I could get shots like that if I had the equipment and time. I just don't have the space or the money yet sadly (or the skies come to think of it). I have big plans for my retirement however.. cough… trip to Barbados with a C14 cough… even if it is another 30 odd years away

[Space Cowboy]

You know, I'd have been super chuffed to get anywhere near this back in 2010 when I started chasing Jupiter. But you know what things get like after a few years of it.  Guess that fussiness over images is what makes us better. At least, thats what I tell myself as I sit there cursing the sky at 2am like a complete loon.

Yep its a healthy attitude to have once we get a good image we want something even better and after all Jupiter wont be this good again for a looong time so we gotta make hay while we can.

[Jupiterholic]

Yep its a healthy attitude to have once we get a good image we want something even better and after all Jupiter wont be this good again for a looong time so we gotta make hay while we can.

Ha! yeah I agree. Though I'm not sure how healthy swearing at a hair dryer whilst staring down a dew shield in a full face balaclava in the middle of the night is… Gotta suffer for your art though!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very good going for a C8, especially under poor conditions

[Special K]

No worries, you'll get there, I'm sure!   I had a look at the gas giants last night and noticed when looking at Jupiter that the seeing was a bit tricky.  Wasn't surprised as it often is the case in the UK when there is good transparency.  It was a better night for DSO's and think I could detect the Milky Way between Cas and Per.

Good luck next session!

[Space Cowboy]

Ha! yeah I agree. Though I'm not sure how healthy swearing at a hair dryer whilst staring down a dew shield in a full face balaclava in the middle of the night is… Gotta suffer for your art though!

Sounds like you don't need a hair dryer with all that cursing lol

[Jupiterholic]

 ... people do tell me I'm full of a lot of hot air

[tich]

I would be very happy with that very nice. I've got some videos to process when I get home.

[neil phillips]

  Damn it! The seeing was supposed to be good last night according to Unisys weather. Well, it wasn't. It was rubbish. I decided to watch the GRS across the whole disk in the hope I'd get at least one good capture. This was it, at about 1.50am. You should see the other guys!    Still, at least I've started my 2013/14 run on Jupiter. I expect better things to come... I'm looking at you January!! 

If seeing was like what I had you did well. Its a good capture.

I also thought seeing would be good. But it wasn't around here. For sure. Ill show examples at some point just for interest.

 Do you shoot over houses by any chance ? Would be interested to know

 Planetary imaging for me in the middle of winter is often not too good. I am surrounded by houses. The heat pours out of the buildings causing all sorts of disturbances. Jupiter may be higher this year. But for those who shoot in built up areas. It can often be very difficult. Very frustrating agreed. But at least we are trying.

And you did as well as is possible, that's all we can ask of ourselves. If you do ever upgrade. A second hand 10" Sky watcher ( blue tube ) go quite cheap. Though the mount is harder to get cheap. Not sure if a NEQ5 would do. I know most will say not. But this is coming from someone who got good shots on a vixen gp with 245 mm Orion. So I know under windless conditions. We can break rules, even if it doesn't bode well with the you cant do that brigade. The similar Celestron mount might also just work. Sky watcher are heavy tubes though. So I am unsure to be honest.

[Jupiterholic]

If seeing was like what I had you did well. Its a good capture.

I also thought seeing would be good. But it wasn't around here. For sure. Ill show examples at some point just for interest.

 Do you shoot over houses by any chance ? Would be interested to know

 Planetary imaging for me in the middle of winter is often not too good. I am surrounded by houses. The heat pours out of the buildings causing all sorts of disturbances. Jupiter may be higher this year. But for those who shoot in built up areas. It can often be very difficult. Very frustrating agreed. But at least we are trying.

And you did as well as is possible, that's all we can ask of ourselves. If you do ever upgrade. A second hand 10" Sky watcher ( blue tube ) go quite cheap. Though the mount is harder to get cheap. Not sure if a NEQ5 would do. I know most will say not. But this is coming from someone who got good shots on a vixen gp with 245 mm Orion. So I know under windless conditions. We can break rules, even if it doesn't bode well with the you cant do that brigade. The similar Celestron mount might also just work. Sky watcher are heavy tubes though. So I am unsure to be honest.

Hi Neil,

I kind of am shooting over houses but they are about 200 yards away and just a couple of small suburban semis so they don't rise very high. Given the height of Jupiter this year I don't think their heat levels are reaching up enough to do damage thats too serious. I've always shot over the same houses and when the seeing's good the results have been light years ahead of this mornings effort. 

The only thorn in my side is the longer I shoot Jupiter the closer it creeps to the sky above my conservatory. As soon as its over the conservatory and I am also consequently pointed over it its always game over. Makes those large lunar mosaics or rotation gifs a… challenge thats for sure.

I agree thats it always worth having a go whenever we can but when it comes to earlier season Jupiter's (if it's only high enough in the early hours) going out for it is a big risk for me as it basically screws up a nights sleep, and I have to go to work the next day. Hence my frustration and swearing when I get out there and the seeing turns out to be pants. But, thats practical astronomy for you. And experience has shown me sometimes its worth sticking it out for calmer moments later in a session.

Thanks for the advice on the sky watcher. I reckon if I ever do upgrade I'll probably go the whole way and try for a C14. I do like Cassegrains. Which is why I'll probably be waiting till old age and fewer financial commitments for that! 

[Virgoman]

Given the conditions Steve you have pulled out a nice capture and you have kicked off - well done. Hopefully things should improve  .  I can concur with what you are saying about aperture - have had very similar thoughts lately but then reality kicks in   ( wife wouldn't`t be too impressed.....). We had a lottery winner about 60 miles from me who won £27million a few days  ago.....C14 sorted....and then some....lol.

                                 Best regards,

                                                        Ralph

[Jupiterholic]

Given the conditions Steve you have pulled out a nice capture and you have kicked off - well done. Hopefully things should improve  .  I can concur with what you are saying about aperture - have had very similar thoughts lately but then reality kicks in   ( wife wouldn't`t be too impressed.....). We had a lottery winner about 60 miles from me who won £27million a few days  ago.....C14 sorted....and then some....lol.

                                 Best regards,

                                                        Ralph

27 million   you could get a C14 with one months interest on that. Probably. Sigh. My car cost less than a C14.... Gotta be in it to win it.

[U Cyg]

Nice image despite the conditions! 

Surely we must get a night of good seeing soon!

[JamesF]

I've also been really struggling with the conditions.  Just ordered a load of nichrome wire to make up some dew heaters for my C9.25.  I barely have to take the lens cap off and it's dewed up at the moment

James