Mars 3 rd jan 12" SPX

[neil phillips]

I used a 3x televue barlow in tandem with a celestron 2 x ultima and 2" exstension, so 5 x ( maybe more because of distance ) 1800 mm FL 9000mm FL with the extra distance of the stacked barlows and 2" exstension probably 10.000 mm plus FL. ( A guess )

12" SPX f6 EQ6 Syntrek DFK camera my best so far this season, taken at 23.15 GMT 41 degrees elevation so pretty shy of full height. quick process hoping i can extract more with carefull processing. At last the sandy colour i prefer, i dont like pink

ACTUAL SIZE

150%

[kev]

Very nice image!

[Clayton]

Nice work Neil. lots of detail. Doesn't 3x + 2x = 6x with Barlows?

[Kokatha man]

Nice work Neil. lots of detail. Doesn't 3x + 2x = 6x with Barlows?

Yep....! 2" of extension on a TV 3X barlow is already running at 4X+ though.....so if you put the celestron unit first Neil that's a fairly mammoth multiplication even with the TV stuffed right into the other barlow.....8.5X+ perhaps....!

Great images with cloud showing btw:icon_salut: - although I'm inclined to use a single TV 5X powermate running at 7.7X using 4" (100mm) of extension tube if the seeing can handle it (which with Mars to date and the C11 it doesn't!!!).....I don't find personally doubling barlows much benefit - although you and others seem to do very well with said....."41 degrees elevation" - wow, to have such luxury!!! .....but as I've said before, the boots on the other foot now wrt planets vis Nthn. and Sthn. hemisphere imagers....!

[Sam]

Wow! that's brilliant. The image scale is superb and very crisp features showing up - well done on pushing the limits!

[arad85]

Nice! Mars is on my todo list once I have the power supply sorted for the mount...

[neil phillips]

Thanks for the feedback guys, so it looks like im over 15000 mm FL then, probably the highest ive tried, wind was calm yet the image was still moving about, no wonder with a heavy 6 foot tube.

I dont have another way of getting high power as yet, so two barlows was the only way, my long exstension puts off collimation..

Wondering if i can do better at 60 degrees with this combo ? yes i noticed the cloud quite prominent . Well its one for my site, hopefully better will be coming, makes a change to get out the big gun. I planned it for a 12 oclock stop as heavy fog was forcast, thats exactly what happened. was feezing last night my captures kept freezing on screen. i think my pc nearly died, me too it was so bad.

[Theninjagecko]

Thanks for the feedback guys, so it looks like im over 15000 mm FL then, probably the highest ive tried, wind was calm yet the image was still moving about, no wonder with a heavy 6 foot tube.

I dont have another way of getting high power as yet, so two barlows was the only way, my long exstension puts off collimation..

Wondering if i can do better at 60 degrees with this combo ? yes i noticed the cloud quite prominent . Well its one for my site, hopefully better will be coming, makes a change to get out the big gun. I planned it for a 12 oclock stop as heavy fog was forcast, thats exactly what happened. was feezing last night my captures kept freezing on screen. i think my pc nearly died, me too it was so bad.

Grat image scale Neil. Im wondering if you would be better off with less barlows, or say a single 5 times meade powermate thingy? You would get less image scale, but a sharper image and be able to process it and enlarge it and keep the detail from the smaller image. A guy i see doing this is over at the link below, his mars images are pretty crisp.

Webcam Astrophotography by Emil Kraaikamp - home

[neil phillips]

Yes most probably, though i dont have any dosh at the mo for another barlow, a little less power might be better, I was thinking that before i even imaged this lol. , Infact i wouldnt normally go this high, but through practice and good collimation and good seeing sometimes that extra power can increase resolution ive done it before. Dont forget this was not full height 41 degrees,

I will in time, if i get the chance do a range of powers, this obviously being the highest. This was my first attempt at such high powrer, and my first real go with the spx on mars this season. It actually couldnt have gone better, as i would need perfect collimation, perfect seeing, full elevation of Mars, to better this shot at this power. Next time ill do a range of powers. But really wanted to get back into the habit of stretching myself. Think ive achieved that, often it doesnt work out

[resonator77]

best yet Mars image from you Neil

impressive.

Have ever tried to image Mars with DMK?

do you see a big difference between mono RGB and color cam for Mars/Jupiter?

[Towa]

Fantastic image.

[brianb]

Terrific - I have enough problems focusing at f/20!

In my experience, below 30 degrees elevation is seldom if ever good, but once above 30 degrees it's worth shooting if the seeing appears to be reasonably steady. Higher may be better but sometimes the seeing just deteriorates despite increasing altitude.

[neil phillips]

Thanks guys Ramis no i havent tried with a DMK though i tried mono on jupiter with a dmk, A dmk is probably better though. Brian i couldnt agree more ive seen the effect you speak of, so i know what you say is intirely right. Though as you know it can often go the other way and improve too

A reprocess

A little tighter i think not sure sure though ? its like making a curry, sometimes it comes out better sometimes it dont mmmmmmm CURRY