Jupiter 03-02-15

[PhotoGav]

Here is the first light with my new ASI120mc-s attached to the EdgeHD800 with a Skywatcher 2x Barlow. Captured in Firecapture, stacked and wavelets in Registax 6.

I'm stunned that I managed to use the new camera on the day that it arrived and I'm very happy to get a result. However, I know that the equipment is capable of much better (or at least I hope that it is!). So, do you have any suggestions on how to improve please? One thought I have is that the Barlow is letting everything down. I haven't run an experiment without the Barlow yet. The one I am using is the cheap Skywatcher one. Perhaps a Powermate is the only solution?!

[JamesF]

That's a good effort with a brand new camera, I reckon.

The barlow probably isn't doing you any favours.  The Revelation Astro 2.5x is worth a go though and hardly expensive.

I'd use AutoStakkert!2 for stacking personally.

What frame rate and capture length were you using?  And do you know what sort of histogram fill you were getting?

James

[Pete Presland]

Very nice some excellent detail on the edges of the equatorial belts.

[PeterCPC]

Great image.

+1 for AS!2 and you could also run the file through PIPP first before stacking. Looks like you could push the wavelets a bit more.

Peter

[si@nite]

Good result, I would certainly upgrade that barlow, there is a good range of quality barlows out there that will not break the bank, James refers to one of them, if its a powermate you want also consider the meade telextenders similar principle but cheaper, I use them myself, I now think they are marketed under the bresser sa range!

[PhotoGav]

Thank you all for your feedback. Yes, the spending will never stop - a new Barlow is now on the list. Hopefully I will get a chance for a quick go this evening with no Barlow and see if the sharpness is improved.

I did run it through PiPP first - forgot to mention that in the details above.

I tried AS!2 first as I agree, it generally gives a better result than Registax, however the resulting image couldn't take any wavelets at all without breaking up into blocks, especially at the poles. Strange?!

Tech spec for the capture are:

FireCapture v2.4 beta Settings
------------------------------------
Camera=ZWO ASI120MC-S
Filter=UV
Profile=Jupiter
Diameter=45.29"
Magnitude=-2.57
CMI=323.4° CMII=0.0° CMIII=270.5°  (during mid of capture)
FocalLength=10750mm
Resolution=0.07"
Filename=Jup_220903.ser
Date=030215
Start=220903.521
Mid=221003.523
End=221103.526
Start(UT)=220903.521
Mid(UT)=221003.523
End(UT)=221103.526
Duration=120.005s
Date_format=ddMMyy
Time_format=HHmmss
LT=UT
Frames captured=2194
File type=SER
Binning=no
ROI=640x480
FPS (avg.)=18
Shutter=54.69ms
Gain=34
SoftwareGain=10 (off)
USBTraffic=100
Gamma=50
Brightness=0
WRed=49
Overclock=0
WBlue=100
AutoExposure=off
Histogramm(min)=1
Histogramm(max)=3616
Histogramm=88%
Noise(avg.deviation)=n/a
Limit=120 Seconds
Sensor temperature=4.2 °C
 

Any thoughts as a result of that info?! Have I used appropriate settings? I don't really know what I'm up to in FireCapture yet! I just fiddled until I had something half decent on screen. The frame rate was running at around 18fps. I was hoping for higher than that... I did some captures of the Moon earlier in the evening and was running at around 23fps. The camera is connected with USB3, but my laptop is not the fastest by any means.

[JamesF]

Any thoughts as a result of that info?! Have I used appropriate settings? I don't really know what I'm up to in FireCapture yet! I just fiddled until I had something half decent on screen. The frame rate was running at around 18fps. I was hoping for higher than that... I did some captures of the Moon earlier in the evening and was running at around 23fps. The camera is connected with USB3, but my laptop is not the fastest by any means.

You've got an exposure time of 54.69ms.  It's going to be hard to get more than 18fps with that

James

[Freddie]

That's a nice first time result.

I'd be tempted to up the gain a bit and reduce the exposure to get the frame rate up. If you then get limited by laptop speed rather than exposure duration you could look to make the ROI smaller.

[PhotoGav]

Ah, very true - simple maths really! I will try those suggestions to up the frame rate.

[Twisted Lip]

Hi Gav, I think thats a pretty good result. First day I got the PGR camera it took me 2 hours just to focus the scope!

I read in a couple of articles to drop the Gamma completely (to 0) in FC and only adjust the exposure and gain. I wanted to see if this would work myself but I only got to check it morning of the triple transit and seeing was so bad I didn't get anything at all so couldn't perform a decent comparison :/

I'm sure you've already found it but the overlay histogram is pretty good in FC too (thats as far as my histogram advice goes, given your line of work you know how to use it with significantly better results that I do!) Also were you binning? I see the FC output says no above but I've noticed for some reason (on my installation) it always says no even when I bin it 2x2 (I have no idea why!).

I have a powermate that is generally pretty good (I use it mostly for Solar stuff) - below is an (disappointingly average!) example of Jupiter I took a couple of weeks back testing out some focusing tricks where I used it and processed through the same procedure as yours (I think yours has turned out better). You're welcome to borrow it at SGLX next month and give it a crack with your setup to test before spending?

Cheers

Will

[PhotoGav]

Thank you for those various suggestions Will. I will have a fiddle next time I have the chance and hopefully will make some progress! No I didn't bin it.

Thanks for the offer of trying the powermate at SGLX. If I haven't clicked a buy button by then, I will definitely take you up on the offer. Knowing myself though, I will have purchased something before this week is out!

[Twisted Lip]

Haha yes, a month is a long time in astro purchasing! One other thing I meant to ask was the size is pretty impressive - did you drizzle when stacking?

Will 

[PhotoGav]

No drizzling involved!

[Twisted Lip]

Blimey I feel very inadequate lol

[Freddie]

I'd be a bit careful with gamma settings as it really should be set for a linear response. Adjustments can then be made in post capture processing if needed.

[simmo39]

V nice.

[U Cyg]

Great first light with your new camera.  Well done.

Angie