Imaging Saturn, Help needed.

[astromerlin]

Hi All, I thought my first post of my endevours in imaging would impress and stun you all but being a complete newb I'm learning that it is not that easy.

I purchased my Skywatcher 250p secondhand just after Xmas but had to wait until the clouds moved out the way to see anything. March arrived and so I set about imaging Saturn as my first (real) planet and have had a few problems.

Shown in the pic are a few final images I have stacked in Registax, being a newb all I've done for the first two images is press the auto buttons to get the end result, the second image may have been done in K3CcdTools.

Equipment used, telescope as above with a meade 3x barlow and SPC900NC webcam.

Not happy with the fuzzy images after the hours I spent trying to get a better focus with the standard wobbly focuser I scanned the forum for info on collimating the scope and purchased a sighting tube and made a colli eyepiece to help. When I first looked down the eyepiece with the sighting tube in the primary was well off.

The third image is the most recent (21/03/09) it shows that my collimation attempts has improved the image a bit but still not as clear and crisp as some of the images I've seen on here. The standard focuser was tweaked and adjusted to provide a wobble free movement but doesn't need much movement of the wheel between on or off focus.

My main question is the red/blue haze at either pole I have on the images. I adjusted the last image and shifted the red and blue in Registax to compensate but still shows up at the sides. I thought it might be the barlow but I've used an 2x barlow as well and I get the same result.

Any ideas or info welcome.

Cheers

John

SaturnHelp.BMP

[geoff_k]

Hi there.

I think you are making good progress. The last image is better than anything I managed when I first started out.

A few suggestions:

Scrap the focuser (GCSE Metalwork failed) and invest in a Crayford focuser. Focussing will become much easier.

If you don't already have one, an IR filter is very useful.

Make sure you are capturing as many frames as possible. This will improve your chances of getting a good final image. It would be interesting to know which capture program you are using and the settings.

Saturn is hard work this year. You've already experienced the wonderful weather conditions we have had, and even the experts are struggling a bit.

As for the haze, I must confes Saturn looks 'bluer' this year when I compare my recent images with those from previous times. I'm not entirely sure what is causing this.

I've also noticed this in the images of Damian Peach (someone whose work we all aspire to) He has a selection of wonderful images he has taken over the last 10 years or so on his website, and his ones for this year definitely have a bluish shade to them compared to those from previous years.

Don't despair! You will get there in the end.

Geoff

[astromerlin]

Hi Geoff, Thanks for the advice. I do use an IR filter and image in K3ccdtools. I found this software easy to use. I think my problems may be (apart from the focuser) due to drifting of the image and the seeing conditions.

I looked at Damian Peach's site and all I can say is WOW. Definately something to aspire to.

I have got 2 things going for me though, Saturns always going to be there and I'm only going to get better at imaging (hopefully)

Cheers

John

[Cloudwatcher]

I think the red/blue problem is simply an effect caused by the atmospheric conditions at the time.

I would be happy with those images.