Mars 28 Dec 09 - From Georgia

[qcdougn]

Here's my first go with the ToUcam 840K and CPC-1100. This was taken @f25 using a 2.5x OPT Barlow. Processed with Registax 5 and tweaked a little in PS-6 and other stuff. It's not the best...But, it was cold and windy and I was tired. We have another month before Mars reaches Opposition...I'll give it another try before then.

Cheers

[resonator77]

is this state of Georgia or country ?

[qcdougn]

Ha......Some of the ole timers consider it a country sometimes...

Georgia...next to South Carolina on the East Coast of the US.

[Coco]

Georgia..While its on my mind... ... err.. oh dear..

moving on... the polar caps are there that's for sure, I hope this gives you lets see a hi speck camera on that 11" beast

Guy..

[Clayton]

Nice shot , with plenty of detail. The 840K will give you some great results with the right conditions. Colour and exposure look good but the image is a little soft. Mars needs all the help it can get for a sharp result, so seeing, focus, collomation etc. need to be as good as possible. Good seeing can be rare here! Not sure about Georgia? Getting out as much as possible maximises your chances of getting lucky.

[qcdougn]

Thanks to all for the kind responses for my first go at Mars. As mentioned, the image is a little soft. But, conditions weren't at best even thought Mars was up about 50 degrees. It was a bubbling blob...I was lucky to get this much detail as it were. My collimation is Okay...and the focus was done carefully with a micro-focuser. But as you see, I couldn't get sharp details this time...I'm going to try again soon.

Cheers,

Doug

[resonator77]

what kind of micro focuser you use?

[qcdougn]

I use a Zhumell 10: 1 ratio (?) which screws onto the back of my SCT. It's not a high end focuser...But it sure beats the Celestron focuser on the scope.

[kev]

In those bad conditions, you did extremely well to get that good an image.