Struggling to get a decent Jupiter

[Peco4321]

50 minutes ago, Roysten said:

Hi Peter

I think to film in 5× mode you want to be pressing the following button once when in video mode. You should see a little image in the bottom right of the LCD screen that then says that you're in 5× mode.

Yeah I've tried that but when you start to film, it reverts back to the full image. I'll keep playing and I'm sure I'll stumble on the answer. Thanks. 

[Tommohawk]

Hopefully you can get Live view recording working - sounds like other have.

Just thinking about the optics for a moment, I'm wondering if you're using the stock 10mm EP for projection? I only ask because they dont seem to get very  good reviews, so this may limit things a bit. Also although EP projection obviously works, I think most top planetary imagers seem to prefer a Barlow. I use a Powermate 5x (actually gives about 6.5x) with SW200 and DSLR for quite good results.... but not this year just yet!

[cuivenion]

I really think you'd get better results with a cheap webcam, like a Logitech Quickcam 4000/3000 or the Philips SPC900/880nc. My old Logitech Quickcam 4000 still works on Windows 10 and Sharpcap, not sure about the 3000. It does mean using a laptop though, and maybe you don't want to do that. I would advise you to use prime focus instead of eyepiece projection and use a decent barlow.

I use an Altair GPCAM now with a Astro Engineering 2x AC333 Barlow and a Revelation Astro 5x Barlow, they were both about £25 each off Astroboot. There's better barlows of course, but I was happy with the results from these for the money. I'd give the cheap barlows on ebay from China a miss, I tried one and the the one's I have now are so much better.

One nice trick to get extra magnification when using a barlow is to increase the distance between the lens and the sensor, either by pulling the camera a little higher in the 1.25" holder or by using an extension tube.

If you have a 2x barlow with a focal length of 100mm and you use an extension tube of 100mm (between the lens and the sensor) you will get roughly 3x magnification. Doing this pushes the focus inwards, so you'll only be able to extend so much before you run out of focus.

Because Jupiter is low at the moment you might struggle getting good results with a 5x barlow. A 2x barlow would probably be the better option.

[cuivenion]

I'm not very familiar with DSLR's but here's an interesting link to their use with planetary imaging.

http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/EQ_TESTS/Canon_One_To_One_Pixel_Resolution.HTM

[Stu]

On 11/03/2017 at 13:15, Roysten said:

Like Art Gecko I'm eagerly waiting for April for it to be higher in the sky.

Don't forget that it will only be just over a degree higher at opposition than it is now. I would try whenever you get an opportunity anytime soon, just means staying up a little later but more chances imaging means better chance of catching good seeing.

[Tommohawk]

7 minutes ago, Stu said:

Don't forget that it will only be just over a degree higher at opposition than it is now. I would try whenever you get an opportunity anytime soon, just means staying up a little later but more chances imaging means better chance of catching good seeing.

... and only 1" greater apparent size

[A4Andromeda]

This is an Image of Jupiter I got last year using eyepiece projection.

Celestron 9.25 SCT, Advanced VX mount, Celestron Tele-extender, Altair 20mm wide view eyepiece + 2x Barlow + Baader neodymium light pollution filter.

500 frames using Backyard EOS, processed in Registax, final image tweaked in i-photo.

[Stu]

24 minutes ago, A4Andromeda said:

This is an Image of Jupiter I got last year using eyepiece projection.

Celestron 9.25 SCT, Advanced VX mount, Celestron Tele-extender, Altair 20mm wide view eyepiece + 2x Barlow + Baader neodymium light pollution filter.

500 frames using Backyard EOS, processed in Registax, final image tweaked in i-photo.

Very nice!! Looks like you've caught a shadow transit too?

[A4Andromeda]

Well spotted! I assumed it was an artefact.

I saw a transit some time ago, but I was so busy enjoying it and showing my family that I never got round to imageing it.

The red spot was a fluke as well: I had no idea it was there until processing.

[Stu]

2 minutes ago, A4Andromeda said:

Well spotted! I assumed it was an artefact.

I saw a transit some time ago, but I was so busy enjoying it and showing my family that I never got round to imageing it.

The red spot was a fluke as well: I had no idea it was there until processing.

Do you know exactly when it was taken? I can check it out

[A4Andromeda]

Thanks Stu,

I only have a processing date, 2 March 2016. I think the imaging date was late February.

[Stu]

Best one I can come up with is 1am on 14th Feb, with an Io Shadow transit. Does that sound feasible?

[A4Andromeda]

Thanks for taking the time Stu.

I thought it was later, but I can't remember what I did yesterday let alone a year ago.

I'll see if I can find the original session. If nothing else, it gives me an incentive to tidy up my filing system: been putting it off for ages, finally shamed into doing it, so thank you.

Regards,

Andrew

[AKB]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

Best one I can come up with is 1am on 14th Feb, with an Io Shadow transit. Does that sound feasible?

 

2 hours ago, A4Andromeda said:

I thought it was later, but I can't remember what I did yesterday let alone a year ago.

 

...not even on Valentine's day ???

 

[ManixZero]

11 hours ago, A4Andromeda said:

This is an Image of Jupiter I got last year using eyepiece projection.

Celestron 9.25 SCT, Advanced VX mount, Celestron Tele-extender, Altair 20mm wide view eyepiece + 2x Barlow + Baader neodymium light pollution filter.

500 frames using Backyard EOS, processed in Registax, final image tweaked in i-photo.

Amazing!

I was amazed by the other images on this post until I saw this!

They all put my own fuzzy blob to shame, though, as someone who had never looked through a telescope, I was happy to see anything at all!.

All of the images that are shown here are what drive novices like me, to try to achieve more!

I can lose hour looking through what you guys have imaged!

 

Thanks for the inspiration.

MZ

[A4Andromeda]

I'm a beginner as well! You should see my failures (not!).

A few things I've learned:

a: The more frames the better: individually they're nothing to write home about, but if you take 500 and your software chooses the best 350 (I use Backyard EOS then Registax), it's a good start.

b: Experiment with the stacking and processing settings until you get decent results. There are some good online tutorials available.

c: Photoshop your final image to get the best out of it. I'm more comfortable with i OS than Windows so I transfer the image to my i Mac and use i Photo.

d: (most important); pray for clear skies, no wind, new moon. Not much to ask for!

 

[cuivenion]

1 hour ago, A4Andromeda said:

I'm a beginner as well! You should see my failures (not!).

A few things I've learned:

a: The more frames the better: individually they're nothing to write home about, but if you take 500 and your software chooses the best 350 (I use Backyard EOS then Registax), it's a good start.

b: Experiment with the stacking and processing settings until you get decent results. There are some good online tutorials available.

c: Photoshop your final image to get the best out of it. I'm more comfortable with i OS than Windows so I transfer the image to my i Mac and use i Photo.

d: (most important); pray for clear skies, no wind, new moon. Not much to ask for!

 

Good advice for the most part, but I would say the Moon doesn't effect planetary imaging much, if at all. The exposures are too short. DSO imaging is definitely effected.

[Tommohawk]

6 hours ago, A4Andromeda said:

I'm a beginner as well! You should see my failures (not!).

A few things I've learned:

a: The more frames the better: individually they're nothing to write home about, but if you take 500 and your software chooses the best 350 (I use Backyard EOS then Registax), it's a good start.

b: Experiment with the stacking and processing settings until you get decent results. There are some good online tutorials available.

c: Photoshop your final image to get the best out of it. I'm more comfortable with i OS than Windows so I transfer the image to my i Mac and use i Photo.

d: (most important); pray for clear skies, no wind, new moon. Not much to ask for!

 

As others have said, dedicated cameras are likely to get a better results than a DSLR, but here's my experience with a DSLR for what its worth.

For planetary I use video crop mode with my Canon 550D. This records a 640x480 size image using 1 to 1 pixel representation rather than compressing which is required full a full size image. The link referred to in an earlier post suggests that your (the OPs) Canon 1100D records 5x Liveview which is "very close" to 1 to 1.

TBH I'm a bit skeptical about that, but hopefully its the case.

Anyhow, I suggest you use 3 minute videos - at 50fps this gives 9000 frames. I usually only use the best 10% as a maximum - sometimes (for Venus) as few as 1%. If you stack with Autostakkert 2 you can get it to produce a result with 4 different settings - say, 15%, 10%, 5%, 3%. Then see which looks best, and go on to process with wavelets etc.

I splashed out on a Televue 5x powermate, and use this with the Skywatcher 200PDS. The image below of Jupiter with Europa was done last year in early May when Jupiter was already a bit past its best. This year there hasnt been 5 minutes of clear sky to do anything, but results wont be quite so good as others have said due to low elevation of Jupiter. I was very pleased with this and TBH I think its down to a combination of good optics and video crop mode. Plus following all the advice I picked up here on SGL for processing!

One tip - the sensors tend to overheat with multiple video runs. Try and get everything set up and nicely focused, give the sensor a break to cool down and then go for it. Best of luck!!

 

[Peco4321]

Getting better, last night was so clear. 

[spaceman_spiff]

40 minutes ago, Peco4321 said:

Getting better, last night was so clear. 

Very good image - far better than my early attempts on Jupiter.

I think you may benefit from increasing your image scale - using a barlow. The optimal scale depends on your pixel size (big pixels demand a longer focal length (more powerful barlow). Also if Jupiter is made larger on the sensor, Registax will have more detail to lock on to and should provide a better result. Sorry if this has already been mentioned, I haven't had time to read through all the previous threads!

HTH Dan

[Peco4321]

27 minutes ago, spaceman_spiff said:

using a barlow

I tried a few different ways including 2x Barlow so will process later or tomorrow to see if any better. 

[Tommohawk]

Are you using the 5x Live view function - did you get that sorted?

[Peco4321]

18 minutes ago, Tommohawk said:

Are you using the 5x Live view function - did you get that sorted?

No. does it have to be done through a pc or can it work just through the camera. 

[Tommohawk]

OK if you are recording video without crop mode or live view that will be your biggest imaging problem by miles. For curiosity I recorded once without this and the difference was huuuuge.

Give me a moment I'm just mucking about with my camera (dodgy cable) ATM and I'll see what I can do to help. Do you use laptop currently or just camera direct?

 

[Peco4321]

Just camera. Canon 1100d with magic lantern installed. Thanks.