Saturn 3rd June 2015 - Pushing 8" SCT to the limit.

[MarsG76]

Hi All,

Just sharing a couple of images I captured of Saturn on 3rd June 2015.

The seeing was particularly clear so I decided to push the scope a bit harder then usual.

Visually looking at Saturn through the 11mm Nagler with and without the 2.5X power mate, and through 5mm Celestron X-Cel eyepieces was crisp, big and detailed. As an experiment I tried the 2.5X powermate in combination with the 5mm eyepiece and granted the view was starting to go quite soft but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would for pushing the mirror so far past it's theoretical limit. 

The first image is through a Celestron 2X Barlow Lens and the second if through a 5X TV Powermate.

I know the images are not as crisp as some posted here taken with bigger scopes but I'm happy with what my 8" SCT is delivering.

Both images are taken with a IS DMK21au618 and LRGB filters.

Thanks for looking.

Mariusz

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very nice. Better than I have ever managed with my C8.

[Pete Presland]

Two good looking images some very nice detail showing. This thread needs moving to planetary imaging, I am sure one of the mods will take care of it. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Just moved this to the planetary imaging section.

[MarsG76]

Ha ha, whoops.. I read "Solar" and mentally added "System"....

It was a particularly clear night... cold and crisp... after imaging Saturn I've spent about 90 minutes just looking at Saturn through various eyepiece/powermate combinations... quite a few of its moons were visible around it, it was big and crisp... It's one of those rare seeing conditions where the gear can be pushed to maximum (and beyond) power and still have crystal clear views.... as any astronomer knows its a sight that needs to be seen, no amount of words can do it justice.

[Pete Presland]

Ha ha, whoops.. I read "Solar" and mentally added "System"....

It was a particularly clear night... cold and crisp... after imaging Saturn I've spent about 90 minutes just looking at Saturn through various eyepiece/powermate combinations... quite a few of its moons were visible around it, it was big and crisp... It's one of those rare seeing conditions where the gear can be pushed to maximum (and beyond) power and still have crystal clear views.... as any astronomer knows its a sight that needs to be seen, no amount of words can do it justice.

How high in the sky is Saturn for you astronomers down under?

[laudropb]

Wonderful images. Thanks for sharing.

[MarsG76]

Very high... it passes only perhaps about 10-15 degrees of zenith... very nice imaging and viewing height.

[Alan]

Lovely shots, its a great feeling when that rare excellent seeing moment arrives and you see just what the equipment is capable of

[Pete Presland]

Very high... it passes only perhaps about 10-15 degrees of zenith... very nice imaging and viewing height.

Sounds great very envious of you, pretty tough in the UK at the moment only reaches around 17 degrees above the horizon!

[MarsG76]

Sounds great very envious of you, pretty tough in the UK at the moment only reaches around 17 degrees above the horizon!

17 degrees?? I can see how that can be a mission to get a clear image.... I guess at that situation you need to play the number/brute force game... capture as many Luma 90-120 second at highest frame rate captures as you can through out the whole night.. surely you'll get lucky with with atleast one stack.

[Tonynexevo925]

Amazing detail

[Ruud]

These are beautiful images. Great work! 

[MarsG76]

Thank you for the encouraging feed back everyone.

[Grotemobile]

Another well done here.

Great image for a 8" scope.

Steve.

[dweller25]

Excellent photos Mariusz