My first of anything other than the moon

[Andrew*]

Oh dear - this stuff really isn't easy, is it? :?

The avis looked promising. The result doesn't

Forgot to mention on the image:

scope - 8" newtonian at f/15 (Tal 3x)

camera - Atik 1-HS

unguided. 50% gamma, 75% gain, 250th second...

I was so happy to see what was on the laptop screen - it was the first time I'd ever seen detail on mars. Things that may have gone wrong:

- forgot IR filter.

- Didn't get proper focus on no.1.

- my processing skills are... not good.

- need an imagemate to get in closer

- seeing wasn't good

- registax couldn't align cause of shaky avi - not sure why - perhaps incompetent mount.

tips, suggestions, comments??

Cheers

Andrew

[Andrew*]

At least those dark patches match with the planet's face at the time:

(click to enlarge)

Andrew

[peeceeTal2M]

you should see my first avi of the moon! :shock: and it looked even worse once i'd bumbled my way through registax lol, oh well we've got to start somewhere i suppose :?

Phill

[MikeD]

Mars is a tuff target, you should be pleased with that result first go or not.

Mike.

[Andrew*]

thanks guys. I was also working in between clouds, and kept on having to up the exposure when a cloud went in between.

Maybe next time when the conditions are better (although wind was minimal) things will improve. I suppose I'm glad to have got anything at all

Andrew

[lunator]

Andrew

Mars is getting a tough target now. I would be hapy to have initial results like these

Have a go a Saturn

Cheers

Ian

[Andrew*]

Thanks for your comments Ian.

I'll try Saturn when it clears the wall, which is about 9 these days.

But first I've got to get M42 before it goes. If that goes well, I'll move up a bit and try for a horsehead

Andrew

[Tim]

I cant get that old tart to image either.

Can see detail on the RAW avi, K3 and Registax just blur the whole thing up.

Very very disappointed with Mars. And I gather its not gonna get any easier?

One good thing to come out of it, you make me feel a whole lot better Thanks for sharing!!

Cheers

TJ

[dweller25]

Hello Andrew, did you really expose at 1/250th second or is it a typo ?

I used a SPC900NC webcam for the first time recently and exposed at 1/25th second.

[Andrew*]

Yes, 1/250th. If I'd used anything less, the wobbling (probably the mount ) would have screwed up every frame. This meant gain and gamma had to be quite high...

Also, I'm using a mono chip, which I think is quite a bit more sensitive...

Andrew

[Tim]

ah, interesting, as I had come to the conclusion that my individual frames would have been much clearer if I had exposed them for less time.

Not sure if that is compatible with the RAW method though??? I thought you have to do 5fps. And factory defaults with RAW go to 1/5th second for shutter speed too. But I think that shorter sharper shots would probably have saved my sequences.

I'll dig out a frame and see what you guys think!!

TJ

EDIT: Here's the pic, about the best fram I can grab from the footage. post mortem?

[barkis]

At least you had the courage to show them mate. Of course it's not easy, if it was we would all be knee deep in astro pictures.

You have made a start, and they are not that bad. There aint nobody who could not recognize what the subject is.

You have just embarked on a long journey, and the first leg is a very bumpy ride. Soon, it gets a bit more comfortable.

You will succeed, because you are determined to.

Ron.

[Andrew*]

here's a reprocess, which I think worked out a little better. What say ye?

Andrew