Mars and Saturn 5th June from UK

[astroman001]

For the first time this opposition, we had some reasonable seeing at low altitude in the UK.

Attached is a comparison on Mars between the ZWO ASI224MC colour cam and the ASI120MM with IR RGB filters

I have also attached a comparison on Saturn between the colour cam and the mono cam + IR filter.

The colour cam comes out surprisingly well I think because of it's higher sensitivity allowing a higher frame rate and lower gain (noise) than the mono cam.

The use of the ZWO ADC also minimises the chromatic dispersion due to the low altitude which would have worked against the colour cam normally.

I think I will continue to use the colour cam + ADC even at this low altitude.

Best regards

Peter

[si@nite]

Good work Peter, what sort of frame rates were you at on Saturn?

[laudropb]

Very nice images.

[Ruud]

Well done! I like the second of each best.

[Pete Presland]

Excellent images as you said the ASI224mc/ADC is certainly better.

[neil phillips]

Good results Peter. The 224 seems to have done quite a bit better on Mars. Could some of that have been focusing perhaps ? I understand the noise comments. But the 120 shot looks a lot more blurry. Or maybe the ADC has stopped the blue channel dying and killing the overall sharpness. Whats your take Peter.

Love the 224 Mars. Some fine detail trying to come out, even this low. Probably the best one I've seen so far from the UK. Is it a straight RGB ?

Saw it was good on the 5th. Still waiting for a 290mm, so couldn't try.

 

[astroman001]

It was hard to get exact focus, but that is part of the issue with fainter low altitude images, its a downward spiral, more noise, less contrast, longer exposures, poor focus etc.

I set the ADC using the colour cam, then used the same settings with the mono cam, so blue should be OK. The colour shot was a straight colour, no IR added.

The seeing may have changed, but it was only 40 mins or so apart.

Si, I think the 224MC was down about 30 fps on Saturn to keep the noise under control. I was using 40% of about 6000 frames in each of 4 images combined and de-rotated in WinJupos.

Peter

 

[neil phillips]

Sorry Peter I should have looked. Assumed ADC on the 224 only. In that case it was either focusing, or seeing. Extra noise not withstanding with a 120mm

Can't imagine doing a lot better than that Mars in the UK. As seeing looked quite nice, this end, and it seemed that way across the country.

Good time to get good seeing, Mars ideally placed in size and brightness. Nice one.

[StargeezerTim]

Nice images. I like the colour cam ones best. Mars looks like it has a face looking out... especially on the colour one... unless i have completely lost it! 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very good results. The ASI224MC really strutting its stuff. I hope to use mine (and the ADC) on Mars as soon as I get a chance

[Kokatha man]

...pretty decent Mars Peter & looks like the 224MC was clearly better...although a lot can happen with seeing in 40 minutes tbh!