Jupiter, Mars, Saturn 2nd/3rd May

[Joseki]

I finally got around to processing the avi files I caught last Friday.  It was a brilliant night, starting early observing the Moon, working through "Discover the Moon" day 3 with my 150 Newt (8-9pm).  I then set up the AZEQ6 and Mak 127 with the mount in alt-az mode still, though it meant I could easily move my setup around the garden and my targets for the evening Jupiter, Mars and Saturn all were best seen from different parts of the garden.  Captures were 4 minute sections though I experimented a little finding the balance between frame rate and resolution with my Microsoft Lifecam.  I'm still using the baader 2.25 barlow screw on, which may not actually work as described on anything other than the baader zoom lens - I've got a GSO 3x barlow coming soon.  The images were quite unsteady, which is what I expected since the forecast showed the jet stream over the UK.  Captures were largely made 10-11pm (Jupiter), 11-12 Mars and 12-1 Saturn (just appearing over the roof top).   

I'm not sure why the two Jupiters have different colours - I guess I must have messed with one of the settings and the image is worse but shows the GRS better since by then it's rotated round into view.  All captures were made with Sharpcap, then processed with PIPP-> AS!2 -> Registax6 -> GIMP.  These are my best.

I didn't get on well with my Bahtinov mask that I made though I was a bit impatient and should probably have tried with a brighter star (I tried it on Regulus) so just focused as best I could on Jupiter.

p.s. I even had an astrobuddy that night as my daughter wanted to get woken up if there was 'anything to see' - she was very happy to see Saturn on the laptop screen and through the EP.

[oldpink]

well done
and good to get the kids involved

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice collection.I think Saturn would improve with a little RGB alignment in Registax

[Joseki]

Thanks for the suggestion Michael, my knowledge of Registax is very basic.  I had a go with RGB alignment (automatic and manual) but it didn't improve it though I can see what you mean.  I think it might be from overdoing the wavelets and GIMPs unsharp mask.  Before I use the mask in GIMP it's not there as much but it looks like some wavelet halo type effect around Saturn or perhaps a stacking artifact - I shall have another run through, thanks.