Another Lunar Session with the 10" Refractor - 2018-04-25

[PhotoGav]

I had another session with the Thomas Cooke 10" refractor and Point Grey Chameleon3 camera last night, imaging various features of the Moon between high speed passing clouds. I tried using a red filter and I think that has greatly improved results (thank you @ollypenrice for that suggestion, though reading your post again just now I see that you said 'infra red' not 'red'!!!).

The Plato area:

 

The Clavius area:

 

The Copernicus area:

 

I then popped in the 2.5x Powermate, taking the focal length up to 9.5m, and tried to capture Copernicus pretty much on its own - not necessarily that successfully as the atmospheric conditions weren't really up to that magnification.

 

Finally, here's a couple of shots of the kit in action:

[Davey-T]

Stunning images Gav, well done.

Dave

[PhotoGav]

44 minutes ago, Davey-T said:

Stunning images Gav, well done.

Dave

Thanks Dave. I’m enjoying playing about with the big old scope. Meridian flips take forever though!!!

[kirkster501]

Great pictures, fabulous!  What’s scope!

good tip about the IR filter. Never thought about that with the moon. Will try it.

[John]

Super report and photos !

It must be wonderful to spend a night with a scope like that

[PhotoGav]

Thank you Kirkster & John. It is an honour to be let loose on such a historical scope. It’s certainly not the best instrument to use for imaging, but it is a fun challenge and is just a joy to look up from the computer and see that huge great brass thing!

[25585]

Strange mix of old & new. Classic refractor & laptop together!

[PhotoGav]

5 minutes ago, 25585 said:

Strange mix of old & new. Classic refractor & laptop together!

Absolutely, it felt almost like sacrilege as I draped modern cables all over the brass focuser!

[kirkster501]

My favourite is the Copernicus area photo.  Very nice.

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Lovely results from a great old scope. I tend to use IR, but red already has much the same benefits

[johnfosteruk]

Very nice Gav. When will you be PST modding the Cooke so you can do some solar?

 

[kirkster501]

I asked this question before but did't understand the answer.  I have IR Cut Neobdynum filter.  Would that be OK as the moon filter?

Sorry for the slight thread divergence...

[johnfosteruk]

11 minutes ago, kirkster501 said:

I asked this question before but did't understand the answer.  I have IR Cut Neobdynum filter.  Would that be OK as the moon filter?

Sorry for the slight thread divergence...

If you're imaging with a mono camera use an IR pass filter to reduce the effects of bad seeing.

[PhotoGav]

1 hour ago, johnfosteruk said:

Very nice Gav. When will you be PST modding the Cooke so you can do some solar?

 

Thanks John. Solar imaging is next on the agenda... the observatory owns a Daystar hydrogen alpha filter that I will be trying out next time the Sun comes out - though that may be a while away!