Jupiter 16th Feb 2015

[gajjer]

Hi all

well I don't normally do planets. After attempts with a budget x2 barlow had been unsuccessful, I gave it up as a bad job.

One day when I got my weight lifting badge I would invest in a mega powerful SCT.

Well I don't know what happened but all of a sudden I'm in front of the computer on amazon, with an image of a Tele Vue x2 BIG Barlow on the screen

and the voices in my head are saying 'buy one. buy one' Well it must have been the BIG what done it and the next thing I know it's on my desk at work

and I'm thinking why are you sat here - and the answer comes back - cos it's light you idiot. And then on Monday night beyond all expectation and possibly in

defiance of the BBC no less - yes the BBC weather people! It was marginally lacking in cloud to the extent I set up my SW 200 and set the rudder for Jupiter.

Well perhaps the BBC ( he said in a whisper ) got wind of my one man rebellion, but no sooner had I set up and got an image on the screen but it faded before

my eyes. Damn you my brain screamed as I turned to look skyward and see patches of sky blinking out between the clouds. In true Basil Fawlty style I kicked the

mount and marched into the house for a cup of tea to gird my loins.

Then pumped up with tannin and floor sweepings I went out to do battle with the puffy white things. Then the realisation that the clouds have gone - quick where

has the screen gone - phew back again - oh no it's drifted off screen ( Note to self : kick backside and do a proper Polar Alignment sometime! )

Oh no! set the file name dummy - quick I can hear the clouds coming - yes Jupiter that'll do. Yes I do want to overwrite the other file I called Jupiter - do I look stupid!

Record - record, quick or yeh it will all be in vain.

Annnnddddd relax. Aaaahhhhh.

Just enjoy the nice relaxing hobby. Aaaahhhhh.

And so went an hour long session of grabbing 2 min AVIs.

All the time Orion is up there taunting me - try your luck with me sucker - do you feel lucky punk.

I will spare you the frankly unsightly exchange during the processing - there was some questioning of both parentage and intellect. 

However, we are now done and I have a result.

It's not great. It's not even good, but it's mine.

I give you 'Making every pixel count : Jupiter and some of it's moons'

JUP 20150014b.bmp

Can't wait to do it all again.

cheers

gaj

[PhotoGav]

That's a lovely result and a great write up, made me chuckle...

[Space Cowboy]

Well done Gaj! You perfectly describe the organised chaos that is planetary imaging!

[SnakeyJ]

Hi Gaj - bloomin clouds! Great humour and very familiar scenario. That Jupiter is good too and nice to get the wide field in like this - thanks for sharing ;-)

[gajjer]

Thanks all for your kind comments guys.

The nurse said I can have another go if I behave myself next time.

cheers

gaj

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Nice catch!

[U Cyg]

Brilliant report and a nice image too!

Angie