Another Mars from the 3rd

[neil phillips]

Taken a little later just before the fog stopped play, again using the 3x TV and 2x ultima, 2" exstension 8x 1800 mm focal length, 12 " spx f6 DFK camera eq6 syntrek, i went down to 15 fps at 1/15th secs exposure to try and help with the signal to noise ratio at some 15000 ,, FL a single shot colour cam is really pushed to its limits even with a 12" scope. to a degree i think its worked. showing the best formed syrtis major, out of my recent captures i think ?

not sure about size, as i was resizing a lot, but its close to actual capture size here taken at 12.21 GMT

a little more green less blue in the mix, a little saturation

[Clayton]

Those two are lovely Neil. Great detail

[arad85]

Great shots Neil...

[resonator77]

Top notch Neil

I am dumbfounded with the way you use 2 and 3 times barlows

How do you even focus at such high power ?

[resonator77]

Neil

What progie you use to resize your final image?

I noticed a number of 120% image scaling in your posts

[moocher]

Splendid Neil!!!!

Alan

[adt175]

Nice and tidy!

[neil phillips]

Thanks all for the positive comments, Mars is turning out to be very tricky this year, for some reason my very high power shots are showing more promise than my lower ones as yet im unsure why.

As im seriously over powering with a 6 foot newtonian.

But im hoping i get the right conditions at 60 degrees to better these. but it seems its a hit and miss affair due to wind ( 6 foot long tube ) transparency ( single shot colour cam ) and seeing ( everyone ) collimation probably too. but i live in hope.

Ramis i just resize on image analyzer, sometimes i resize on virtual dub. but mostly just a general resize on analyzer, nothing fancy.

As for focussing, well i do have a moto focus ( stuck on high speed at the mo ) but i find the best way is to stand a few feet from the monitor then slowly bring it into focus, get it so you can still see blur ( just outside focus ) you can see this blur on the edges of the planet, then move the focuser a little again, it will sharpen, then often ( though not always ) another small move of the focuser snaps it into focus, the detail of the planet should stand out more at this point, I can see it does from 3 feet away,

Thats the best method ive found. I suspect its how Pete does it too. as i know he mentioned once he doesnt use electronic focusers. ive got one, but i actually think it puts me off. well it did the other day, though years of doing it this way may explain that.