Jupiter and Saturn L:ast Night - with video of the seeing

[Stub Mandrel]

I almost didn't bother with these after seeing @Aussie Dave's recent Saturn - before I noticed he's 'aussie' Dave and not having to struggle with the planet being at 15 degree altitude, camera at 24-degrees (temperature) and the seeing being like boiling water. But tehre were some moments of slightly better seeing, scroll down for the results

First run at Jupiter was ironically one of the best, and caught the red spot and Ioop with it's shadow just on the point of leaving the disk:

 

One of the last Saturn's was best as it neared its 'highest' point:

Finally, a rather crummy image of Saturn, a stack of nine long-exposure frames (the darn planet then disappeared behind a roof!) Definitely Titan, Dione and Rhea, I'm sure Tethys is there and even a hint of Mimas! Wait until it is higher up and I can get a thousand frames!

 

 

2019-07-22-2215_3_pipp_Saturn_l4_ap25.tif

[Davey-T]

Well done for persevering Neil, I've scrapped all mine so far 

Dave

[Ibbo!]

Seems familiar I will post the saturn one I did last night sometime this week.

 

You got a decent stack and image out of it .

[U Cyg]

Nice images considering the seeing conditions.  Jupiter was very bad here but strangely the seeing for Saturn was much calmer.

Angie

[Stub Mandrel]

4 hours ago, U Cyg said:

Nice images considering the seeing conditions.  Jupiter was very bad here but strangely the seeing for Saturn was much calmer.

Angie

With them so low I think local 'hot spots' make a big difference to the seeing.

[Ibbo!]

can't find the saturn one but here is a jove

 

[Ibbo!]

Well I think its Jupiter, it could be a jelly for all I know.

 

[Kokatha man]

...at the very least no-one can say you fellas aren't out there giving it a go! 👍

[Aussie Dave]

Well done Neil. I had a look at your first video and it's a good result for that type of seeing and at such a low altitude.

For me in the south west of Western Australia and being near the coast, seeing for me is poor most of the time, however a planetary friend who lives about 70kms north from me and further inland away from the coast is getting very good seeing most nights now when there's no cloud. We have the luxury of waiting for Jupiter and Saturn to reach their highest and often don't start imaging if they are below about 65 degrees unless there's an early or late GRS or transit. Plus if seeing is bad, we often don't image at all.

My last attempt 2 weeks ago wasn't so great and since this it's been nothing but cloudy nights and patchy rain. You're probably getting more clear nights now than us all the way down here 😄

This was with the Saxon 8" Mak and Meade Telenegative 2x Barlow, fl 5000, f/24.6, ASI224mc as a comparison. You should be able to get similar Neil with more stable seeing near their highest elevation.

[wesdon1]

On 23/07/2019 at 21:57, Stub Mandrel said:

I almost didn't bother with these after seeing @Aussie Dave's recent Saturn - before I noticed he's 'aussie' Dave and not having to struggle with the planet being at 15 degree altitude, camera at 24-degrees (temperature) and the seeing being like boiling water. But tehre were some moments of slightly better seeing, scroll down for the results

First run at Jupiter was ironically one of the best, and caught the red spot and Ioop with it's shadow just on the point of leaving the disk:

 

One of the last Saturn's was best as it neared its 'highest' point:

Finally, a rather crummy image of Saturn, a stack of nine long-exposure frames (the darn planet then disappeared behind a roof!) Definitely Titan, Dione and Rhea, I'm sure Tethys is there and even a hint of Mimas! Wait until it is higher up and I can get a thousand frames!

 

 

2019-07-22-2215_3_pipp_Saturn_l4_ap25.tif 1.15 MB · 2 downloads

Hi, may i ask what magnification you were using when recording that video of Jupiter at top of your post ? Also, what 'scope were you using ? Thanks, Wes. ( Newbie based in Liverpool, UK )

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, Aussie Dave said:

You should be able to get similar Neil with more stable seeing near their highest elevation.

I hope so - looking at my results I started when Jupiter was in Orion using webcams. Each year my gera and technique got better but Jupiter got lower and my image quality stayed more or less the same. Hoepfully over eth next six years both my skill and the seeing will improve together!

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, wesdon1 said:

Hi, may i ask what magnification you were using when recording that video of Jupiter at top of your post ? Also, what 'scope were you using ? Thanks, Wes. ( Newbie based in Liverpool, UK )

Hi Wes, I image planets with a 150PL an x3 barlow, a filter wheel (left on IR/UV cut for my colour camera)  a ZWO Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector and a ZWO ASI 120MC.

There isn't really a magnification for imaging, it depends on focal length and pixel size, but my equivalent focal length is 3,600mm which is quite long.

I hope to make an equatorial platform in time for mars next year, so i can use my 10" dob which should start to open the door to some good results.

[Aussie Dave]

3 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I hope so - looking at my results I started when Jupiter was in Orion using webcams. Each year my gera and technique got better but Jupiter got lower and my image quality stayed more or less the same. Hoepfully over eth next six years both my skill and the seeing will improve together!

I'm sure the planets could be moving northwards, they don't seem to be as high as last year.

[MKHACHFE]

Nice pictures and very interesting post mate. I am in a similar  position, viewing-wise. The only way i can see them both from my garden at all times i can star watch is over the neighbour's roof, so lots of summer heat haze. That and their low angle almost always means noisy viewing. 

Still, I'm not complaining. The views are still great, i can usually make out individual Jovian bands and the red spot with a 10mm and my XT8. Saturn is always stunning of course.

I can't wait for, what is it...2087? (feels like it is that far away) when they will both be high in the UK sky again. 😁

[Pete Presland]

amazing what you can tease out of the data.

[MarsG76]

Great gas giants.. well done.

 

[MarsG76]

I too am surprised just show much detail can be squeezed out of a video that at first glance looks like there is nothing useful there....

 

[Stub Mandrel]

13 hours ago, MarsG76 said:

I too am surprised just show much detail can be squeezed out of a video that at first glance looks like there is nothing useful there....

 

To be fair, that was a clip of one of the worst bits, the best footage that night was of Saturn when the cassini division would occasionally be visible. But compare the best Jupiter from that night with the sort of images I got last year, all with the same 6" scope:

 

 

[wesdon1]

On 27/07/2019 at 11:39, Stub Mandrel said:

Hi Wes, I image planets with a 150PL an x3 barlow, a filter wheel (left on IR/UV cut for my colour camera)  a ZWO Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector and a ZWO ASI 120MC.

There isn't really a magnification for imaging, it depends on focal length and pixel size, but my equivalent focal length is 3,600mm which is quite long.

I hope to make an equatorial platform in time for mars next year, so i can use my 10" dob which should start to open the door to some good results.

wow so you got images that good with 150mm aperture! Obviousely you have the really good ZWO camera/accessories etc but thats still amazing visuals! BTW i've been away on hols so sorry for such a silly late reply sir! I'm completely obsessed with this hobby, been into astronomy since childhood but for different reasons i never actually bought a "Proper" telescope until december 31st last year! ( Yes, the guy delivered it to me at 9pm new years eve! what a guy! lol ) so i didn't go out celebrating, i spent the whole night alone with my new toy! haha 

Clear Skies to you sir!

[Stub Mandrel]

47 minutes ago, wesdon1 said:

wow so you got images that good with 150mm aperture!

Thanks!

See the pics @MarsG76 has got with a 6" scope in Australia - that's what I'm hoping for in the future!

48 minutes ago, wesdon1 said:

i didn't go out celebrating, i spent the whole night alone with my new toy!

You probably saved half the cost of the scope - and missed the hangover! 🙂

[MarsG76]

33 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

6"

8"... I use a C8...

[Stub Mandrel]

7 hours ago, MarsG76 said:

8"... I use a C8...

Damn!

[MarsG76]

47 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Damn!

Still shouldn't be that much difference when the conditions play ball...

[Stub Mandrel]

10 minutes ago, MarsG76 said:

Still shouldn't be that much difference when the conditions play ball...

Yes... but I'm still kicking myself for going into a shop that was getting out of astro and buying a cheap C90 Mak instead of grabbing the new C9.25 on an tracking Alt-Az mount for about £700  😭

[wesdon1]

On 07/08/2019 at 10:47, Stub Mandrel said:

Thanks!

See the pics @MarsG76 has got with a 6" scope in Australia - that's what I'm hoping for in the future!

You probably saved half the cost of the scope - and missed the hangover! 🙂

haha very good point mate! I saved a bundle of cash, and was as fresh as a daisy the following day! Thanks for the link too, i'll take a look!